[MattTCG]

   
 

telefunkens ??? why didn't i think of that !!  

 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Telefunken-PCC88-7DJ8-Platinum-Graded-Matched-Pair-UPSCALE-AUDIO-READ-INFO/291236698232?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D25223%26meid%3D84b72f325f0d40c6b4f705bd5294243c%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D10631%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D271609237194
 
i've bought several tubes from rb2013, great guy, and tubes

 
Looking fondly at these as one day...soon...they may be mine. 

 

[RCBinTN]

Great impressions, guys!! I just got home a few minutes ago and I'm going to get settled back in tomorrow and get some of my own impressions down.

I don't know if it was just that great, or if I'm an even bigger nerd for this stuff than I thought, but I could do that all day every day and LOVE it.... Great people, great music, and great new gear to listen to? Yeah... You can keep those comin'

.

 
Theo - nice job, sorry I missed it. 
Does this mean you're the leader for next year?  IMO we'll all line up behind you.
 
Cheers -
Dick

 

[RCBinTN]

Impressions!

I listened to the following on the Schiit Lyr 2, Schiit Valhalla, CORDA CLASSIC and my own ASL MG-Head OTL MK3 (with some exceptions)

Sennheiser HD650: These were my favorite headphones all day. They didn't offer the lush bass of the planars, or the soundstage and clarity of the HD800, but they nailed the mid-range and impressed me with the bass extension and impact. They handled treble with exceptional clarity, without ever being harsh, grainy, sibilant or even a tad bit glaring. They really sounded better as a whole than any other headphone I tried all day. I purchased these today and am waiting for them to ship out (this means my HE-300 will be up for sale soon)!

Audeze LCD-2.1: When I put these headphones on, I knew I'd have to get some Audeze planars at some point. The bass is absolutely incredible without ever leaking into the mid-range. It has shocking extension, fantastic impact and amazing texture in the low-end. However, they seemed to suffer a bit with getting the sound inside of my head. Instead of a sound giving me an impression that it was filling my skull, it sounded just a bit like it was around my head. It's hard to explain, but this is not a good thing. This hurt the imaging and sound stage a bit too. The mid-range and treble was incredible as well, but the lack of spaciousness really killed the experience for me.

Audeze LCD-2.2: I'd describe these as having an almost identical balance to the 2.1, but with even more impressive in the low end. The major improvement, though, is that these were able to put the sound inside my head. They were nowhere near as spacious as the 650, but not problematically cramped like the 2.1. Not sure I'd ever own this as my only cans, but I'd love to have them for the bass.

Sennheiser HD800: These were the big shocker of the group. I expected bright, and lacking in bass. These had a beautifully balanced and spacious mid-range, Neutral and exceptionally clean treble (not a hint of grain, and harshness only when the music was at fault). The bass was not exceptionally impactful, but very tight, balanced, and well-extended. The soundstage and imaging were unmatched in the meet. Sennheiser really did a great job with this one. I thought I would not like these at all, but a set of LCD-2.2 and these would make a great antithetical pair, and I'll consider owning them some day.

Sennheiser HD590: This was probably the most impressive price/performance of the group. I found them to be a bit clearer and more open than my HE-300, but just as luscious. Incredible value if you can find them used.

HiFiMan HE-560: These sounded to me like a worse pair of LCD-2.2's. Similar balance, (less bass, but stronger mids, airier treble), but these sounded a lot smaller than the LCD-2.1. It almost sounded as if the sound was coming from a single point a couple inches from each ear.

HiFiMan HE-560 with grill mod: Surprisingly, the grill mod really fixed the problem I had with them. I A/B'ed the stock and modded and was shocked. They were MUCH more spacious, and the bass really seemed to open up, filling the "background" of the music. Overall I consider these a fantastic headphone and a great alternative to the Audeze's.

Beyerdynamic T5P: I tried several Beyers on, and all were far too bright for me to give good impressions of. Well, except these. The T5P, while still brighter than my tastes like, were an exceptional headphone. Their balance reminded me of the HD800, but overall not quite as good. They were balanced throughout the mid range, and a bit light on bass but not problematically so. I was surprised to like any Beyers, but I did really enjoy these.

Grados: I tried on several, including the PS1000, and I was completely unimpressed. I couldn't get past the cold, harsh upper midrange to hear any good parts of the sound. I was thoroughly disappointed.

