[Appless]

Quote:

@appless

How is it possible to have objective opinions about an entirely subjective experience?

Opinions was probably the wrong word to use. It may be subjective but the more you pay for gear the better is should be,( not talking about 1000$ to 1500$) such as the liquid fire compared to the Mjolnir. 9/10 times wouldn't a person with both pieces of gear, listening to the same music, through the same headphones, with the same time spent on each vote in favor of the LF?

Most everyone agrees that the lyr is worse for the LCD-3s then the Mjolnir, Also that the PWD DAC 2 is simply just a better DAC then the Gungnir and that it would be near impossible to argue in favor of the Gungnir. 
 
I guess what i'm asking is if after around 800$ for the Mjolnir is it all subjective up to the 2500$+ amps? Even then can you still argue that the Mjolnir is better?

 

[Appless]

Quote:

I've got the GS-X with the upgraded modules (got them last month) and the combination with the LCD-3s (and HD800s and TH-900s) is a real winner! Heck, it is the best amp I've heard with IEMs too. Show me an amp that's as versatile.
 
It's the most transparent amp I've owned; wire-with-gain as they say. The newer version will still be the same wire-with-gain design, but with even more power. But I don't plan on buying the HE-6s (again). 

 I've sold the WA22 and Liquid Fire last year and miss neither. Just something else to consider. 

I was hoping you'd chime in at some point 

. 

Would love to hear your thoughts on the MJ vs the other amps heard. Sadly, it seems you've never had the chance to use one.

 

[Maxvla]

@appless

I prefer the Mjolnir to the Liquid Fire. I guess I'm the 1/10.

I've talked with someone who wasn't impressed with the PWD2.

I tend to keep an open mind about any gear that crosses my path. I'll give anything a fair try. In general yes, more expensive should be better, but often it isn't.

 

[Appless]

It seems you're right. It really is all subjective and there is hardly any piece of gear that is automatically better then another.

Makes getting into this hobby hard when it's impossible to demo anything.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

I was hoping you'd chime in at some point 

. 

Would love to hear your thoughts on the MJ vs the other amps heard. Sadly, it seems you've never had the chance to use one.

 
I haven't heard the MJ yet. Sorry.
 
Seeing that you're starting out, let me just say that the journey is part of the fun. 

 

[m2man]

It's tough to beat the Mjolnir + as nice a source as you can swing.

An ECBA (or one of the 4-5 nicer ones) plus the Gungnir will not be nearly as enjoyable IMHO.

Wait! What was the question?

 

[Solude]

Is the Metrum better than the M51?  Not sure but it is better than the W4S DAC-2.
 
As for the Mjolnir... it comes down to whether you really like the LCD-3 or not.  If you want to shift it closer to an HD800, by all means get the Mjolnir.  For an amp that let the LCD-3 sound like an LCD-3 it didn't make the list.
 
To be fair I had the W4S at the time.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

Prep have you heard the GS-X 1 with the lcd3s yet, or are you just waiting for your mark2?

I've been lurking on here pretty religiously for the past 3 weeks and most of you that post often seem to have pretty differing tastes.

I guess there are very few objective opinions when it to most of this stuff.

 
 
Nope.  That would be MacedonianHero.  Waiting on the mkII to arrive.  
 
Again, if the LCD-3 will be your only headphone IMO and others might not agree.  The MJ with good DAC ie.. D2, M51, PWD2, Lynx Hilo would be a good way to go.  No need to spend GS-X money just for the LCD-3 when that money can go towards the DAC.

 

[Saraguie]

Quote:

Just looked at the price.

 
  Yup........I looked at so many diff combinations and certainly could have gone cheaper. I know the law of diminishing returns and it is LAW. But, at my space and time I can afford it, I read the S&!) out of specs and companies..........and its going to look good, fit the space I can use it in......so "Just Do It"
 
Quote:

I hope it's exactly what you want. Resale value on RWA stuff is really poor.

 
Perhaps,......I ordered it with the options I thought would have the most appeal to the widest group of audio enthusiasts, just in case.
 
Quote:

Some are risk seekers. Sometimes it pays off - and sometimes not. 50/50 chance. Hope said user is among the lucky ones.

 
Thank you, me too 

 
Quote:

Non-mainstream seldom is...

 
For sure, just like Porsches and single malt scotch have a niche markets so does exotic high line audio components.

 

[wolfetan44]

What wood did you get?

 

[Saraguie]

Quote:

All this dac talk.
Everyone knows they sound the same, right?

