[ksb643]

I used to have the 1 mk2. I regret selling them.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

I used to have the 1 mk2. I regret selling them.

how would you say they compared to / complemented XTC?

 

[ksb643]

Didn't have them at the same time but I think they would compliment them well. A little more intimate stage, but properly driven were so dynamic! I bought them used from the classifieds.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

I should recommend using bees wax to keep the finish of any matte wood looking its best
I use Vans and it really is amazing at protecting non poly finish woods - hope this helps - John

how often do you recommend applying the wax, @John Massaria ?

Hi All, just got my XTC Open 2.0 and I was wondering which DAC/Amp with 4.4mm/XLR4 is the best pairing around € 1000.
Right now I'm selling my RME ADI-2 Pro and looking for something better.
John suggested the iBasso DC Elite that seems a really good choice and the DAC used it's really interesting.

Thanks in advance,
Best regards

I'm in a similar boat, so tracking this conversation. Currently using Audio-gd R28 NOS which is integrated all in one preamp, R2R dac and headphone amp. Love the setup and sound, so maybe foolish to change it but also curious to try other combos. Budget is around ~$1000. I stay away from clinical/analytical, and lean heavily towards organic sound.

 

[Patswalker]

I'm in a similar boat, so tracking this conversation. Currently using Audio-gd R28 NOS which is integrated all in one preamp, R2R dac and headphone amp. Love the setup and sound, so maybe foolish to change it but also curious to try other combos. Budget is around ~$1000. I stay away from clinical/analytical, and lean heavily towards organic sound.

I which driver do you have? The biowool responds to sources totally different than the beryllium does. And which sound signature did you both get. I’ve found that it’s really fun to use dacs and amps to compliment or enhance the sound signature of my headphones.

 

[rlawry]

how often do you recommend applying the wax, @John Massaria ?

If I could weigh in here, I use carnauba wax, the hardest wax, to polish my 2.5s a couple of times a year. My carnauba wax is the same wax I use for my car.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

I which driver do you have? The biowool responds to sources totally different than the beryllium does. And which sound signature did you both get. I’ve found that it’s really fun to use dacs and amps to compliment or enhance the sound signature of my headphones.

I have the 64 ohm berylium. I got "Warm yet detailed" on my XTC2 and "Defined detail with accurate tight bass" on XTC1.5

 

[John Massaria]

how often do you recommend applying the wax, @John Massaria ?

If it’s a flat finish wood it’s no Polly then it’s bees wax by

Daddy Van's All Natural Unscented Beeswax​

that I suggest
If it’s a poly coat finish then car wax is best

 

[Daniel4IEM]

If it’s a flat finish wood it’s no Polly then it’s bees wax by

Daddy Van's All Natural Unscented Beeswax​

that I suggest
If it’s a poly coat finish then car wax is best

right but how often, @John Massaria ?

 

[John Massaria]

right but how often, @John Massaria ?

when ever you feel the wood is dried or needs to be refreshed maybe as often as you polish your car or wood furniture - if you are using it often maybe once a month but it cant hurt by over doing it either- its a natural non toxic product

 

[Patswalker]

I have the 64 ohm berylium. I got "Warm yet detailed" on my XTC2 and "Defined detail with accurate tight bass" on XTC1.5

I would imagine something with some warm clear detail would be great. I have the deep thick detailed sounding biowool drivers and R2R amp and dacs are spectacular in making them sound even more deep thick and detailed. I'm a big fan of NOT balancing out the sound of my headphones with components that would bring it to a more of a middle ground. What I like is finding components that help support and strengthen the nature of the sound of a pair of headphones.

What I personally would recommend for you, if I'm remembering you were asking for around $1000, I would recommend the Geshelli J2 Socketed dac with Either the Archel 3 Pro or the Erish 3 pro. The J2 Socketed dac has replaceable opamps so you can opamp roll and tailor the sound a tad and the opamps in both the Archel 3 pro and the Erish 3 pro are the spectacular Sparkos 2590 opamps. I love that pairing because the opamp switching in the dac make it so there is a bit of customization I can do. I have the J2 socketed with the Dual Sparkos Labs SS2590 Pro Op Amps and the Archel 3 Pro and for headphones that I feel are warm and detailed it's incredible for it's price.

Second to that I would recommend the Aune S9c Pro. Spectacular piece of gear. Serves bright detailed headphones well. It also has two different sound options whcih I am a big fan of.

I saw earlier that someone was talking about having and loving the Audio GD R28NOS. I have that and I love it. I use it for deeper thicker headphones but have found that it works well with some but not all bright detailed headphones in my collection. It's a spectacular piece of gear for sure. Highly recommended. But to me the Geshelli dac+amp combo highlights and expresses the bright detail in headphones tunes like that in a way that it very special.

I do not think the Geshelli stack is in any way clinical or analytical. I have heard the same about the Aune. There is a wonderful sparkle and naturalness to it. To my ears the R20NOS has a deeper thicker naturalness to it. All the options have a ton of detail for sure but none are clinical or analytical and stale. I hate that.

 

[Patswalker]

I have the JM XTC 2 with the Biowool drivers. I want to get a pair to perfectly compliment them and I was thinking about the XTC 2 tuned warm and detailed. I like having a collection of different companies headphones but I love the XTC 2 with the biowool so so so much that to me the only option that is in the price range that can perform as exquisitely yet be a compliment with different strengths is the warm detailed beryllium XTC2. Has anyone here heard any differences between the different offered impedance choices? I have all sorts of different amps and dacs that go from little dongles to super powerful class A amps so I'm not really worried about power.

 

[MillionAntz]

Previous msg deleted. Pls ignore, thank you

 

[phoneslave86]

I have the JM XTC 2 with the Biowool drivers. I want to get a pair to perfectly compliment them and I was thinking about the XTC 2 tuned warm and detailed. I like having a collection of different companies headphones but I love the XTC 2 with the biowool so so so much that to me the only option that is in the price range that can perform as exquisitely yet be a compliment with different strengths is the warm detailed beryllium XTC2. Has anyone here heard any differences between the different offered impedance choices? I have all sorts of different amps and dacs that go from little dongles to super powerful class A amps so I'm not really worried about power.

32 Ohm Beryl is more transparent than 64 Ohm. Both are plenty good.

 

[vikinguy]

My god check out the new wood he’s got!!

Kurogaki! This is like my holy grail headphone wood.

Killing me