[kamzak88]

I want buy LD+ or MK2 with headphones Grado sr325e. What to choose? Both prices are similar. Can I LD + connect with NAIM CD 5i-2? OutRCA (Naim) - inRCA (LD +) ?? Will this be good? Thanks

 

[florencephile]

  I want buy LD+ or MK2 with headphones Grado sr325e. What to choose? Both prices are similar. Can I LD + connect with NAIM CD 5i-2? OutRCA (Naim) - inRCA (LD +) ?? Will this be good? Thanks

my thoughts would be the MK2, but not currently owning either, YMMV

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  I want buy LD+ or MK2 with headphones Grado sr325e. What to choose? Both prices are similar. Can I LD + connect with NAIM CD 5i-2? OutRCA (Naim) - inRCA (LD +) ?? Will this be good? 

 

MkII is OTL, which means it puts out a lot of voltage - more power at 300ohms than at 32ohms. Not that the Grados need that much power, but in case you get something else later on, an HE400i or K712 would work a lot better with the hybrid LD 1+ than the Mk2, while the HD600/650/6XX or 250ohm Beyerdynamics will work only slightly better on the Mk2 vs the 1+.

In short, either one will work well enough with the Grados, although the Mk2 would be less high fidelity, so consider what else you're more likely to get later on. That or consider the costs of tube rolling - the Mk2 will need two pairs of matched tubes, the 1+ only needs one pair.

 

Personally I'd be much more inclined to go with the Schiit Vali2 and a NOS tube later on. And it only needs one tube that measures well on both of its channels.

 

[kamzak88]

ok i buy LD+ !!
 
What tubes? Rock / Metal music ??

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  ok i buy LD+ !!
 
What tubes? Rock / Metal music ??

 

I wouldn't really stereotype certain response curves for specific music genres (apart from bass music that needs a lot of it). At best, it won't be the amp but the headphone's response curve, since the amp's job is basically just to get it loud enough without (easily audible) distortion and noise. So if the LD 1+ doesn't have any noise issues at the loudness you want, I wouldn't really swap out the tube. Otherwise, try a Mullard if they have anything for that, even a reissue.

 

Also, even when people stereotype the headphone response curve and other such sound characteristics for certain genres, I wouldn't subscribe to the Head-Fi logic of hearing "rock/metal" and always responding with a resounding, "GRADOOOOOO!!!!" I had the SR225, and while it's great with AC/DC and such, the lack of real attempt to have any coherent imaging makes layered progressive/power/symphonic metal sound like everything on stage including the entire symphony is being thrown at me rather than laid out properly on stage.

 

If you like the Grado sound for what you're listening to then go right ahead, but again, I wouldn't really worry too much about tubes unless it has noise. Try it first unless you're getting the amp and new tubes from the same seller and would save shipping costs if you got them all in one go.