Other Gear:

Meier Audio Corda Daccord & Corda Classic: This was my favorite DAC/Amp combo at the meet. Exceptionally clean, smooth, balanced, and powerful. They really get out of the way and let the music come through.

Schiit Lyr 2 & Valhalla: I was completely unimpressed. They both sounded muddy and closed off to my ears.

Astell & Kern AK1000: This might have been my favorite piece of non-headphone gear at the meet. It was beautifully made with a well-designed interface. It was powerful, clear and exceptionally balanced. Too bad it's $800

Great to hear the positive review of your HD800 experience.  Do you know the DAC/amp that were driving the cans? 
 
Thanks,
Dick

 

[MattTCG]

I believe that it was the Mier Amp and dac. I thought the setup sounded darn good. 

 

[jaywillin]

   
Looking fondly at these as one day...soon...they may be mine. 

these are 7dj8's, but are supposed to work as a direct substitute for the 6dj8, and they are cheaper
 
here is the real deal, more than i paid for the amp
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Telefunken-E88CC-6922-Platinum-Graded-Matched-Pair-UPSCALE-AUDIO-/291240895755?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item43cf4f650b

 

[MattTCG]

Go ahead and get the real deal. I will bargain with you later. 

 

[jaywillin]

  Go ahead and get the real deal. I will bargain with you later. 

how about some seimens made RCA cca's
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-matched-1965-Siemens-RCA-6922-E88CC-Cca-tubes-Gold-Pin-Gray-Shield-Top-O-/271530171693?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item3f38759d2d
 
i bet these are the bomb !

 

[RCBinTN]

 

I realized with about 2 hours left, that I forgot to take any pics, I took 3 pics with my phone and turns out 2 were identical. 
 

I also ended up with an extra adapter which is not Matt's but maybe someone else's? 
 
If anyone has an extra piece they don't recognize as their own this might be a good place to post a pic.  
Several of us walked around and checked to make sure that nothing was left on tables or floors and I just grabbed up what was on my table (which in retrospect was a mess, and will simplify in the future) 
 
I wanted to thank Matt for helping me to re-cable the HD800 (a very daunting and scary task given I destroyed a phono cartridge yanking too hard on phono plugs) and his advice on audio and cables in general was very helpful 

 
My impression after almost 12 straight hours of listening and chatting, and one very brief trip to Wendy's:
I walked away from the meet feeling that audio is a lot more grey than black and white. It felt like we often shape our HP's around are own personal taste in music.  
That being said,
1)    Schiit Valhalla tube amp really surprised me (lush and warm with multiple HP's).
2)    Fostex TH-900 wins as the best looking HP
3)    Modded HE-560 sounded better to me than the un-modded version
4)    Tablet as a source worked for me, simple works
5)    LCD-X and the last version of the LCD-2 were the variations I enjoyed the most
6)    PS-1000 was the best Grado I tried and a really solid HP from my point of view
7)    Denon 7000 is the best closed HP I tried
8)    HE-6 was the best HP I tried during the day, detailed and complex, it paired well with multiple genres of music.  I tried it multiple times on my own set up and several others
9)    My version of Guns-N-Roses "Appetite For Destruction," sounded horrible with the HD800, Fred's version with my HP sounded great, my CD is the problem.              
10)  Ben's systematic approach to HP listening, line them up and go thru them 1 by 1, so simple and logical, I was running around like a nut
11)  HE-400i is much more comfortable than my HE-400
12)  HE-500, AKG K702 and HE-300, HD700 sounded much better than I anticipated
13)  2 Head-Fi pro's felt the T1 was better than the HD800, again this goes back to taste in music
14)  If the HD600 was there I swear I missed it
15)  1/2 of the 30 most important and amazing HP's ever made were at the meet
16)  Wildcatsare1 thank you for a great deal on the Draug cables
17)  Bitrate is less important than the quality of the recording
18)  OPPO HA looked great and sounded great
 
A unique and amazing experience, Thanks to Theogenes for the time and effort to throw the event

 
Eric - Great post and observations- thanks.
 
Interested in a couple of points:
1) Your opinion of the comfort of the LCD's.  Did you wear them long enough to form an opinion?  There are a lot of slams on head-fi about how uncomfortable the Audeze cans are.
2) "Bitrate is less important than the quality of the recording."  Very interesting comment.  Did you have a direct comparison?
 
