SR009 / WES / BHSE / LL hit the mainstream - Page 15

Nice impressions, TheAttorney.  I've only heard a prototype LL, but my impressions match yours exactly with the SR007 MK1 and SR009.

I too was at the  L.A. meet and was underwhelmed by LL , but now feel the opposite having heard the loaner at home with the 009. 

Finally... a fellow head-fi'er who asked not to be named (presumably so others won't pester him to the degree I did  ) gave in to my gentle prodding and kindly offered to send me his BHSE for an in-home listen. I've got a 009 available as well, and my next email will be to Alex and see if any LL loaners would be available. I'll put forth my best efforts to arrange for both the BHSE and LL to be here at the same time, so I can do a personal comparison of the two. Just when I thought I was comfortably out of the headphone listening racket, they pull me back in.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwilson 

Finally... a fellow head-fi'er who asked not to be named (presumably so others won't pester him to the degree I did  ) gave in to my gentle prodding and kindly offered to send me his BHSE for an in-home listen. I've got a 009 available as well, and my next email will be to Alex and see if any LL loaners would be available. I'll put forth my best efforts to arrange for both the BHSE and LL to be here at the same time, so I can do a personal comparison of the two. Just when I thought I was comfortably out of the headphone listening racket, they pull me back in.

Hey MW:

Hope your keeping well. Have been taking very good care of your LL/009's you sent. 

If you are able to arrange a LL and a BHSE, am very interested to hear your take on both of them side by side. Am sitting on the fence about putting in a deposit for the BH with Justin, they really don't come up for sale on the used market to often. But that is a lot of money to have tied up for who knows how long just to audition them and then realize they don't really improve on the LL. Others have stated that is really is close between these two amps. 

Anyways hope you are able to get to try them out all together.

^

+1   ... Looks like you've got an offer to hear the BHSE yourself.  :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubenpp 

^

+1   ... Looks like you've got an offer to hear the BHSE yourself.  :)

Yeah, very kind of Golfnutz to invite me down. I have PM'ed him and will see if we can arrange something in the next few weeks. If it works out, I will also bring my LL down and do a side by side comparison as my audio memory is not that reliable. LOL.

Should be interesting!

I'll be sure to post my impressions. I'm going into this open minded, and since I don't have any amps at the moment it's not like I might have any biases towards gear I own. I'm also fairly confident that both will be to my liking, each with its own strengths. One cannot go wrong with either.

I'm glad to hear my previous rig is in good hands, and that you've been enjoying it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumbleripper 

Hey MW:

 

Hope your keeping well. Have been taking very good care of your LL/009's you sent. 

 

If you are able to arrange a LL and a BHSE, am very interested to hear your take on both of them side by side. Am sitting on the fence about putting in a deposit for the BH with Justin, they really don't come up for sale on the used market to often. But that is a lot of money to have tied up for who knows how long just to audition them and then realize they don't really improve on the LL. Others have stated that is really is close between these two amps. 

Anyways hope you are able to get to try them out all together.

Thanks for the follow up TheAttorney, concise but precise, I like it! Looking forward to additional people's comparisons. Suffice, this made me stand even more firmly where I was, i.e. in undecided limbo land ;).

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAttorney 

 

Conclusions

 

• Look, this was just a meet impression. YMMV
• I think TMWNN could well be ordering the BHSE soon
• I'm completely happy with my BHSE+007. One day, I may audition the 009 more thoroughly, but I'm in no hurry
• The LL+007 is not a good combination, but LL+009 is just fine
• The LL costs less than the BHSE and is less fuss . It looks smarter in real life than in the pictures and it seems very well built. And the value of having a good local dealer should not be underestimated. So it's got a lot going for it, but it just lost out in this particular comparison    

 

PS, both units had been switched on for 5+ hours by this point

When me and Ian did listen to his LL and my BHSE at my place above two months ago, both amps hadn't been on power for long and we didn't listen to anything for more than an hour. At that time we both thought the amps were similar in SQ. In the comparison Richard and whoever did it with him, both had been on above five hours. I don't know about the LL, but my BHSE after it's been on for an hour +, turns into a different amp that's why I'm more than happy to wait that time before I listen to anything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by David1961 

but my BHSE after it's been on for an hour +, turns into a different amp that's why I'm more than happy to wait that time before I listen to anything.

I'd also recommend letting the BHSE power on for an hour before any serious listening.  I've heard some congestion during busy passages (particularly with metal) when the amp is warming up.

When I first got the BHSE it did and probably still does sound pretty good when it's first turned on, but I haven't done that for a bit because it's a lot better after an hour onwards.

LL is about an hour to open up as well. Alex recommended 30 minutes in the manual, but multiple people including myself have noticed it takes an hour or so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by David1961 

 

 I don't know about the LL, but my BHSE after it's been on for an hour +, turns into a different amp that's why I'm more than happy to wait that time before I listen to anything.

Agreed. I was underwhelmed by the LL I heard (proto) with both the 007 and HE60 at the meet. Once I heard it in my home it was way different. I'll be comparing that same proto with the HE60 and 009 next month.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubenpp 

I too was at the  L.A. meet and was underwhelmed by LL , but now feel the opposite having heard the loaner at home with the 009. 

Are you just going to compare or are you planing on buying the best? :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwilson 

Finally... a fellow head-fi'er who asked not to be named (presumably so others won't pester him to the degree I did  ) gave in to my gentle prodding and kindly offered to send me his BHSE for an in-home listen. I've got a 009 available as well, and my next email will be to Alex and see if any LL loaners would be available. I'll put forth my best efforts to arrange for both the BHSE and LL to be here at the same time, so I can do a personal comparison of the two. Just when I thought I was comfortably out of the headphone listening racket, they pull me back in.

I am eager to hear these comparisons because a few people are saying the BHSE is better than the LL outright, some are saying the LL pulls ahead with the 009 (but not the 007), and some have said the LL is flat out better than the BHSE. 

Everyone has different ears, etc etc. And the more comparisons I read the more I realize this is very true at this level.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumbleripper 
Hope your keeping well. Have been taking very good care of your LL/009's you sent. 

 

If you are able to arrange a LL and a BHSE, am very interested to hear your take on both of them side by side. Am sitting on the fence about putting in a deposit for the BH with Justin, they really don't come up for sale on the used market to often. But that is a lot of money to have tied up for who knows how long just to audition them and then realize they don't really improve on the LL. Others have stated that is really is close between these two amps. 

Anyways hope you are able to get to try them out all together.

Quote:

Originally Posted by arnaud 

David, I am guessing you are the fellow with burlington sweater in the impressions thread picture? The ipod line out gives it away .
BTW, the silver BHSE pairs well with the 009 on that light color wood table, couldn't be any better!

arnaud

In the picture you're referring to the guy wearing the sweater is Ian, I'm to the left of him [ far right looking at the photo ] but only part of face can be made out. Some were saying the 009 was the best sounding headphone at that meeting, probably so, but I'm not 100% happy with it. Some of the songs I listen to with the 009, the highs are harsh, whereas when I heard the same songs with Ian's 007 there was no such problem. Most of the songs at the right volume with the 009 are incredible so yes I'm nit picking again, but hey when you're paying the amount of money the 009 is you should be 110% happy with it not less than 100%. 

P.S.  When hearing songs of the acoustic guitar from the 009 + BHSE, it's the nearest I've heard to real life sound from an headphone + amp so I'll be keeping the 009, that is until the 011 comes out but I'll only be getting it if that headphone sounds something between the 009 and 007.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MorbidToaster 

Are you just going to compare or are you planing on buying the best? :D

 

Comparing & planning.  :-)