Aren't sufficient for what? Loudness? Isolation? It's very easy to buy nice open backs, given that's what most better sounding headphones are. I used a pair of 7506's once ... once. I understand they're a reference, but "reference" sometimes just means they're kept in constant production so...

Just got these today. As an experiment I played straight from my laptop. Apart from having to max the volume the highs were splashy and sibilant. No surprise. I have a Bluesound Powernode (current version). That sounded better — again, no surprise — but it’s built in amp didn’t push these too...

Thanks for this write-up. I'll be interested to learn how the Pi 3 changes any of this.

Well friend, we shall agree to disagree. I don't give a **** what someone else hears or doesn't hear. Their experience, or inexperience (as is often the case, quite frankly) doesn't impress me as truth or reality in any meaningful way. Enjoy! Or Not! :)

What I'm reading is, you just said that if something can't be measured or "demonstrated," it basically doesn't exist, to say nothing of potentially being better. Do I have that right?

Alrighty, I didn't understand that MM/hi output MC-only might already be a consideration at the company. At these still-low price points we're discussing I'd rather see MM done really well then MC done just OK, and as with tubes, I'm a believer that it costs more to do MC right than it does MM...

  I don't understand why you've been asked to use tubes for tubes' sake, which is where my understanding here is. To them I'd ask, "Why not a $300 or $500 or $800 solid state phono pre instead?" ... because as you say, what they're asking for is a more expensive box they assume will sound...