- Joined
- Oct 11, 2008
- Posts
- 2,083
- Likes
- 79
I am a 100% headphone guy 
In what areas is csp2+ better than mk iii?
In what areas is csp2+ better than mk iii?
Team HD800 challenge!
- Thread starter Solude
- Start date
Hmmm...Better....I would say different. HD800's love OTL. The Pentode has its own signature. Given the price difference if I was HP only I'll stay with a great natural synergy. This is in no way a sloght on theTaboo. More power, up to 4 HP's at the same time and speaker capable. It is great with the HD800's. If I did not need the extra capabilities, then the CSP2+ would be my choice.
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2008
- Posts
- 2,083
- Likes
- 79
Based on my experience witth OTL (DV 337 only), it can sound full bodied at the bottom, bass is full but not so tight, upper midrange, lower treble is empasized more than Transformer coupled Pentode Leben. That said, Leben midrange sounds fuller, but DV337 has much wider and deeper soundstage.
Would you describe the difference between OTL (CSP2+) vs Transformer coupled Pentode (Taboo mkiii) is like that, or different?
Would you describe the difference between OTL (CSP2+) vs Transformer coupled Pentode (Taboo mkiii) is like that, or different?
Dubstep Girl
Headphoneus Supremus
Woo Audio 2 with super expensive NOS tubes!!!
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2008
- Posts
- 2,083
- Likes
- 79
Wahaha, hmm, I try not to spend so much for "consumable parts" audio, hehehe.
I tend to get the imprssion that wa2, while lush and have great tonality, tend to have not-so-firm bass and also not so detail.
I am quite intrigue with Crack, csp2+ and Taboo now. I am quite fond of detail, texture, timbre and soundstage.
I tend to get the imprssion that wa2, while lush and have great tonality, tend to have not-so-firm bass and also not so detail.
I am quite intrigue with Crack, csp2+ and Taboo now. I am quite fond of detail, texture, timbre and soundstage.
Woo Audio 2 with super expensive NOS tubes!!!
LOL! We'll just roll in the WA5 while we're at it...
I would say the CSP2+ is smoother and more liquid, the Taboo is more dynamic. Two sides of a really nice gold coin.
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2008
- Posts
- 2,083
- Likes
- 79
Thanks longbowbbs
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2008
- Posts
- 2,083
- Likes
- 79
Btw, have you heard Crack (with speedball), longbow? How do you think it compared to CSP2+ for 800?
scottiebabie
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2006
- Posts
- 1,010
- Likes
- 35
having been out of headfi for a quite abit, i decided to dive right back in by acquiring a pair of HD800 (serial# 13xxx). all i have (for the moment) is a diy OPT tube integrated amp (el84 & 12ax7 not sure what type nos as print has flaked off) costing me about $300 or so in total. i could be wrong but it think it outputs 7watts max. i deliberately held back from posting til i have a couple of weeks of on/off listening.
im rather pleased with the result. lots of range & details, upfront intimate mids (vocals), great imaging, soundstage & depth with plenty of tight (though rather fast) bass slam. its the 1st headphone that reminds me most of my fullsize speakers or rather, i should say i dont miss the speaker when listening to the HD800s.
what i do hear is a slight brittleness (or hardness or glare or grain or.... lol) that i do believe is mostly attributed to the quality of recording as i hear less of it in MSLF/Chesky/Sheffied recordings. a slight attenuation of the higher freqs (or brightness) & a bigger bottom emphasis would be just about purrfect to my ears atleast. for sure, my speaker rig is smoother but then again, i dont hear as much microdetails (atleast not as easily) with the speaker rig either.
its pretty amazing what $300 buys in an amp to drive these HD800s. that said, the curiosity bug in me ordered a reconditioned vintage early 60s Fisher 400 receiver to take a gander at driving the senns. for $500 shipped, i thought it was a safe bet even if it wasnt a synergistic match.
& for the piece de resistance (to the chargrin of my better half ... hey i convinced her by simply stating its a better and cheaper habit than gambling!!! lol) & so with the "in for a penny in for pound" carelessness, i couldnt help myself but bought a Audio Space 300b for a taste of delicious 300 type (though PP & not SET) goodness which should arrive in a week or so. for what its worth all 3 amps together still comes under the $2.5k benchmark as set in the OP.
as a bonus, i can easily power a set of vintage Klipsch Heritage or Wharfdale E's or JBLs with either of them amps! regardless im already super impressed & love how the HD800s sound from the cheapie diy amp. cant wait to see how much more(if any) the other 2 "newcomers" would bring to the table. would be glad to update further if any curious minds here have a need to know.
im rather pleased with the result. lots of range & details, upfront intimate mids (vocals), great imaging, soundstage & depth with plenty of tight (though rather fast) bass slam. its the 1st headphone that reminds me most of my fullsize speakers or rather, i should say i dont miss the speaker when listening to the HD800s.
what i do hear is a slight brittleness (or hardness or glare or grain or.... lol) that i do believe is mostly attributed to the quality of recording as i hear less of it in MSLF/Chesky/Sheffied recordings. a slight attenuation of the higher freqs (or brightness) & a bigger bottom emphasis would be just about purrfect to my ears atleast. for sure, my speaker rig is smoother but then again, i dont hear as much microdetails (atleast not as easily) with the speaker rig either.
its pretty amazing what $300 buys in an amp to drive these HD800s. that said, the curiosity bug in me ordered a reconditioned vintage early 60s Fisher 400 receiver to take a gander at driving the senns. for $500 shipped, i thought it was a safe bet even if it wasnt a synergistic match.
