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

[Maxvla]

[COLOR=FF8C00]pppfffttt.[/COLOR]

I can assure everyone the Pinnacle has no problem with bass.  Its texture is great and its porportion is great.
I hear great separation and articulation w/ my LCD2 but detected no smear.  That doesnt even make sense.

Today I dug out my old unbalanced HD650s today to try.  They sound terrific.  

That's great. I'm glad you like it. It is your opinion. Please don't go out of your way to belittle mine just because I don't agree with you.

As MorbidToaster can attest, we have varying opinions on both of our rigs, but it is a professional, courteous discussion with no agenda or malice. It's interesting to hear what he thinks about mine and perhaps what I think about his and plans we both have in the future. He thinks (I believe..) that my rig is too hot on the treble, perhaps to a harshness. I don't think it is, but I don't tell him he can't hear or has tin ears. It's his opinion, I have mine. We're people.

 

[Maxvla]

This is interesting, given this...

 

I'm confused.  Which is it?  You didn't know the price of the Pinnacle and thought the Peak was the one that cost $10,000?  Or you thought that the Pinnacle was "probably the most expensive item there..." (other than the Peak, presumably).  Either you knew you were listening to an expensive, top of the line, amp (and thus would have high expectations of it sounding good, and thus would have been surprised when it didn't) or you just thought you were listening to any old amp, and thus figured it was the problem.

As stated in the thread you excerpted, the first paragraph is my notes while listening, the second is a summary/recap I typed after I returned home. At the show I thought the Peak was 10,000. I didn't know what the price of the Pinnacle was until later. I must have overheard Todd talking to someone about the Pinnacle and thought he was talking about the Peak when he said the price. I was completely unfamiliar with Todd's amp line up coming into RMAF.

 

[Maxvla]

Some of the things I remember Maxvla saying over the past year:

- The TH900 isn't bassy
- The Stax O2 mk1 is bright
- The HD800 isn't

There's a reason he's the last person on all of HF I listen to about SQ: we have tremendously different hearing. 

Also, putting links to all your past impressions in your sig is super corny and just makes it seem like you're begging for people to listen to what you think lol.

That being said, I don't think there's anything wrong with Max posting his opinions.  People have to learn which posters to put more blind faith into, is all.

The prototype TH900 at RMAF on a prototype Fostex amplifier/dac. I have not heard a production version yet.

The O2 mk1 is not overly bright. It has a peak at 9ish khz that I seem to be sensitive to and led to my selling them.

I'd be interested to see the quote on that HD800 comment. While I don't think they are overly bright, they do have a lot of treble energy. My pair in particular has been measured and shown to be one of the tamest trebles on an HD800.

Super corny? It's corny to provide people with easy access to my thoughts on headphones so they can use that to balance my comments against their beliefs? I'm not begging anyone. It's there for convenience. If I post something about a HE60 for example and someone wants to know where my opinion is coming from, the links are there for that very purpose. They also hold me accountable to my past opinions by keeping them at the forefront of my posting. If my opinions or preferences change over time, the impressions will as well.

I'd hope nobody puts blind faith into anyone in a hobby that is so personally different. No one hears alike, the best you can do is follow trends.

 

[MorbidToaster]

We vary greatly on almost everything we listen to as far as like/dislike goes and while I do feel your comments are sometimes a tad too 'pointed' I've never been particularly offended or felt 'attacked' by your opinion. 
 
I do indeed feel that way about your rig, and I'm as vocal as you are about it being the other way around when someone asks. It's just how it has to be sometimes to not hear PRAISE PRAISE PRAISE about something.
 
Still don't get the 009 not being as good as your HD800, but I won't be changing your opinion anytime soon. No biggie.  
 
Quote:

As MorbidToaster can attest, we have varying opinions on both of our rigs, but it is a professional, courteous discussion with no agenda or malice. It's interesting to hear what he thinks about mine and perhaps what I think about his and plans we both have in the future. He thinks (I believe..) that my rig is too hot on the treble, perhaps to a harshness. I don't think it is, but I don't tell him he can't hear or has tin ears. It's his opinion, I have mine. We're people.

 

[SHAHZADA123]

Guys, I think I should put an end to this especially since I've made my decision and Pete has already begun works on my Pinnacle.
I had asked for opinions and that's what I got. Max had his, Purrin, rgs9200 had theirs.
There's no reason to doubt Max's integrity and belittle him. Maybe he's 100% wrong but then again maybe not. Maybe he DID find it the worst and that's fine because that's his opinion. I did not subscribe to his opinion and went ahead with the Pinnacle.
But if all posts had only gloried the Pinnacle, I'd probably have sold the ECBA and gone ahead blindly. And maybe, just maybe, found that the pinnacle wasn't upto the mark.
Now, I'll be able to test the best side by side and decide for myself.
So thank you Max.

And thank you all for making time and putting your two cents. Sincerely appreciated.

Moderators, please feel free to close this thread.
I shall open a new thread once I receive the Pinnacle and will do a comparative review!
Thanks again

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

...and losing the one wife

 
 
 

 
Win win
 

 
 
 
 
 
ROTLFLMAO! Classic Regis! 

 

[SR-71Panorama]

Quote:

That's great. I'm glad you like it. It is your opinion. Please don't go out of your way to belittle mine just because I don't agree with you.
As MorbidToaster can attest, we have varying opinions on both of our rigs, but it is a professional, courteous discussion with no agenda or malice. It's interesting to hear what he thinks about mine and perhaps what I think about his and plans we both have in the future. He thinks (I believe..) that my rig is too hot on the treble, perhaps to a harshness. I don't think it is, but I don't tell him he can't hear or has tin ears. It's his opinion, I have mine. We're people.

I haven't gone out of my way.  No one has stopped you from offering your opinion.  You've simply heard other opinions.  
I guess if I had used a word you employed like 'terrible' you would have found my opinion more professional.  I'll remember that for next time.
 
I'm trying to offer the opinion of someone who has spent real time with the amp in non-meet settings where all pieces are confirmed to be functioning properly.  
In this case it happens to be a vastly different reading than yours, which you have already admitted was likely caused by something being off.  
There are no hard feelings here

 

[Hopstretch]

Oh yes. There are.

 

[Maxvla]

I haven't gone out of my way.  No one has stopped you from offering your opinion.  You've simply heard other opinions.  
I guess if I had used a word you employed like 'terrible' you would have found my opinion more professional.  I'll remember that for next time.

I'm trying to offer the opinion of someone who has spent real time with the amp in non-meet settings where all pieces are confirmed to be functioning properly.  
In this case it happens to be a vastly different reading than yours, which you have already admitted was likely caused by something being off.  
There are no hard feelings here

I guess the big orange text is your normal not-out-of-the-way font.

I have not admitted that it was LIKELY caused. I said there is a possibility.

 

[SR-71Panorama]

pppfftt

 

[Maxvla]

LOL :biggrin: