[Ramtha604]

Hello

I am currently owning a porta corda as an amp, a semi-non-crappy source and a pair of DT250/250's. It's a nice entry setup but I'll be getting a good source and an even better pair of HPs soon, so I need a really nice one to kind of give my be-all-end-all (haha, yeah) setup the right middle part.

I'm currently looking at the (in that order) HA-2 (no offers so far, no reviews), Gilmore (1 offer, very little reviews/opinions), SHA-1 (1 offer, some reviews, but little or no comparisons to HA-2 or Gilmore) and microZOTL (good reviews, probably best of the bunch, but only used an option due to price).

So that's the situation I am in. What amp (either one of these or even another one, not liste) do you recommend me to use with the following cans or (of lesser importance) with most other cans: Sony CD3k's, Sony F1's, high end AT's, high end Grado's, high end Beyerdynamic HP's?

Criteria, in order from "very important" to "less important":
1) overall sound quality, flatness, musicality (in what way?), dynamicness

2) price
3) number/quality of in- and outputs
4) guaranty/service

It would also be interested to hear which amps are more suited for which cans in particular and in general.

Please, help me!

Thanks in advance,
Roland

(...while enjoying his 250's with downtempo progressive)

 

[Ramtha604]

by the way... should you happen to select one of the two "other amp" options, please post which amp you've got in mind.

Thanks.

 

[Dan H]

META42

 

[The Quality Guru]

The Melos probably shouldn't be overlooked (not that it was, but . . .) for its tubey smooth, yet fast and transient capable sound, which can be attributed to its hybrid design. No, it's not the best amp out there, but most people will tell you it's damned good. And evidently, the SHA-1 can has an excellent upgrade path due to the kindness of one who mods Melos amplifers (if you are familiar with him, do not contact him unless he has posted an ad in the Mall-Fi forum, as he has a life and needn't be pestered with the incestant pleas of upgrade-hungry Head-Fiers). Oh, and one can always roll the tubes; I quite fancy the Teslas. And they're selling for quite cheap these days. Around $450 for many of them I've seen on Audiogon. Though you may naturally have to pay more for one that's in mint cosmetic condition. Anyway, the Melos ought to be a candidate because it's a good amp, IMO.

 

[BDA_ABAT]

Seems like the Gilmore would meet your needs in the Solid State realm while the ZOTL would be great if you wanted to do some tube rolling.

The KG dynamic amp is really increadible. Very fast, very detailed, excellent instrument separation... just provides detail galore.

The ZOTL is a terrific amp and can provide pportunities to tube-roll.

Either way, you can't go wrong. Enjoy and let us know what you end up with!

Bruce

 

[lini]

Ramtha604: I'd recommend to buy the Corda HA-1 and spend the rest on a better source. The DT250/250 is a fairly good headphone, and you shoudn't have a problem to spot the increase in sonic quality from the Porta Corda to the HA-1 with it. I highly doubt, that it would be worth to spend the additional money for a HA-2, though, considering your source. So maybe you'd be better off by buying a Marantz CD6000OSE or a NAD C521i together with tha HA-1...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[nanahachi]

QG
well, now im trying to decide btwn a Melos and a Gilmore (which would be the cheaper if i assemble it myself)...any hints in trying to decide btwn the two?

does the melos only have 1/4 or 1/8 headphone inputs? both?

Lini
about sources vs amps...my home CDP is not crap(Marantz C-67 5 cd changer), but is not amazing either. is it against your thinking that i should upgrade amp first, so i could use it with current CDP at least, then save and get new source? any other source recommendations? (i know that prob belongs in another forum...you can PM me if you like)

 

[Ramtha604]

Quote:

Originally posted by lini Ramtha604: I'd recommend to buy the Corda HA-1 and spend the rest on a better source. The DT250/250 is a fairly good headphone, and you shoudn't have a problem to spot the increase in sonic quality from the Porta Corda to the HA-1 with it. I highly doubt, that it would be worth to spend the additional money for a HA-2, though, considering your source. So maybe you'd be better off by buying a Marantz CD6000OSE or a NAD C521i together with tha HA-1... Greetings from Munich! Manfred / lini

Hey Manfred,

I know that my current source does not justify a ~500 amp but I'm in the process of getting a used Sony C333ES right now.

Greetings from Lower Austria!

Roland

 

[darkclouds]

nanahachi,

the melos has two 1/4 headphone out. It would be a hard choice to choose between the two. I have owned the melos and it's a very versatile unit. It sounds great with senns and supposed to be a perfect match for Grado. As a preamp, it does a nice job also.

I haven't had a chance to try out the Gilmore amp yet. But I'm working it out with antness. If everything works out, I'll be getting one in a custom enclosure with 4 inputs and dual ouputs.

 

[markl]

Quote:

So that's the situation I am in. What amp (either one of these or even another one, not liste) do you recommend me to use with the following cans or (of lesser importance) with most other cans: Sony CD3k's, Sony F1's, high end AT's, high end Grado's, high end Beyerdynamic HP's?

You need to make sure you get an amp that's versatile enough to drive a wide range of cans with a wide range of impedences. Of the amps on your list with which I have direct experience, that means you're looking at a ZOTL or a Melos. I'd try to find a Melos. Later you can have carlo mod it for you (see the Mall-Fi ad), so it provides you with a substantial upgrade path in the future.

Mark

 

[The Quality Guru]

Quote:

Originally posted by nanahachi QG well, now im trying to decide btwn a Melos and a Gilmore (which would be the cheaper if i assemble it myself)...any hints in trying to decide btwn the two? does the melos only have 1/4 or 1/8 headphone inputs? both?

Nanahachi,

I have not heard the Gilmore, so I honestly can't help you there. I think Hirsch may have heard both, for I believe both were present at one of his infamous meets. I'm actually eyeing one for myself . . . but I don't know if I could bear to forsake the addictive liquidity of tube gear.

In regards to price, the Gilmore would probably be cheaper if you assemble it yourself (though I doubt that's an easy task if you have no experience) but the Melos amps nevertheless pop up quite often for around $450 these days. If you plan on buying the Gilmore, the Antness built versions cost circa $500, and if you buy a Melos at $450 then you could save a few bucks.

The Gilmore will also probably be more reliable; Melos amps tend to break down as many of them are around ten years old! And MAR is not easy to deal with! Antness would be far more cooperative, I would imagine.

Hope that helps.

 

[TimSchirmer]

I'd go with the corda since you have high impedence headphones.

 

[BenG]

Of people who voted, who has actually heard all of these amps, especially the first two?

 

[Kubernetes]

I would go with a used EMP, if only because the phones you listed all go well with this amp (well, I'm not sure about the Beyers, but the F1's, CD3Ks, Grados, and ATs are all heaven with this amp).

 

[Ramtha604]

Quote:

Originally posted by Kubernetes I would go with a used EMP, if only because the phones you listed all go well with this amp (well, I'm not sure about the Beyers, but the F1's, CD3Ks, Grados, and ATs are all heaven with this amp).

I very much considered the EMP for a while until a heard it sounded slightly sirupy. It still isn't completely off my list, though as I know it's basically very well suited for the cans I intend to try/use. I've also read it sounds great with the HD-600 so I suppose the EMP will also like the various 250 Ohm Beyers.