[Todd S]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daba Come and listen to it now ... Hey Todd, the DAC1 was at -20dB attentuation. I just changed it to 0dB, so now the Dynamight should sound a bit different.

Thanks for that info daba. Yes I believe that would make a difference.

 

[Todd S]

Btw welcome Jussei. I could say the customary "sorry about your wallet", but looks like your wallet is hurtn' already.

 

[Spareribs]

Weird!!!

Where has the GS1000 love gone? It's now the abandoned child and joined the RS-2 at the orphanage.

 

[Spareribs]

and crying in tears.

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 Sibilance has never been an issue for me, and I don't feel the GS-1000 adds it but simply plays what is recorded.

You have some very good sources. I suspect this is big reason you are able to listen with very revealing headphones w/o too much fatigue. This just goes to prove that even though a headphone is efficient, it doesn't mean it should be driven by an iPod. Loppsided systems are a sure path to disappointment.

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spareribs Weird!!! Where has the GS1000 love gone? It's now the abandoned child and joined the RS-2 at the orphanage.

They must be having a major party at the orphanage! The RS-2 seems to be staging a healthy increse in sales!! Lots of RS-2 activity here in the forum. Lookin' close at 'em m'self!!

 

[Zanth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpelg You have some very good sources. I suspect this is big reason you are able to listen with very revealing headphones w/o too much fatigue. This just goes to prove that even though a headphone is efficient, it doesn't mean it should be driven by an iPod. Loppsided systems are a sure path to disappointment.

bingo! I hate writing this stuff as I don't ever want to come off as elitist, nor do I ever want to indicate that in order to enjoy a set of cans, one needs to have a mega buck source and amp combo...but honestly when one is in the upper levels, sadly it seems this is the case.

R10's, Qualias, HE60's, HE90's, Omega I's and II's, K1000's, L3000's and now the GS1000's. If one doesn't have the source, then sometimes things are going to come through make everything sound off. That does not mean that an iPod can't drive these phones (K1000's and electros excluded) adequately enough and sound decent overall, but in the end, putting 1k+ phones on a subpar source and things are going to get nasty, it really is the reality of the beast that is audio.

To put things in perspective, I once had the pleasure to listen to 35k system driving some 30k speakers. All in all, I was in heaven. Then we swapped in these 50k monoblocks and a 20k preamp and the source was absolute poo in comparison. The entire system revealed the flaws of this amazing frontend! 8k I think it retailed for and highly regarded. It took a really spiffy TT to get everything sounding right and then a 20k cdp.

Some will balk at this...and that is fine, but there were 8 of us who heard this and we were in awe by the differences. 8k is not anything to laugh at but this other gear simply outclassed it in every way.

Oh yeah...I still own mine and love them to pieces, the GS1k that is, not the 95k system

 

[Todd S]

Quote:

Originally Posted by humanflyz @Todd: Yeah, I also heard that setup. Let me preface this by saying that I consider myself neutral when it comes to Senns. I don't particularly love, and nor do I particularly hate them. I personally lean towards the AKG house sound, but I can see why people would like the Senn sound signature. With that said, I was impressed by the balanced HD650 setup I heard. I can definitely see how if you already like the Senn sound, the balanced setup would make it that much better for you. If I liked the Senn sound, then that's probably the route I will go. But then again, I like the GS1000s more than the HD650s on every other setup I've heard except for the Dynamight+DAC1 setup. So to me, this is just an instance of good component synergy. I did not like the GS1000s on the same setup because I thought they became too sibilant for my tastes. But when I tried the same GS1000 on an Headamp GS1, I got a sound that I liked better. So again, if anything, this just proves that synergy is key.

Thanks for your thoughts. I agree synergy is key. Of course personal preference comes into play too. I think the 650 shines with really good gear. I have not heard the Dynamight, but for me they sound like a different can going from a Aria to a GS-X. Night and day difference even single ended. Balancing took them up a bit more. So the blew the 650 away comments peaked my curiosity. Anyway I don't mean to get away from this thread being about the GS1k, but since I still have the urge to hear it, I'm up for reading more commnents on how it compares to the 650.

 

[Todd S]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellafella321 Heading over to Daba's place now. Will try to get a more thorough comparison of the gs-1000 vs the balanced hd650

Looking forward to reading what you guys have to say.

 

[Todd S]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanth bingo! I hate writing this stuff as I don't ever want to come off as elitist, nor do I ever want to indicate that in order to enjoy a set of cans, one needs to have a mega buck source and amp combo...but honestly when one is in the upper levels, sadly it seems this is the case. R10's, Qualias, HE60's, HE90's, Omega I's and II's, K1000's, L3000's and now the GS1000's. If one doesn't have the source, then sometimes things are going to come through make everything sound off. That does not mean that an iPod can't drive these phones (K1000's and electros excluded) adequately enough and sound decent overall, but in the end, putting 1k+ phones on a subpar source and things are going to get nasty, it really is the reality of the beast that is audio. To put things in perspective, I once had the pleasure to listen to 35k system driving some 30k speakers. All in all, I was in heaven. Then we swapped in these 50k monoblocks and a 20k preamp and the source was absolute poo in comparison. The entire system revealed the flaws of this amazing frontend! 8k I think it retailed for and highly regarded. It took a really spiffy TT to get everything sounding right and then a 20k cdp. Some will balk at this...and that is fine, but there were 8 of us who heard this and we were in awe by the differences. 8k is not anything to laugh at but this other gear simply outclassed it in every way. Oh yeah...I still own mine and love them to pieces, the GS1k that is, not the 95k system

