I just realized that this is actually the 'sponsored forums' so I'll include a few more things for the guys at HeadRoom (or Firestone, etc):
- Good job having the switches up front. Inexplicably, the Fubar puts them in the back, jammed between wires. My guess is they liked the look of a streamlined faceplate, but the consumer just ends up eating a crapsandwhich of inconvenience... However, Headroom, there isn't any reason to make them so absurdly tiny. I have 20/20 vision and still have a hard time reading them, and the switches themselves could be made bigger and still have room on the faceplate. The Micro seems to relish in its 'micro' size, but I think some larger switches would actually accentuate that even more. Just food for thought.
- It's not a big issue because my HD-650s came with a great adapter, but why use a mini-stereo jack? Aren't most people who drop $333 on a dedicated headphone amp going to have the 1/4" jacks?
- Great job making them secure while stacking! Firestone should take note to not just make products the same size, but have some way to make them secure when stacked, no reason not to.
- Volume knob could be bigger. I agree with aimlink that the Fubar's volume knob is more ergonomical, and I think it just feels/looks better. The Micro's knob suffers from its 'EVERYTHING-MUST-BE-CRAZY-TINY' syndrome. Don't be afraid to make it shiny and large, us users know it won't bite us!
- 3 level gain switch. NICE! The two level gain switch with my Fubar III was sorta like mama and papa bear's porridge, either too hot or too cold. With a 'medium' setting, I feel I can get some porridge that's 'just right'. Should also be another plus once or if I get the D2000s.
- Why not allow the op-amps to be rolled? This smells like some plainly evil up-selling malarkey to me. Why should someone have to pay $260 more for the addition of the OPA627s found in the "Ultra" Micros? Because they are, as you say "rare & astronomically expensive." Really? I bought a pair AND an adapter for $51, and that was after a price mark-up from the seller! C'mon, that shtinkkayy! Headroom would probably gain a lot more buyers within the knowledgeable hands-on community, and still be able to sell the same amount of "ultra micros," if not more, for the other things they offer that the non-ultras don't. Actually, if they allowed for rolled op-amps, I undoubtedly would be keeping my DAC (and feel a whole lot happier about my amp), so there's one person they lost with that.
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