[futant]

Hello,
Getting down the the final stages of getting my system together. I've been listening to my Senn 600s straight from a ***** CD player (having had only it and the headphones for the past 2.5 years). After having heard my headphones powered by a friend's amp I was unable to ignore the issue any longer (damn him)...
In a couple of weeks my arrangement will be something like this (feel free to talk me out of anything that I haven't spent $ on yet, on the things that I have just say "good choice", please:

upgraded outlet
Brickwall surge protector (haven't ordered yet)
Cambridge Audio 540C player
RS Cables interconnects
MG Head OTL Mk II (w/ RCA Command 5751 and JJ EL84s)
Zu Mobius cable (haven't ordered yet)
HD600s

I'm waiting on the CD player to see if Cambridge Audio has addressed the flimsy power cord issue. I might need a better one of these, too (any suggestions, maybe, for around $30?).
Is the cord a problem with the MG Head OTL Mk II (and is it changeable)?
Between the Porter Cryo 20 amp and the FIM, what might any of you recommend?
Thank you for all your input.
Though I haven't been a very active poster here I've taken advantage of your discussions, arguments and bickering to help me decide what I wanted to do on my budget now that I'm finally able to undertake this tremendously exciting project.
money's gone,
Barclay.

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Futant,

My only suggestion is look into other ICs. I own a pair of the balanced versions and they are the least favorites of all the ICs I have right now. I really liked the W Enterprises MW IC that is a gold/silver/copper alloy and the Aural Thrills Active Force Gold. They both are much better to my ears, albeit a little over twice the cost. The review of these cables really made listening to them a bit of a letdown when compared to these other cables.

If you want just PM or email me in about a week or two and I'll try and give some further insight into what I hear after all the cables I have on hand are broken in with a good 100+ hours on them.

 

[futant]

Funny, I bought the RS Cables after you mentioned them as an option on one of my other threads (hadn't heard them yet, I guess).
I agree, the review was pretty friggin' convincing.
I already received them in the mail.
No big deal, if I don't like them all that much maybe I can send them back or, at very worse, use them somewhere else and get myself a better pair for my headphone setup.
I appreciate the feedback.
I'll PM you in about a week and you can let me know what you think then.
Thank you very much, you've answered me when others have apparently found nothing of interest enough to respond.

 

[Sovkiller]

I would suggest also to try the GE5751WA triple micas black plates, or the Raytheon windmill getter, both are extremelly good tubes IMO and IME, the JJ OTOH are the best IMO of the current productions, better than the EI Elite gold pins IMO....just contact Mitch to see if he has something around, usually he does....

 

[ServinginEcuador]

futant,

Live and learn: One raving review does not a good product make. The problem could be my system also since I have some Stax headphones that are EXTREMELY revealing about how good/bad ICs are. Maybe if I had them in a system with dynamic cans I would think differently. Too bad they're balanced tho'. If they were single ended I could run them into the Creek and Sony CD3Ks.

Oh well, hopefully you like the ones you got, and that mine change some with more break-in. I haven't firmed up my thoughts on them yet as I popped them in, listened right away, then let them play all night. The next day I wasn't impressed so I installed some balanced VD Nites, which I prefer by quite a fair margin. Then again, at about 10 times the price I would sure hope they would sound incredible.

I wonder about the guy who reviewed a pair of these cables. Was he related to the builder, deaf, or paid off?

 

[ServinginEcuador]

futant,

I think that the RCA Command series is one great sounding tube. The extra supports really lower the microphonics. Look into some Mullard or Telefunken EL84s to compliment them. That is if you can find a pair of them cheap enough.

 

[futant]

Doug,
Yep, live and learn.
I'm just at the beginning of my true headphone experience so I'll just do the best that I can and, honestly, I have a feeling that I'll be blown away by any of it.
In the future, when I have some money to spend and I feel the need to tweak again, I'll try something else.
In the meantime, what I've chosen will have to do (and I think it'll do just fine).
Both of you, thanks for the info on tubes. I'm especially interested in current production tubes, seeing as the NOS seem to be going low in availability and thus higher in price.

