[purk]

   
Reasonable prices are in the eye of the beholder.  Someone's Z1R at $2300 is considered unreasonable compared to a Sennheiser 650 at $400
 
Someone who spends $2300 on the Z1R considers someone who buys the Utopia at $4000 unreasonable - yet the Sennheiser guy thinks the Z1R guy is nuts
 
 

Well, the HD650 is one of those headphones that scale like nothing else when driven out of a really good balanced amp.  So, all of us are kindda crazy for not owning one...myself included.

 

[buzzlulu]

  Well, the HD650 is one of those headphones that scale like nothing else when driven out of a really good balanced amp.  So, all of us are kindda crazy for not owning one...myself included.

Owned one back when I was active on here in 2003/2004.  The Sennheiser veil did me in.  Replaced them with a Grado RS1.
Back in the day it was only Sennheiser and Grado - and mostly DIY amps built by other HeadFi members.
 
Still have my LaRocco PPA with Diamond Buffers sitting in the closet - is it worth anything?  Maybe I will put it up at auction at Sotheby's or Christie's - ha ha

 

[purk]

 
Owned one back when I was active on here in 2003/2004.  The Sennheiser veil did me in.  Replaced them with a Grado RS1.
Back in the day it was only Sennheiser and Grado - and mostly DIY amps built by other HeadFi members.
 
Still have my LaRocco PPA with Diamond Buffers sitting in the closet - is it worth anything?  Maybe I will put it up at auction at Sotheby's or Christie's - ha ha

The HD-650 needs a silver upgraded cable.  Yes, I have the LaRocco PPA as well.  It is still very competitive with any solidstate amp under $600-700 dollars.  The art of amp design hasn't progressed that much despite what amplifier mfgs are claiming.

 

[buzzlulu]

I seem to recall - back in the day - having a Zu Möbius (?) on it. Still did not like it.

I have a Kimber Axios coming for the Utopia - hopefully it will be nice (!)


PS to anyone considering - EXCELLENT service from Jason at SourceAV. A true pleasure doing business with him.

PSS I will continue following this thread however for now I have pulled the trigger on a Hugo2 to use with the Utopia
It will tide me over until I get bit by the Stax bug. I am starting to regret returning to this place after such a long absence. My 2 channel system will see less use - and my wallet will start to suffer

 

[Mizukage]

   
Reasonable prices are in the eye of the beholder.  Someone's Z1R at $2300 is considered unreasonable compared to a Sennheiser 650 at $400
 
Someone who spends $2300 on the Z1R considers someone who buys the Utopia at $4000 unreasonable - yet the Sennheiser guy thinks the Z1R guy is nuts
 
When it comes to cables there is a massive range of prices and one must be diligent to differentiate real performance products from SnakeOil.  In terms of measurability there are certain aspects of cable design which are measurable - others are not and that is where blind tests come in.
I come from a two channel world so I can tell you prices are ALL over the board.  I can also tell you that some of the top cables TRULY do what it says on the tin.  You should check out a UK company called Chord Cables - they are in the UK.  They have a range of interconnects and speaker cables which can range from 500gbp to 5000gbp (for a 1 meter interconnect).  They are an illustrious company in business for many years and are continually pushing the envelope.  I have owned and demoed most of their products - and have demoed extensively with other two channel friends.  It is VERY easy to hear the differences and improvements made by their cables - in blind tests with a number of people sitting in.
 
The TRUE cable companies are the ones who consistently prove, through demo, that their products are what they claim them to be.
It is then up to the end consumer to decide what price point he is comfortable with.

I found Chord cables when I bought my Rega Brio R a few years back.  They truly do make great cables.  

 

[buzzlulu]

I found Chord cables when I bought my Rega Brio R a few years back.  They truly do make great cables.  

If it was a few years back you should see what they are doing now - utterly jaw dropping.

Another bonus and very pro customer service taken right from the playbook at Linn- on certain cables when they come out with improvements you can send your original cable back to them for updating - all at a reduced cost.

 

[Mizukage]

If it was a few years back you should see what they are doing now - utterly jaw dropping.

