[amartignano]

Some days ago we made a very interesting meeting in Trentino, (at a friend's home situated in Ala).
This was the stuff:

Sources:

-Audio Analogue Maestro 192/24
-Denon DVD 2900 mod. Royal Device
-Marantz SA 11 S1
-Meridian G07

Amps:

-Earmax Pro
-Rudistor NX-01
-Rudistor NKK-02
-Rudistor RP 5.1
-Sennheiser HEV70
-TP Audio 3 valvole
-TP Audio 4 valvole

Headphones:

-AKG K701
-Audio Technica AD2000
-Beyerdynamic DT 770 v.2003
-Beyerdynamic DT 880 v.2006
-Grado SR 60
-Grado SR 80
-Grado SR 125
-Sennheiser HD 600
-Sennheiser HD 650

Some pics:

Andrew

 

[amartignano]

My main impressions:

- stunning performance of the EMP Pro with the K701: astonishingly good sound, only some problems in timpani peaks at very loud levels
- very good performance of the little TpAudio italian tube amps, cheap products but a wonderful sound with the difficult HD650
- strangely, the EMP didn't sound well with the HD650, but it made a very good sound with the HD600 and DT880
- my HE60 has surprised all the others who have not listened to it yet (but one who already owns it)
- very good sound of the Grado SR60 with the yellow Sennheiser pads
- good performance of the SR80 with the bowls
- very good also the tube amp of Rudistor NKK02, a bit more "peaky" and clear than the EMP, but very dynamic and quick, very good with especially with the ATH AD2000
- always good sound with the Rudistor NX01 and the HD600


bye
Andrew

 

[amartignano]

i've forgotten: not headphones, but the Sonus Faber Minima sound magic...

 

[mysticaldodo]

Any idea how does the Audio Analogue Maestro compare to the G07?

 

[amartignano]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mysticaldodo Any idea how does the Audio Analogue Maestro compare to the G07?

I'm sorry, we didn't do this comparison. I compared the G07 mainly with the Denon and a bit with the Marantz, discovering that the G07 has less grain than both and sounds (to me) more musical (the marantz was more aggressive).

I think that the Maestro is a bit colder than the Meridian.

bye
Andrew

 

[Carl]

That Maestro 192/24 certainly looks the part.

 

[amartignano]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl That Maestro 192/24 certainly looks the part.

Yup!

 

[edisonwu]

Great stuffs~~

who is this ppl hiding his face?

 

[amartignano]

not me

I was behind the camera

bye
Andrew

 

[Voltron]

Thanks for the nice pics and impressions Andrew! It looks like there were many 'phones and amps and sources, but nobody is posting other than you--where are the others?

I just heard the NKK-01 for the first time briefly at our Bay Area meet last weekend, and I have heard the NX-01, RP 5.1 and Rudi's larger tube amps. How does the NKK-02 fit into the lineup? What kind of SQ does it achieve and is it rechargeable like the NKK-01?

One more question. I also heard the ATH-AD2000s for the first time to my memory this weekend. Which type of amps did those pair best with -- tube or SS?

Thanks for any further thoughts you can offer. Cheers!

 

[amartignano]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voltron Thanks for the nice pics and impressions Andrew! It looks like there were many 'phones and amps and sources, but nobody is posting other than you--where are the others?

they are not subscribed to headfi, they are friends I have met in an italian forum, www.videohifi.com/forum
Italian headphones lovers begin to be a very good number and tends to have very good stuff

(we have also some dedicated amp manufacturers that made very good amps, see Rudistor and the very little and local TpAudio)

Quote:

I just heard the NKK-01 for the first time briefly at our Bay Area meet last weekend, and I have heard the NX-01, RP 5.1 and Rudi's larger tube amps. How does the NKK-02 fit into the lineup? What kind of SQ does it achieve and is it rechargeable like the NKK-01?

I think it can compete near the Rp5.1. It has a very good sound, to me it seemed a bit on the bright side, a bit more aggressive than the EMP.

I think it's a very good combo with the ATH-AD2000

Quote:

One more question. I also heard the ATH-AD2000s for the first time to my memory this weekend. Which type of amps did those pair best with -- tube or SS?

Already answered

I think I prefer tube for the ATH-AD2000 (now I'm beginning to think that I prefer tubes in general)

bye
Andrew

 

[Voltron]

Thank you for the quick responses. I wondered whether the others were non-Head-Fiers. You should get them to join! Also, please consider making the trip to California in April for the next International Meet--we need more international members to come to justify the name!

Cheers, Al

 

[amartignano]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voltron Thank you for the quick responses. I wondered whether the others were non-Head-Fiers. You should get them to join! Also, please consider making the trip to California in April for the next International Meet--we need more international members to come to justify the name! Cheers, Al

thanks for the invite

I've said to them that they were called here... anyway, we have a very good headphone section in the italian forum, that is growing. When it's possible I try to get the two "realities" in contact.

bye
Andrew

 

[mrarroyo]

Andrew, is any of your friends using a Geloso dual mono amp from the 50's? I want a pair of those babies so bad I can taste it. They are just gorgeous!

 

[amartignano]

Eh eh!!!

It is the 2-chassis w/transformer tube amp from a little italian brand, TpAudio. It sounds very good, although we preferred in general the OTL version (which is the other similar in 1 chassis with the woody sides), also with Grados.

Andrew