Which pair to buy first for use with a Millett Hybrid MAX amp, K271S or K601s?
I'm getting ready to order the parts to build a MH MAX amp. It will be either the Can't Miss Build #2 or #3 with the Muse ES caps, Russian K42Y by-pass caps, and GE 12AE6 tubes or RCAs as the second choice. I'll probably order 10, 22, and 41 ohm resistors for the RB14 locations to see how it changes the sound.
I can't decide which headphones to order first. I'll have to use stock cables initially, but my plan is to upgrade the cables on both and I know the K271S are a lot easier to do.
The amp build will maximize the bass punch, but will a gain of 14 with the 12AE6 tubes be too much for the K271s? I can run the other tubes to lower the gain, but it requires adjusting the amp, so I'd rather setup up for K601's at the start.
Music tastes run the full range, but I listen to a lot of female singer/songwriters, jazz, punk, rock, folk, classic rock, and the Beastie Boys from time to time. Not a lot of orchestra music and even less country.
Sources will be my Pro-Ject Debut III turntable with Grado Red cartridge (but planning to upgrade to a Grado Gold soon) run through a AD797/BJT based phono stage, a TBD replacement universal player (looking at a OPPO DV-980HD), PC via Audigy 2 ZS with external box, and even my XM tuner from time to time. I tried to rank my sources in declining signal quality.
The question is, which 'phones would I enjoy more with stock cabling? Is the build of my MH MAX going to provide enough bass boost to make the K601's good enough on the low end? Will it be too much bass emphasis with the K271s, since I do enjoy the bass? My E2Gs have enough on most of my iPod tracks if anyone is familiar with those IEMs.
I will eventually have both in my stable, I'm just not sure which horse to buy first.
Thanks!
- BMF
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