[Matt]

What follows are pics of the KGSS being built for me, for use with SR-404 earspeakers:

I thought you all might be interested.

It seems the dude at Headamp.com is almost done with it, so I am excited to get, hear and post some sort of review on it. I spent a solid year with a Classic System II, so this should be interesting...

Regards,
Matt

 

[xtreme4099]

ooo ... no pics ... just x's ... yeah eric343 kgss is looking good ... wirey but good.

oo there we go nice ...

 

[Matt]

...you're fast!

Well, it's fixed now.

- Matt

 

[xtreme4099]

erics343's kgss amp he brought to the meet ..paired with his sennheiser he90 orpheus phones ... http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...threadid=41890

for a 16 year old kid not bad eric ..

 

[spritzer]

Damn this is nice!

Hmm I wonder how it would sound with the Omegas...

 

[grinch]

Quote:

Originally posted by spritzer Damn this is nice! Hmm I wonder how it would sound with the Omegas...

it's incredible.

 

[Matt]

...have you, by chance, been able to hear SR-404 Signatures on a KGSS? I am curious because that's what I'll be using...there was no way I was going to spend $1400 on headphones! $399 is right where I wanted to be...go Audiocubes!

Anyhow, let me know. I'd like to hear from people who have heard both the Omegas and the 404's...I have read other reviews stating such things as the 404 has better lateral soundstage depth, maybe more "bel canto" clarity, etc., but pales in comparison on bass-relative-to-midrange, etc. and a whole host of other weak points in comparison with the Omegas.

I am very excited to receive this amp, as I've been waiting for what seems like forever! Not to brag, but this thing has a sweet DACT stepped attenuator and the Blue Hawaii power supply. Woo hooo!

Regards,
Matt

 

[grinch]

i have not been able to hear the 404's on my amp. i haven't ever really been able to spend much time with the 404's, but i am sort of interested in one day using them in an office setup. i've heard they're a lot brighter than the omega 2's though.

my amp has the standard kgss power supply, which i doubt is as good as the hybrid. mine is balanced though, so it has dual dacts and xlr input jacks (as well as rca's).

 

[Uncledan]

how much does it cost???

 

[Matt]

...was that question addressed to me or grinch?

If you're asking me, from what I understand, Headamp.com is charging around $1400. Mine was a little less because he wanted a "display model" to take pictures of to post on his site, so I agreed to pay right now (at that time) so that he could buy the parts, which are expensive, all in all, to build that first "display model."

I had previously asked zzz and was not impressed with the price he wanted. I think it was (a few hundred higher), but don't quote me on that.

Grinch: I don't know about "brighter"; they have an upwardly-shifted tonal balance...I guess I tend to equate "bright" with "glaring"/"harsh"/"exaggerated treble"/etc., which they certainly are not.

- Matt

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Quote:

Originally posted by Matt ...have you, by chance, been able to hear SR-404 Signatures on a KGSS? I am curious because that's what I'll be using...there was no way I was going to spend $1400 on headphones! $399 is right where I wanted to be...go Audiocubes!

Matt,

Once my KGSS, Omegas, and 404s arrive down here I will let you know what I think of each of them when teamed with the KGSS. zzz said that with my KGSS he heard the 404s for the first time without their metallic sound. He really liked them with the 404s. Carlo has my KGSS and 404s and will probably post some imnpressions of them soon. I won't have them for at least another month or so, so I am biting my nails and waiting.

 

[eric343]

ztreme - hey, don't complain; if I'd taken the time to do a decent wiring job the amp wouldn't have been ready in time for the meet!

Matt - While I can't speak for Antness, I know that Zzz, as a custom builder, would probably *NOT* appreciate you posting quoted prices. Quotes are usually between the builder and the customer.

Excellent casework on the amp, though!

The custom faceplate looks very professional, as does the meticulous standoff-mounting of the boards and tying down of the wires. Antness has it easy with his spacious custom cases

Only one thing that amp is missing - Cardas GRFA jacks! A fine amp such as that should not have to suffer the indignity of Cardas CTFA RCA jacks

(I'm actually only half kidding. The GRFA are mechanically better than any other jack I've ever used, including the $50/pair WBT RCAs on my KGSS [whose gold plating is already starting to wear...].)

 

[xtreme4099]

wasnt complainin ... *buzz buzz buzz* .. really i wasnt ...

 

[eric343]

Matt - regarding the 404 thing, tonally the 404 are closer in tonal balance to the HE90 than the Omega2; the Omega2 are the exact opposite of the stereotypical electrostatic headphone - a bit dark, with insane bass - while the 404 are (if I remember correctly) slightly bright. You might ask zzz (who has the Omega2 and 404, and has done some extensive listening with the he90 on his Weebl/Blue Hawaii). Personally, I prefer my headphones slightly bright (a la the 404 and HE90; especially the highs of the he90 which just go and go and go and go, right up to 100kHz), though the bass of the Omega2/Weebl is something you gotta hear

 

[Matt]

Quote:

Originally posted by eric343 Matt - while I can't speak for Antness, I know that Zzz, as a custom builder, would probably *NOT* appreciate you posting quoted prices. Quotes are usually between the builder and the customer.

...sorry 'bout that...it's been edited out.

Eric343:

Uhhh...that's very interesting, because my impression of the Sennheisers was that they were significantly darker than even the Omega II's. This was (obviously) at the WOH Tour. I recall they had a more all 'round even tonal balance, while the Omega II's in direct comparison seemed to emphasize the vocal range, though they were still not as bright as the lower-end Staxs.

Am I wrong here?


Regards,
Matt