[Denver Max]

Hey I'm specifically looking for a setup to be built around the Ultrasone Proline 2500 cans that I now plan on buying.

It will be a home setup only, no need for portability. My source will be either Toslink or USB, so I'll need a DAC, and then a headphone amp with good synergy with the cans.

I have done a lot of research on this in these forums and have only found one good recommendation for a home amp: the Heed CanAmp. If I could, I would like to spend less money than that. I would obviously need a $150 DAC at least to go with the CanAmp which would make my total around $500 if I'm lucky. I'd rather cap out the price at $400 for both the amp and dac.

I read most of the giant ultrasone thread to see if I could get any insight, and everyone in there with ED9s and 2500s and 750s are using them with WAYY more expensive equipment than I can afford!

So do you guys have any recommendations for me?

Thank you.

 

[mrarroyo]

I am being loaned a 2500 and should have it by next Thursday. I will post then with a selection of a few amps I have.

Meanwhile you could send Contrastique, slwiser, or dexdexter a PM since they have Ultrasones.

 

[Kees]

MF X-can V3 does very well with PROlines. The tubes give them a more natural sound signature.

 

[blessingx]

I was very impressed with the Heed, but if you're under a tight budget let me also recommend an Eddie Current Lunchbox (v1 or 2 - although the v1 is supposedly for high impedance cans only, the 2500s sound great out of them unlike some other low imp phones). That would be around $200 or v1 goes used for significantly less, probably under $150. You could feed it with an Emu 0404 (which is on sale for $150 - see computer forum) and would keep it total around $300. Hell the Emu headphone jack may sound great with the 2500s by itself (which may be worth trying before picking up any amp). Within your budget you can also use a Squeezebox as a source (what I use and competes quite favorably even with some of the 1K amps around here). It would be more than the Emu, but would still keep it around $500 with the Lunchbox.

One other bit of advice, is ... and I know there are some Ultrasone fans that are going to disagree with me ... I think the 2500s excel with very good setups over great ones. While I finally "got" the "Ultra-sound" on a setup I could never afford, many of its traits particularly stand out over the competition at a lower price point (if my experience is at all normal). Case in point - the 2500s holographic, coherent soundstage is very impressive against the upper Senns, but if you move up to nice tube amps with the right tubes the Senns grow to take over much of that soundstage (and the Senns have some advantages of their own). I actually grab the 2500 more times over the HD650/HD580 off the Lunchbox, than I do with the WA6.

 

[Denver Max]

Thanks guys, sounds like the tube amp is the way to go.

The Lunchbox looks promising and is PERFECT as far as price goes, thank you so much for that recommendation.

Just for comparison and reference when I'm deciding, I think there's a Darkvoice tube amp and a little dot, would either of these synergize well also? I know I'm going pretty specific, but I am just curious at this point. I just need to make up my mind and buy something....

 

[Denver Max]

Oh, by the way this will probably put things in a completely new perspective, but one more question: with tube amps, how many hours of life does a tube have on average, and how much money is spent every year by tube owners in replacing these? If it's a big maintenance issue I might be able to save up some cash for the Heed CanAmp after all. (Or get both eventually).

 

[tbonner1]

mrarroyo
Really looking forward to your comments

blessingx
quote-I think the 2500s excel with very good setups over great ones.

This is a helpful analysis. Some headphones have inherent colorations and do not improve much with a transparent amp.