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Amp to pair with Grado SR325i

post #1 of 11
6/17/08 at 11:46am
Thread Starter 
Let's forget my previous thread, which probably fits into the "too long; didn't read" category. This question is simple:

Which Headroom amp would pair best with the Grado SR325is? I love the Bithead, and it's certainly better than my lappy's headphone out port, but I feel I can get a bit better. My choices are between the Desktop amp with Home DAC, the Desktop Millet Hybrid (out of the Bithead/CD Player), and the Mini Amp (I can get the DAC as needed).

Primarily I need high current, right?
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post #2 of 11
6/17/08 at 4:51pm
I've tried the Micro amp (with desktop module) with my HF-1's and yikes... pretty impressive. Blew the Bithead right out of the water in my opinion.
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post #3 of 11
6/17/08 at 5:00pm
From headroom? The Millett has a great synergy with grados.
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post #4 of 11
6/17/08 at 5:35pm
I'd go with the Desktop with DAC option, it should provide plenty of juice for any Grado, and you'll be improving the source (DAC) at the same time.

Having said that, I really like my Micro Amp. It's really a knockout for any headphone I've tried with it
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post #5 of 11
6/17/08 at 5:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbloudg20 View Post
From headroom? The Millett has a great synergy with grados.
I second that statement!... Grado 'phones mated w/ a quality tube amp stage indeed offer a lovely audio synergy imho

Of course, Grado Labs headphones are all very efficiently rated at only 32-ohm impedance (and quite sensitive as well) so beastly head-amp power isn't necessarily required for maximized sound quality with their cans.... Likely a more important consideration is finding an amp with the most ear-pleasing tonal/timbral presentation for your particular listening tastes

Cheers,
Jorge
HR Sales/Product Manager
HeadRoom was founded in 1992 & manufactures headphone amps, DACs, and accessories; and sells headphones & related personal audio gear. We offer exceptional products, customer service, & information.
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post #6 of 11
6/17/08 at 5:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MD1032 View Post
I've tried the Micro amp (with desktop module) with my HF-1's and yikes... pretty impressive. Blew the Bithead right out of the water in my opinion.
Yep, no question the Micro products will significantly out-perform the TBH in every respect with the headphone of your choice -- Of course, the Micros are also significantly higher up the pricepoint food chain too!

Cheers,
Jorge
HR Sales/Product Manager
HeadRoom was founded in 1992 & manufactures headphone amps, DACs, and accessories; and sells headphones & related personal audio gear. We offer exceptional products, customer service, & information.
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post #7 of 11
6/17/08 at 7:44pm
Thread Starter 
Cool, thanks. I'm a bit daunted at the idea of tubes right now, (kinda a newbie, and don't want to limit my options just yet) so I'm thinking of the regular Desktop with DAC. A good improvement from the still-great-for-the-cost Bithead, but usable for a wide variety of cans. Has anyone hear heard this combination (playing 320Kbps MP3s or better) through the SR325is? I've heard the harshness all but goes away with a powerful enough amp current-wise.
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post #8 of 11
6/17/08 at 9:17pm
do Grado's mate well with HeadRoom headphone amplifiers?

Because of this, I'd assume that Grados are technically better off on a SS amp than tubes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyll Hertsens View Post
The scuttlebutt about HeadRoom not pairing well with Grados has a nugget of truth to it ... but just a nugget. WHich is, I just don't like the Grado sound very much. And that's about it.

Our amps are not "tweaked" with any headphone in mind, we're basically objectivists when we come out with amps. Our fundimental perspective is that a low output impedance (and amp with cajones) and low distortion will drive
any headphone well.

Nothing wrong with the Millett for Grados, but the tubes are in the middle of the circuit and the output is the same fundamentally as the rest of the amps. So, there's noting special about the Millett relative to our other amps re the Grados.

The Grado synergy with tube amps is an interesting debate, but fundimentally, the Grados have such a low impedance that it really makes the amp work for it. As a result, the amps will be showing relatively higher distortion with Grados compared to more high-impedance cans, so you get more "color" with Grados on a tube amp than with other cans. Because of this, I'd assume that Grados are technically better off on a SS amp than tubes.

Meh. I just kinda don't like them either way but YMMV.
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post #9 of 11
6/18/08 at 10:22am
Thread Starter 
That's interesting, thanks.

EDIT: Has anybody tried the 325is with the Desktop amp + DAC? What about Denon D2000s with that combo? I don't want to be too stuck in my choices of headphone when I get a proper home amp.
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post #10 of 11
6/18/08 at 12:02pm
I was already to give up on my K701's, but after i got my Micro Amp, they have a depth of sound that I haven't heard with many other amps in this price range, it's fantastic. I had an older Micro Amp and had some SR225's, and they were really nice, but like any good amp, it didn't try to color the sound to be more pleasing, the SR225 still had a slight edge to them as all Grados do and I appreciated the fact that the amp didn't try to temper that for the sake of listenability. With the Desktop Amp and it's beefier power supplies, it is more than capable of driving the lower impedance phones like the Grado and Denons
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post #11 of 11
6/18/08 at 1:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbloudg20 View Post
From headroom? The Millett has a great synergy with grados.
3rd on that statement....i have a millett, in fact the very first one =) You can tell cause Millett is clearly mispelled as Millet =)

As for you needing power for the grado, i think grado are pretty efficient if im not mistaken. It doesnt take much to drive them.

Fantastic amp for grado...really gives some nicely added warmth to the can. Also, with some tube changes you can really fine tune it to what you preference is. You cant do this on the desktop...i dunno, maybe the opamps are rollable on the Desktop.

Not to mention its like a "Swiss army knife" of amps (Desktop with DAC is the same way)....i have it connected right now to my Zhaolu and my USB Dac, so i can use my lappy or CE595 as my source. Then i have the preamp out hooked up to my speakers. So now i can use my speakers for CD sound, or FLAC from the lappy.

Its just so versatile..there needs to be room for a toothpick and a pair of tweezers imo =)
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