[Gus B]

Can we make believe I'm your son/father/grandfather & I know next to nothing about headphones. I have senn 280 pros with a regular AirHead, & I like it but I think I'm missing something. Here's $1,000, pick me up a set of open headphones (I'll keep the 280's for when I need isolation) with a good match amp (I'll keep the AirHead for portable). Of course, you know I listen to classical, classic rock & some blues. You love me and want me to be happy. You can keep the change, but also know I'll lay out more if need be. What do you bring me? Speak to me my fictitious family, for I am hopeful that this fiction will evolve into reality.

 

[aeberbach]

Easy question.

Melos SHA-1 (or Gold) ~$600 (Audiogon)
Sennheiser HD600 ~200 (Meier Audio? Hans der Baar on eBay?)
Cardas replacement cable $150 (Headroom)

and spend the rest on a quality interconnect.

 

[Vertigo-1]

The STAX 3030 system costs about $750 from Japan. Might want to think hard about that too. For the $1k, you could probably swap in a pair of 404 headphones with the 313 amp.

 

[braillediver]

Sennheiser HD600 ~$200
Sudgen Headmaster~$750 ~ or for a tube amp the Berning ZOTL at about the same price?

You can always get the upgraded cables for their birthday or Christmas.

 

[kerelybonto]

Well, I am in the process of buying a system that's going to end up right at about $1000. (Ouch, how did that happen?)

I have a pair of perfect condition (even the red lettering is intact) Grado HP-2s on the way. They're kind of hard to find and prices vary, but I got mine for about $560, which I think is pretty normal. I plan to match them with a Mapletree Ear+ or a Gilmore dynamic that antness is building. Both of those options weigh in at around the mid-$400 range.

With a new source and some cables, I expect to be impressed.

kerleybonto

 

[absolutofft]

Where can you get the HD600s for 200? I can only find them for $249

 

[penvzila]

Quote:

Originally posted by Gus B Can we make believe I'm your son/father/grandfather & I know next to nothing about headphones. I have senn 280 pros with a regular AirHead, & I like it but I think I'm missing something. Here's $1,000, pick me up a set of open headphones (I'll keep the 280's for when I need isolation) with a good match amp (I'll keep the AirHead for portable). Of course, you know I listen to classical, classic rock & some blues. You love me and want me to be happy. You can keep the change, but also know I'll lay out more if need be. What do you bring me? Speak to me my fictitious family, for I am hopeful that this fiction will evolve into reality.

I find the Senn 280s and regular airhead pretty damn good. When i get 1000$, though, i might change my mind.

 

[Gus B]

You bastards are probably hoping I kick off soon so you can inherit my new system. Nevertheless, I appreciate the thoughts. One would-be offspring on another forum wants to get me a HeadRoom Home plus Outlaw interconnects and an HD600. Can I trust him? What do you think? Also braillediver, I was thinking about your suggestion, but was concerned about the lack of crossfeed, which I have even with my cheap AirHead. Do you think I'd miss the cross-feed. Also, does anyone in the us sell the Sugden? On google, all price quotes are in UK pounds. After reading Kelly's review of the Corda-HA1, the Sugden is looking very attractive & in my price range. Christmas may come early for me this year.

 

[Gus B]

Quote:

Originally posted by penvzila I find the Senn 280s and regular airhead pretty damn good.

Penvzila, I totally agree. I was once completely content. Then, alas, I fell asleep while reading posts on this forum, and during a fitful sleep, was visited by a frightening apparition, hovering over me & saying: "I am Magicthyse, you, King Dork, do not like those 280s... they sound likecut glass...accountant phones... dork....dork...dork..." And so you see, I simply had to raid the family college fund of a mere $1,000 to rid myself of that horrible nightmare. If the sound improves, all the better!

 

[kelly]

Quote:

Originally posted by Vertigo-1 The STAX 3030 system costs about $750 from Japan. Might want to think hard about that too. For the $1k, you could probably swap in a pair of 404 headphones with the 313 amp.

Stax 4040 (404 headphone + 006t amp) runs about $925 in Japan retail. That's what I'd suggest too, but hope that he has a good source. I guess he'd definitely find out pretty quick as well as answering the question of "what am I missing."

 

[Gus B]

Kelly, I have 2 sources: a Sony DVPNS 700P dvd player and a Sony DAV-C450 home theatre dvd player/receiver. I would use the AirHead with my portable source (Sony d-ej925). I plan to use the new phones & amp primarily with the C450--is that a good enough source for the Stax?

 

[kelly]

Quote:

Originally posted by Gus B Kelly, I have 2 sources: a Sony DVPNS 700P dvd player and a Sony DAV-C450 home theatre dvd player/receiver. I would use the AirHead with my portable source (Sony d-ej925). I plan to use the new phones & amp primarily with the C450--is that a good enough source for the Stax?

Gus
Frankly, I have no idea.

I've not heard that player and more importantly, I don't know how sensitive your are to some of the complaints that some people have about source quality. The point of my message was only to say that the Stax are very revealing. If you have a flaw about your CD player that maybe bothers you a little right now, it will likely be very difficult to ignore with the Stax. Some people still find the Stax worthwhile for their other qualities but it's a fairly individual thing. I suspect that if you like the Stax with your current system, you'll still be wanting to make your source the next upgrade.

 

[andrzejpw]

Huh, this is a good question. Does anyone know anything about the source? If the source is not an issue:

Senn 600s: $220
Cardas: $150
Melos SHA-1: $600

 

[mikel51]

When I visited the Headroom tour in Foster City, the set up in the high end case that did it for me was the Wheatfield HA-2 with the Sennheiser HD600s. For some reason, I found this combo more seductive than any of the more expensive gear. Now I don't see this amp listed at the Headroom website anymore, and the Wheatfield website seems to have some other BS shopping stuffe. What happened?

Also, does anybody know what tubes were in that Wheatfield at the show?

 

[braillediver]

I believe the Wheatfield HA-2 is no longer in production and less than 50 units were made.