Quote:
Originally posted by CFC
headphones being in use : HD580/equinox, CD3K
source(s) : Philips DVD 963SA DVD/SACD/Upsampling CD player, maudio revolution
possible candidates:
RKV/Impedancer
ZoTL
Carey 300SEI
Twinhead
neither cans get heavier usage, and i must admite i am a sucker for sweet midrange |
OK, the Cary is way out of budget, and the Twinhead is over budget by a bit, however, based on others' posts, not personal experience, QC issues would make that problematical for me until reliable units were out in the field. The Earmax Pro should be on the list. That, along with RKV and ZOTL are the main contenders I'm aware of in your price range. An upgraded Melos might also be in your price range, however, a stock SHA-1 is not a happy combo with CD3000.
RKV without impedancer is good but not great with low impedance cans. Get ready for a high noise floor. With impedancer, it would depend on just how good the transformer is (and they can be very good indeed). I'd characterize the RKV as one of the smoothest amps I've heard. Bass response to die for. Solid midrange, but loses it at the top end. Not unpleasantly, just rolls off prematurely, so there's am impression of a high-end ceiling, rather than a response that just goes up into infinity. The ZOTL owns the highs. It has an airy presentation unlike any other amp I've heard. There's a sense of delicacy about the way it presents high end information that has to be heard, as I can't really describe it. In some sense, it's not as substantial as many other amps, even though everything is there. It still has an incredible attack, is capable of playing any kind of music, and an unmatched sense of air. The weakness is the low end. Careful tube selection can minimize this, but if the ZOTL has a major weakness, it's the inability to tightly control the lower octave of bass response. I suspect that the lack of control over these fundamental frequencies are what drives the airiness of the sound. For a fully solid impact, the low frequencies are critical. The Earmax Pro should certainly be considered in this price range, but I haven't heard it enough to say much more. It's a shame the Wheatfield HA-2 is out of production, as that is another amp in this price range that would have deserved a listen.
I can highly recommend the ZOTL, and also the RKV. My personal preferences lie with the ZOTL, but it took me a lot of tubes to find a set that delivered the sound I wanted. Tube selection does not seem to play as big a role in the sound of the RKV, at least so far.