EXACTLY $250 shipped to spend on a Amp... advice?

[Corbet]

I've got EXACTLY $250 shipped to spend on a amp for my home. I'm less worried about it being portable.

This will be my very first amp and I'm looking to power my Grados SR-80s, my MylarOne X3s, and my (future purchase) Beyerdynamic DT880s.

The reason I picked $250 is because that it how much a Little Dot MKIII would cost shipped to me. Are there any other amps I should consider? Like I said, I am a noob to amps and I picked out the MKIII because it has been getting rave reviews.

 

[vcoheda]

the new LD may be a good idea. has been getting good reviews. if i were in your position, i would also consider the LD2++ i am selling. i have used it extensively with my grado RS1 and beyer DT880 and it matched up well with both. other than that, i don't have much experience with amps in that price range.

 

[Corbet]

^^Excuse my ignorance but what is the new "LD"?

 

[vcoheda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corbet /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^^Excuse my ignorance but what is the new "LD"?

LD is shorthand for Little Dot. i was referring to the MKIII.

 

[Chris_Himself]

iBasso D1 amp/dac. that thing has stirred head-fi into a frenzy along with the corda move.

the DAC used in the design is cirrus logic's flagship model, which means it beats out the DACs used in the whole creative lineup and the op-amp used is also of very high quality, all for 250?

theyre crazy.

 

[Negatron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corbet /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've got EXACTLY $250 shipped to spend on a amp for my home. I'm less worried about it being portable. This will be my very first amp and I'm looking to power my Grados SR-80s, my MylarOne X3s, and my (future purchase) Beyerdynamic DT880s. The reason I picked $250 is because that it how much a Little Dot MKIII would cost shipped to me. Are there any other amps I should consider? Like I said, I am a noob to amps and I picked out the MKIII because it has been getting rave reviews.

I would also highly recomend the LD MKIII, I did a write up on the amp after breakin you may want to read. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...20&postcount=1

It was $245 shipped and worth every penny. It is very unusual for a tube amp to perform so well anywhere near this price range. It has enough drive for the Grados and is a great match for the Beyers. Keep in mind if you have a poor source, it will do nothing to hide it. I have several more exotic and much more expensive amps that are not a huge improvement over the MKIII. All though Audio is famous for defining the law of diminishing return$

 

[Corbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_Himself /img/forum/go_quote.gif iBasso D1 amp/dac. that thing has stirred head-fi into a frenzy along with the corda move. the DAC used in the design is cirrus logic's flagship model, which means it beats out the DACs used in the whole creative lineup and the op-amp used is also of very high quality, all for 250? theyre crazy.

The one thing the MKIII has going for it is the input/output is in the back, which I prefer to free up clutter on my computer desk. The iBasso is cheaper but I really doubt I'll be using things like Optical or USB. It would be nice to have portable possibility though.

How are the other iBasso products, the T1 or T2? Hell, I should probably consider a portable amp for my iPod while I'm at it, the design of the amps is very nice, are they worth getting?

Excuse my ignorance, but I always assumed Tube Amps were considered superior to non-tube ones. Why would someone buy a Tube Amp when you can get one that is a smaller form factor without the chance of damaging the tubes and possibly using it portable?

EDIT: Regarding upgrading later down the line... who knows. I'm considering the Beyerdynamics because although I LOVE my Grados, they arn't comfortable, and I've read from alot of places that $200 is the sweet spot where anything more expensive only gives you a small upgrade in sound.

Plus I can sell my SR80s for as much as I paid for them over a year ago!

 

[Negatron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corbet /img/forum/go_quote.gif <snip> Excuse my ignorance, but I always assumed Tube Amps were considered superior to non-tube ones. Why would someone buy a Tube Amp when you can get one that is a smaller form factor without the chance of damaging the tubes and possibly using it portable? EDIT: <snip> and I've read from alot of places that $200 is the sweet spot where anything more expensive only gives you a small upgrade in sound.

It can't really be said that tube amps are superior, although there are those of us who for years stuck with tubes and for many years were sort of looked at as 'lunatic fringe'. Now the public has 'discovered tubes and we are some what redeemed.

NO amp is accurate and no amp can duplicate live. Much of what is valued is merely subjective. Dr. Bose made a fortune with a finely tuned understanding of psyco-accoustics, his stuff never was accurate but it was/has been very popular.

When you get used to listening to tube amplification, real tubes all the way, you can't really describe it. Every good adjective used to describe accurate reproduction in a solid state amp can easily apply to a good tube amp. But they do not sound quite the same. Get too far into it and you may end up in a 'holy war'. But consider tubes never went away, so something must be right. The only way to discover it is to listen at length over a long period of time Then you may know.

re:EDIT The farther up you go the more you spend for smaller and smaller degrees of improvement. That is not just audio, it tends to follow many pursuits. The person who is happy as can be at $150 is a lucky one indeed. DIY and mods go a long way to step far ahead of the curve if you're so inclined or are willing to learm. Just remember, experiance can be directly proportional to the amount of equipment destroyed or money spent.

 

[Corbet]

^^Thanks for the info. Another upside of Tube Amps is the fact that they light up and look cooooool.

I think I may just go with the MKIII unless someone can come up with a cheaper tube amp that works just as good.

 

[vcoheda]

i know some people like the eddie current lunchbox. i personally have no experience with it though.

http://www.eddiecurrent.com/Lunch_Box.html

 

[RedLeader]

How about a Dared MP5?

 

[Gautama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif the new LD may be a good idea. has been getting good reviews. if i were in your position, i would also consider the LD2++ i am selling. i have used it extensively with my grado RS1 and beyer DT880 and it matched up well with both. other than that, i don't have much experience with amps in that price range.

Sorry to intrude but, you're selling your LDII++!?!? Think about it, you love this amp. The LDII++ is your little brother, and the RSA Apache is your best friend. Sure, its more fun to hang out with your best friend, but you always gotta be there for your little bro, because, he's family. He grew up with you, you've learned a lot from him. You love him.

(Don't sell it >.< )

 

[vcoheda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gautama /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry to intrude but, you're selling your LDII++!?!? Think about it, you love this amp. The LDII++ is your little brother, and the RSA Apache is your best friend. Sure, its more fun to hang out with your best friend, but you always gotta be there for your little bro, because, he's family. He grew up with you, you've learned a lot from him. You love him. (Don't sell it >.< )

haha!

yeah. i love this little amp. it has outlasted all my others. but i only have one setup and realistically don't see myself using it much, if at all. time for a new home. i would rather see someone else enjoying it than have it sit on my desk, unused.

 

[Asr]

I agree with Gautama, you should keep that LD2++! If nothing else you need at least 1 solid-state and 1 tube amp, how are you going to get by with only one amp?

 

[Gautama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif haha! yeah. i love this little amp. it has outlasted all my others. but i only have one setup and realistically don't see myself using it much, if at all. time for a new home. i would rather see someone else enjoying it than have it see on desk, unused.

You never play with your little brother anymore so you are shipping him off to a different home, a different family. You are a sick, sick person.