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How I got to my my happy place, (formerly the how to spend $3000 thread)

post #1 of 188
8/24/10 at 7:36pm
Thread Starter 


Well I had an audio intervention with my grandmother, whom I love dearly (truly).  She knows how important my music is to me, and also knows how much money I spend on it.  So she made me a deal.  If I spend no more money, (on gear) between now and graduation 9 months from now, she'll throw at least $2000.00 my way to put into my rig. SWEET.  More may be available, (gifts from other family and a little saving).

 

 

I'll keep updating this every time I change my mind, which I envision to be a lot, and do so with pictures of what I plan to buy.  Then, when the big day comes, I'll post the real pics of my new rig.  So here's to a 9 month dialog, and to my grandmother!

 

Everything in blue text above is how this thread was started, what is in black below is how it ended.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok so heres the thing.  I'm done... well ok not done done, but dang near.  This is the edge for me.  I am crazy blessed in all manner of things, and now audio can be added to the list.  Small things may be added, Cardas isolation blocks, power cable, something like that.  But rig wise I'm done, I'm finished.  

 

So what does that mean for this thread... well it means its purpose is no longer needed or helpful.  And so any money I receive will go to my education, (which I value more than my rig believe it or not... well only by a little tongue.gif)  I want to thank all who posted, who contributed and who gave their advise to me (even though you knew it was going to one of those hard headed cable believerstongue.gif).  

 

 

 

I seriously just sat through like three or four of my top songs and I just want to stop changing anything about the signature Im getting right now.  Even as I type, I am in love with this sound.  I could seriously cry I'm so happy with what I have and how it sounds and how it moves my soul.  No joke... no joke.

 

Am I done with HeadFi, no, not by a long shot, but now I want to focus on giving back to this community that has given to me so much.  To do this, I'll start by giving away my total bithead. (the V6s sound fantastic out of an ipod)  Maybe soon, other things will follow.  I want to give my time, my money, (I just lost my job so don't expect to mucheek.gif) and my advice to those willing to listen.  

 

DSC_0106.JPG

 

 

THANK YOU HEAD-FIbeerchug.gif

 

 

 

smily_headphones1.gifetysmile.gifbasshead.gifsmile_phones.giffloatsmile.pngL3000.gifo2smile.gifgs1000.gifdarthsmile.gifjecklinsmile.gifbeyersmile.png, and now me - k701smile.gif

 

 

 

Happy Tunes,

Kevin

 

Edited by kboe - 12/3/10 at 10:47pm
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post #2 of 188
8/24/10 at 7:49pm

The new and improved isabillina hpa. I am surprise it wasnt on your rader.

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post #3 of 188
8/24/10 at 7:54pm
Thread Starter 

Thought about it.  But Id like to be able to keep the source and amp in two boxes to allow easier rig changes.

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post #4 of 188
8/24/10 at 7:54pm
Thread Starter 

I also thought about getting another Amphora, life just isn't the same without one!

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post #5 of 188
8/24/10 at 8:15pm

stax

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post #6 of 188
8/24/10 at 8:17pm

I feel,your direction towards products is Ol Skool.

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post #7 of 188
8/24/10 at 8:22pm
Thread Starter 

What Stax could I do, amp included, for $1000.00 to $1500.00?  If I keep the MiniMax that is.

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post #8 of 188
8/24/10 at 8:25pm

WA6 SE and DAC 19 DSP to match your DT990

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post #9 of 188
8/24/10 at 8:39pm

I'd drop $2,200 on a Zana Deux or other high-quality amp and worry about the rest later.  Good headphones on the Zana sound great, even when you hook up inexpensive sources and cables.

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post #10 of 188
8/24/10 at 11:38pm

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Erik View Post

I'd drop $2,200 on a Zana Deux or other high-quality amp and worry about the rest later.  Good headphones on the Zana sound great, even when you hook up inexpensive sources and cables.


THIS.

Plus it'll hold its value better than all the other stuff that's been suggested. It's a big big purchase, so get something really special that will still satisfy 9 months later.

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post #11 of 188
8/24/10 at 11:38pm

Uncle Erik is right. Throughout my headphone journey I've realized that the amp provides a considerable improvement on a rig. Even Apple earbuds sounded stunning out of my Moth EC2a3.

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post #12 of 188
8/25/10 at 5:20am
Thread Starter 

I heard the Zana Duex at the last Atlanta meet.  I don't know if it was the source, or the headphones I used with it, but it seemed a little "slow" and "lumbering".  It got the tube thing right, perfect even as far as tone goes, but it seemed a lot sluggish.  

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post #13 of 188
8/25/10 at 10:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kboe View Post

What Stax could I do, amp included, for $1000.00 to $1500.00?  If I keep the MiniMax that is.


with $1500 you can do almost any stax amp and lambda model. If I had $1500, I would probably get a srm-1/mk2 or srm-t1/t1s for $200-700 depending on whether you want SS or Tube. And then spend the rest on maybe a new SR-507(~$800) if it lives up to expectations or a SR-404LE(~$600 used), and another lambda, possibly a vintage model, to give you a slightly different sound.

 

Heck, I find the SRS-2050A system to be pretty amazing and that can be purchased used for 400-500 usually.

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post #14 of 188
8/25/10 at 12:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kboe View Post

I heard the Zana Duex at the last Atlanta meet.  I don't know if it was the source, or the headphones I used with it, but it seemed a little "slow" and "lumbering".  It got the tube thing right, perfect even as far as tone goes, but it seemed a lot sluggish.  


Really?  This is the first time I've heard anyone say that about a Zana - check the user thread.  If anything, it usually gets credited for being more like a solid state amp than tubed.

 

The bandwidth is amazing and it is an OTL - no transformers to slow things down.  What headphones and source were you using?

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post #15 of 188
8/25/10 at 3:19pm

Same here - real curious what the rest of the gear was hooked up to that amp. Hope the tubes had good life in them, ect. Doesn't sound anything like my experience owning a Zana Deux. It was extremely neutral and fast and did indeed sound somewhat like high-end SS done really really right (in that all the bad sounding stuff from SS amps wasn't there).

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