Like i'm sure you all know... i'm a firm believer in the "garbage in, garbage out" principle. Your audio system is only as good as it's weakest link. And if the music is no good from the start, speakers, amplifiers, and cables will just carry the same bad sound quality through the whole signal chain, no matter how good the components are. Through an orpheus, a PCDP would still sound like a PCDP. Though the orpheus would be allowing the pcdp to live to it's fullest capabilities, it would still sound like a pcdp. This is why i laugh at all of those people who buyhigh end headphone amps and still use "budget" sources. If we did a double-blind test, i'm sure my turntable, with it's high-end signet cartridge, and my diy Mosfet amp, would have more realism and musicality than anyone's Denon 370 and MG Head OTL. Anyone care to challenge me? I've owned both setups.

If i could do it all over again, i'd probabally get some Grado RS-2's, a MAD Ear4, and a used Linn LP12.

The biggest garbage in the phrase "garbage in, garbage out" is the actual recording quality it's self. It 'trumps' differences in CD sources, amps, headphones, or formats imo.

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Ben
I agree completely. I've seen others post in the forum here that remasters only matter if you have "good enough equipment." In my experience, I can usually tell a recent remaster from an older CD even over a poor quality FM radio station in a stock car radio. The recording definitely matters the most.

I usually try to stay away from using generalizations, because differing systems, especially at dissimilar price points react in their own special way to component substitution. I have found that the more dollars you throw into your system, the more you will notice an increase in your ability to hear that all components are of equal importance. With fewer dollars invested you will quickly realize that the transducers/amplifier combination will dictate most of what you hear.

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I always stay away from generalizations.

I've been having a lot of fun lately listening to the Sony F1 using the EAR HP4. These two components are not similar in price...

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OMG.... Your HP4 is cheating on your HD600s!! person!!!

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I like the sound of the F1 with my EMP, Hirsch. There's a similar price disparity with this combo as well.

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Shhhhh.....the R10 doesn't suspect anything ...

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The F1 is an odd headphone, and I should probably write something about it at some point. There are some key areas where almost all of my other headphones can better it, particularly in the midrange definition. And yet, I spend an inordinate amount of time listening to it. It's highly amp sensitive, and really responds to the ZOTL or EAR. Comfortable beyond compare. And for some reason, its deficiencies relative to my other headphones aren't bothersome (compare to R10, which simply didn't get the low end, and dynamic contrast right until I got the EAR and some decent tubes. Those issues bothered me a lot, even though I'd guess that the R10 is just a bit better then the F1 overall ) Actually, the F1 is a really nice example of an inexpensive transducer that rises to the level of its input. There isn't a top limit on source or amp you can use with it...it will just keep sounding better.

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Hirsch, let's be serious. Who's benefiting from this relationship? Are you really willing to risk hurting a beloved member so you can gain so little?

Has everybody forgotten the most important thing ----- the true source, CDs or LPs.

I would suggest to buy many many many CDs first.

Otherwise, buying a good phone first would make the biggest improvement.

But now I MUST resist the temptation to upgrade my source.

I began with the headphones, but they certainly weren't anything exotic.