 

[Sean H]

Hi guys- So, the RS cables aren't that great? I was wanting to try a pair out and waiting for Futant's comments. I have some HGA Silver Lace right now and like them a LOT. Ever heard the Silver Lace, SIE? Hmmm...no good, eh?

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Sean,

Over the next two or three weeks I am going to put all my cables thru their paces by first giving them closer to 200 hours of break-in, then I will start doing some critical listening. Until then please make sure to file my thoughts on the RS Cables and anything else under preliminary impressions. The maker of the RS Cables says allow for at least 100 hours, I only have about 24 or so on them. Nowhere near enough to get a real handle on their performance, but we'll see what happens later on. I also had really high hopes for these cables, so maybe their initial impressions were a let down for that reason, but when I do my critical listening I have a good amount of test discs that greatly reduce subjective opinions. Nothing can eliminate them, but at least I can try to reduce them as much as possible.

Check into the cables forum in about 2 weeks and wee if there is anything there by me about cables.


EDIT: I have never heard a pair of Silver Lace ICs Sean. Maybe next trip to the states I'll give them a shot to see how they sound.

 

[Sean H]

Thanks, Doug!! I look forward to your comments. Sounds like the cable needs a lot of break in, but who knows. I should just take advantage of their 30-day guarantee. The Silver Lace are very nice, all those things they say about silver but with no egde or brightness in my system. First silver cable I have liked.

A peculiar cable that has piqued my interest is the Grado Signature, ever heard it?

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Sean,

Try them out for a couple of weeks and see how they work in your system. Who knows, maybe they will be more synergetic in your system than in mine. You may also just like their sound better than the current Silver Lace ICs. It's a gamble, but at least all you will lose on them if you return them is the cost of shipping. I am unable to return them since I live so far away, and if I could finish burning them in first and if I don't like them, may go that route.

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Well, I popped the RS Audio cables back into my system after a two day hiatus enjoying the balanced Nites. Upon first popping the RS Audios back in the only real weakness I can hear during a small critical listening test is that the acoustic guitar has lost some zing and the initial burst of energy, attack, from the guitars whose strings are strummed hard have blurred enough to be noticeable, but not glaring or bad by any means.

In other words, I have changed my mind on these cables. Right now they are sounding VERY good and might make the short list of cables I keep around. (OBTW, the short list is ONE set of cables I will keep!

)

I am planning on running these cables in for the next 72 hours straight to get more impressions on how they sound, but upon listening to some really familiar tracks of music I use to evaluate things they sound quite good. As of now this is one happy camper with the $99 I spent on these cables. More to come soon....... stay tuned.

 

[futant]

Glad to hear that, truly relieving.
I wasn't surprised to hear that they didn't live up to the review comparing them the the Valhallas but it concerned me a little bit that I had just spent $100 on a pair of cables that completely sucked.
I'd like to hear your impressions of them after they're burned in.
Have yet to receive my CD player or amp (I'm hoping today) so my setup, currently, consists of my HD600s and my rs cables.
Waiting patiently...

 

[Sean H]

Hey!! There we go! Your less than ideal comments early on were the first negative comments I had seen, perhaps they do just need some good break-in. Thanks and keep us updated!

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Quote:

Originally posted by Sean H Hey!! There we go! Your less than ideal comments early on were the first negative comments I had seen, perhaps they do just need some good break-in. Thanks and keep us updated!

To be fair and honest the biggest problem was me. I forgot that I was using brand new music with which I was totally unfamiliar. When I realized that it was just music I had never heard before I switched over to something of my usual test stuff and the quality of the ICs came thru. We'll see what happens to them over the next 72 hours or so as they run in for that entire time. After that they come off and the next pair goes one for another 72 hours. Then I will start doing some comparisons. Until then I should keep my mouth shut so as to not say anything quite as stupid again.