[nephilim32]

Some Beta Users took time weeks ago to write some substantial reviews includings comparisons with current flagship. I know weeks are equal to centuries on HF but maybe it worth a read. 

http://www.head-fi.org/a/list-of-major-hifiman-he1000-reviews-impressions-and-videos

Absolutely a great read!! Thank you for sharing this with me. Really neat to hear about some system synergies some of you guys have. I can't believe someone has an Eddie current balancing act XLR. The Bentley of the HIFI world.
I also like your comment 'weeks turned into centuries here on HIFI. '
This is addictive and experimenting with system synergies will be a love of mine for years to come.

 

[JaZZ]

This is addictive and experimenting with system synergies will be a love of mine for years to come.

 
An expensive hobby!

I'm in the fortunate position to only experiment with synergies between the HE1000 and different EQ settings (to which I attribute the higher potential and efficiency, despite being free of charge).
 
That said, I'm eyeing a Chord Dave instead.

Should be capable of driving the HE1000 «to its full potential».

 

[nephilim32]

Oh gosh! I could never afford to buy I the gear that I've tested. I simply just go into various headphone/hi fi dealer shops and spend an hr or 2 listening to some tunes. I always tell my intentions very specifically to the sales people in the stores, so they know I am not wasting anyone's time. I'm also nice to them and offer to buy them coffee....I tend to ask a lot of questions. Lol
I have spent a little beyond my means in HIFI land, but I don't care. It's a passion and love in my life, especially listening to music so I go all out the best I can without murdering myself financially, so I can get a good idea of how music is supposed to sound.
In the future, I definitely want to do more for myself so stuff like the chord Hugo TT and woo firefly and the HE 1000 are very appealing to me and not so financially out of reach like say something from Eddie current' stop portable amps n'such. (financial asskicking)
So tomorrow I hope to do some testing.
He 1000 with Firefly that utilizes the power tube expansion and the DAC with in the unit.
Will see how that goes.

 

[JaZZ]

Have fun!

 

[nephilim32]

The Decware Taboo Mk3 is a killer headphone amp with the HE 1000 cans, and, has three different tubes you can roll with. (I've been trying alternative regulator, input, and output tubes over the last few days and have come to realize that while rolling offers differences, the stock tubes are really nice.) The amp also pairs very well with my 800s and IEMs

Yeah. Good point. Not an extensive tube rolling project, however what a great looking piece of hardware.
I also feel, being a beginner in the tube rolling land, a couple of sets is enough to choose from.
I'm more focused on getting a different taste of vacuum tube PSU and amplification.
The firefly is a Class A like my Burson soloist but that doesn't mean they will perform the same way, although I've been reading tons of reviews on the firefly and a lot of reviewers are saying the firefly is very very neutral sounding.
Gotta test it myself, but thank you again for the suggestion and point about the tubing variety.

 

[saidentary]

   
Thank you. I read the review and it is difficult to decide of the EF-6 or the MicroZOTL 2 is a better amp for the HE-1000. Wish there was some way I could hear them both and decide. No one seems to have both to compare and post some impressions.

The only certain way to hear both and compare them would be to buy both on a trial basis and return one or the other.  Occasionally the EF-6 comes up used at significantly below retail.  You wouldn't be able to return such a unit but you could potentially re-sell for probably close to what you paid, it if it was the one you liked less.  As for the MicroZOTL 2, Mark Scheider offered to take it back if I didn't like it. 

 

[doctorjazz]

If anyone in my general vicinity has an eF-6, we could meet and do comparison. Of course, you still might not agree with our opinions...

 

[rgs9200m]

 
Why would someone recommend a $10K amp? 

Because it sounds like a $20,000 amp.

 

[doctorjazz]

Whatever that sounds like...
(have actually heard some of these at Hifi shows, they can be quite amazing, but still need a good room, good matching of components, etc).

 

[ruthieandjohn]

If anyone in my general vicinity has an eF-6, we could meet and do comparison. Of course, you still might not agree with our opinions...

Wish I was in your vicinity... I'd lend my EF-6 to this noble cause.  However, I'd only believe the opinions of listeners who had neither the MicroZOTL nor the EF-6!

 

[doctorjazz]

A neutral party would be the best, I'd agree, but that would only be a meet or a show, and you'd have to get lucky, have them both available, not to have too much noise (not the usual at these venues in my experience). Or, a reviewer who has so much 4K gear in hand that he/she has no skin in the game, just has loaners of both would work as well...also haven't seen that yet. Or, as was suggested, buy both, return or sell one...

Meantime, vacation was great, but LOVING sitting here at the PC (catching up with work , listening to the current PC chain:
PC/JRiver (high rez "I Can See For Miles", the Who, at the moment)/Regen/Geek Out Special Edition/Norne Zoetic Cable/HEK.
Ahhhhhh.........

(completely off topic...was in Cambridge, MA, for a day, visiting, went to a restaurant I really liked, and really loved the name. Thelonius Monkfish!!! (fusion/Asian). Would go back, when I get back.

 

[MattTCG]

Today it all came together. Angels sang, the sky parted and I was delivered to the promised land. The he1000, Gungnir multi-bit dac and Questyle cma800r have taken me a rare and sacred place...it's called happiness, contentment and bliss. I think that I've overlooked the importance of the dac along the way. Now I just sit in my comfy chair, lost in the music. 

 

[saidentary]

  Wish I was in your vicinity... I'd lend my EF-6 to this noble cause.  However, I'd only believe the opinions of listeners who had neither the MicroZOTL nor the EF-6!

I'd be willing to believe the opinions of people who owned one or the other.  There might be a tendency towards favoring what one already owns, but the stakes aren't exactly high--unless that person is also either a dealer or manufacturer of one (but not the other) of the two units.  Even then it's possible to at least make an effort to be unbiased.  But if one or the other amp were considered better by the majority, then the owner of that amp wouldn't win a prize or anything.  This is not to say I'd be totally dispassionate about what others might say about "my" amplifier--for example if kayandjohn or some other head-fi "heavyweight" (who had never heard the MicroZOTL 2 with the HE-1000) listened and said, "Wow! I'm blown away!", then I'd be happy, whereas if he had the opposite reaction, it would be mildly disappointing.  But that would be the extent of my "skin in the game" for that comparison.  (I wouldn't T.P. his house or anything just because he disliked the MicroZOTL....)
 
Whether or not I would AGREE with the opinion of anyone else but myself is another matter entirely.  But after the Chicago headphone meet (August 8th), I've felt less dogmatic and self-righteous about my sonic preferences.  At the same time, I feel no need to have anyone validate my opinions.  However, as noted above, it's kind of fun when persnickety curmudgeons like us are able to agree on something....

 

[nephilim32]

Today it all came together. Angels sang, the sky parted and I was delivered to the promised land. The he1000, Gungnir multi-bit dac and Questyle cma800r have taken me a rare and sacred place...it's called happiness, contentment and bliss. I think that I've overlooked the importance of the dac along the way. Now I just sit in my comfy chair, lost in the music. 

DACS are so important in a sound chain. If you got big, analytical neutral sounding gear you need that high end DAC like an ARCAM or a CHORD CUTE EX.
Enjoy your wonderful set up.

 

[icebear]

  Today it all came together. Angels sang, the sky parted and I was delivered to the promised land. The he1000, Gungnir multi-bit dac and Questyle cma800r have taken me a rare and sacred place...it's called happiness, contentment and bliss.

WOW ... I really enjoy my set up but I haven't gotten the angel and sky thing but maybe that's just because I'm not a religious guy.
Anyway congrats!