[progo]

HD600 is such a lush set of piece... Like HD650 (ime) -- I don't regret getting them, even though I've now been looking at the E side of the moon.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavoman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Someone in some thread said Ray Samuels voices his amps specifically for the HD 600 ... at least I think I read that. My plan was to buy a balanced cable for my HD 600, and the RS Apache (and feed them with a fully balanced source, like a CDP with an SS DAC and balanced analog outputs, Wadia maybe). Biased toward SS. Heard this combo at Can Jam 08 and thought it was good, of course that is just a limited time test. Good idea, bad idea?

Should be fine in this case. There are many good SS amps with the HD600, but none of my SS amps have the same magic with the HD600 as my WA6 and DV336i. Sometimes I like my HD600 with the WA6 just a little more than running them balanced out of the Apogee Mini-DAC XLR jacks.

 

[donunus]

I can definitely see getting a darkvoice in the future.

HeadphoneAddict,
Have you heard the 332? I know there are threads about this but would just like your quick opinion on the 332 vs the 336i for the hd600s

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Sorry, not heard a 332.

 

[BlackstoneJD]

I'm sure I mentioned this before, The Pro-Ject Headbox SE II ($300) is just fantastic with the HD600. I've got it behind a digital front end that when it was new was like around $12,000 (dCS) and it is AWESOME! It just does everything well in my opinion. It doesn't get a lot of lovin' in the forums but I think it is because people haven't heard it with a good front end. Really, I don't think a headphone amp has to be expensive to be really, really good. Source components are a different story.

I'm listening to it now and I can't even believe how nuanced it is. A lot of it has to do with the front end but if the amp wasn't capable I wouldn't be what I'm hearing.

As far as imaging and separation go, the HD600s are easily in the same league as a pair of a $8-10,000 speakers. The point being you upgrade your front end and amp several times over the next few years and still not max these phones out.

 

[BlackstoneJD]

By the way, the Headbox SEII has a lot of bass, but it also has control and nuance. You should check one out if you haven't already. I don't want to say any more because I don't want to influence your expectations, but I will say it should be a lot better than the Audiolab.

Unfortunately I read in my dealer's last newsletter that the prices on the Pro-Ject units are going up due to the weak dollar.

 

[donunus]

I now have a gilmore lite with dps by the way. wonder if the pro-ject headbox can really be better because I know someone selling the project right now

 

[donunus]

By the way, have you compared the headbox with anything else???

 

[BlackstoneJD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif By the way, have you compared the headbox with anything else???

Well, I started out with the Original Headbox SE, which was just hard sounding and not really good. I had my dealer order a Headbox SEII and it was a lot better. I was going to hunt down a X-Can V3 to try but there turned out to be really no need because I liked the Headbox SEII so much. I just don't really find it lacking in anything. It is very neutral, but it is also musical and involving. Very quiet and black between notes.

I'm not saying it is better than the Gilmore because I haven't heard it. What I am saying is that I like this particular amp and it might be worth a shot if you feel the Gilmore is lacking in any way. If you like the Gilmore then leave it alone.

You can see my thread about it http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/pro...x-seii-309837/.

There isn't a lot of information on the Headbox SEII on the forums. There isn't a lot of comparison info on it period. But it does the job for me and I am pretty fussy.