[Ymer]

Actually, a multitude of sources. My Terratec EWX 24/94 is the main source though. But besides it, there's my Turntable (from my integrated amp's tape) and a forthcoming CD player (either Rega 2000 or MMF CD25).

But if it is a much better amp then the others mentioned... it should do a great job with any of those sources, right?

Highflyin: If it's a much better amp then the others mentioned, $50 extra will definitely not hurt

 

[rayofsi]

the ppa is a better amp compared to a pimeta and gilmore lite
from what i heard

 

[Ymer]

But if I go this high up ... which is the best option, the PPA or one of the Cordas? Or one of the MG Heads?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Another vote for Gilmore Lite. Can't go wrong with one, so gorgeous it is.

 

[prisoner #6]

Ymer,

You've gotten a lot of good advice here so far. I'm sure your head's spinning about now.

I've no doubt that any of these choices would give you great sound. I worry, though, that you might be setting yourself up for disappointment, expecting one of these new amps to blow your mind. Be careful--it's not always so. The conventional wisdom is that headphone choices and source choices usually have a greater impact on the overall sound than the amp.

It sounds like you've got a pretty good amp already with your Marantz integrated, especially if the difference between it and the OBH-11 is so night-and-day. (Disclaimer: I'm an OBH-11 owner, and I don't find the amp lacking at all, especially with the OBH-2 power supply). IMO, if the Marantz is that good, any future differences are going to be incremental, rather than earth-shattering. That's not to say that $300 won't get you a significant upgrade over what you've got, but if you're expecting a dramatic, life-changing difference, you might be as disappointed as when you sent your Marantz head-to-head against the Creek.

 

[Ymer]

Truly is. But I really want to figure out wether the PPA is worth the price, in comparison to the gorgeous Gilmore Lite, MG Head, Corda, Pimeta... the other options. Come on, more feedback please!

 

[kent1146]

Get in touch with JMT at http://www.jmtaudio.com and have him build you a maxed out PiMeta w/Burr-Brown OPA627 op-amps or a JMT-built PPA.

You also will probably do well with a Larocco PPA w/diamond buffers (http://laroccoaudio.com).

If I could choose for you, I'd say go with JMT. Jon's the man.

 

[navman]

Excellent amp.

And if you want a nice warm sound go for the World Audio Design HD80.
You can set up impedence to match whatever headphones you have.

 

[BlindTiger]

Is the Creek that bad of an amp? I would like a new hp amp and this one is really reasonably priced at $200. less $10 with coupon. The only other amp I can think of is a META 42 but correct me if I'm wrong but this isn't a commercially available item. I'm talking in the $200 range.

 

[Ymer]

It's not really bad. I enjoy it and all. But after I found out the audio out in my integrated amp sounds just like it, I want something else that sounds better.

It has served me well for about 6 months now.

 

[Gopher]

I don't think the OBH-11 is as bad as people dub it. It does a nice job IMO with AKG K-501s, but sucks hard with sennheisers.

I personally would throw that $300 at Ray Samuels new portable amp. I think it'll go close to your price range and felt at home with much higher quality gear.

 

[Ymer]

The OBH-11 doesn't suck hard with Sennheiser HD580s/600s though.

 

[Dan the audioman]

I agree with Gopher. Wait around for Ray's new sr-71 to come out.

Both of us heard it when Ray brought it to the Chicago meet. Everyone there who heard it was shocked at the great sound coming out of this little amp no larger than a pack of cigarettes!...but don't let the size fool you, it competes with many full size amps.

Regards,
Dan

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ymer The OBH-11 doesn't suck hard with Sennheiser HD580s/600s though.

What it does is present a high output impedance to Sennheiser HD580/600s. That gives you a boosted bass and otherwise un-neutral sound... nice to some people's ears, but it's not very reflective of what the music really sounds like.

Anyways, I can only report my own experience once again. When I had the OBH-11, people were telling me not to bother buying a Meta42 because I likely wouldn't get much of an improvement. My personal experience is that I heard a major improvement with a maxed out Meta42 over the OBH-11. Whether or not you will is a matter of your own ears, but I say "go for it..." get something else in the under-$300 range and I don't think you'll be disappointed. If you are, you can just sell whatever you buy at a relatively small loss, and at least you have the experience to know about it.

 

[Ymer]

I'm very thankful for all the feedback thus far... but I'm getting really confused.

I thought the PPA highflyin9 suggested (an entry model PPA from ITZBITZ for $350 http://audio.campcreations.com/ ) would be the best, especially since it costs $350. But after that suggestion, there are still people suggesting the Gilmore Lite, the maxed Pimeta and now Ray Samuels new portable amp and World Audio Design HD80.

Are all of those really in the same league? It's starting to get a bit hard to make a decision.

Just a reminder: the headphones in mind must be the Sennheiser HD580s, I'm looking for the best match for it.