[The Quality Guru]

. . is in absolutely awesome condition; hardly any scratches and looks nearly new!! I just got it today, and it is quite large, albeit not as large as I had feared. Good news: it will fit on my dresser. And even more good news: when I opened the hood, I noticed that the tubes in the Melo are enscribed with "J/J" so I assume they are upgraded JJ Telsa tubes!!

The sound: I still need to let it warm up (so I have left it on, this is what I must do, correct?) but the sound via a Harman Kardon CDR20 --> Melos SHA-1 --> W100 is quite good. It has a certain smoothness and liquidity that is very realistic and smooth. Oh, vocals!! And instruments are very detailed. I might call the sound "seamless." I can't wait until it's warmed up, for it should be better then.

But, the only problem is that it demonstrates the shortcomings of the W100. Don't get me wrong, the W100 is a very good headphone IMO, but the HP-1 that I will hopefully have soon should whoop its ass. (Speaking of which, my mint condition W100's are for sale, in the FS/FT Forum)

Also, how are the RS-1's with this amp? If I can't get the HP-1's I was looking to buy, then the RS-1 were next on my list, followed by the HD-600+Cardas.

So, I'll let it warm up and I'll give an updated report in a few hours!

 

[puppyslugg]

Congrats!

When will the mods begin?

 

[Hirsch]

HP-1 is great with this amp. IMO RS-1 or the Sony CD3000 are not. The HD-600 sounds great, although IMO you don't need it with the Melos if you've got the HP-1. An alternative that I like with the Melos is the A100Ti, and the W2002 is even better. The W100 is the only one of the AT's I had that didn't get along with the SHA-1.

Bottom line, if you've got the SHA-1 and an HP-1, you really don't need to worry about another headphone. You've already got the best headphone for the amp. Try different tubes instead.

 

[williamgoody]

Hirsch, besides the HP-1, are there any of the Grado phones you recommend with the SHA-1?

 

[The Quality Guru]

Wow! Tube amps do sound better when they're warmed up! When I posted before, my Melos was literally "cold" because it was fresh from the cold FedEx truck. Now it is really rocking! Even with the W100's, which are, by Hirsch's account, not a great match for this amp. The sound has this subtle smoothness that is very beautiful along with a degree of detail and richness that I did not experience with the CHA-47 (duh).

Also, there is a slightly noticeable static-y "tick" when I increase the volume by one notch. When I first turn the amp on, the ticks are rather loud, and then after a few minutes the tick becomes very quiet, but noticeable. These "ticks" only occur when I turn up the volume, of course- when the amp's volume is not being adjusted it sounds awesome. So, is this normal or not? I've heard before (I think) that potentiometers sometimes have a little static when they are adjusted, and perhaps that's what happening here. Oddly enough, it only happens in the right channel. So, is it something normal?

 

[markl]

QG-- time to update your signature. Congrats, that's quite a step up!

Mark

 

[The Quality Guru]

Thanks, Markl. And good call on the updating of the signiture; just changed it. I will remove the "pseudo" in front of "reference rig" when I have procured a set of HP-1's and a Homegrown Audio Silver Lace IC. Then it will be worthy of such a title.

 

[The Quality Guru]

Quote:

Originally posted by The Quality Guru Also, there is a slightly noticeable static-y "tick" when I increase the volume by one notch. When I first turn the amp on, the ticks are rather loud, and then after a few minutes the tick becomes very quiet, but noticeable. These "ticks" only occur when I turn up the volume, of course- when the amp's volume is not being adjusted it sounds awesome. So, is this normal or not? I've heard before (I think) that potentiometers sometimes have a little static when they are adjusted, and perhaps that's what happening here. Oddly enough, it only happens in the right channel. So, is it something normal?

About this static-y "tick" that I hear with the first few incremental increases in volume: is it a an aging potentiometer- or is it the tube for the right channel? I'm just curious because I don't know if it's normal and I'm worried that it is something more serious than an aging pot or something with the tube . . . What do you guys think?

