Looking for something different from headroom

[plonter]

Hi guys. I decided that i want to expand my sound Experience and try another head amp except my headroom ultra micro.
my price range is 700$ (maybe a little higher if needed) and i already have my ultra micro dac so i will use it as my source.
my headphones are DENON AHD5000 and GRADO RS-1. and for what it's worth i listen mainly to rock/metal and all different of electronic music, so i supposed that the amp needs to be kind of "all arounder" and dynamic enough. not to cold and analytic but also not too warm and overbassy. OH...and i want a SS amp.

i tried to search the amps forum,but there are so many choises and names that i got confused a little. can you please give some recommendations for something that is not less quality than the ultra micro i have? i prefer it to be all class a biased but i will not argue with good recommendations.

thx for all comments!

 

[plonter]

By the way...if you don't feel like detail so much, you can just throw in names and i will look for it.
thx again!

 

[Uncle Erik]

The solid state amps I like under $700 are the Gilmore Lite, M^3, CK2III, and ECSS. All of them are excellent. I'd recommend the Beta22, as well, but I don't think you can get one on your budget.

 

[olblueyez]

Graham Slee Solo

 

[plonter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif The solid state amps I like under $700 are the Gilmore Lite, M^3, CK2III, and ECSS. All of them are excellent. I'd recommend the Beta22, as well, but I don't think you can get one on your budget.

thanks uncle erik, i will check those out. very appriciated!

 

[plonter]

thx for the suggetions fellows! i just got one more basic question:
there is no way that if i take one of the above mentioned amps it will sound exactly like mine...right?
i don't know...but why do i have a feeling that all ss amps sound the same?
please tell me i am wrong. i simply want another sound sig than what i have and not getting the same sound and spending my money.

are there two amps that sound the same (or close to that) anyway??

 

[Aimless1]

I have only owned two ss amps, and they sound much different from each other. Not sure if that applies to all ss amps or not.

 

[olblueyez]

I dont think you have to worry about them sounding the same.

 

[plonter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif I dont think you have to worry about them sounding the same.

thanks, i just wanted to make sure.

 

[mbd2884]

Will be very interesting and cool if you don't hear a difference.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbd2884 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Will be very interesting and cool if you don't hear a difference.

Will be interesting and cool if he spends 700 bucks and doesnt hear a difference?

What is wrong with you? Dont you have better ways to get attention?

 

[Uncle Erik]

No, solid state varies just like tube amps do.

Unless you're one of the people who claim all amps sound the same.

Most of those people will automatically exclude something like a SET 2A3 amp, because those don't sound like the amps that all sound the same even though all amps sound the same. So you have to throw out the amps that sound different because they don't prove the point that all amps sound the same. Even that $10k amp challenge thing that purports to "prove" that all amps sound the same explicity excludes certain topologies and devices in the test. Apparently, to prove that all amps sound the same you're not allowed to listen to ones that sound different.

Anyhow, yes, you'll get a dose of character with solid state, too. If you want a really nice sounding amp, put the $700 towards parts for a Beta22 and take a whack at building one. There are a lot of resources for builders and you won't have to make any excuses for it. That's a fine amp.

 

[plonter]

what do you guys think of RSA amps? any specific recommendation to one of his home amps?

 

[olblueyez]

Plonter, can ou tell us what you dont like about your micro amp and what kind of sound your looking for in a new amp?

 

[plonter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif Plonter, can ou tell us what you dont like about your micro amp and what kind of sound your looking for in a new amp?

thank you all for the kind comments,I like my ultra micro very much. but i just want to try a different sound, i got a little bored with it. headroom sound is the only sound i know so far.
like i said in my initial post,i am looking for kind of all arounder kind of amp, because i listen to electronics and metal/rock all together, so i want it to be balanced. not too warm (overbassy) and not to cold either, so i won't get shrieking highs with my RS-1 and the AHD5000 and get tired of it very quickly.