[Solrighal]

My Q701's have been pretty much parked since I bought my HD 650's. The Q's just sounded thin in comparison to the Senn's and of course there's that spike at 2k (what were they thinking?).
 
Anyway, to the point. I've been trialling a Project Ember hybrid valve amplifier and the Q's are suddenly on my head again. The extra grunt the Ember gives over the O2 is very noticeable and the added warmth of the valve harmonics seems to thicken the sound to my taste. They're actually sounding very, very good now.
 
Amps matter.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

Yeah my AKGs are in no way rendered obsolete by other headphones. I really envy your chance to try them on the Ember.

 

[Solrighal]

Yeah, I'm not sure if the improvement is down to the increased power or the valve - probably a bit of both - but it really is astonishing. There's no loss of detail and transients are perhaps even better than they were on the O2.
 
I'm currently awaiting delivery of a demo Project Polaris & I'll still have the Ember here for that. Should be interesting.

 

[ThurstonX]

  Yeah, I'm not sure if the improvement is down to the increased power or the valve - probably a bit of both - but it really is astonishing. There's no loss of detail and transients are perhaps even better than they were on the O2.
 
I'm currently awaiting delivery of a demo Project Polaris & I'll still have the Ember here for that. Should be interesting.

 
Sounds like fun.  I definitely like the Qs with the Lyr, though it's still hard for them to get head time.  I consider the Polaris now and then, so I'll be interested to read your impressions.  Did you bass mod your Qs?

 

[Solrighal]

   
Sounds like fun.  I definitely like the Qs with the Lyr, though it's still hard for them to get head time.  I consider the Polaris now and then, so I'll be interested to read your impressions.  Did you bass mod your Qs?

 
Yes, they're bass-modded. The Polaris is an interesting design. It's supposed to have a flavour of valve harmonics because it uses J-FET's in it's topology. Does that sound like I know what I'm talking about? I don't, but that's what the designer told me. The Ember is truly awesome and the new limited-edition top and base plates are to die for. Have you seen the black Polaris? It's beautiful!
 

 

[ThurstonX]

 
Yes, they're bass-modded. The Polaris is an interesting design. It's supposed to have a flavour of valve harmonics because it uses J-FET's in it's topology. Does that sound like I know what I'm talking about? I don't, but that's what the designer told me. The Ember is truly awesome and the new limited-edition top and base plates are to die for. Have you seen the black Polaris? It's beautiful!

Spoiler: Ooooh! Purrdy :-)

 

 
The JFET schiit (is that bad form? 

 ) is one reason I'm really intrigued by it.  And yeah, the black version is pretty slick.  Is it different internally than the original?  I like the exposed version, too.

 

[Solrighal]

 

Spoiler: Ooooh! Purrdy :-)

 

 
The JFET schiit (is that bad form? 

 ) is one reason I'm really intrigued by it.  And yeah, the black version is pretty slick.  Is it different internally than the original?  I like the exposed version, too.

 
No, internally it's exactly the same as the current model. I don't think they actually sell it as a complete buil, if you know what I mean. You just buy the aluminium top & bottom plates. The guy who designed it made an interesting post regarding the Polaris topology just today. That's why I'm up to speed on it. If it sounds as good as the Ember I might just go for it instead. The Polaris is cheaper and has a slimmer profile. Tube-rolling definitely appeals to me though.

 

[ThurstonX]

  No, internally it's exactly the same as the current model. I don't think they actually sell it as a complete buil, if you know what I mean. You just buy the aluminium top & bottom plates. The guy who designed it made an interesting post regarding the Polaris topology just today. That's why I'm up to speed on it. If it sounds as good as the Ember I might just go for it instead. The Polaris is cheaper and has a slimmer profile. Tube-rolling definitely appeals to me though.

 
Thanks.  Yep, tube rolling is great fun, and so much easier/cheaper with the Ember.  Just mind the rabbit hole 

  My Glass Menagerie doesn't seem to want to stop expanding.
 
A tip of the Macallan to ya

 

 

[Solrighal]

Thanks.  Yep, tube rolling is great fun, and so much easier/cheaper with the Ember.  Just mind the rabbit hole    My Glass Menagerie doesn't seem to want to stop expanding.

A tip of the Macallan to ya
 

Sláinte!

 

[ThurstonX]

Sláinte!

 
Do dheagh shlàinte!
 
 
 
 
 
Yeah, I cheated a wee bit

 
 
 
Funny thing, these Qs.  They sound terribly artificial (or perhaps it's just unforgiving

 ) with some things (just listened to a Rush tune from 1993), and then with Steely Dan or Hugh Laurie they sound perfectly natural, wonderful even.  Horses for courses, I reckon.

 

[Solrighal]

Have Rush ever sounded good? I was a fan in my younger days but the last album I bought from Rush was Roll The Bones. I think the only album they've made which is produced with real authority was Caress of Steel.

I think the Q's are at their best with acoustic & classical music.

 

[ThurstonX]

Have Rush ever sounded good? I was a fan in my younger days but the last album I bought from Rush was Roll The Bones. I think the only album they've made which is produced with real authority was Caress of Steel.

I think the Q's are at their best with acoustic & classical music.

 
Oh, you need to move beyond the mid 80s/early 90s light weight stuff.  Fine songs, but the production... meh.  It's worth finding the latest remasters.  I splurged and got the hi-res reissues, but I assume they're available in CD-quality.  Flove Caress of Steel, but even other stuff before and after that thumps it for authority.  Fly By Night is completely rockin' and 2112 is still epic.  But that's me.
 
I tested one more song before I left The Lab - Stereolab's "Three-Dee Melodie".  That sounded good, too, though my planars give it the thump and body it deserves.  Still, not unpleasant on the Qs.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Tube rolling can get  expensive very quickly if your not careful.

 

[Evshrug]

Yeah, my tube amping experience was exciting and entertainment-profitable. I mean, occasionally I just like trying out new gear, and an occasional new tube scratched that itch for two years, and patience waiting for a $25 deal or less on a good tube helped spread out purchases more. Still great detail, in fact more than my portable SS amp (which tbh I barely use, because the tube amp almost immediately supplanted it), but definitely with the right tubes has treble sparkle without the brittle harshness.

If I didnt have someone build a DIY amp for me, I probably would've gotten one of the Garage1217 amps like the starlight or ember.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

   Those amps mentioned above are expensive than my Littledot 1+ which is IMO it's a nice amp for the Q701 specially if you used  Yugo 6HM5(Tall Bottle),6AS7G/6080 or C3g tubes with it.