Scratched another gear itch with a B-stock Modi+. It freshens up my bedside rig of repurposed kit: Bluesound Node 2i streamer, feeding Cavalli Tube Hybrid amp, powering HD 6XX. The upgrade seems obvious. But I don’t dismiss the streamer’s onboard DAC for a secondary listening station, not to...

Tried out the PM preamp function on my studio monitors. Plenty of flexibility to tweak the monitor volume with the PM gain & volume. No stereo channel imbalance at low volume. Plenty of volume dial range with the middle gain setting around 9:00, with the monitor volumes set at 11:00 or so...

PM is an upgrade over my CTH. But the tube factor gave me pause. It sweetens up the more clinical nature of the 8XX. But the PM is no more fatiguing, does nothing obviously wrong or conspicuous, and complements the 8XX dynamics and separation. My negative assessment of percussion performance...

I briefly compared CTH to my new Pietus Maximus. CTH held its own, and provided a desirable dose of tube sweetness. PM was otherwise the superior amp. Fetching less than $100 on eBay with shipping, CTH remains a compelling value. For that price, I’m keeping it for a bedside secondary rig...

I had your posts in mind when I noted the volume knob removal. The scratch started to come back, so I applied another round of contact cleaner. This time I didn't dis-assemble the housing. I just pulled off the knob, removed the nut and washer, and sprayed downward into the stem housing best I...

I compared my new Pietus Maximus to Massdrop x Cavalli Tube Hybrid briefly. The CTH adds a bit of tube sweetness. This sounds nicer. But there’s nothing lacking, wrong, or conspicuous with PM. The PM dynamics, technicalities, and blackground seem superior, without inducing any obvious flaws...

I'm getting re-acquainted with my stock 8XX during the winter listening season. I use Lokius EQ, boost 2 kHz knob to 2:30, and fade adjacent 400 Hz & 6 kHz knobs to 11:00. The resolution is there, but the timbre is questionable. Sounds like a recording. Maybe even a retro rockabilly recording...

Early runs of CTH have a known issue with volume noise. Here's a story of one with a happy ending. My CTH started with a trace of volume pot scratchy noise when I bought it used four years ago. Made noise only when I turned the knob. It got worse over time, to where it was making nose in the...

I've had a little less than a month with 8XX now. Still love it. I've dialed in a modest 2 kHz boost and even milder adjacent attenuations at 400 Hz and 6 kHz on my Lokius equalizer. Incidentally, the setting also works well for low-rate streaming of NPR and work calls—maybe just a bit more of...

I should have noted percussion is also very distinct, like the bass. You could study drummers with these.

Got my $700 HD-8XX today. You be the judge on whether I finally crossed over mid fi to top of the line. I’d actually just bought a Schiit Lokius to scratch a gear itch when I heard about the 8XX discount. So I bought with some confidence that I could make adjustments. I read all the things...

Right after I got my first real-ish job in the mid 90s, I bought a stereo. The NAD 705 was pretty much the best receiver worth getting before jumping up to separates (the entry level Adcom components were nearly the same price each). The 705 was about $450, about the same as the Bifrost 2 in...

Mine took four days earlier this month. Best I can tell, they drove it across the country, switching trucks seven times. Worth the wait, though.

Price drop

Price drop

Massdrop x Noble X Universal IEMs comes with accessories pictured. I'm original owner. I'll take care of shipping and PayPal merchant fees.

Pretty much all you need to light up a pair of powered desktop monitors. Or add a Magni for a complete desktop station. I also have Hosa CPR-203 1/4 inch TS to RCA stereo adapter cables, 9.8 feet. Please specify if you want these. Includes two pair of Monoprice Premium RCA 22 AWG stereo...

Anyone interested in the new Dekoni pads? They're up on Massdrop now. The Dekoni options resemble the OEM Elear and Utopia pads, plus the hybrid and non-fenestrated lambskin options. I like the idea of the fenestrated options but that's been available in the Utopia pad, which doesn't seem to...

I tried both angled and flat Brainwavz HM5 PU pads. They're both more comfortable than stock. The angled were less comfortable, softened the sound, and sounded more like a closed can. The flat delivered even more attack than the original. The original seemed to slot in between. With limited time...

I've had my eye on these for a while. I perked up when the Massdrop Elex came around, but then I noticed Elear getting juicy on the used market and stepped in. I also grabbed Brainwavz protein PU leather pads, angled (HM5 pads)—in blue, just for fun. It's cumbersome to A/B them, but I kind of...

Yes, but perhaps at the expense of the Asgard legacy. From the Schiit amp guide, "Asgard 2 is unlike anything else in our line." Maybe that's no longer necessary because Continuity obviates Class A, but if it's not Class A, is it still an Asgard? One could have made a similar argument for Lyr...

I promise not to gratuitously post on page 666 of the thread, bwa ha ha haaa. But this seems like the right spot for a cross-category Schiit product question.    I have a USB DAC that may be experiencing some of the problems outlined in the Wyrd product documentation. But I'm also toying with...

I just got a 5' Venus Audio cable off of eBay for about $45. Material and workmanship are good. Not planning on any rigorous listening comparisons, I just wanted to be rid of the unmanageable and microphonically noisy OEM cable. I found an old post about cheap-as-possible DIY cable materials...

The Alpha pads look tempting based on the last week or two of the thread. I'm keen to make the HE-500 more comfortable without altering the headphones and sound too much. If I had to choose between conflicting parameters, I'd say comfort is the priority. ​I tried the Alpha Dog at a show and...

  I had a nice chat with one of the HiFiMAN reps as a new HE-500 customer, and he didn't regale me with any incentives to upgrade. He also didn't tip his hand about a potential HE-6 upgrade.