[ghostmusic]

Umm, yeah, I'd agree that you do come off as being weirdly aggressive on this issue. The review I read mentioned those facts and the review seemed very neutral and objective as far as I can tell, so I just reported it here without any intentions.

So what's up with telling me to lighten up when it seems that you are the one who should heed to your own advice? It's fine if you love the Luxman with the HD800 and I also think a lot of the opinions espoused by the members here are awesome.

A couple of points from my end:

1. I only mentioned that the reviewer is an esteemed producer because in your post, you slandered his ability to hear just because he didn't like the Luxman with the HD800. I thought it was kind of funny that you'd just randomly denigrate someone's opinion so blindly, questioning his ability to hear.

2. I have no horse in this race. I don't care about the Luxman or the Sennheiser, but wanted to offer an interesting take from a reviewer from Japan whose review is not easily accessible to many of the forumites. But it seems that your personal preferences for certain components has clouded your sense of objectivity (or else, why would you slander the Japanese reviewer and get all pissy at my posting, of which I have no vested interest in either Senn or Luxman?)

3. It's pretty clear you really like Luxman/Senn combo. Good. But IME, there is always a countervailing opinion in matters relating to music & audio, and to blindly assume the superiority of a component, etc., based on one's own subjective preference is not exactly an enlightened way of thinking.

Happy New Year.

 

[The Monkey]

EDIT: Taken to PM out of S/N consideration.

 

[vcoheda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif i have listened to 4 balanced amps with the 800. here are my rankings, 10 point scale. RSA B52: 9 HR Bal Home: 7 WA22: 7 Phoenix: 5 i def want to hear a bal 800 on the Balancing Act, 307A, and Beta22.

i recently compared my HR Bal Home (maxxed) to a B22 (loaded) and preferred the Bal Home, as it had an overall richer, fuller sound and with better bass. another head-fier had the same response. so, slightly revised numbers are

RSA B52: 9
HR Bal Home: 7.5
WA22: 7
B22: 6.5
Phoenix: 4

i lowered the phoenix b/c the B22 sounded very good but just not as a good as the Bal Home whereas the Phoenix, the multiple times i have listened to it, sounded average.

 

[not_sure]

I heard a lot of about special synergy HD800 with Leben CS300 but this is sure very expensive amp. On the other hand it is even quality integrated amp and it is plus.

 

[IPodPJ]

vcoheda,
Was that a 2, 3 or 4 board Beta22? A balanced Beta22 is a different animal with the HD800 than the 2 or 3 board.

 

[johnwmclean]

Personally I dislike a rich full sound, vcoheda when you say “better” I really don’t know what you mean. My balanced Beta22 does not do rich full bass, it simple reproduces what’s on the recording, it will not add or enhance what’s not there. If decent bass is present in the recording, then the Beta22 will reproduce it, simple as that.

The fact that you’ve pointed out the other amps having a rich full sound is in itself omitting they have a colouring and a flavour for your personal preference and that’s fine.

It’s a been a long road, but one thing I’ve learned is, the products that give fantastic first impressions always get the boot first. The Beta22 and the HD800 are keepers, I cannot pin a sound signature to them - as that’s entirely up to recording, each CD sounds entirely different as it should, and is not tainted with a particular voicing.

 

[The Monkey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif vcoheda, Was that a 2, 3 or 4 board Beta22? A balanced Beta22 is a different animal with the HD800 than the 2 or 3 board.

They are more alike than they are different.

 

[wink]

Way to go, John,
I had a discussion with a nephew yesterday about hifi.
It is amazing to me that people equate hifi with sounding good.
If that were the case then an average system and a pair of Grado SR60, or even Koss porta-pro will do the job.
Hifi is about reproducing what is on the recorded media.
If a CD had a lousy production then hifi demands that it sounds as it is - lousy.

 

[atothex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wink /img/forum/go_quote.gif It is amazing to me that people equate hifi with sounding good.

What?

 

[4N6]

So far, using the TTVJ 307A and balanced HD800's, I have been MORE than satisfied. However, I have been told that a NEW balanced headphone amplifier/preamplifier is in the works that will be even better than the TTVJ 307A. I am hoping to hear such amplifier soon. More to come...

 

[vcoheda]

sounds interesting.

 

[wink]

Atothex,
In context, some people are happy with something that sounds good to them but have never heard a true hifi system.
They then think that all systems should sound like that which they are used to.
In true hifi, Great sounds great - good sounds good - average sounds average and BAD sounds BAD.
A true hifi (High Fidelity = true faithfulness of reproduction) system will not glamorise a rotten source whether it be a low class MP3, a badly recorded CD or an other substandard source.
People who cannot stand to hear the true quality of their music material are best served by trying to acquire a DT531 called the groovaliser because it makes everything bop.

 

[atothex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wink /img/forum/go_quote.gif Atothex, In context, some people are happy with something that sounds good to them but have never heard a true hifi system. They then think that all systems should sound like that which they are used to. In true hifi, Great sounds great - good sounds good - average sounds average and BAD sounds BAD. A true hifi (High Fidelity = true faithfulness of reproduction) system will not glamorise a rotten source whether it be a low class MP3, a badly recorded CD or an other substandard source. People who cannot stand to hear the true quality of their music material are best served by trying to acquire a DT531 called the groovaliser because it makes everything bop.

I've never heard equipment that can turn a bad quality recording into something that sounds good, "hi-fi" or not. Thus, I define hi-fi as stuff that sounds good to me. Hi-fi is supposed to sound good. Period.

Maybe you mean to say some people just have bad taste? I'll agree with that.

 

[Bones13]

Well, when you get tubier tube gear, there is a bit of "smearing" that can improve the "sound" of the music from a bad recording.

Like most things, tubes can be very mushy to very sharp, depending on the tubes, and electronics involved.

Tube "blossom" is a hallmark of the 300b tubes and amplifiers, control of the sound is altered by other electronic components, and settings. It is very sought after by some folks, particularly when listening to vocals, and solo instrumentals.

Ray Samuels goes for a "house sound" which is a bit warm, but not at all loose, or uncontrolled. I was able to overcome this with tubes in my Raptor, but I found I did not like it with the HD650s, while the over sharp W5000 sounded great by them.

As his SS amps are also voiced similarly, I really like my Apache balanced with both HD800 and W5000. I have the lastest revision of his, and have no plans to mess with op amp rolling.

 

[ctemkin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bones13 /img/forum/go_quote.gif As his SS amps are also voiced similarly, I really like my Apache balanced with both HD800 and W5000. I have the lastest revision of his, and have no plans to mess with op amp rolling.

Do you recall which op amps you have in the Apache?