Cheers -
Dick

 

[RCBinTN]

  well the hd800 balanced on the bha-1 was tasty , and i liked the hd700, though i didn't hear it for very long.
 
and theogenes, take it from one "strong" personality , you got one too brother,and that's a good thing, and so enthusiastic !
making everyone feel welcome and at home, not everyone is good at that ,
thanks again , and job well done
 
i hope we can make this a twice a year deal, lets grow this thing !

 
Ah - so that's the rig that brought the HD800 to life - balanced on the bha-1 - am I correct Jay?

 

[jaywillin]

   
Ah - so that's the rig that brought the HD800 to life - balanced on the bha-1 - am I correct Jay?

well, i had heard the hd800 before, briefly and single ended, and i got to hear it saturday with the same gear, except i was listening balanced.
it seemed a lot better balanced, fuller, bigger sound, i wish i'd had more time with it and a balanced cable

 

[RCBinTN]

  Hey All,
 
I'm sorry that I was unable to attend this past weekend. My son was with me and unfortunately he was pretty sick and it wouldn't have been a good idea to get him out.  I would however like to get together with some of you locals since I myself also now live in Nashville for a drink and maybe a bite to eat.
 
If anyone is interested just let me know and we can coordinate  a time and place to do so.

Man - hope your son is feeling better !!

 

[RCBinTN]

I will receive my new LCD-XC tomorrow and copper Wywires Red cables on Friday.  Should be a whole new listening experience to complement the "X" which I love.- can't wait.  Will post impressions - please also see the LCD-XC thread.  I will plan to bring these cans to the next Music City Meet   Go Theo!!
 
With this purchase, my 2-year old Ultrasone Ed-8 Ruthenium will likely be for sale.  Any interest on this thread??
 
All the Best -
Dick
 
PS - Eric you can buy the uber BiFrost DAC for around $500.  I have that DAC and am happy with it, paired with the Schiit Asgard2 amp - FYI.

 

[Theogenes]

  Hey All,
 
I'm sorry that I was unable to attend this past weekend. My son was with me and unfortunately he was pretty sick and it wouldn't have been a good idea to get him out.  I would however like to get together with some of you locals since I myself also now live in Nashville for a drink and maybe a bite to eat.
 
If anyone is interested just let me know and we can coordinate  a time and place to do so.

 
Man, I hate to hear that!! Hope the little guy is okay... It'll probably be a bit before I get back up to Nashville, but when I do, I might just give ya a ring!
 

  To All, a wonderful time!!!!
 
I also was stricken with the talk too much, listen too little syndrome, but no complaints, I truly enjoyed meeting everybody and look forward to the next Meet!!!
 
This was my first Meet, and Theogenes, you have set the bar incredibly high, hope we can accept the challenge as a group to make every meet progressively better.
 
Listening; this was my first opportunity to step outside my stable and listen too some of the best phones available from Sennheiser, Audeze, other Hifiman's and some tremendous front ends.
 
First, as much as I like to think my 560's are the greatest thing since sliced bread, the HD800's, HE-6, various generations of Audeze Cans, and the surprising T1, remain the top game in town, at what they do best. The HD800's soundstage is too die for, clarity, insight into the musical event, just wish I had more time to listen to them, and on some tube gear, the the Meier Stack was one of my "big 4 surprises". B., the HE-6, on your set-up, was ethereal, sublime, and purely musical, while the modded 560 had a slight edge in body, the 6's had the extremes wired, cannot wait to hear them with the Grill Mod.
 
One of my other pleasant surprises was the HD700, yes it has a different presentation from the 800, but is a strong contender, great stage, bass, a much better headphone than my old 650's. The Skoll 2 Cabling really made them sing! 
 
I'll be honest, I walked into the Meet with a prejudice against Audeze, I thought they would be dark and syrupy like old Conrad Johnson Gear, I was wrong. Darker perspective, yes, syrupy, no, a different but beautiful take on musical presentation in contrast to the HD800/HE560's. My wallet of course hates this finding, I need to add an Audeze, preferably pre-fazor, to my lineup!!!
 
