@@Skylab, I love seeing pictures of your man cave. I'm pretty sure mine will look like that soon too. For now, I still have the sx-1980 in the living room, with McIntosh XR16 speakers and wires run to the kitchen around the corner (more McIntosh, XR14's, in there. McIntosh speakers are #'s 1, 3, and 4 of my top all time favorite- so not quite a sweep). The wife doesn't mind it front and center since I tend to be productive when it's on. The house seems to get cleaner and things get done with the TV off and the music on.
It took me two looks to notice that your tv is not on a table, but speakers. Are those S-1010's?
>Silent dude, congrats again on the G22000, I hope that monster earns its spot front and center in your main rig and never has to hide in the closet or under the bed again (get it? haha).
>BCE - Regarding the Luxman, it looks like a fair price and you don't have to worry about shipping. As always, make sure you're happy with the sound before you buy.
I have a number of Marantz units and have not been impressed with any of them. Could be I am spoiled by my Jeff Rowland amps, but to me they sound ill defined. Lack of detail. That said, I think the HKs, Pioneers, and Sherwoods I have heard sound good.
I'd take the Marantz off your hands if you don't like them I don't think my 2220B sounds all that great pretty much what you said I'd agree with about the 2220B but my 4240 sounds excellent especially the Dolby EQ sounds amazing, I think the 4240 sounds better than my HK 670. I'd love to get a 4300 or 2270. I am hoping to get this 2238B near me after the first of the month unless some *insert nasty word here* suddenly gets interest in it and takes it
Do you guys think vintage receivers are better than modern headphone desktop amps such as the ones from schitt audio, fiio, or objective2?
How do we determine what brand and model of vintage receivers are good for driving headphones? Is it by trial and error or should we be looking at some sort of specs of the receiver?
Do you guys think vintage receivers are better than modern headphone desktop amps such as the ones from schitt audio, fiio, or objective2?
How do we determine what brand and model of vintage receivers are good for driving headphones? Is it by trial and error or should we be looking at some sort of specs of the receiver?
Ultimately once you get into very good hp amps, the decision will be based on what your preference is personally...slight differences in warmth, clarity, transparency and dynamics (and price).
For me personally, the short answer is yes the vintage amps are better. My Sansui 9090db sounds as good or better than any hp amp that I've owned and I've owned quite a few.
It also depends on what headphones you are using as its all about matching. Some sensitive headphones may not play well with powerful vintage gear so ideally try before you buy if possible.
But as far a sound quality goes, my vintage amps are far superior in regards to dynamics, quality bass and smoothness than any dedicated hp amp I've tried. I've owned a couple of Schitt amps and I think they are very good. But they do have a certain sound. Its clinical and very neutral. This may well be your bag, but I personally prefer a bit more warmth. Also there is the money factor, for the price of a Magni you could pick up a lower end Pioneer for e'g. And believe me there will no comparison!
I'd take the Marantz off your hands if you don't like them I don't think my 2220B sounds all that great pretty much what you said I'd agree with about the 2220B but my 4240 sounds excellent especially the Dolby EQ sounds amazing, I think the 4240 sounds better than my HK 670. I'd love to get a 4300 or 2270. I am hoping to get this 2238B near me after the first of the month unless some *insert nasty word here* suddenly gets interest in it and takes it
Do you guys think vintage receivers are better than modern headphone desktop amps such as the ones from schitt audio, fiio, or objective2?
How do we determine what brand and model of vintage receivers are good for driving headphones? Is it by trial and error or should we be looking at some sort of specs of the receiver?
I'm with Matt and LugBug - vintage drives phones incredibly well. My story - used to run a Schiit Magni with a ZO in the chain all the time. It was the only way I could get the bass and depth of sound I wanted.......soon I found my Kenwood KA-5700 amp from 1978, took my iPod, RCA's to the thrift store to give a listen, and immediately knew we were on to something amazing. Right away the bass needed no extra emphasis and my ZO collection went from 3 to one (and that is not being used).
Mostly, and this is generalizing big time, a silver faced amp or receiver from any of the names you read in the last few pages of this thread are safe. Kenwood, Pioneer, Marantz, Akai, Sherwood, Yamaha, Onkyo, Sansui to name a few.
My story is similar. I had an early 90's Denon receiver that impressed me but it wasn't quite good enough to replace dedicated hp amps. Then I started reading about the vintage gear from the 70's. Took an ipod with an RCA cable to this guys house and listened to the Pioneer sx-650 on my MD's. Everything that I'd been chasing with hp amps was there...easily.
@@Skylab, I love seeing pictures of your man cave. ... It took me two looks to notice that your tv is not on a table, but speakers. Are those S-1010's?
Good eye! The TV is actually on top of a pair of Pioneer S-910 speakers, which are connected to my 1980 via a set of PartsExpress 80 Hz low pass filters...meaning that they basically serve as subwoofers, in addition to a TV stand
The speakers in the foreground that I have been listening to lately are the B&W DM-16's. Behind those are in fact a pair of Pioneer S-1010's, and on top a pair of Infinity Kappa 6.
I'm only currently getting away with that because the couch I had down there before the flood in April hasn't been replaced yet, once the new couch comes, I have to get rid of the S-1010 an the Kappa 6...which of course I don't really want to, but I really can't complain, my wife lets me maintain three separate systems in our house. The rule though is they have to be very orderly, on nice racks, wires hidden, etc etc. The man cave has bulged a bit during the summer
Thanks. I picked it up @ 2200 hours. Then hung out with some folks, left the amp inside the trunk. Came crawlin' back to the hotel near sunrise only to look up
at this huge mountain with three separate climbs:
1. Fatigue
2. No Din > RCA Out cable
3. Card reader for pc stopped working; mini usb cord for Nikon packed away in storage.
So, I got pix I can't share. And an iPod I can't play. But I still have
the Sansui. Will go to the stores late this afternoon and try to buy a quick-fix, so I can get a listen in.
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I don't think my 2220B sounds all that great pretty much what you said I'd agree with about the 2220B but my 4240 sounds excellent especially the Dolby EQ sounds amazing, I think the 4240 sounds better than my HK 670. I'd love to get a 4300 or 2270. I am hoping to get this 2238B near me after the first of the month unless some *insert nasty word here* suddenly gets interest in it and takes it 
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