I concur. Tried this same experiment on several occasions. One set up was about 50k front end driving some JM Labs 4k speakers (cheap by comparison). Sounded amazing! Changing source, or amp threw things out of wack severly. I was all over these speakers, until I realized what it would cost to make them sing like this. hehe Btw the iPod will drive K1K to listenable levels (I just had to try this). Of course it sounds like poo.

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanth bingo! I hate writing this stuff as I don't ever want to come off as elitist, nor do I ever want to indicate that in order to enjoy a set of cans, one needs to have a mega buck source and amp combo...but honestly when one is in the upper levels, sadly it seems this is the case.

I don't see what price necessarily has to do with it. My current fave cans are Beyer DT880s, which are quite revealing and can be horrible in the highs without a good source (and recordings too). It's possible to find inexpensive sources that have great highs, like my current Denon DCM-370 5-CD changer. I could listen to the DT880s all day using that source, the highs are so smooth and analog-like. My Pimeta with OPA627s is also a good match, as are the G-Snake cables. I put more "intelligence" into this rig than money, and to my ears it's working out well.

IMO it's all about synergy, not matching pricey headphones with pricey amps with pricey sources. Synergy is not a price-based attainment.

 

[Zanth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fewtch I don't see what price necessarily has to do with it. My current fave cans are Beyer DT880s, which are quite revealing and can be horrible in the highs without a good source (and recordings too). It's possible to find inexpensive sources that have great highs, like my current Denon DCM-370 5-CD changer. I could listen to the DT880s all day using that source, the highs are so smooth and analog-like. My Pimeta with OPA627s is also a good match, as are the G-Snake cables. I put more "intelligence" into this rig than money, and to my ears it's working out well. IMO it's all about synergy, not matching pricey headphones with pricey amps with pricey sources. Synergy is not a price-based attainment.

True true, and I usually chime in with synergy first, particularly when I describe the RA-1/RS-1 bliss I experience or the RA-1/GS-1000 bliss. That all said, I guess what I am trying to say is that (barring the snake oils guys) pricier front ends, particularly in vinyl, seems to elicit a better overall sound than upgrading other components. Likewise, someone spending mega bucks on a headphone but then pairing it with a craptacular source...isn't really being fair to the phone and the phone may seem like it sounds like crap when in reality what it is doing is relaying the crap it is fed. Certainly there are some gems in the low end out there and definitely there is a level of diminishing returns that hits hard and fast. My example of the $$$$$$ system was that, at least in this digital line, the mid-priced player at 8k was simply outclassed in every way by the other components and only when moving to their megabuck player at 20k were things all around synergized. Was the 20k player worth 20k? Well, was the 8k worth it? No idea, but I can say, I doubt so, still...whatever the higher end player had going for it smoked whatever the 8k lacked. This was evident.

 

[yellafella321]

Just got back from Daba's, working on a write up now.

 

[jaybar]

The idea of source first and the suggestion that the $$$$ be spent at the source before anything else is nothing new. During the early days of Linn TT, I remember that evryone throught that Ivor was crazed, but he lugged the tristy Linn TT to the high end audio shops and demonstrated that a system with a Linn TT and $300 speakers made infinately better music than a system with $1200 speakers and a $300 direct drive TT. This was 1981.

Even today, I would think that something like the Ayre CDP and Ayre integrated with the $300 Epos speakers would be more musical than spending $5k on speakers, $500 on an integrated and $500 on a CDP.

It truely disturbs me to see how many yound peopel on head-fi who buy mega $$$ headphones and Mega $$$ headphone amps and expect they can achieve great sound from a Mac or Dell PC/laptop via a soundcard.

Money wasted in my opinion.

What is sorely needed on Head-fi is a series of Sticky posts from those who have been into high-end audio for many years, on suggestiosn foy system building.

This si not to say that you need Mega $$$$ to assemply a great entry level high end system. You could easily assemble a higfhly involving system using Rega components, speakers and their entry level TT or P5, for between $K to 4K TOTAL and less, if used.

For headphoen based systems, something like a used Ayre CDP, Grado RA-1 aand Grado GS 1000 would provide something like referenec quality sound for slightly more than 3K PLUS you have an upgrade path as $$$$$ permit interms of better power cords, IC's, power conditioning and upgrades to the Ayre CDP.

Jay

Jay

 

[SAP7]

I think most are ditching the GS1k's as they have had there "I've been there and seen that" and now they need their $1000 back.

Like hiring a fast car for a week... you would always want to be able to afford to buy one, but you know renting is as close as you'll ever get.

Simply put... its nothing to do with quality, and everything to do with having $1000 in your pocket to go play with again.