[refault]

Hey, I currently use my RS SR-71 amp at home with my EMU0404 (modded) in my setup to listen to the Grado HP-2.

I'm wanting to upgrade my amp, preferably solid state, that will be an improvement over the SR-71 and will bring out the characteristcs of the Grado HP-2.

All price ranges, from low to high, will be considered. Just want to get some info on what's good to buy (and hopefully even save some money

.)

Thanks!

 

[yellafella321]

Tubes are the way to go!

Get a singlepower mpx3 slam se! ~2000$

I also really really enjoyed the sound of the hp1 out of my gs-1...which happens to be fore sale!

Its two different flavors really. The hp-1000 has that lush and gorgeous midrange which is definitely complemented very very well by a nice SS amp to keep its bass as beautifully tight as it is and that balanced upper register so sweet as it is.

 

[F1GTR]

The one that was made specifically for them of course. You'll have to seach for one on audiogon and/or ebay, as they are no longer in production, but the sound produced when these two meet up is phenomenal.

http://stereophile.com/headphones/617/

 

[bozebuttons]

Corda Aria does a nice job with the HP2s using a computer as a source.
The Melos is the soulmate of the HP series phones.

 

[refault]

Hmm, interesting.

What about the current "popular" solid-state amps such as the HR-2 and GS-1? Would they work well with the Grado?

My current combination I have sounds REALLY neutral. I guess the blackness of the SR-71 and the overall uncolored sound of the HP-2 account for that.

 

[Dash]

Maple Tree Audio Ear Purist+HD.

 

[jpelg]

Apogee Mini-DAC - it's a source upgrade (more important, imo) & decent amp in one device. Great synergy w/Grado's. Get it with the USB option for connecting to your PC.

Get a better amp later if you still feel the need (you might not).

 

[Jahn]

melossssssssssssss.............

 

[Oski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by refault What about the current "popular" solid-state amps such as the HR-2 and GS-1? Would they work well with the Grado? My current combination I have sounds REALLY neutral. I guess the blackness of the SR-71 and the overall uncolored sound of the HP-2 account for that.

Of the current production SS amps I've tried, I actually really like the LaRocco PR II, especially with either the AD8066 or OPA627 opamps rolled in. Both the HP2 and PRII are neutral and detailed without brightness or edginess. The PRII drives the HP2 with authority, punchiness and sonic weight. When the PRII is paired with the newly released PSR (which I just received), it's an excellent combo that pretty much satisfies what I want out of an SS amp.

 

[recstar24]

Quote:

Originally Posted by refault Hmm, interesting. What about the current "popular" solid-state amps such as the HR-2 and GS-1? Would they work well with the Grado? My current combination I have sounds REALLY neutral. I guess the blackness of the SR-71 and the overall uncolored sound of the HP-2 account for that.

The HP's sound great on the HR-2 and GS-1, at least in my experience, as well as the SR-71. I have owned all those amps or reviewed them for extended period of time. Tubes go great with HP-2 as well. In fact, I really have never heard a bad sounding HP-2 honestly whatever it was driven by.

To be honest, I wasn't too keen when I heard the HP-2's out of a melos. I forgot what version it was, but it was stock and honestly it sounded kind of dead with very little engagement on my end. The stuff out nowadays was much better to my ears.

 

[mulveling]

I've used the hp2 with the hr2, sr71, microZOTL, Sugden Headmaster, Headroom Max (1997), Singlepower SDS, and Melos Gold Ref. To be honest, is sounds AWESOME with any of those and you literally can't go wrong (though I was least enthusiastic about its pairing with the old Max). Lots of it will boil down to taste. I definitely prefer tubes; the hp2 are the most grainless dynamic headphones I've heard and IMO it's a shame to introduce some Solid State grit into that. The Melos, SDS, and microZOTL are all amazing and my favorites. The SDS does at times seem to be slightly lacking the power needed to drive these inefficient cans at high volumes - the result is a noticeable but very euphonic distortion, IMO. The Slam adaptors would likely "fix" that. Sometimes I absolutely love it, other times I'll go for the tighter sound of the Melos or microZOTL. Yep, the Melos is a fantastic match, but the microZOTL is another alternative at a slightly lower price point.

I've heard the Gilmores are also an awesome match, but unfortunately despite having owned 2 of these amps (Headamp V2 and V2SE) I've never had the chance to pair the two. They're good amps though.

