How to improve my head phone system?

I would suggest going to a local Meet near you, or ideally, a large event like CanJam where you can hear a number of different systems.

I am in the same boat as you regarding portability, and would therefore avoid tube amps  unless fully encased.  

There seem to be three paths to follow: dynamic, planar/orthodynamic and electrostatic.  I would suggest upgrading you headphones first to try and make use of the Lehmann - which by all reports is a pretty good amp.  There are many threads here on the HD800, T1 and the new orthos - the HE5 LE and Audeze.  I tried them all at CanJam, in addition to the Stax setups there. 

I listen to a lot of classical music, and the RS1i would not be my choice of hp for that reason, but it would be helpful to know the type of music you listen to, what you like and don't like about the sound of your current system and some idea of what you would be willing to spend to upgrade.

Well, you can always go for a new DAC/Amp or a new pair of headphones, or even both.

But without knowing if you find your current system lacking in any way, or if there is anything specific you have in mind, there is hard to come up with more specific suggestions.

As many experienced audiophiles have stated in this Forum, upgrades to a good system like yours become somewhat marginal in terms of cost/SQ - unless you make a significantly larger investment.  

With your current system (and mine is comparable to it), I would start off by changing your headphones first, to a top tier hp such as the T1, HD800, LCD2, etc.  A lot of people on Head-fi own your amp., so it shouldn't be too difficult to determine good pairings for it plus considering the type of music you favor.  It sounds to me like the T1 might be worthy of serious consideration. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik 

The RS-1 is about the best you can do for rock. 

I preferred the HE5 to the RS1 (both i and non i) for rock. I have read of people that feel the same way.

The HE-5LE or LCD-2 are said to be better though.

This is it? How can I upgrade the system?

(The following is a rambling of thoughts on your above.)

Ramble on.

It's a bit of a study in your own personal psychology.  How do you listen to your music?  How fat is your wallet?

As to gear?  My take on it.  First you start out with kr@p, you know it and you want to get as far away from kr@p as you can.  Then you get the bug and you start drooling over the "expensive" stuff you really can't afford and then it hits you; how do you "really" listen to your music?  And that becomes the mark you want to shoot for; esoteric vs reality.  The whole thing centers on being able to hit the middle ground.  Far enough away from kr@p so you won't feel like you've short changed yourself and centered enough so you don't feel like you've thrown a boatload of cash away on something you won't feel good about using, months down the road.

I came from a room system of speakers, transports, tubes and AVR's.  Decided I wanted cool computer sound and found myself wanting more then what the computer had to offer; more stage, more air, more resonance, more dynamic range, more clarity and all of this at low volume as I don't like blasting my ears.  I bought used or refurbished as that extended my dollar.  Bought a couple of custom headphone cables and enjoyed the addition they brought to the table.  Now?  Now I have to be happy.  If you won't allow yourself to be happy, then the process becomes a never ending story in the elusive of what doesn't exist; the perfect sound.

Soooooooooo, in a sense of the word, yes, I'm happy with the clean, clear, liquid sound I have.  Even happier when I lightly EQ the sound to help pick-up shortfalls in the graphic equalizer's graph.  Could I have better sound?  I'm sure the answer to the question would be an unequivocal yes, but, at what cost and would I be happy spending that kind of money for such a limited amount of improvement?

But then maybe not.

That's called "audio-nervosa" and it's cured by not reading about stereo gear.  As long as you keep reading about it, you're going keep wanting it and the more you keep wanting it, the more you're going spend and I'm sure it never stops until you decide to be happy with what you got.

Today, I made the decision to not buy another portable DAC/Amp that I can easily afford.  Why?  What, so I can leave it on the shelf, unused, but safe in the knowledge that it's there?  Instead, I asked myself how do I listen to portable music and decided then and there I wouldn't use the DAC/Amp combo as cool as they look and I'd be happy with just the transport.  So instead, I bought a set of referb'ed IEM's at half price that I had been wanting.  But now, no more IEM's as after getting these, there's no point other than to spend, just to be spending.

A thought, a decent transport, a decent DAC, a decent Amp, a decent set of headphones with yes, a decent set of custom headphone cables and inter-connects above stock.  Now?  Now you get to define for you, what you consider to be decent.  Usually budget is the deciding factor and remember, buying used is your fiscal friend.  To sum up the above rambling, it's all about being happy with what you got as opposed to the grass being greener on the other side of the audio fence.  Hope the above rambling helps.

Ramble off.

Currently thinking about choosing the Meier Concerto & Stagedac combo.

Here's a Head-fi link that touches on your question.

What do you think?

Can't give you any insight on the Meier Concerto/Stagedac combo.

Any other - better - alternative?

FWIW, I went with the Buy/Sell forum and picked up a used Burson HA-160 headphone amp and an April Music Stello DA100 Signature DAC, in original boxes, w/manufactured supplied documentation for $1,100.00 USD total.  Very liquid sound and both units delivered for about the same price as your above suggestion.  So to me, buying used from the Buy/Sell forum is a better alternative.

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeman458 
FWIW, I went with the Buy/Sell forum and picked up a used Burson HA-160 headphone amp and an April Music Stello DA100 Signature DAC, in original boxes, w/manufactured supplied documentation for $1,100.00 USD total.  Very liquid sound and both units delivered for about the same price as your above suggestion.  So to me, buying used from the Buy/Sell forum is a better alternative.

I have exactly the same source and amp. Still waiting for the DAC to arrive though. It is not an easy combination to find around here.

Still waiting for the DAC to arrive though.

When it does, give it a chance to warm up and you'll find it grows on you.  And then a few days down the road, you're listening to a piece and you realize how clean and liquid the sound has become and you melt into the sound.

Well, I did anyways.

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeman458 

Still waiting for the DAC to arrive though.

 

When it does, give it a chance to warm up and you'll find it grows on you.  And then a few days down the road, you're listening to a piece and you realize how clean and liquid the sound has become and you melt into the sound.

 

Well, I did anyways.

 

 

 

 

Can't wait to hear it. Sorry for the thread jack, but have any of you had experience with the  AB-160? I find it is good when the source is not good enough as it adds up a little coloration of bass and soundstage, but as you get a better source, do you think it might deteriorate the signal path too much? After all, the signal would have to go through another set of interconnects, amp section and other processes when using this buffer, and that could be unnecessary with a good source. How significant is the "impedance mismatch" justification to use the buffer?

Please excuse my bad english.

Awww, what the heck, I'll throw in a pitch for the sort of underloved in these parts Headroom Ultra Desktop Amp with the Desktop Power Supply.  A shade under $2,100 new, but some excellent deals can be found on used specimens in the FS and on Audiogon.  I bought mine used about a month ago, give or take, and I am a huge fanboy at the moment.  Understated aesthetics, wonderful slightly warm sound, crossfeed, and a brilliant DAC built in, with optical, digital coax, USB and analog inputs, along with a preamp output.  It plays very nicely with my 25 ohm denons, so it should play well with the OP's Grados.  I have heard rave reviews with Senn HD6xx's, though I haven't had the pleasure.

Another idea would be a second pair of upper end headphones.  The Senn's come to mind as a compliment to the Grados.

I will also put in my strong recommendation for careful shopping in the FS forums here.  I've bought and sold lots, and had the option to try things out at low cost.  If I don't like them, or grow bored of them, they sell for little or no loss.  Do check out your sellers as well as you can, and look for a long reputation here.  If a seller seems to new, shady, etc, wait and buy the item from someone else.  It seems everything comes up at least once every 2 or 3 months...