Another bonus and very pro customer service taken right from the playbook at Linn- on certain cables when they come out with improvements you can send your original cable back to them for updating - all at a reduced cost.

Nice!,  I'm in need of a new Amp/Dac combo (Seperates, or  combined), since I moved and my setup no longer works.. So I'll definitely check them out when I've decided what I'm getting.

 

[Whitigir]

Silver powercord ? Why in the hell not. Pictures for references. Cables is completely shielded and sleeved

 

[tradyblix]

PSS I will continue following this thread however for now I have pulled the trigger on a Hugo2 to use with the Utopia
It will tide me over until I get bit by the Stax bug. I am starting to regret returning to this place after such a long absence. My 2 channel system will see less use - and my wallet will start to suffer

Enjoy your Hugo2 I am sure that it will be great. 

 

[Whitigir]

I seem to recall - back in the day - having a Zu Möbius (?) on it. Still did not like it.

I have a Kimber Axios coming for the Utopia - hopefully it will be nice (!)


PS to anyone considering - EXCELLENT service from Jason at SourceAV. A true pleasure doing business with him.

PSS I will continue following this thread however for now I have pulled the trigger on a Hugo2 to use with the Utopia
It will tide me over until I get bit by the Stax bug. I am starting to regret returning to this place after such a long absence. My 2 channel system will see less use - and my wallet will start to suffer

Talking about Stax ? I am deep into working on the amp .....I thought Utopia and TA and 1Z would end this game for me....now my 009 arrive next week....hopefully my Carbon will be as good as it supposed to be

Sigh.....expensive freaking hobby

I probably need a gun point from my wife to stop this madness

 

[buzzlulu]

Talking about Stax ? I am deep into working on the amp

.....I thought Utopia and TA and 1Z would end this game for me....now my 009 arrive next week....hopefully my Carbon will be as good as it supposed to be

Sigh.....expensive freaking hobby

I probably need a gun point from my wife to stop this madness

Prey tell more about the 009!
 
I attended CanJam NY and had a brief 15 minute listen to the 009 at the Headamp booth.  Let me simply say that one month on I still cannot get it out of my mind - what an impression a brief 15 minutes made on me.
 
Please tell more  - what led you to it and how are you planning to use it
 
PS  wrong thread however I will ask anyway.  If one wanted and alternative to Solid State with the Utopia (Hugo2 on preorder) how are the WU entry line products - WA8 and WA7?  The WA8 requires you not only to like their amplification but also the flavor of the incorporated DAC they use

 

[buzzlulu]

 
Enjoy your Hugo2 I am sure that it will be great. 

Thank you - I am expecting big things.
I like the Mojo - and many of my friends in two channel on the Naim forum have ditched $10k Naim digital front ends for the original Hugo

 

[tradyblix]

Tidal seems to have fixed their issues talking to the TA-ZH1ES in the latest update. It's now behaving properly for me again. (on the mac client)
 
Awesome... back to lossless again.
 
*Edit*. That lasted literally a day. The very next update they broke it again. I'm giving up on Tidal for now. 
 
I have a work-around - if I open a browser and start an audio stream from the browser, then mute - say a youtube video.... I can play from Tidal no issues.
 
But ... really this kind of problems shouldn't be going on. Couple that with the poor search, playlist and discovery options on tidal, as well as spotify/itunes has more music available and I think it's game over. I'll take mqa > lossless > aac > ogg any day tho 

 

[SmileClick]

My friend heard my setup and he like the sound signature and brought 1 set at Camjam Singapore 2017. Both of us got a good discount given by sony during the Camjam Singapore. On top of Bundle discounts for both TA ZH1ES and Z1 headphone, I also got balance Kimber cable thrown in - free of charge.

 

[SmileClick]

Currently, TA ZH1ES RCA out carrying both signal and ground out as the chassis is not grounded into earth.

Existing chassis power connector is a 2 pin connector instead of 3 pins connector.

We tested it by grounding the TA-ZH1ES chassis into Mac amp which those chassis is grounded into earth pins, it produces a clean sound.

Suggest to change the existing 2 pins power Connector to 3 pins power connector after the warranty is over.

Have spoken to Sony designer team in Camjam Singapore, and they are looking into this issues.