[maoci]

Which alternative would you choose? I calculate so because I don't want to spend more than 180$-200$. And do you preffer Go-vibe to PA2V2 if you consider that I already have HD 555s unamped and source is Chaintech AV-710 and I would eventually use this amp also with HD 555s? Or any other idea for me?
Thanks!

 

[PeeeMeS]

Why not sell the HD555s and get a higher end headphone?

 

[fierce_freak]

I would sell the HD555 and get the most expensive can I could get (325i, maybe?), then worry about amplification. All IMO/E, of course

 

[Jerome G]

Do you like the Grado sound ?
I can only speak for the 225's
I use them unamped and they sound great(although I would like to try an amp)
From what I've read, the Grados sound great with the go-vibe, though I don't think they are mad anymore, but there's one on sale on the FS forum for $65(I'm not the seller)
Many also seem to like the MS1(i.e. best bang for the buck), and I don't think they even need or benefit that much from an amp.

 

[F107plus5]

My Ms-1s work great without an amp if the source is good.

An amp is only needed with these guys to help clean-up the signal!

My CD player with an excellent output stage gives me excellent results, as does my main system receiver, but my mediocre PCDP gives me a signal which is, uh, mediocre. Plenty loud! No problem with volume; SQ suffers a bit, though.

 

[EscaBoi]

isn't anything over the SR80's basically sounds "blah" without an amp? or so i was told.

 

[Teerawit]

SR225 without an amp.

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EscaBoi isn't anything over the SR80's basically sounds "blah" without an amp? or so i was told.

I only have experience with the MS-1s in my particular source situation so I can't speak for everyone else. But the impression I think I got from reading these threads is that basically all of the SR- series work great without an amp, although an amp can certainly be benificial in filling out what the source can't supply on its' own.

The higher-up models may need an amp to better match a high quality signal to a higher quality 'phone. Then the fun of finding the one with the greatest synergy comes into play!

I'm sure the whole story is more elaborate than this, but that's the basis of it.

I think.

 

[Teerawit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EscaBoi isn't anything over the SR80's basically sounds "blah" without an amp? or so i was told.

The HF-1 (similar performance as the SR225) clearly is superior than the MS-1 even straight out of my ipod.

 

[PeeeMeS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by F107plus5 An amp is only needed with these guys to help clean-up the signal!

An amp degrades the signal

 

[penguindude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeeeMeS An amp degrades the signal

But it also boosts the signal strength.

 

[PeeeMeS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penguindude But it also boosts the signal strength.

That it does

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeeeMeS An amp degrades the signal

Agreed! An amp very well could degrade the signal. One could even say that by it's very nature, an amp will modify a signal in some way, and that by definition may be considered "degraded"!! It may be augmented and amplified, but it could very well be in worse shape than it was when it left the source! That very difference may be exactly what the user is looking or designing for: A more emphasised bass, or recessed mids, or...whatever.

I currently don't have an amp, and with my current set-up don't really need one(unless I use my mediocre portable)so I can't speak from experience. What I am trying to do, I guess, is paraphrase what I think I've read in these forums!

 

[EscaBoi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teerawit The HF-1 (similar performance as the SR225) clearly is superior than the MS-1 even straight out of my ipod.

I remember hearing the HF-1's for the first time, unamped and thought they sounded pretty bad, same with the SR325's. As soon as they were plugged into an amp...ahhhhh...EARGASM...

 

[Teerawit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EscaBoi I remember hearing the HF-1's for the first time, unamped and thought they sounded pretty bad, same with the SR325's. As soon as they were plugged into an amp...ahhhhh...EARGASM...

They sound fine to me unamped, and more value than the MS-1 amped, which was posed in the original question.