[Born2bwire]

I'm planning to use a NAD CD-player hooked up to a headphone amp to listen to music ranging from rock to classical with a much heavier emphasis on rock. I'll probably use Grado 225's but I want to see if I like the Sennheiser HD580 first. Anyway, in my $200-$300 budget, I'm considering either a MG Head DT or a X-Can V2. I've seen some comments on the X-Can V2, but I haven't seen any reviews of the MG Head DT. Which of these two amps would you recommend or do you have a different tube amp that you would use? Oh yeah, I do plan to switch out the tubes if necessary for some NOS.

 

[chych]

MG Heads are absolutely horrible on Grados... that might affect your decision a little...

 

[Braver]

I wouldn't pair a Grado with an X-Can either...

 

[Born2bwire]

Is this a problem with the crappy Sovtek tubes? I've heard comments that the X-Can V2's perform poorly until you switched out the tubes. I'm willing to do this with either amp. Seeing as some people are saying that the X-Can's are great for Sennheiser, I would like to say that I am most likely to use Grado's.

 

[RGA]

I can't comment on how the Xcan performs with the Grados, but I can say that I was impressed with the MG Head mated to the Grado RS2. When I bought the Head, the RS2 was the headphone used to make sure everything worked...didn't want to make the 1 1/2 hour trip back if it didn't. I think the RS2s sounded wonderful. Now I only listened for about 10 minutes...but I thoroughly enjoyed what I heard. Put it this way I was not a fan of those cans to start with, but if I had heard this system to start with I might have bought it.

www.uhfmag.com has a review of the MG head. Look in their reading room and click on issue #58. They also review other ASL amps and it may give you an idea of how good the company is.

They are a print magazine that is better than just about any of the magazines...they have a 3 or more person panel reviewing each piece and they tell it like it is. Names like Linn, Castle, Bryston, Arcam, Copland, YBA have all taken a beating from time to time. Unlike other rags, they are not afraid to lose advertising...Arcam has not sent them products for years...and Paradigm is too afraid to start sending them anything. Paradigm couldn't buy them off.

 

[SumB]

I never did understand why some outfits refuse to provide products for fear of a single negative review.

Companies like Klipsch are kicking along as strong as ever in spite of being frowned upon by many audiophile publications.

Back to the topic - Do yourself a favour and forget either of these even exist if you intend on using Grado headphones!

 

[Born2bwire]

Ok, then if you don't recommend the X-Can or MG Head, would would you recommend that's $200-$300?

 

[Flumpus]

Well, for less than $200 you could get the Creek OBH-11. It works well with Grados, and sounds great for the money. For a little over that budget you could get the Creek OBH-11SE, which should be even better than the regular version...

 

[domer2004]

I was also considering the MG Head DT along with the Creek OBH-11SE for use with all my phones (240M, Allessandro Music Series I, and Sennheiser HD 570's). Please don't rag me about the 570's, they were my first pair of real headphones that I bought. I am not keeping them.

Therefore, how does the MG sound?

Brett

 

[RGA]

Frankly, in this price range and hearing the competition the Head is your best bet.

The MG Head has enough clean power to drive a tough can then it has enough to drive the easy ones...maybe even better. You can also upgrade the tubes.

The Head can drive the RS2s and drive them very well...The problem is that not too many places carry ASL so it will be tough for you to audition. While the Creek is good...and better than the more expensive Grado RA1 I think it's an inferior amp.

If you can listen to the Xcans then do that and see if you like the way it sounds if you do, then buy the Head since it is more defined in the bass and even more detailed in the mids.

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

The MG Head has enough clean power to drive a tough can then it has enough to drive the easy ones...maybe even better.

You would think... but the X-CAN (v1 & v2) sound great with the Senn HD600 (a very tough can) but sound poor with Grados (easy cans).

 

[Born2bwire]

I'm fortunate enough that there's a great store back home that carries Grado's line of headphones along with some Senn's. They also carry the MG Head. Just hope that they have the Creek so I can audition that with the Grado's. So, we'll see then.

 

[RGA]

Macdef.

Do you know if the Xcans are rated for high and low impedence? Then of coarse the question is does it only perform well in high impedence mode?

 

[KR...]

The X-Can V2 is a high impedence amp

 

[Joseph Lau]

How about MG-Head-S

. I had start to build a very low cost Solid state Headphone amps use NJM3866. Had any body have experience on this IC ? I also consider to additional a Digital surround on it. I just got a New IC from NJM and start to design PCB soon. Is any body like a Solid state Headphone amps with surround ? It will be very low cost with good material like Gold Plate RCA Jack , Gold Plate Neutrik style 1/4" Jack. Regulated Power supply by 7812 and 7912 , May be have 2 Input also. I hope to distributing less than US$100.