humanflyz
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2005
- Posts
- 1,772
- Likes
- 14
I just got my "last" source upgrade today, and it coincides with my becoming a headphone supremus (okay, you got me, I'm about 30 some posts over, but I think the timing is still right). I thought I'd show you guys where I started and where I ended up. If it shows one thing, it shows that the Curse runs strong.
1) Audio-Technica A900:
Second semester of college, I decided to get some closed headphones because I sleep way later than my roommate, so some isolation is in order. I joined in January of '05, right after my second semester started. And after doing "research", I decided to settle on the A900s. I was so excited when I got them and thought they were the best thing I've ever heard. Well, in hindsight, I realized that the AT sound is not for me.
2) Singlepower PPX3:
I didn't even know what a dedicated amplifier was before joining Head-Fi. Even more, I didn't even know people still used tubes to amplify stuff. I thought that stuff was used only in World War II computers. But this curiosity for what I considered to be "antique" technology eventually led to this. But when I first plugged in my A900, I was stunned. This, in hindsight, is I think where the Curse really began to take a hold of me.
3) AKG K701s:
Near the end of 2005, these babies were just being released. This was my first entry into "hi-fi". I couldn't resist the FOTM and pre-ordered them. When I plugged into my PPX3, it was another one of those "revelatory" moments in my journey. From then on, I realized that there is no escape.
4) AKG K1000s:
After the K701s, I just knew that I had to get the AKG's top of the line sound. So after buying them from a seemingly seedy auction on Ebay Australia, these arrived. When I first put them on, running them out of my then PPX3, I realized that THIS IS IT. I just knew, KNEW, that I would probably spend all my spare money building a rig around these. So then the journey kicked into another gear, descending further down the audiophile spiral.
5) Pass Labs Aleph 3:
Having heard good things about the Aleph 3 + K1000 combo, I scoured Audiogon for one. Again, this was one of those epiphanies that help define my personal journey in hi-fi. But then I realized that I needed a source, a real one, which then led to this next piece of acquisition.
6) Lavry DA10:
The Lavry made me a true believer in SOURCE FIRST. The direct-to-amp volume control was a really handy feature. This combo of Lavry DA10, Aleph 3, and K1000s made me realize just how much potential there was in music.
7) FirstWatt F1:
Everything I've read about the F1 says it would me a good match for the K1000s: after all, the F1 was designed explicitly with the intention of driving single-driver speakers, which is what the K1000s are in essence. And everyone I've talked to who have heard this combo was raving about it. And damn are they right!
8) Stello DP200:
All the talk about the Stello DAC made me do it, I swear. And I loved the sheer convenience of this unit: it has everything that I ever wanted: a real pre-amp, upsampling DAC, remote control, even a decent headphone output. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the Lavry and Stello, having never owned two hi-fi sources before. But surprisingly, I could, and I liked the Stello a bit better, and the features really pushed it over the top.
Which brings me back to the present:
My Esoteric DV-60 came in today, and now my system is complete. I am currently listening to the SACD of Ella and Louis, and "Cheek to Cheek" has never sounded better.
Looking back, I felt that I made sensible choices along the way, having never succumbed to anything too crazy or outrageous. Every upgrade I've ever made I felt was worth the price increase. I made my decision after a lot of research, common sense thinking, and just good advice from the people on Head-Fi. I've largely avoided any disappointments with my equipment, and most of all, finally LISTENED to music. I used to listen to 128k Napster downloaded MP3s on my iPod, but now my CD collection is in the hundreds, and I've learned to appreciate music that I would've never imagined in my younger days.
So you can say that my journey toward Supremus yielded a lot of rewards. And what's in the next 1500 posts? Well, I am eyeing a pair of HP2s...
1) Audio-Technica A900:
Second semester of college, I decided to get some closed headphones because I sleep way later than my roommate, so some isolation is in order. I joined in January of '05, right after my second semester started. And after doing "research", I decided to settle on the A900s. I was so excited when I got them and thought they were the best thing I've ever heard. Well, in hindsight, I realized that the AT sound is not for me.
2) Singlepower PPX3:
I didn't even know what a dedicated amplifier was before joining Head-Fi. Even more, I didn't even know people still used tubes to amplify stuff. I thought that stuff was used only in World War II computers. But this curiosity for what I considered to be "antique" technology eventually led to this. But when I first plugged in my A900, I was stunned. This, in hindsight, is I think where the Curse really began to take a hold of me.
3) AKG K701s:
Near the end of 2005, these babies were just being released. This was my first entry into "hi-fi". I couldn't resist the FOTM and pre-ordered them. When I plugged into my PPX3, it was another one of those "revelatory" moments in my journey. From then on, I realized that there is no escape.
4) AKG K1000s:
After the K701s, I just knew that I had to get the AKG's top of the line sound. So after buying them from a seemingly seedy auction on Ebay Australia, these arrived. When I first put them on, running them out of my then PPX3, I realized that THIS IS IT. I just knew, KNEW, that I would probably spend all my spare money building a rig around these. So then the journey kicked into another gear, descending further down the audiophile spiral.
5) Pass Labs Aleph 3:
Having heard good things about the Aleph 3 + K1000 combo, I scoured Audiogon for one. Again, this was one of those epiphanies that help define my personal journey in hi-fi. But then I realized that I needed a source, a real one, which then led to this next piece of acquisition.
6) Lavry DA10:
The Lavry made me a true believer in SOURCE FIRST. The direct-to-amp volume control was a really handy feature. This combo of Lavry DA10, Aleph 3, and K1000s made me realize just how much potential there was in music.
7) FirstWatt F1:
Everything I've read about the F1 says it would me a good match for the K1000s: after all, the F1 was designed explicitly with the intention of driving single-driver speakers, which is what the K1000s are in essence. And everyone I've talked to who have heard this combo was raving about it. And damn are they right!
8) Stello DP200:
All the talk about the Stello DAC made me do it, I swear. And I loved the sheer convenience of this unit: it has everything that I ever wanted: a real pre-amp, upsampling DAC, remote control, even a decent headphone output. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the Lavry and Stello, having never owned two hi-fi sources before. But surprisingly, I could, and I liked the Stello a bit better, and the features really pushed it over the top.
Which brings me back to the present:
My Esoteric DV-60 came in today, and now my system is complete. I am currently listening to the SACD of Ella and Louis, and "Cheek to Cheek" has never sounded better.
Looking back, I felt that I made sensible choices along the way, having never succumbed to anything too crazy or outrageous. Every upgrade I've ever made I felt was worth the price increase. I made my decision after a lot of research, common sense thinking, and just good advice from the people on Head-Fi. I've largely avoided any disappointments with my equipment, and most of all, finally LISTENED to music. I used to listen to 128k Napster downloaded MP3s on my iPod, but now my CD collection is in the hundreds, and I've learned to appreciate music that I would've never imagined in my younger days.
So you can say that my journey toward Supremus yielded a lot of rewards. And what's in the next 1500 posts? Well, I am eyeing a pair of HP2s...
