[RayMusicLover]

Thanks MrScotchGuy and all contributing Head-Fiers, had me totally enthralled throughout, was getting frustrated waiting for the conclusion. I admit the suspense was worth it, just had to keep reading after that. I love the before and after photos, you look like the cat that got the cream 

I just couldn't take the white elephant story and skipped to the end (groan!!). Think that right now I really need a whisky and ginger beer.
 

 

 

[mrscotchguy]

  mrscotchguy doesn't answer pm's... =(

Sorry bud, I usually do. It was the super-busy holiday season at my small shop. I must've miss it...

 

[mrscotchguy]

  Thanks MrScotchGuy and all contributing Head-Fiers, had me totally enthralled throughout, was getting frustrated waiting for the conclusion. I admit the suspense was worth it, just had to keep reading after that. I love the before and after photos, you look like the cat that got the cream 

I just couldn't take the white elephant story and skipped to the end (groan!!). Think that right now I really need a whisky and ginger beer.
 

 

Glad you liked enjoyed it.  Now I am trying to figure out what to buy to make it sound its best.  I bounce between my PS Audio GCHA (music) and my iPad (shows). 

 

[Sonido]

  Glad you liked enjoyed it.  Now I am trying to figure out what to buy to make it sound its best.  I bounce between my PS Audio GCHA (music) and my iPad (shows). 

 
I recently got the HD800 as well. Got it for $890 new from that Amazon sale. I hope you got it for far cheaper after all the hoops you had to jump through.

 
Anyways, I had already spend way more than I should this holiday season, so I wasn't looking to get a new amp, but to use existing gear. I had the Bottlehead Crack already, and it pairs decently with the HD800, compared to solid state amps. However, even then, I still found it to sound a bit reserved and polite for livelier music like rock or pop. On a whim, I added my Bottlehead Quickie preamp to the chain, and to my surprise the sound became something else. I found it to have a lot more body and weight, and sound a lot lusher. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the sound. For about $400, I haven't heard of any other well praised amp for the HD800.
 
I made some interesting observations after some playing around with my chain and various headphones. I found the Quickie to really pull the weight in my chain, and that even Quickie + solid state amp sounds better than Crack alone. You can read about it here if you're interested: http://www.head-fi.org/t/607079/beyerdynamic-t90-d/1395#post_10124880

 

[mrscotchguy]

   
I recently got the HD800 as well. Got it for $890 new from that Amazon sale. I hope you got it for far cheaper after all the hoops you had to jump through.

 
Anyways, I had already spend way more than I should this holiday season, so I wasn't looking to get a new amp, but to use existing gear. I had the Bottlehead Crack already, and it pairs decently with the HD800, compared to solid state amps. However, even then, I still found it to sound a bit reserved and polite for livelier music like rock or pop. On a whim, I added my Bottlehead Quickie preamp to the chain, and to my surprise the sound became something else. I found it to have a lot more body and weight, and sound a lot lusher. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the sound. For about $400, I haven't heard of any other well praised amp for the HD800.
 
I made some interesting observations after some playing around with my chain and various headphones. I found the Quickie to really pull the weight in my chain, and that even Quickie + solid state amp sounds better than Crack alone. You can read about it here if you're interested: http://www.head-fi.org/t/607079/beyerdynamic-t90-d/1395#post_10124880

I still won't comment on the price I paid, however, mine was well used.  Soo I am thinking you got the better deal (saw it while drooling at the Deals Thread) even if I got the better story to go with it.  I hope the HD800 treats you well.  I never bothered with the Bottlehead since I am not good at all at soldering and the whole DIY audio equipment.  The most I ever got into it was ruining a good pair of Fostex T50rps 

 
There is a local guy who has one, I hope he'll haul his out so I can have a listen next meetup.  Truth be told, I don't see owning a tube amp.  The two amps I keep eyeballing are the new Phonitor2 and the Oppo HA-1.  Until then, just need to decide on a dac!

