[KrooLism]

I just showed a friend my Grace M902 and he basically slapped me when I told him how much $AUD I paid for it.

I think his exact words we're:
"You paid that... for a tiny little amp... just for a headphone?"

Then when I showed him the price of the E.A.R's, RSA B-52, Headroom Balanced Max... etc ... he almost fainted.

So, to satisfy his (and my) curiosity... just which model amp is THE most expensive headphone amp in existence today?

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KrooLism /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just showed a friend my Grace M902 and he basically slapped me when I told him how much $AUD I paid for it. I think his exact words we're: "You paid that... for a tiny little amp... just for a headphone?" Then when I showed him the price of the E.A.R's, RSA B-52, Headroom Balanced Max... etc ... he almost fainted. So, to satisfy his (and my) curiosity... just which model amp is THE most expensive headphone amp in existence today?

Well, the Gracie is a DAC too..

 

[krmathis]

The Singlepower ES-1 can be configured to about USD 12,000, and probably even more. But there might well be more expensive amplifiers out there...

 

[MrJoshua]

Sennheiser Orpheous? (Although I don't think this is made any more)

 

[PFKMan23]

Singlepower ES-1 maxxed or Singlepower SDS XLR maxxed

 

[abs@nilenet.com]

I would guess the ES-1 with the new all tube power supply and newly designed chassis. I believe that you can spend over 20k on one.

Happy Listening!

 

[KrooLism]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PFKMan23 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Singlepower ES-1 maxxed or Singlepower SDS XLR maxxed

Yea - I saw that one. Bloody hell. Would you even be able to tell the difference in sound between a $1500 amp and a $15 000 amp if your headphones are only $400??

Don't get me wrong, HD 650's are FOOGIN BRILLIANT headphones.

 

[Duggeh]

Wasnt there a Gold plated SDS XLR?

 

[bhd812]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KrooLism /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yea - I saw that one. Bloody hell. Would you even be able to tell the difference in sound between a $1500 amp and a $15 000 amp if your headphones are only $400?? Don't get me wrong, HD 650's are FOOGIN BRILLIANT headphones.

if someone is buying a headphone only amp at $15k then its mostly for "ego" or "I got to have the biggest case" thing...

of course anyone who wants to defunk my statement then post a pic whats inside the table sized amp and we shall see if the size was really used/needed..

I am not saying there is anything wrong with needing/wanting something like that..I guess we all have to make up for size at times..lol

 

[mateo05]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wasnt there a Gold plated SDS XLR?

It was a gold plated Maestro (only one chassis, same style but smaller), but I'm sure you could get a full-size SDS-XLR in gold plating if you wanted

 

[mateo05]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhd812 /img/forum/go_quote.gif if someone is buying a headphone only amp at $15k then its mostly for "ego" or "I got to have the biggest case" thing... of course anyone who wants to defunk my statement then post a pic whats inside the table sized amp and we shall see if the size was really used/needed.. I am not saying there is anything wrong with needing/wanting something like that..I guess we all have to make up for size at times..lol

Wasn't there a video during the National Meet showing the inside of an SDS-XLR? I didn't see it, I just recall mention of one, and that the thing was pretty packed...

 

[Azure]

 

[braillediver]

Who made the custom Electrostatic amp for NIK? I think that one was expensive.

Yeah the HP4 is a mid-fi headphone amp.


Mitch

 

[PhilS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhd812 /img/forum/go_quote.gif if someone is buying a headphone only amp at $15k then its mostly for "ego" or "I got to have the biggest case" thing...

Maybe you have your tongue planted firmly in your cheek (in which case, LOL), but I see comments like this everytime an really expensive product is discussed and I always wonder things like: Why can't it be that the amp sounds absolutely awesome, the only guy who makes it charges that much for it, and the guy who thinks it sounds awesome and wants to buy it believes, given his extremely "healthy" financial condition, that it is worth it? Why do we always assume that someone who pays a lot of money for something or buys a top-of-the-line product is on an "ego" trip? $1000 for a top-on-the-line IEM would seem absolutely insane to many people who listen with cheap earbuds and to whom $1000 is equal to a month's salary, but I would suspect many people on this forum would be upset if they were accused by such folks of being on a ego trip.

 

[Azure]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhd812 /img/forum/go_quote.gif if someone is buying a headphone only amp at $15k then its mostly for "ego" or "I got to have the biggest case" thing...

What if you rank in a 6 figure salary and can easily afford a $15k amp? If you have the assets, why shoot for a $1k amp when you get a $15k amp? You have a $4k CD PLAYER in your rig; someone could just as easily say that you only have that G08 for ego purposes. Just because you can't afford it doesn't mean that it's just for ego purposes, since this reasoning could be applied to nearly every level of gear (Including yours with your $4k cd player).

You could say the same thing about cables. If you're a multi-millionaire and you're building a stereo rig, why skimp on cables? You have the money, why shouldn't you spend spend a few thousand dollars on ICs? It goes for all levels as well. Some people here spend hundreds of dollars on cables because their budgets/mindset allow them to; others only spend $50 because that's what their budgets/mindset allow them to buy; and others use stock red & white cables because that's what their budgets/mindset allow them to buy.