[Clarkmc2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif It is pretty close to "the best of the best", especially at the crazy low prices Craig asked for it.

A friend of mine is going to cry. He has wanted a nice 2A3 amp for a long time and he likes single driver. He has a nice Omega pair and was thinking of buying another larger unit.

Quote:

Nonetheless, those products are on the outer edge of gaudy for Moth. I personally prefer the look of MY moth gear, but it's an acquired taste for many.

I am fairly certain he was commenting on the thumbnails I posted, not your very pretty Moth Audio pieces.

Clark

 

[Sherwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarkmc2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am fairly certain he was commenting on the thumbnails I posted, not your very pretty Moth Audio pieces.

I agree with you here, Clark. Seems that was his intention.

In any case, shame you didn't get a chance to hear the stuff when it was in Peoria two weeks ago.

If you find yourself on the front range, give me a ring and we'll set something up.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyDebord /img/forum/go_quote.gif Man! that Moth gear is ugly as hell! thats over-designed retro NOT minimal!!!! and certainly NOT understated either!!!! Only if it was the best of the best i would consider it (and I dont know)... those pictures sure help make a case for the OP's question...

But have you listened to any Moth gear? It has a way of making fans from listeners. You'd also understand why Moth gear so rarely changes hands. It only comes up once or twice a year and disappears in a hurry.

Sure, the Si2A3 has decorative touches, but it is one of very few ways you can put headphones on 2A3 tubes. It took me almost a year of searching and a few disappointments before I got my Si2A3 from a very kind Head-Fi'er.

The Cicadas are wonderful, as well. I got a pair a few years back that are, unfortunately, in storage pending a larger place where I can set up everything. I was lucky enough to get the drivers new from a shop in Burbank that still had a few left.

 

[GuyDebord]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarkmc2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am fairly certain he was commenting on the thumbnails I posted, not your very pretty Moth Audio pieces. Clark

Yes, I was commenting about those. Sherwood's amp is not as overly designed...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif But have you listened to any Moth gear? It has a way of making fans from listeners. You'd also understand why Moth gear so rarely changes hands. It only comes up once or twice a year and disappears in a hurry.

No, I havent had the chance. Actually, I have never seen any in Europe.

About the "best of the best" comment, do you guys think they are on the same league as japan's Shindo, Kondo (audio note), Leben, Audio Tekne or Airtight? or Convergent, KR, WAVAC, Western Electric, Atma-sphere, etc?

 

[atothex]

For headphones?

 

[Sherwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyDebord /img/forum/go_quote.gif About the "best of the best" comment, do you guys think they are on the same league as japan's Shindo, Kondo (audio note), Leben, Audio Tekne or Airtight? or Convergent, KR, WAVAC, Western Electric, Atma-sphere, etc?

I've only had the opportunity to hear a few of those, but I'll take a shot at them.

First off, X's comment is valid. Not many of those companies give you a direct tap off the tubes to a headphone jack, which is a big part of the allure to me and others.

I've heard my K1Ks from an airtight 300b, a Leben, and a brief listen on an Atma-Sphere. All were better than my Moth, but all of them were also more powerful, and the k1000 would really like more than 3 watts at 8 ohms, as brilliant as it is. I've never had any in my system, as a good look at me would tell a dealer whether or not I was serious about paying for a component with a hand-wired silver Tango transformer.

For headphone applications, however, Moth is right up there on top of the heap. The original Zana, impossible as it is to find (or ship at 102 lbs.) is said by those who have heard it to be the best possible amplifier for the HD 600s. Alas, it is effectively unobtainable, without blackmailing Joel Marshall to give you his.

Where Moth generally excels is at quality for value, not absolute quality. I sincerely doubt I could find a better headphone/speaker amp for under $2000 than my Moth. I've heard a few others, and I prefer the moth to them all.

 

[GuyDebord]

Quote:

Originally Posted by atothex /img/forum/go_quote.gif For headphones?

K1000... however, some do have headphone out.... The thing is that the conversation got out of the headphone only mode. Speakers and non-headphone out amps were discussed....

 

[atothex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyDebord /img/forum/go_quote.gif K1000... however, some do have headphone out.... The thing is that the conversation got out of the headphone only mode. Speakers and non-headphone out amps were discussed....

I don't quite consider K1000 proper headphones due to the amp requirements, but yeah the possibilities are damn near limitless. I've never heard a Wavac driving a K1000, and I almost don't want to.

BTW, talk about an aesthetic mismatch: K1000 from Kondos? Ugh...

 

[Clarkmc2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyDebord /img/forum/go_quote.gif About the "best of the best" comment, do you guys think they are on the same league as japan's Shindo, Kondo (audio note), Leben, Audio Tekne or Airtight? or Convergent, KR, WAVAC, Western Electric, Atma-sphere, etc?

If I could afford anything, I would like to try KR, if you mean Kr Audio My friends say it is the best they have ever heard, period. I am completely happy with my $995 Grommes PHI-26 by Alan Kimmel, it would be a real bargain at four times that price, but my curious side would like to hear Yamamoto gear. I don't have K1000s, but my Stax non pro phones are difficult to drive too. The Grommes is silly good on Grados.

http://www.kraudiousa.com/pdfs/3___K...ONZILLA_SD.pdf

Clark

 

[Donald North]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyDebord /img/forum/go_quote.gif K1000... however, some do have headphone out.... The thing is that the conversation got out of the headphone only mode. Speakers and non-headphone out amps were discussed....

I suspect the K1000 powered by an Audio Note Japan (Kondo) Neiro would be an exceptional experience. I had one 10 years ago powering speakers and it was the best amp I had heard to date at that time.

 

[Sennshead]

Am I going outside in these, or just staying in the house? If they're too extreme, then no cigar outside, but as long as they sound good...all by myself...no problem

 

[Elluzion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here's my kind of aesthetics:

Sherwood, how are you so badass? gosshhh

Yes I think aesthetics are pretty important, and definitely will make you more "confident" about the gear you own if it sounds good, but regardless sound quality > all

Depending how good these would sound,,
I might wear them:

hahahaha

 

[Lou Erickson]

Myself, I have to say the asthetics aren't important to me.

I just bought a Stax SRD-7 and SRX Mk III headphones. Not only are they thirty years old, and this pair looks like it's rattled around some pretty rough places that whole time, they looked like they were World War II radio equipment when they were new. They're ugly.

They sound so very, very nice, and I didn't hesitate a moment to buy them.

It's not like they'll make me look like any more of a geek than I already am. =)

I will say that build quality is important to me. I don't want to buy plasticky, fragile junk. That's more important to me than asthetics. I expect my stuff to last, and be able to withstand real-life usage.

Anyway, "asthetics" is really hard to define. Something someone likes and thinks looks grand, someone else will think looks horrible. See the examples of the amp and speakers above.

 

[Audio Addict]

I would say they are but there is a law of diminishing returns. If I could get a somewhat nice looking unit for a few hundred I think I would be fine. I am not sure I would be willing to spend say $1000 just for the look of the equipment.

 

[Donald North]

I like form-following-function aesthetics. Perfect example: The Oracle Delphi turntable.