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

I still won't comment on the price I paid, however, mine was well used.  Soo I am thinking you got the better deal (saw it while drooling at the Deals Thread) even if I got the better story to go with it.  I hope the HD800 treats you well.  I never bothered with the Bottlehead since I am not good at all at soldering and the whole DIY audio equipment.  The most I ever got into it was ruining a good pair of Fostex T50rps :eek:

There is a local guy who has one, I hope he'll haul his out so I can have a listen next meetup.  Truth be told, I don't see owning a tube amp.  The two amps I keep eyeballing are the new Phonitor2 and the Oppo HA-1.  Until then, just need to decide on a dac!

If you end up going for the OPPO, your DAC decision is covered. Is the phoinitor 2 amp, only? I've considered the phonitor, myself.

I keep thinking about buying a Smyth Realiser now that it has HDMI. The ability to customize my own HRTF and share systems/speakers/room treatments is really appealing to me. And head tracking, too.

 

[mrscotchguy]

If you end up going for the OPPO, your DAC decision is covered. Is the phoinitor 2 amp, only? I've considered the phonitor, myself.

I keep thinking about buying a Smyth Realiser now that it has HDMI. The ability to customize my own HRTF and share systems/speakers/room treatments is really appealing to me. And head tracking, too.

Hey there BMF!
 
Yeah, I'm just playing the waiting game right now.  I am probably going to go with a mid level dac until I can save up for a nicer option (crossing my fingers for the Oppo).  

 

[Thujone]

Man, I can't believe I just got around to reading this. Freaking hilarious and gripping. Also goes to show how awesome Sennheiser is

 

[mrscotchguy]

Man, I can't believe I just got around to reading this. Freaking hilarious and gripping. Also goes to show how awesome Sennheiser is

Ha, thanks man. I keep forgetting I need to edit this still. And leave impressions. Some day I'll have a good enough amp to make it scream!

 

[Thujone]

Ha, thanks man. I keep forgetting I need to edit this still. And leave impressions. Some day I'll have a good enough amp to make it scream!

 
Honestly, my Valhalla is blowing my mind, more so than the other amps I got to try with the HD800 at our meet. The Valhalla 2 is supposed to take it to a totally different level too!

 

[mrscotchguy]

Honestly, my Valhalla is blowing my mind, more so than the other amps I got to try with the HD800 at our meet. The Valhalla 2 is supposed to take it to a totally different level too!

Truth be told, I really like the Asgard1 paired with the HD800, before I traded it towards the Bushmills Grados. That said, I feel like the Bifrost was the weakest link in that combo...

I'd love to find a killer tube combo for my HD800. For now, I'm just going to tube roll my EF-5 and hope for the best.

 

[Thujone]

Truth be told, I really like the Asgard1 paired with the HD800, before I traded it towards the Bushmills Grados. That said, I feel like the Bifrost was the weakest link in that combo...

I'd love to find a killer tube combo for my HD800. For now, I'm just going to tube roll my EF-5 and hope for the best.

 
I'm guessing the crap you got from the Beefroast was the USB version 1 board, did you try any other inputs? I've read a handful of version 2 USB reviews from people who absolutely hated version 1. Did yours have the uber upgrade?
 
We will definitely have to do a small meetup at some point so you can give it another go. The Gamma2 that Corey had at the meet (paired with the Speedball) is also a great DAC. Plus, I still haven't tried the EF-5. You like it with the HE-4 too?

 

[A2029]

How about the theory of some kind of animal being dead nearby to where the headphones were being stored. I.e. headphones placed in a drawer, but there's a dead mouse in the drawer that decomposes and imparts its "parfum" onto the HD800 ??

 

[mrscotchguy]

  How about the theory of some kind of animal being dead nearby to where the headphones were being stored. I.e. headphones placed in a drawer, but there's a dead mouse in the drawer that decomposes and imparts its "parfum" onto the HD800 ??

That could be likely too, but who would store their headphones in a pet cemetery?! 

 

[A2029]

  That could be likely too, but who would store their headphones in a pet cemetery?! 

 
Hahaha, I was thinking they put the headphones into a dresser drawer or desk drawer when storing them after each use, and unbeknownst to them a small rodent may have climbed into the drawer, got stuck and died, then decomposed and imparted their "fragrance" to the headphones