I'd appreciate more thoughts on the ESR, if you had any. I'm in the same boat as you.. would love to buy the Phantom, but spending that much on an IEM isn't in the cards for me. I'm also a big fan of the Spartan, so I'd love to hear how the ESR compare, if possible.

  http://diyforums.org/Torpedo-III/TorpedoIII-tubes.php

  Did you plug it into a different USB port than the last port (which had the volume turned down) ?

  I've given DSD plenty of spin.. on plenty of nice gear.. it's just not worth. the. hassle, IME.  I can tell the difference between lossy & lossless rips.  I've owned the HD800 three times.. and heard it off plenty of great rigs.. so I know what it's capable of resolving.   Also.. Schiit's...

Every time someone mentions DSD in this thread.. Mike M. kills a $30 multibit DAC that's fully differential, fits in your pocket, and achieves 95% of the Yggy's SQ.   So... keep it up, dummies.   For real though.. screw DSD.  What a waste of time.  You DSD fanboys have an assload of...

I can definitely see why it's recommended for rock lovers.. The Spartan possesses excellent micro and macro dynamics (it belies what one might typically expect from a quad driver in this regard). The clean, fast, crisp attack coupled with accurate timbre and perfectly balanced note weight makes...

I know all the rage is the Zeus/Zeus-R as of late.. but I've had the Spartan-IV (custom version) for a short while now and I find it nothing short of fantastic.  It possesses a near perfect blend of the tonal profile and technicalities I prioritize.  Tied with the UERM, the Spartan is probably...

The HD650 is a fantastic phone.. stock or modded!  Zonto's offered some very useful information that illustrates some of the modded HD650's (measurable) benefits.. but modding isn't absolutely necessary to enjoy it, of course!  For some, a modded pair might not sound (enough) to warrant a...

Took the words right out of my mouth.  Thanks Mikoss!

  Depending on the mods.. speed does improve.  It's not going to turn into a Stax or anything.. but strategically placed dynamat does tighten the bass, improve (perceived) transient speed, and in turn, reveal better low frequency texture.. and yes, I've modded my 650 (quarter hole in the front...

HD 650 can be your "main squeeze" .. but functions equally comfortably as a 'side chick.'  It can be a fun, cheap date.. but it's most rewarding.. especially late at night.. if you go all out and treat her right with good food/gear.   As my friend @eke2k6 would say, "a lady in the streets...

  One of my favorite amps with the HD650 is a tricked out BH Crack w/ speedball (tricked out with film output caps, PS bypass caps, a better pot, etc.).  But if you can't source it, the Valhalla 2 (with Holland/Amperex tubes) is my other favorite tube amp (if your budget is under $500)...

Yep.. I went from uni's to customs a few years ago and never looked back. The comfort, consistency, and isolation.. not to mention sq.. were just too good to want to even dabble with (most) universals (again). My frustration with tip rolling grew quite a bit, as well. More recently, I decided...

^^^ LMAOOO ^^^

I picked up my V5 this morning, fellas. As had always been my experience, Neco's customer service was nothing short of perfect. The guy is polite, accommodating, prompt, and humble. My current rig is: Geek Out v2+ Infinity (2 Volt output, TCM & FRM filters)-- Neco V5 (high gain) -- Sennheiser...

In a nutshell, the Leck was more transparent and better resolving than the QS. The QS excelled in dynamics, soundstage, and sounded a touch warmer. I like the Leck for IEMs and moderately efficient dynamics. The QS was well suited for planars and high z dynamics.. But the very fine volume...

I'm in between rigs, atm.. but recently found my (custom) AS-1Plus while digging through some boxes after a recent move.  I was immediately reminded of just how well tuned this phone is and why it remains one of my favorite IEMs.  I've owned many customs (mostly TOTL ones from various manuf.)...

V5 ordered, fellas.        Been awhile since I've wanted (or needed) a solid state amp.. especially a portable one.  The Leckerton UHA-6S MKII (ADA4627B opamps), Meier Audio QuickStep, and the Neco V4 (ADA4627B opamps) were my faves.. and since owning those, little (if anything), has...

 

I've owned both (for extended periods of time) with the HD650 and HD800.   SB'ed Crack is the more (stereotypically) tubey, warm, bloomy, dynamic amp with nice slam/macrodynamics (OTL's tend to excle a there latter qualities).  The Val2 is cleaner, faster, (much) more resolving, more...

I've had that cable for my HD650.. Really really nice.. Very similar to the stock HD650 cable in terms of ergonomics (which is a good thing, IMO). The price for the hd800 cable from PCx is significantly higher vs ordering from Japan. If you're stateside, I'd recommend ordering from Amazon.co.jp...

Great recco's.. I'm a big fan of Floex, Phaeleh, Amon Tobin (love ISAM.. and his older stuff is classic Ninja Tune).. check out Flacco, too.

Hi Matt..   I'm really happy with the Empire Ears Apollo-X (the neutral/reference monitor in their line).  It's smooth, leans to the warm side of neutral, very spacious, and I enjoy listening with it for hours on end.  It's exquisitely detailed, as well.. but that quality isn't 'laid bare'...