& for the piece de resistance (to the chargrin of my better half ... hey i convinced her by simply stating its a better and cheaper habit than gambling!!! lol) & so with the "in for a penny in for pound" carelessness, i couldnt help myself but bought a Audio Space 300b for a taste of delicious 300 type (though PP & not SET) goodness which should arrive in a week or so. for what its worth all 3 amps together still comes under the $2.5k benchmark as set in the OP.
as a bonus, i can easily power a set of vintage Klipsch Heritage or Wharfdale E's or JBLs with either of them amps! regardless im already super impressed & love how the HD800s sound from the cheapie diy amp. cant wait to see how much more(if any) the other 2 "newcomers" would bring to the table. would be glad to update further if any curious minds here have a need to know.
wink
His amps are made out of recycled beer cans
and his source from tomatos.
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2009
- Posts
- 20,312
- Likes
- 3,656
Way to go scootiebaby.
Just goota loosen your hold on your wallet, and you'll be poorer but happier.
Forget the wife's mumblings - buy her a new cheap dress.
Just goota loosen your hold on your wallet, and you'll be poorer but happier.
Forget the wife's mumblings - buy her a new cheap dress.
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2008
- Posts
- 2,083
- Likes
- 79
^ and a nice chocolate dessert.
She'll love you and forget your audio purchase.
She'll love you and forget your audio purchase.
scottiebabie
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2006
- Posts
- 1,010
- Likes
- 35
lols ...... i paid ma dues with last few years of new house, moving, new job & new city so i thought i deserve a nice bonus for being a "good" boy! hehe. seriously though, the wifey's a trooper & she indulges me in alot more than just this audio sickness.
back to topic, i must say this HD800 is an awesome set of cans. it literaly gives me as much pleasure as the full speaker rig & all in middle of the night without neighbors (or the police) pounding on the front door as i like to listen loud. i cant wait for the other amps to arrive so i can so a shootout (in due time) with my other cans as well.
regardless, im already totally stoked with the $300 custom diy speaker amp. honestly, it sounds as up front with as much slam (if not more) & as much fun as a grado ps500 but with much much better headspace, soundstage & microdetails. whatever the senns are, they do not lack bass or bass slam or are thin & lean. yes the HD800s are a bright set of cans but definitely not as bright as grados. while i had an attack of "needles in the head" syndrome with grados, the HD800s manage to be bright & yet relatively smooth unless one's source is really really bad.
the reason i got more amps is cos im definitely curious to see how much better they can get with different amplication. for sure, they love tubes.
back to topic, i must say this HD800 is an awesome set of cans. it literaly gives me as much pleasure as the full speaker rig & all in middle of the night without neighbors (or the police) pounding on the front door as i like to listen loud. i cant wait for the other amps to arrive so i can so a shootout (in due time) with my other cans as well.
regardless, im already totally stoked with the $300 custom diy speaker amp. honestly, it sounds as up front with as much slam (if not more) & as much fun as a grado ps500 but with much much better headspace, soundstage & microdetails. whatever the senns are, they do not lack bass or bass slam or are thin & lean. yes the HD800s are a bright set of cans but definitely not as bright as grados. while i had an attack of "needles in the head" syndrome with grados, the HD800s manage to be bright & yet relatively smooth unless one's source is really really bad.
the reason i got more amps is cos im definitely curious to see how much better they can get with different amplication. for sure, they love tubes.
Glad to see you back scottiebabie. You were missed on the vintage thread.
scottiebabie
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2006
- Posts
- 1,010
- Likes
- 35
Quote:
thxs my bratha!! sad to say that i sold off all the vintage stuff before the move toCalgary Cowtown! hehe. the missus was happy though. i did however save 1 amp - the Sansui AU-517 although its kinda bulky to be a (headphone only) SS amp, i will use it as a comparo to what the 3 bright shining "space heaters" do.
i'll be showing it off at the vintage thread once the Fisher Receiver lands. more importantly im hoping it'll drive both HD800 & the T1 to new heights.
Glad to see you back scottiebabie. You were missed on the vintage thread.
thxs my bratha!! sad to say that i sold off all the vintage stuff before the move to
i'll be showing it off at the vintage thread once the Fisher Receiver lands. more importantly im hoping it'll drive both HD800 & the T1 to new heights.
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2012
- Posts
- 3,468
- Likes
- 968
Quote:
I listened to the Crack with speedball a coworker built and compared it to my Taboo MKIII. Didn't have the wide stage the lucid mode would give it and seemed to be lacking in some detail. Did not IMHO do the HD800 justice like the Taboo MKIII did. This was on his laptop versus my mine so different sources might have a little to do with it (we did use my bifrost on his laptop though). I do not however know how the CSP2+ compares...
I listened to the Crack with speedball a coworker built and compared it to my Taboo MKIII. Didn't have the wide stage the lucid mode would give it and seemed to be lacking in some detail. Did not IMHO do the HD800 justice like the Taboo MKIII did. This was on his laptop versus my mine so different sources might have a little to do with it (we did use my bifrost on his laptop though). I do not however know how the CSP2+ compares...
Users who are viewing this thread
