[lan]

This was just me and jjcha at his place. Thanks for letting me drop by. I brought my modded Overture DAC and Grado HF-1.

Sources were his stock overture, chord DAC64, Grace m902. Transports were Chord Blue and iriver IHP140.

Headphones were PS1, HF1, SA5000, and Qualia. Oh yeah and K1000. Now I'm remembering more Audio Technica W2002 and someother old one.

Amp was Grace m902 and modded Tamp for K1000.

HF-1 vs. PS-1. PS-1 had more bass. The soundstage has more depth but this sort of made the sound far away. What pads were on these??? I forgot. I prefer Grado sound like the "normal" Grados and more upfront. HF-1 were more upfront and the bass had moments of being turned off. PS-1 bass was sort of non stop at times.

overture, vs overture, vs m902, vs chord as source. Either of the overtures was more dynamic sounding and had wider soundstage than the other two sources. I prefered the Overture's presentation. As for actual quality, it was inconclusive today. More time needs to be spent listening

This was the first time I heard the Tamp although modded. It was ok with K1000. It definitly had bass and the treble was a bit too much in some combo of equipment.

Qualia. I wasn't digging this headphone in any combination of things. This was a strange experience. My previous Qualia experiences have been more positive.

Grace m902. It was a good unit. Not as detailed and smooth as I'd like in a source but a versatile piece of equipment.

Synergy is important. Out of all the combos, I prefer using the Grace m902 with Tamp->K1000 and SA5000 out of it's jack.

Audio Technica W2002. I wasn't into this headphone. It seemed colored.

The other Audio Technica. I preferred this one. It clearer and had punch.

Well I think that's it for the short impressions. I know not very detailed but this was in less than optimal conditions and was fairly short meet. 3 hours?

--lan

 

[Jahn]

Thank you for NOT inviting me today! I was so busy up till right now - the 2nd stab at getting a passport for my kid, my wife had me pushing that baby cart from battery park to Soho and back - and thru the San Genero festival TWICE lol (we saw the world's smallest horse in a freak show for a buck - cute.) Sunday the hits keep coming - visiting her friends shuttling the kid back while she goes and gets a spa treatment- what am I, chopped liver? well at least when the baby takes a nap i can slip on the tunes!

cool impressions!

 

[lan]

Are you planning a vacation with the kid soon?

I missed this festival. I was ill the last few days and I'll be busy tomorrow at another one. Had to have a meet now. Can't keep waiting. Don't worry there will probably be another meet next weekend or the week after.

Why don't you go to the spa also?

 

[Oski]

Lan needed his fix and Jason's place, with all the cool equipment, is like the audio crack den. Good to see the Overture hold its own aganst sources that are 5x more expensive.

I'm still waiting for TTVJ to send the Meier HA2 Mk.II (never heard back from Todd this week despite my email to him last week), then we should get together again in a week or two.

 

[jjcha]

Hey, definitely was a fun micro-meet. Gotta say, the star of the day was the HeadRoom Overture. lan's modded unit definitely outperformed my stock one on the highs - just more open, airy, defined and sweet sounding out of the K 1000/modded T-Amp, though I don't think I'd say the Overture + T-Amp + K 1000 is the most natural sounding combination.

I'll say it - the T-Amp, even modded with a regulated power supply drives the K 1000 okay, but I can see it doing better. I'd want a more liquid midrange and a more natural sounding treble. I'm glad lan also concurred that the Grace as a source does make this little set-up sound pretty good - I think it's at least fairly synergistic. But I suspect other sources/amps would make the K 1000 shine. So much potential in those phones...

My Chord source was all over the place! I'm listening to it now (with the upgraded HeadRoom Coda as amp!) and with the Qualia 010 - I don't like it. It's too bright - something I never thought I'd say of either the Chord or Coda. I don't know if it's the amp or source, but either way, it's not fun to listen to. I'm thinking it's the source, because this last week I've had trouble getting the Chord + Grace + Qualia sounding good. Some tracks it's sounds good, others, just terribly bright all over again. Anyway, I know the Chord ain't that bad (even if it's terribly overpriced) so more listening/exploring is in order.