Ahhhh the hell with it. I'm going to use this little gem with my $2,000 pair of headphones and $500. cable, using my MBP as a amp..........
does it deserve anything better?  

 

[BRAC]

When I started reading through this thread I was hoping it would confirm my thoughts about my upcoming LCD 3 playing nice with my current HA160 and Bifrost combo. I mean, it plays great with my current LCD 2.2, so I just assumed... Reading a number of reviews and user opinions across the net seemed to also point in that direction, well, up until I stumbled onto this thread anyway. The HA160 draws opinions that are literally all over the map! Some say it has plenty of power and pairs extremely well with the LCD's and others say that it's under powered and extremely boring with the LCD's. In my experience, this is somewhat normal in the high end audio world, but usually you can draw conclusions based on a trend in one direction or the other. With the HA160 I'm having some trouble deciding whether to keep it or go with something else for my upcoming LCD 3. A couple reviews I read state that the differences between the Soloist and HA160 are very subtle at best. But, the Soloist seems to be have a fairly positive following here in this thread, and the HA160 not so much, hence all my confusion.
 
So, my question to all of you here is simple..... Should I keep the HA160, or upgrade to a Soloist, Mjolnir, or something else? I would prefer it to be solid state and under $1000. I really appreciate the input.
 
Btw, sorry for that little rant above...lol.   
 

 

[Solude]

The Soloist is first class solid state.  The HA-160, I owned one for years, is mid-fi.  Not comparable.

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

When I started reading through this thread I was hoping it would confirm my thoughts about my upcoming LCD 3 playing nice with my current HA160 and Bifrost combo. I mean, it plays great with my current LCD 2.2, so I just assumed... Reading a number of reviews and user opinions across the net seemed to also point in that direction, well, up until I stumbled onto this thread anyway. The HA160 draws opinions that are literally all over the map! Some say it has plenty of power and pairs extremely well with the LCD's and others say that it's under powered and extremely boring with the LCD's. In my experience, this is somewhat normal in the high end audio world, but usually you can draw conclusions based on a trend in one direction or the other. With the HA160 I'm having some trouble deciding whether to keep it or go with something else for my upcoming LCD 3. A couple reviews I read state that the differences between the Soloist and HA160 are very subtle at best. But, the Soloist seems to be have a fairly positive following here in this thread, and the HA160 not so much, hence all my confusion.
 
So, my question to all of you here is simple..... Should I keep the HA160, or upgrade to a Soloist, Mjolnir, or something else? I would prefer it to be solid state and under $1000. I really appreciate the input.
 
Btw, sorry for that little rant above...lol.   
 

Why don't you wait and find out for yourself? If anything, reading through this thread should teach you just how subjective this hobby is
and that there's not always, if ever a general consensus.
 
Many of of us may dispel the HA160, however I think it would be more prudent for you to holdout any judgement based upon any one 
of our opinions.
 
With that said, I vote upgrade the HA160 to which ever amp you choose. 

 
And again, I'll hammer it home, stop agonizing over the gear and the decision process and just decide so you can enjoy. 

 

[Anthony1]

Quote:

When I started reading through this thread I was hoping it would confirm my thoughts about my upcoming LCD 3 playing nice with my current HA160 and Bifrost combo. I mean, it plays great with my current LCD 2.2, so I just assumed... Reading a number of reviews and user opinions across the net seemed to also point in that direction, well, up until I stumbled onto this thread anyway. The HA160 draws opinions that are literally all over the map! Some say it has plenty of power and pairs extremely well with the LCD's and others say that it's under powered and extremely boring with the LCD's. In my experience, this is somewhat normal in the high end audio world, but usually you can draw conclusions based on a trend in one direction or the other. With the HA160 I'm having some trouble deciding whether to keep it or go with something else for my upcoming LCD 3. A couple reviews I read state that the differences between the Soloist and HA160 are very subtle at best. But, the Soloist seems to be have a fairly positive following here in this thread, and the HA160 not so much, hence all my confusion.
 
So, my question to all of you here is simple..... Should I keep the HA160, or upgrade to a Soloist, Mjolnir, or something else? I would prefer it to be solid state and under $1000. I really appreciate the input.
 
Btw, sorry for that little rant above...lol.   
 

Im selling my HA160 and DA160 because its quite lacking with my new LCD3s. I actually prefer to use my portable amp and dacs for my LCD3s than my current Burson rig. Im just not 100% sure where I go from here as the advice is varied. Im leaning towards the GS1