APEX PINNACLE OR TWO OF THESE : ECBA & DNA STRATUS/ CAVALLI LG/ RSA DARK STAR

[Maxvla]

This is the first time I've read anybody use the word 'worst' with the Pinnacle. Interesting. 
Please elaborate.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/576282/take-a-virtual-tour-of-canjam-rmaf-2011-the-notes-of-my-impressions-of-nearly-every-combination-present-very-long#post_7829493

#12, #66

 

[MorbidToaster]

The LG is the best amp I've heard the HD800 with, and I'd say the best I've heard for the HE-6 and TH900 as well. The changes you hear from new tubes just let it pair so well with tons of cans.

I'd mirror the 'if you're blowing 10k' do it on an 009 rig sentiment though.

 

[En_R]

Quote:

I've had the SR009/WES and loved it but due to financial reasons had to sell them.
I will go the electrostat way but later...

What financial reasons? Look at your collection.

Trim the fat.

 

[Solude]

My opinion is to simply roll tubes.  I'm not a fan of the look but the EC BA is world class and the listed options aren't 'better'.

 

[SHAHZADA123]

Quote:

What financial reasons? Look at your collection.

Trim the fat.

I dont know what to make of this..

Are you serious.
FYI it was a temporary situation and the sale of my stax rig plus a few headphones L3000s, etc was sufficient to resolve it.
 
Please lets stick to the topic  

 

[SHAHZADA123]

Quote:

My opinion is to simply roll tubes.  I'm not a fan of the look but the EC BA is world class and the listed options aren't 'better'.

I actually did put a pair of 30BVaics last night and my PS1s kept me awake till 3:30 am.
 
A clarification. I would need to sell the ECBA ONLY if I go for the Pinnacle. 
At the moment I'm leaning more towards keeping the ECBA and adding another one to complement it.

 

[SHAHZADA123]

Quote:

The LG is the best amp I've heard the HD800 with, and I'd say the best I've heard for the HE-6 and TH900 as well. The changes you hear from new tubes just let it pair so well with tons of cans.
I'd mirror the 'if you're blowing 10k' do it on an 009 rig sentiment though.

The ECBA is very good with the HD800s as well as Grados. But not ideal for LCD3s/ HE6/ K1000s
 
Hows the LG with LCD3s.

 

[Solude]

Unless I'm mistaken, the picture is pretty small, the LG is a tube buffer.  Most of the guts are power supply.  If you think the BA is underpowered... imagine taking the 300Bs off
 
That said, is it a power thing or something else?  Not sure I've heard complaints of the BA/LCD-3 combo before.

 

[SHAHZADA123]

Compared to the Mjolnir, the ECBA sounds sluggish with the LCD3s.

 

[MorbidToaster]

I haven't tried it with the LCD 3 but should be hearing it come March. There would be no reason for it to not to driven to full potential though. It sounded great with the HE-6 and HE-500.
 
I found that with a little work (finding the perfect tube in your collection) for each one of your headphones it sounds awesome with everything since you're only hearing the tube.
 
The only problem with it is that quest to find the right tube can of course get very expensive.
 
Quote:

The ECBA is very good with the HD800s as well as Grados. But not ideal for LCD3s/ HE6/ K1000s
 
Hows the LG with LCD3s.

 

[Solude]

Quote:

Compared to the Mjolnir, the ECBA sounds sluggish with the LCD3s.

 
Everything sounds slow beside the Mjolnir... everything

 

[Todd]

HI,
 
As a Pinnacle owner and the seller of it, I find it somewhat disturbing all of the folks chiming in here without having heard the Pinnacle. I suggest asking those who do own the Pinnacle about its sound. Saying that it might or might not sound as good as another amp and it is too expensive and on and on says you have a prejudice for the amp you own and have not even heard the Pinnacle. Well, for the price of a Pinnacle you could not find another high end component that delivers as much for the $10000 that it costs. Not only is it the BEST headphone amp, it is also a tremendous preamp. I know that for sure as I use it in my speaker system as well as a headphone amp.
 
And the Pinnacle does indeed drive the K1000 well and sounds great too.
 
And as for it being the worst at the show, It has won twice at CanJam and RMAF BEST of the show. Maybe your ears are the worst or you don't know what you are listening to.  http://www.theaudiobeat.com/rmaf2012/rmaf2012_ttvj.htm
 
Todd

 

[pmillett]

There must be some misunderstanding here - the Pinnacle drives the K1000 and the HE-6 very, very well.  In fact driving the K1000 was one of the primary reasons I designed the Pinnacle.
 
Maybe it was a comment about another amp?
 
Pete
Quote:

 Pete has even told me that the Pinnacle is not the best for phones like the K1000 (and some would extend that to the HE-6) though it can drive it fairly well.

 

[Radio_head]

Hi Pete, I just looked back over my notes, wherein I transcribed our conversation verbatim.  Your words were "well, but not to ear-splitting levels."  I enjoyed our conversation very much, it was an eye-opener for sure.  I'm sure its one heck of an amp. I have edited my original post to reflect that.  If you still feel it inaccurate I can remove it entirely.
 
As for the point Todd has brought up, well yes people trying to rationalize their purchases is always a possibility.  Far more probable however is that people hear some pretty darn good sound for what they payed for with the EC, Cavalli, DNA gear, or what have you and have a very hard time suggesting someone pay 2-3 times the amount on another amp they haven't heard, especially if they love what they have so much already.  My personal decision to not buy a pinnacle was based on a) not wanting to have to spend that kind of money if I didn't feel it was necessary and b) talking to many (10+) users who have tried everything out there, including the Pinnacle in admittedly not ideal meet settings.  On the other end of the spectrum, I haven't spoken to an unhappy Pinnacle owner.  
 
Maxvla has had many people insult his hearing/tastes, but never a vendor to my knowledge.  I suppose that is prejudice from you being the amp's seller.  As such it would behoove you to stay out of this thread, especially to make personal attacks.  Maybe you could PM some of your happy owners and ask them to stop by and say a few words?

 

[Solude]

Semi related, I was wondering if the Pinnacle used an AC heater or DC heater?  That it's SS is already a big plus but the description doesn't pin down what '[size=small] a sophisticated filament supply'[/size] entails.  If AC, does it also go the out of audible band route?