[claybum]

If any of you vintage heads are into Pink Floyd (post Roger Waters), I would like to recommend 'The Division Bell" download from hdtracks that just became available this week. I think it is worth the upgrade. 
 
Currently listening to the Floyd via Antelope Zodiak > Pioneer SA-9800 (not restored, yet) > Pioneer HPM 1500
 
Cheers!!

 

[Skylab]

Funny you mention that I was just playing the 20th Anniversary vinyl reissue of Division Bell that also just came out on my vintage rig. Sounds AWESOME

 

[claybum]

Right on Skylab!   Hey....Are you pretty much all vinyl and reel? Do you listen to digital at all these days? Just curious.

 

[Skylab]

Mostly digital for me is for background listening. There are some exceptions - I was just very much enjoying the new 96/24 Steven Wilson remix of Jethro Tull's A Passion Play. But when I'm able to sit down and listen to music, it's reel or vinyl, yep.

 

[claybum]

Thanks Skylab.....I might have to plop down $40 for 'The Passion Play' remix. Sounds extremely tempting.

 

[buson160man]

I've been on the lookout for an SX-1010 for a while now and I finally got my hands on one! Wow is all I can say. Killer sound!

Boy those old pioneers really do look pretty. Not like my humdrum looking concept 16.5 I recently picked up. But after having it for a couple of weeks it does not look to bad just kind of plain jane.

 

[SpeakerBox]

I think the 16.5 is a very nice looking receiver.  I guess it is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[LugBug1]

Finally got something I really wanted.



Condition is excellent. Enjoying HD800 right now. Body and bass.

More tomorrow.

Nice nice nice. Congrats buddy, hope you're enjoying it

 
 
I know I've banged on about these NAD's quite a bit, but I genuinely do think they make fantastic headphone amps.  

 

[joehalo]

I'm enjoying the sound of this SX-1010 more than my SX-1980. I love the extra warmth it has.

 

[mike34260]

I recently picked up a Pioneer SA-6500 II in excellent shape for only 34 bucks! It sounds great and has more than enough juice to power my Mad Dogs and HE 400. I am really impressed by the headphone stage in this unit. I would post pics but it says my account doesn't have permission to. 

 

[roadcykler]

  I recently picked up a Pioneer SA-6500 II in excellent shape for only 34 bucks! It sounds great and has more than enough juice to power my Mad Dogs and HE 400. I am really impressed by the headphone stage in this unit. I would post pics but it says my account doesn't have permission to. 

Maybe you have to have more posts to qualify. It probably says something about that in the TOS.

 

[jnorris]

Picked up a Mac (McIntosh) 1900 receiver at tag sale for $100. The headphone out is just a 220 ohm dropping resistor oft the 55 watt amp's speaker outs and is unbelievably musical and clean. I'd put this thing up against any multi kilobuck op-amp headphone amp out there. In my system it replaced a Pioneer SA-6500, which replaced an Advent 300, which replaced a Denon DRA-435R. The Pioneer was good, but no match for the McIntosh. The Pioneer's aging power supply caps were bleeding a little hum into the output so it might be time for a re-cap on that one.

Prior to using integrated amps I was using the headphone output of a Parasound P/HP-850 preamp which is the same circuit (and same op-amp) as the over $300 Grado headamp. The Parasound output was woefully inadequate to drive my current favorites the TDK IE800, although it did an OK job with my other headphones. Switching to the higher powered amps brought a whole new level of dynamics to the table for all my headphones.

 

[mike34260]

  Maybe you have to have more posts to qualify. It probably says something about that in the TOS.

Makes since considering I'm a newbie to the forum 

 

[mike34260]

Picked up a Mac (McIntosh) 1900 receiver at tag sale for $100. The headphone out is just a 220 ohm dropping resistor oft the 55 watt amp's speaker outs and is unbelievably musical and clean. I'd put this thing up against any multi kilobuck op-amp headphone amp out there. In my system it replaced a Pioneer SA-6500, which replaced an Advent 300, which replaced a Denon DRA-435R. The Pioneer was good, but no match for the McIntosh. The Pioneer's aging power supply caps were bleeding a little hum into the output so it might be time for a re-cap on that one.

Prior to using integrated amps I was using the headphone output of a Parasound P/HP-850 preamp which is the same circuit (and same op-amp) as the over $300 Grado headamp. The Parasound output was woefully inadequate to drive my current favorites the TDK IE800, although it did an OK job with my other headphones. Switching to the higher powered amps brought a whole new level of dynamics to the table for all my headphones.

Wow 100 dollars must have been a steal for that! How would you describe the sound compared to the Pioneer in terms of warmth, soundstage, etc...?

 

[jnorris]

The Pioneer was fine, although it probably needed a re-cap to reach it's full potential.  Compared to the Mac it's high-end was kind of aggressive and spitty and the overall presentation was thin. The Mac is just a whole lot more listenable - warmer, better resolution in the highs without emphasizing them, more body in the upper bass/lower midrange.  I don't see any appreciable difference in sound stage.