Gavin C4
Member of the Trade: Hercules Audio
And a couple of diagrams to illustrate the pinnacle of my headphone audio addiction.
Speaking of addiction
And a couple of diagrams to illustrate the pinnacle of my headphone audio addiction.
My wallet is cringing! Very nice; I’ve reached my pinnacle with a Chord TT2 and M-Scaler but one can always aspire...enjoy!
Speaking of addiction
Speaking of addiction
*drool...
man.. even the rack is a thing of beauty.
where do you even go from here?!
My wallet is cringing! Very nice; I’ve reached my pinnacle with a Chord TT2 and M-Scaler but one can always aspire...enjoy!
Been away from here for awhile but time to log in again.
The Focal Utopia cans (I have two) can be a curse in that they are so revealing they demand the best possible input. And on that tack I've been a disciple of good DACs, having zeroed in on L.K.S. DA-004s (modded by Rick Schultz) as being the most critical link in the audio chain. Amplification was deemed fine via Violectric V281, then V280.
That was until I read a couple of reviews of the Audio-gd headamps. At aged 85 I've developed a degree of sceptacism about reviews and, admitting the amplifier is important, never placed undue emphasis on that part of the audio chain. Well I have had to backtrack and admit the amplifier IS more important than I previosly believed as the Audio-GD Master 9 IS significantly and obviously better at reproducing top sound for the Focals. The detail and delicacy, the handling of bass, the soundstaging, ..... are breathtaking on good recordings, and that is on CD quality, as well as hi-rez in Classical, jazz and all genre.
And the Focal curse on my second headphone setup in the office forced me to buy a second Audio-gd Master 9. As the manufacturer claims, it takes several hundred more hours of burn in above what is given at the factory for the amplifier to blossom in its full glory. But the reullt is genuine musical bliss
So guys, if you have an upgrade itch, I suggest you look into Audio-gd. Their products are affordable and yield first class sound.
Lucky you didn't try the HE-9 (regenerative power supply version of the Master-9). It would have hurt your wallet even more. I aspire to the HE-9 (having auditioned it for an hour or two in the shop) if ever I need more than my Chord Dave as headphone amplifier for my Focal Utopias.
Regards
GG
Check out SPL Phonitors. They are fantastic with Utopias
Joined the club this week. Big fan of the Audeze house sound and ended up doing a shoot out between the Utopia and LCD-MX4. Truth be told I enjoyed the Audeze a bit more and suspect across the wide range of music I listen to it would be more to my tastes. But in the end I went for the Utopia because I love the energy and detail retrieval; the comfort was also a big deal for me unexpectedly even though I already own the LCD-X. Now to find an amp; Hugo 2 is top of my list to audition.
Check out SPL Phonitors. They are fantastic with Utopias
Joined the club this week. Big fan of the Audeze house sound and ended up doing a shoot out between the Utopia and LCD-MX4. Truth be told I enjoyed the Audeze a bit more and suspect across the wide range of music I listen to it would be more to my tastes. But in the end I went for the Utopia because I love the energy and detail retrieval; the comfort was also a big deal for me unexpectedly even though I already own the LCD-X. Now to find an amp; Hugo 2 is top of my list to audition.
Yes, tube amp.You gents need tube amplification to bring the best out in your Utopias.
We have the same cans!
I also have LCDX (day one purchase) and am a fan of LCD sound. Also auditioned LCD4 a while ago and, whilst it’s an improvement over the X,I think they sound quite similar (more of the same but with better quality).
Utopia gives something new without being too harsh.
Just ordered Lazuli Reference XLR... man! What an expensive cable. Still one month til I get the cable.
I use it with V281.