[n3rdling]

Not really.  The 007 is one of the more forgiving stats; I can listen to poor quality stuff on youtube with it just fine.  That's one of my favorite qualities about the headphone actually.

 

[Deltron 3030]

Which has more forward mids? And how much would an optimal amp cost for each of them?

 

[Magick Man]

Optimal or sufficient? I got in my WEE today and I'm now sitting and listening to my 007s through it. It's good. Given all the negative feedback I was getting here after I ordered the thing, I'm pleasantly surprised. So far, it sounds like the O2s are plugged directly into my SLI-80. Shoot, I can't ask for more than that.

Possibly you could go with:

Used SR-007s - $1700
Woo WEE - $500
Decent stereo amp/receiver/IA - ?

I think that's a mind boggling value.

And, yes, the mids are a little forward with the 007, and they are more forgiving than say, the 009.

 

[Il Mostro]

----

 

[Magick Man]

Go ahead, spit it out.

 

[Il Mostro]

 
Quote:

Go ahead, spit it out.

 
ROTFLMAO.  You dragged it out of me,  

  I am not a fan of transformers in front of something as wonderful as Stax Omegas.  This is always the stranglehold, even when using a very good quality power amp, let alone something "decent".  The 007 Mk2's are very demanding -- I am not saying they do not still sound good if not fed properly, but they will come nowhere close to their potential if shortchanged even a little.   This is my dilemma, after using them for a few weeks on a variety of Stax amps and with a Stax adapter and more than one very good power amp.   I just did not want to dissuade another potential Stax lover.

 

[Magick Man]

Nah man, I'm still keeping the SRM-717. I just want a convenient tube option that doesn't kill my head-fi budget for the next year. I'm not really hearing anything of the WEE through the O2s. I've grown familiar with the SLI-80 Triode sound that I can distinguish it almost instantly now, and that's what I'm hearing. Right now I'm listening to The Planets (ASIN: B000001GCZ) and Uranus is giving me chills.

 

[Deltron 3030]

Any amp recs for the LCD-2?

 

[Magick Man]

I heard some recommending the Schiit Lyr, I've heard them with the HiFiMAN EF-5 and they were great. I'd say most decent mid-fi amps would drive them fine.

 

[purrin]

 
Quote:

Any amp recs for the LCD-2?

 
How much do you want to spend?

 

[Anaxilus]

 
Quote:

Any amp recs for the LCD-2?

 
Since their resolving power sucks and they respond well to big power and current I'd go SS.  Grab a nice vintage Pioneer, should mate well sonically and aesthetically.
 

 

[n3rdling]

 
Quote:

Nah man, I'm still keeping the SRM-717. I just want a convenient tube option that doesn't kill my head-fi budget for the next year. I'm not really hearing anything of the WEE through the O2s. I've grown familiar with the SLI-80 Triode sound that I can distinguish it almost instantly now, and that's what I'm hearing. Right now I'm listening to The Planets (ASIN: B000001GCZ) and Uranus is giving me chills.

 
The end of Neptune FTW

 

[Il Mostro]

 
Quote:

Nah man, I'm still keeping the SRM-717. I just want a convenient tube option that doesn't kill my head-fi budget for the next year. I'm not really hearing anything of the WEE through the O2s. I've grown familiar with the SLI-80 Triode sound that I can distinguish it almost instantly now, and that's what I'm hearing. Right now I'm listening to The Planets (ASIN: B000001GCZ) and Uranus is giving me chills.

 
That doesn't say much for the transparency, or lack thereof, of the WEE.  Your Cary is a nice, *sweet* sounding little integated amp whether in triode or ultra-ilnear modes  -- but a long ,long way from being anywhere near transparent.  So no surprise in the sameness to your ears.  Don't get me wrong, KT88's are among my favorite tubes. And I am certainly not saying your SLI-80 is a limp dick amp.
 
But even pairing SR-007's plus adapter with big balls amps -- 6L6/5881/EL-34's (12 of them) in full-triode and then in 2/3 triode-1/3 pentode, 2.3 pentode-1/3 triode with a modified Stax adapter still yields a somewhat insipid sound.  Same deal with KT-90''s with the same variables.  Ditto with 6550's.  Running the Omegas with what is essentially a transformer between the amp and the phones is just bad form and a ****ty idea. The SR-007's did sound great with Stax SS amps and very good with the SRM-007t.  Your ears and your mileage may vary...

 

[Magick Man]

That doesn't say much for the transparency, or lack thereof, of the WEE.  Your Cary is a nice, *sweet* sounding little integated amp whether in triode or ultra-ilnear modes  -- but a long ,long way from being anywhere near transparent.  So no surprise in the sameness to your ears.  Don't get me wrong, KT88's are among my favorite tubes. And I am certainly not saying your SLI-80 is a limp dick amp.

But even pairing SR-007's plus adapter with big balls amps -- 6L6/5881/EL-34's (12 of them) in full-triode and then in 2/3 triode-1/3 pentode, 2.3 pentode-1/3 triode with a modified Stax adapter still yields a somewhat insipid sound.  Same deal with KT-90''s with the same variables.  Ditto with 6550's.  Running the Omegas with what is essentially a transformer between the amp and the phones is just bad form and a ****ty idea. The SR-007's did sound great with Stax SS amps and very good with the SRM-007t.  Your ears and your mileage may vary...

I wasn't going for transparency, I wanted to enjoy the euphonic (in triode)/edgy (in ultra-linear) sound of my F1 on my O2s. Doesn't seem like a s***** idea at all, I'm enjoying it. FWIW, hooked up to my big boy Integra RDA-7, one of the most transparent and neutral amps of its generation, and the detail is fantastic and almost on par with the SRM-717. One extreme test is House Of Tom Bombadil by Nickel Creek, it will reveal weaknesses in a chain very quickly, leaving poorly conceived setups bleeding by the side of the road. No bloodbath here, the hobbits made it through the Barrow-downs unscathed.

So far I'm not encountering the big negatives that I was told lay in wait for me. My only real gripe is the switch could provide better tactile feel, not a big deal though.

 

[Deltron 3030]

I'd like to limit it to $500 if possible