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AMP for Grado SR 325is

post #1 of 23
1/1/10 at 7:48pm
Thread Starter 
I will be receiving my SR 325is soon, at least this week if not next.My excitement is slowly dying off now because its taken way too long for them to arrive, anyway I have be visiting and re-visiting Grado thread to keep my interest up.

I already have a portable DAC/AMP iBasso D4 and will probably use its DAC as most of the reviewers here have compared the D4 DAC to high end home ones and the D4 is surprisingly good with dual DACS

So the question is whether I should get another seperate amp , if so how much should I invest, will it be a hybrid tube or a solid state what about balanced ones.

I don't mean to flood my thread with so many questions,but my knowledge of home amps is limited as I've always concentrated on portable ones.

Any advice or recommendation will be appreciated.
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post #2 of 23
1/1/10 at 9:46pm
Quote:
So the question is whether I should get another seperate amp

This is a solid question and the never ending downward spiral will continue into our musical bliss. If you answer "no", you are ahead of the game and get out while you still can. If your answer is "yes" then, well enjoy-

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/lit...olling-364043/

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post #3 of 23
1/1/10 at 10:12pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeatFan12 View Post
This is a solid question and the never ending downward spiral will continue into our musical bliss. If you answer "no", you are ahead of the game and get out while you still can. If your answer is "yes" then, well enjoy-

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/lit...olling-364043/
I have a feeling you are probably right and you know the answer is probably YES, so lets keep the suggestions coming.
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post #4 of 23
1/1/10 at 10:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kunalraiker View Post
I have a feeling you are probably right and you know the answer is probably YES, so lets keep the suggestions coming.

Lol.....Then hold on because audio nirvana is at your doorstep...
I have a couple of amps and a couple of Grados around the house. Big questions- budget? Will it be used for future endeavors with other headphones?
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post #5 of 23
1/1/10 at 10:29pm
Thread Starter 
I would not rule out future endeavors so something across the impedance board will be handy to have.

Another point to note, that my source will mostly be the computer using D4 as the DAC,I do have a decent Onkyo CD player but I feel using my D4 through the computer would be a better option.

Budget, I don't know.
I'am sure the higher you keep it the better it gets, what I'am looking for is something which is top tier and still not highly prices because the manufacturer is more renowned or something along that lines, you know what I'am talking about right
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post #6 of 23
1/1/10 at 10:48pm
The D4 with computer as source will be a good choice, from what I have read. Dual Dacs with that little monster.
Well, I posted the LD I+ which is a gem with low impedance phones (3 families of tubes and op-amp rollable) and a great price. I don't use any phone past the 75ohm mark with it. So if Beyers and Senns are in your future, I would recommend the Mapletree Ear+ HD (Hi Z and Low Z headphone outs, nice tube complement and sounds great with any headphone I have thrown at it)..And dealing with the good DR. is a pleasure...If your budget goes into the 1K+ then a WooAudio WA2 (maxxed- premium parts)....Great tube complement, 4 inputs, a pre-out (for future endeavors)...Again, all phones I have tried sound great...

I can honestly say that all three I have mentioned will be great with your Grados and the latter 2 will be great with any phone you throw at it...

Enjoy...


Disclaimer- I own all three amps and love them..My wallet did not though...Cheers
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post #7 of 23
1/1/10 at 11:02pm
Thread Starter 
That is some serious money spending there

I have heard about the Luxman, read a little about the PA-1, how do they stand.
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post #8 of 23
1/1/10 at 11:11pm
The 325is I had (and want again) and my current MS-2i are just plainly better balanced. I would suggest a balanced setup if money allows. Reterminating the cable to balanced is a simple operation if you are even slightly handy.
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post #9 of 23
1/1/10 at 11:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tim3320070 View Post
The 325is I had (and want again) and my current MS-2i are just plainly better balanced. I would suggest a balanced setup if money allows. Reterminating the cable to balanced is a simple operation if you are even slightly handy.
I can be handy at times ,are there people around who help balancing them,what does it involve balancing them.

What does a balances setup include, sorry don't know much about balanced amps.
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post #10 of 23
1/1/10 at 11:29pm
I am more familiar with the results than the how and why but it has something to do with controlling each driver more effectively. Look into the Little Dot balanced amp (MK VI) maybe or the Audio-gd Roc. There are cheaper alternatives but I am not familiar with them or much beyond what I own. It would help (I believe) to have a balanced source as I do (Ref-1 DAC) going to the balanced amp. All I know is that music sounds better than I could have thought. This all involves some cash outlay unfortunately.
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post #11 of 23
1/1/10 at 11:34pm
Thread Starter 
That Ref-1 DAC is way up there in price mate,you must be having -AN OUT OF THE WORLD SETUP,how much have you spend in total for a balanced rig.
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post #12 of 23
1/2/10 at 12:29am

Tubes!

I would go with a really warm tube amp to tame those shrilly highs and warm up their bright sound.
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post #13 of 23
1/2/10 at 12:34am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacedonianHero View Post
I would go with a really warm tube amp to tame those shrilly highs and warm up their bright sound.
Mate there is a lot of warmth in your post, any specific amps you are referring to which I should consider.
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post #14 of 23
1/2/10 at 12:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacedonianHero View Post
I would go with a really warm tube amp to tame those shrilly highs and warm up their bright sound.
SR325IS's are not really bright IMO and really shine with a low impedance hybrid design.
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post #15 of 23
1/2/10 at 12:45am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by deltaspirit View Post
SR325IS's are not really bright IMO and really shine with a low impedance hybrid design.
I was thinking that too,something like a little dot MK III,but again this is my thread and I'am still undecided.
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