 

[braillediver]

Swapping tubes from left to right will help determine if the tube is the culprit?

 

[carlo]

q-guru,

just to clarify, is it a potentiometer or a stepped attenuator? as long as the sound after asjusting the volume is fine don't get too worked up over it, if the gets worse consider changing the pot/sa.

do try different tubes to make sure they aren't the problem.

best,
carlo.

(btw, the arrows in your system listing make more sense if they follow the direction of the signal

)

 

[Nick Dangerous]

The Grado RS-1 is not a good match with the Melos SHA-1?!?

I thought the Grado/Melos pair was spectacular. Jerikl's SR-125's sounded better with it than any other amp at the Dallas Head-Fi meeting in 2001.

FYI, I didn't like the Melos/W100 match either.

 

[The Quality Guru]

Good news! The static inbetween switches in volume has disappeared!!! It's really odd. When I just turn the amp on, there is fairly noticeable "stacato-like" static that emits a "ch" as you turn the volume up or down a notch. However, (if you move the volume knob up and down contintuously) gradually, over the course of a few minutes, the "ch" inbetween volume adjustment notches gets quieter and quiter until it cannot be heard at all. Really odd! It doesn't seen to be affecting the sound at all when I'm not adjusting the volume, so I'm happy- plus it does indeed disappear after a while. It looks like a new stepped attenuator or pot is in my future . . . Is anybody up for it?

Quote:

(btw, the arrows in your system listing make more sense if they follow the direction of the signal )

Carlo: Ahh; I did not notice that- thanks for pointing that out. It does definitely make more sense that way.

Quote:

just to clarify, is it a potentiometer or a stepped attenuator?

Carlo: When I opened the hood, I think I saw a nobel/noble pot. It's quite small, the pot, and I'm guessing it's quite old, too! Pots can increase the volume in increments, right- that's not only stepped attenuators is it? Or is there such thing as a "stepped potentiometer"?

Quote:

Bottom line, if you've got the SHA-1 and an HP-1, you really don't need to worry about another headphone. You've already got the best headphone for the amp. Try different tubes instead.

Hirsch: I'm looking forward to the HP-1+Melos combo, this is for sure! And you think I should try different tubes!! I thought Telsa's were rumoured to be good tubes to upgrade with! Aren't the stock tubes Sovtek's?

 

[carlo]

q-guru,

both increase volume, a stepped attenuator uses it with individual (or if its a series stepped attenuator, multiple) resistors for each volume setting. a potentiometer is a variable resistor, usually smooth in action - having it click into position is trippy to me... none of the nobel pots i've knowingly used (anthem and some sonic frontiers gear) were notched in the manner you speak of. i have no idea whats up with that.

i wouldn't worry about the age of the pot unless you have a channel imbalance.

best,
carlo.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Nick Dangerous The Grado RS-1 is not a good match with the Melos SHA-1?!? I thought the Grado/Melos pair was spectacular. Jerikl's SR-125's sounded better with it than any other amp at the Dallas Head-Fi meeting in 2001. FYI, I didn't like the Melos/W100 match either.

There are so many different SHA's, and a fair number of variants of the SHA-1, so that I probably should not have generalized. The RS-1 is not a particularly good match with the SHA-1 I have, but that doesn't necessarily imply that a different SHA-1 will get the same results.

 

[kerelybonto]

I'm already regretting passing on pigmode's Melos -- really, what kind of a freak passes on one at that price when at the same moment he's listening to his HP-2 out of a CDP's jack? Crazy ... although I'm still not sure where I would have put it. (I've seen the innards of that thing -- why'd they put it in such a big case? Just so it'd fit a rack?)

Glad you're liking yours, QG. I guess I'll get the chance to see how crazy I really am when the DC Area Head-Fi Meet rolls around.

kerely