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulveling I've used the hp2 with the hr2, sr71, microZOTL, Sugden Headmaster, Headroom Max (1997), Singlepower SDS, and Melos Gold Ref. To be honest, is sounds AWESOME with any of those and you literally can't go wrong (though I was least enthusiastic about its pairing with the old Max). Lots of it will boil down to taste. I definitely prefer tubes; the hp2 are the most grainless dynamic headphones I've heard and IMO it's a shame to introduce some Solid State grit into that. The Melos, SDS, and microZOTL are all amazing and my favorites. The SDS does at times seem to be slightly lacking the power needed to drive these inefficient cans at high volumes - the result is a noticeable but very euphonic distortion, IMO. The Slam adaptors would likely "fix" that. Sometimes I absolutely love it, other times I'll go for the tighter sound of the Melos or microZOTL. Yep, the Melos is a fantastic match, but the microZOTL is another alternative at a slightly lower price point. I've heard the Gilmores are also an awesome match, but unfortunately despite having owned 2 of these amps (Headamp V2 and V2SE) I've never had the chance to pair the two. They're good amps though.

Mulveling,


If you could part with your SDS long enough to get the amp updated for high/ low voltage .... you can use the 6bl7gt family of tubes ..... the improvement is substantial. With the higher power tubes like the 6bl7gta the amp does everything better. I have tried 5687's in my Supra and the sound is excellent but definitely different. The 6bl7gt/ 6bl7gta types are very similar sounding to the 6sn7 but have so much more speed, attack and an even bigger, airier soundstage. If you didnt like the 6bl7gt/a types .... which I cant imagine .... you could simply go back to the 6sn7gt's. As a bonus, the 6bl7gt/a tubes use the same octal base as the 6sn7 and drop right in.

 

[GoRedwings19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover Mulveling, If you could part with your SDS long enough to get the amp updated for high/ low voltage .... you can use the 6bl7gt family of tubes ..... the improvement is substantial. With the higher power tubes like the 6bl7gta the amp does everything better. I have tried 5687's in my Supra and the sound is excellent but definitely different. The 6bl7gt/ 6bl7gta types are very similar sounding to the 6sn7 but have so much more speed, attack and an even bigger, airier soundstage. If you didnt like the 6bl7gt/a types .... which I cant imagine .... you could simply go back to the 6sn7gt's. As a bonus, the 6bl7gt/a tubes use the same octal base as the 6sn7 and drop right in.

I was talking to reks a while back. He had his ppx upgraded to a slam IIRC to drive the hp-2's which he felt were underpowered to drive the hp-2's. Do you get to hear this setup?

What did you think?

I find most amps in general have difficulty in driving the hp-2's due to their low impedance, low efficiency characteristic.

The ironic thing is, no matter how much I read or hear about the melos/hp pairing this is one of the few combos I have not tried. I have tried most things out of the Melos some gave great results, some okayish and some I am not that keen on.

I should lend a pair of hp's to see how it pairs.

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoRedwings19 I was talking to reks a while back. He had his ppx upgraded to a slam IIRC to drive the hp-2's which he felt were underpowered to drive the hp-2's. Do you get to hear this setup? What did you think? I find most amps in general have difficulty in driving the hp-2's due to their low impedance, low efficiency characteristic. The ironic thing is, no matter how much I read or hear about the melos/hp pairing this is one of the few combos I have not tried. I have tried most things out of the Melos some gave great results, some okayish and some I am not that keen on. I should lend a pair of hp's to see how it pairs.

I have heard reks amp with the grado HP-2 and PS-1. This pairing was much better than any setup I had when I owned my HP-1's. I especially liked the PS-1's with the sylvania 5687's he had in the amp.

I have heard the standard ppx3-6cg7 with my grado SR-225's and recently HF-1's. I really liked that combo and I didnt feel it was underpowered with the middling grados. But the SLAM upgrade takes the sound quality of these two headphones up a notch without a doubt.

The AKG K701 is a bear to drive and the SLAM PPX3 sounded great with the 701's. Using 6sn7's in my MPX3's I could get the MPX3 to clip with 701's. The same amp would not clip at any level I could tolerate with 5687's as the outputs.

The higher power tubes like the 5687 and the 6bl7gt/a and 6bx7gt make a definite difference driving low impedence headphones. the 6bl7gt/a's in particular can do everything the 6sn7 can do in the soundstage department while offering so much more speed, bass kick, and dynamics.

 

[yellafella321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover I have heard the standard ppx3-6cg7 with my grado SR-225's and recently HF-1's. I really liked that combo and I didnt feel it was underpowered with the middling grados. But the SLAM upgrade takes the sound quality of these two headphones up a notch without a doubt.

Yep, the ppx3 6cg7 w/ the hf-1 is what made me fall in love with tubes...::sigh::

SOMEONE BUY MY GS-1 so that I can get an mpx3!