I have an HRT Music Streamer II that I was able to pick up open-box for $120. Though it's not broken-in yet, I like what I hear so far: rich bass and mids, and clear upper treble. However, the soundstage could be better, frankly, and in comparison with my Marantz CDP this is where the HRT loses...

Well, my opinion of this budget DAC has improved dramatically following the swapping out of op-amps and the twin triode tube. For the former, I used the two chips recommended on the product thread - whose numbers escape me at the moment. The tube is a NOS Tung-Sol 2C51.   Improvements? The...

I just bought one of these DACs myself, to use as an intermediary between my iMac and Bottlehead S.E.X. amp. Headphones are Sennhieser HD650.   So far, this is a really impressive product for the price! I like it better than the DacMagic I had before, which I found overly shrill and...

Quote: Originally Posted by charliex 1800's - you can't be serious??? We were still riding horses and playing cowboy and injun. People were lucky to have an outhouse and a well. Perhaps, but by the 1890's, the technology already existed for many things we take for granted today...

Quote: Originally Posted by SanJoseCanJunkie I would agree with the HD600 opinions. I've heard the 600's, and preferred them to the 650, and they also had a fuller bass than the 701/2. Well, you guys have steered me towards the 600's, so I'll have a whack at those first...

Quote: Originally Posted by rhythmdevils There's not a single person in the world who thinks the K702 has more bass and less treble than the DT880. Good - glad to hear I wasn't going crazy. That's why I initially steered away from the K-701s and stuck with the Beyers, which I was...

Quote: Originally Posted by nikongod Have you tried loading the autoformer BEFORE the output resistors (if installed)? It is quite possible that the system is ringing, which would explain a large part of why you are not satisfied with the grados. If that dosnt do it, I would try the...

Quote: Originally Posted by KingStyles How ironic, removing a veil by adding a veil. Out of those two I would have to go with the senns. The 701's seemed like they were missing there lower registry. You probably need to prioritize wither light, airy, and sound stage is more important...

I last posted here about a year ago, after having used Grado cans for years and wanting something more. That led me to a pair of Beyers (DT880 Pro), which I've not been totally happy with. I've had the opportunity to hear a lot of cans in the past few years, so I'm hoping that if I post some of...

The Bottlehead S.E.X. amp (a DIY kit, but perhaps you could have your friend build it for you) makes my DT880's sound amazing. It's a single-ended triode (SET), dual-mono integrated amp that also can be used with sensitive speakers (max output=2W). I built mine recently and it's amazing...

Wow - CD players must be even less popular here than I thought!

I'm about to turn 30 and indeed, like dealing with CD's and LP's better than "clicking" files on a computer. I've done both for years (in fact, I was making MP3's before most people knew what they were) - but when I want to sit down and really enjoy an album, the ritual of handling a physical...

I have an older Marantz CD-67SE CDP that I bought secondhand and have kept in great condition for several years. Sound quality is smooth and detailed going from the analog outputs to my S.E.X. amp or Dared MP-5 clone, and the headphone output is loud enough to drive my Beyers and Grados with...

Quote: Originally Posted by boomzilla still using rh1, line out to predator, into darth beyers...totally eargasmic...i am a bit of an ipod retard...which encoder is best to use, just found the 256 kbps option...am set up for ipod to lod to predator...can't imagine it would sound better...

I used to love MiniDiscs - had them for a good ten years, running the gamut from an MZ-R30 to an RH1. But, I never found much need for MDs by the time the RH1 came out, so I sold it two years ago and haven't missed it. Anytime I get nostalgic for MD, I have an old MZ-R900 in my drawer to pull...

Amazon is a good choice if you're OK with lossy - most of their stuff is encoded with LAME -V0. Otherwise, MusicGiants is fine, though really overpriced. Some of their albums are $15 as opposed to $8.99 on Amazon, which is a waste of money considering that a) a real disc can usually be had for...

Your observations about the flats are interesting. I myself never cared for them (my first and second pair of Grados, purchased years ago, had them) because they place the transducer too close to the ear (more like, right on top of it!). To me, this meant a complete absence of soundstage and a...

I tried the RS-2 with both the included bowls and "quarter-modded" comfies. Either way, I didn't like the colored midrange, though the bass and treble frequencies were fine, if unspectacular for $440. My experience with my new DT880's suggest that my tastes (or hearing) have changed since buying...

Quote: Originally Posted by TopPop Ahem... assuming one's girlfriend would even want expensive gifts... mine doesn't! Yes, indeed - women with expensive tastes in gifts have (thankfully) tended to steer clear of me. Something about the $140k in student loan debt seems to turn...

I've owned both. I honestly don't think there's much (if any) difference between the 60's with bowls or the 80's with pads - so the differences in sound are definitely foam-related. BOWLS: Sound is slightly further from your head. Cleaner bass, much crisper treble. More details - things like...

A perfect illustration why there's some benefit to being single (though admittedly, not much). Money wasted on garish, expensive gifts (that will just end up at the bottom of your GF's closet anyway) can instead be blown on cans, tubes, and albums

Well, the DT880 (Pro) arrived this morning, and I've been putting them through the paces all day with rock and jazz. So far, I like them! As a long-time Grado-head, they seem to have a presentation that is comforting and familiar. PROS: -Very comfortable - even though the "pro" version...

I thank everybody for their observations and feedback. I've placed an order for the Beyers (DT880), so I'll post my comparisons (and impressions as a long-time Grado user) once they arrive late in the week. I may eventually go for another Grado, but it sounds like I might need to try some other...

I don't think the SR-80's are better than the RS-2's, but I guess the differences I'm hearing are not positive enough to justify the $300 premium. The woodies have more of a "closed in" sound or resonance that I'm not enjoying after listening to the more open-sounding, non-resonant prestige...

Quote: Originally Posted by mrarroyo Sorry you are not enjoying your RS-2, but I think they were superb. Sold them to pursue other interests and some-days I regret that decision. I can't help but wonder if there are any differences between the "old" dark-colored RS-1 and RS-2's...