END GAME RIGS PROPOSITION - Serious Discussions Only - Page 3

I'd like to second the comments on the confusion in defining an end-game rig.  For some people, it seems to be 'what will get you respect on HF' vs. 'what will make you happy'.

I recently added a preamp to my rig and am really happy with what it did to my setup.  I've already had one person who knows my rig pretty well think it was a significant improvement, while another person is ambivalent about the change.  Then, to speak to Duggeh's comment, it makes some of my favorite music sound phenomenal, while I'm still undecided on how it makes some of my other recordings sound.  Consequently, it wasn't a 100% positive addition, but I am happy with what it's done about 80% of the time.

The real value that came out of the upgrade was that I'm actually in a pretty happy place.  The only thing I want more of is dynamics, so I'm hoping that'll come when I swap out the GES for the BHSE.  At that point, for the kind of sound I like, I'm done.  I'm actually curious to hear an SR009 again given the change in my setup, but I have no pressing need to upgrade again unless the money's burning a hole in my pocket.

Anyway, I think Currawong summed it up with end-game being when you're happy and don't want to upgrade any longer.  I'm pretty close to my end-game, but I don't think my end-game will match other peoples'.  Honestly, I think I'd be just as happy with a HD800 and Balancing Act, and that'd be far cheaper.  I can't imagine listening to the same setup for many years and not want to try something else out for awhile.  I was really happy with a GS-1 for awhile and honestly wouldn't shed any tears if my Stax rig went away and I had to rock a GS-1 + HD800/LCD2 for awhile.

end game in theory is a pretty useless approach. end game should equate to the best you have heard. for me, that would be:

1. Emm Labs Stack >> HEV90 >> HE90

2. Wadia 781i >> BHSE >> O2

3. Meridian G08 >> Eddie Current Balancing >> Sony R10

4. Sony XA5400ES >> Apex Pinnacle >> Bal LCD2

5. Sony XA5400ES >> HeadRoom Balanced Max >> Bal HD800

My best listen was Krell SACD Master >> HEV90 >> HE90.

I like my phone collection.

I am still happy with my  Buffalo II Dac >> Class A amp >>> HD650/HD600, even though my HD800, PS1, HE-6,  & LCD2 r1 are better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mochan 

A simple K701 plugged into an X02 is an endgame setup for me. I don't need to spend $1000s of dollars for an "endgame rig."

My expenditure peaked with the LCD2, which, while a fine headphone, still has me reeling from the lack of value in its pricing.

Mustang -> Merlins is also an endgame setup for me.

 

Are you serious Bro Mochan? So I must stick only with K701 and look no farther? It's good that I am not spending a lot.

For me, the Stax O2 and possibly the W3000ANV. They might be too cheap for the OP though. Lol 

Just a pair of LCD-3s (hopefully soon) into my collection and I'm done for a while (I hope).

Hi googleli,

In your first post on this thread I noticed you writing a source wouldn't be included in End Game Rigs, as you know I've just got hold of a K-01, which you have one yourself, and because of the unbelievably improved SQ the K-01 is giving, it's made me feel the source is the most important part of any rig. On that note my End Game Rig will eventually be, SR-009 + BHSE + K-01.

                                                                                          Dave. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik 

Are you looking for end-game or just the most money you can spend?
Do you actually like the SR-009? Are they the best for you or do you want to buy what other people will hold in the highest regard?
Have you considered the difference between a $10k Stax rig and a $3k Quad ESL rig?
I stopped climbing the ladder with the HD-800, and even then, still have reservations about its cost. Headphones lost the value proposition a couple years ago. I changed over to speakers. When the Orion3 speakers are done, they'll still cost less thsn a new SR-009, and that would include amplification for them.
I'd recommend taking another look at speakers. There are some truly great ones and they're much less expensive than a SR-009 and a BHSE. Plus you'd get an actual soundstage and real bass.

You really hit the nail on the head with this post. Headphones no longer hold anywhere near the same value as they once did many years ago. I'm astonished at what some headphone rigs cost today. Many years ago you could spend a few hundred to the sound of higher end speakers or midfi speakers at least. For example, if someone couldn't afford to spend a lot of money on a nice two channel speaker setup, they could purchase something along the lines of an hd580 and get the same type sound. That was a huge value when it came to cost performance ratio. Now it's reversed. You can spend a fortune on a headphone setup and that setup could be bested by a pair of 3000.00 speakers easily. I haven't listened to a high end headphone rig yet that could beat the speakers I have at home. Don't get me wrong, I love headphones, just check sig. But I would rank all that I've listened to under the speakers I have at home, and none of my speakers are really expensive speakers either.

Hi again googleli,

Transparency and detail are the reasons why I enjoy using headphones so much, when I heard the K-01 for the first time at Jack Lawsons place [ Audio Dealer ] it was via speakers and while the sound was very life like, they didn't give me the transparency or detail headphones do. At the moment I'm only able to use with the K-01 my Shure se535's + pico Slim and I'm astounded at the amount of the two mentioned i'm getting.

                                                                                 David. 

Thanks googleli,

Jack Lawson told me the same, he said after about three months of burn in it would improve. One thing I'd like to add, yes the K-01 is very expensive but it's worth every bit of what I payed and some.

P.S. One thing I forgot to mention, I have an IsoTek full system enhancer which is supposed to quicken up the burn in, however Jack said it's better to let it happen over time.

I think I'll just go and say that I think almost any rig that costs about $2000 total (headphone+amp+DAC) can be end game. I think even just my Anedio D1 DAC and ATH-W11R can be end game. I don't feel like I'm actually gaining all that much by moving on up. In fact, I feel like I'm actually going overboard with my Stax setup. I'm getting almost all the detail I get from the Stax O2 on my W11R for almost a thousand dollars less. What I mostly gain with the Stax O2 is detail in tiniest echoes which are probably reverberations and ambient sounds. So essentially, I spent almost a thousand dollars more on my Stax O2 (not including the amp) to hear tiny echoes and almost silent ambient sounds which doesn't improve my musical enjoyment. I've spent much more for a KGSS amplifier and what I received in return was all my desk space taken and an almost inconsequential amount of reduction in congestion, though far from eliminated. So to me, it is not so much the individual system parts, but the cost that is end game. I could probably be happy with any rig that costed about $2000 total. All I'm doing now is keeping the Stax O2 because of its fatigue-free nature and ordering the W3000ANV just for fun. I consider myself having reached my end game awhile ago with my W11R and Anedio D1 DAC. I'm not putting that much focus, money, or care on headphones anymore, but I still find them fun to listen to. I should work on my end game guitar rig though. Finding people to jam with or honing your musical skills gives so much more enjoyment than an audio system can ever give. =)