Gear, as mentioned, I loved the Meier Stack, very musical, and not just "for the price". Great soundstage, just the right hint of sweetness, great grip on the bass, reminded me a lot of my big Krell in the main rig, voiced very similarly. Jay, really enjoyed your BH1, especially in balanced operation, both of these amp alternatives worked magic with my 560's and Alpha Dogs. I hate that my drive to converse incessantly with my fellow HeadFi'ers (worth every second, really enjoyed meeting my Brothers in HiFi) and missed hearing Matt's Beyerdynamic, and Mojo/Gungnir Stack.Hopefully at the Spring Meeting. Fred, I also loved that amp of your, but I have forgotten the manufacturer and cannot find it in my notes.
 
Big THANK YOU! Theogenes, great meeting, great people, great job!!! Matt Poe, thank you for taking pity on the technically inept and installing my Uber Board, sounds great, smoother, improved tone and dynamics, you are the best!
 
Big 4 Surprises: The T1, a great headphone, my listening was too brief, but I really thought it gave the 800 a run for it's money. The much maligned HD700, the opinions against this little Bro are off the chart, I really liked this can and would enjoy hearing more.  The Audeze Cans, yes I had prejudged them, and as often is the case, I was wrong. Beautiful presentation of the musical event. The Meier Stack, great value, excellent sound.

 
Aw shucks, you're gonna make a fella blush or somethin'.

 
And man, you're really making me hate not getting a chance to listen to the HD700... Beyond being one of the coolest looking headphones ever made, it sounds like something I'd really like. Don't know how I manged to miss it... D'oh!!
 

   
Theo - nice job, sorry I missed it. 
Does this mean you're the leader for next year?  IMO we'll all line up behind you.
 
Cheers -
Dick

 
I've been kind of doing it by default, but if anybody else has great ideas about how or where to do it, I'm absolutely all ears .
 

  Go ahead and get the real deal. I will bargain with you later. 

 
Ha!! You crazy kids...

 

  I will receive my new LCD-XC tomorrow and copper Wywires Red cables on Friday.  Should be a whole new listening experience to complement the "X" which I love.- can't wait.  Will post impressions - please also see the LCD-XC thread.  I will plan to bring these cans to the next Music City Meet   Go Theo!!
 
With this purchase, my 2-year old Ultrasone Ed-8 Ruthenium will likely be for sale.  Any interest on this thread??
 
All the Best -
Dick
 
PS - Eric you can buy the uber BiFrost DAC for around $500.  I have that DAC and am happy with it, paired with the Schiit Asgard2 amp - FYI.

 
Color me jealous... The XC are another can I've been very interested in hearing since they came out. Audeze can with improved LCD-X (ish) treble that's also closed? Pleaseandthankyou!! I've yet to hear an Audeze can that I didn't think was excellent, even if they don't all align perfectly with my tastes (eg, the treble shelf on the LCD-2.1).
 
With all the spending I've done (and am researching now), I'm going to act like I didn't see your Ed 8 comment so that my savings account doesn't completely harikiri its way out of existence

 

[RUMAY408]

  Jay,
 
Congrats Man, love my Lyr 2, just got in some Orange Globes and '75 Voskhod's (they are burning in presently to Daft Punk), we will have to create a tube exchange.
 
A big P.S.!!!!!!
 
Rumny's AK 100 ii, damn, that little bit sounded awesome with the Alpha Dogs, what a great combination for commuting, or alternative home listening, absolutely was amazed by this Baby, definitely on my gotta have list, Rumny, my wallet is very angry with you!!!! 

Well I can think you for hitting me in the wallet at the meet, and the Draug 2 adapter is now on the way. 
 
If ever there was some objective evidence that balanced upgraded HP cables make a difference (or at least louder):  When I put the cables on I had to turn the volume on the amp down two notches.
 
My understanding and not actual knowledge is that some HP's respond to a cable change and some don't, but I did notice at the meet, there were a few cable upgrades.
 
 

   
Something the 400i sounded bad on?  Nope, not really.  They even sounded fine on Joe's PanAm setup.
 
As for budget, it would need to be less than $500.  I can't imagine spending more on a DAC than I did on my headphones.  Not to mention that it'll take me months to save up for it.  I really don't know where you guys get all the cash for this stuff.  

 

Joe's Pan Am set up! Well thats another Amp/DAC/HP I missed. I seriously thought they were sold and gone.  I posted multiple times prior to the meet how much I wanted to try those out.
 
Skyline I had very little cash until my kids became independent.  

 

[skyline315]

 
Skyline I had very little cash until my kids became independent.  

 
Man.  I've got a ways to go, then.