What's really interesting is that for so long I was just listening to the iRiver (as transport) + Grace (as DAC and amp) + Qualia and I like that combo a heck of a lot. Maybe the Qualia just doesn't like the Chord. What's weird is that the SA5k and PS-1 sound better (I think) with the Chord as source, over the Grace's internal DAC, but 'dunno bout those 010...

I liked the HF-1. It did kind of remind me of everything I liked about the RS-1. I guess though I'm used to the PS-1 which just sounds more substantial to me. Has more body. I dunno, I have issues with the RS-1 and HF-1 that make it I'm not running out of the door to buy either, despite how much I like them. Still, I liked the HF-1 a lot, and for $200 and what it represents, I'd be tempted to get one... at least if I didn't have a PS-1. It definitely represents the classic Grado sound very well.

Hey! Yet another person who, at least on brief listen, liked the W10VTG over the W2002! I don't know what this says - that the W10VTG isn't a bad phone for what it is (10 years old, not a great performer at all, terribly colored, terribly flawed) or that the W2002 just sucks for what was a "high-end" phone. Oops, I shouldn't say that too loudly, because one of these days my W2002 will go on the auction block.

Anyway, as usual, learned a lot. Really glad to have lan over and hear his thoughts on the gear. Things get interesting in a month or so when the HE90 + Mystery amp ought to be ready...

Best,

-Jason

 

[Jahn]

oh i forgot about your AT woodies! i never heard any, i'm definitely going to have to give those a go! BTW folks you heard Pinkie for the last time, Pinkie is on the way to Jersey for some Campus lovin'. I haven't sealed the deal on the replacement, so i'll report in when i do - let's just say if i lugged both my electrostat and future dynamic rigs to a meet, i'd get a hernia, even without the Dell desktop lol!

 

[jjcha]

I can't believe you sold Pinkie! I think I know who got them too... at least she's going to a good home. Heh, I'm looking for a headphone amp right now... Grace's getting a bit of lan-loving (dude, some "clear tape" better be a part of the equation!) so I'm kind of ampless right now... Hmm wonder how good the AE-1 is with the 010, though Romanee's doing the portables roundtable right now.

As for woodie love - dude, I need to get a L3000... that is a fantastic phone, the rest of the woodie love doesn't compare. I think you guys would like it - I knew I should have gotten one in Tokyo while I had the chance...

I'm still convinced - Sony notebook computer + Shure E4c synergy! Didn't get a chance to have someone else listen to it yet. It's all about the illusion of detail baby!!

Best,

-Jason

Postscript: But MOST importantly, lan's gotta set us up with K 1000 chickie goodness! There's gotta be other picts from the shoot!!! Maybe even a wardrobe malfunction!

 

[Jahn]

Yeah I'm looking at poor Pinkie right now, all doubleboxed and ready to go, and I'm already having seller's remorse. What if the next amp doesn't have the same kind of synergy? Why am I leaving a good thing? Man I'm just a good for nothin' audio vagabond!

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha the Grace as a source does make this little set-up sound pretty good - I think it's at least fairly synergistic. I'm listening to it now (with the upgraded HeadRoom Coda as amp!) and with the Qualia 010 - I don't like it. It's too bright - something I never thought I'd say of either the Chord or Coda. Hey! Yet another person who, at least on brief listen, liked the W10VTG over the W2002!

Yes is was synergistic.

I think you need some power conditioning mojo. We didn't try the Coda with my power supply. You should burn it in. I think it needs it.

I should've taken the W10VTG for trials.

Maybe next time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oski Good to see the Overture hold its own aganst sources that are 5x more expensive.

The Grace is more than a source though so price comparisions are not totally fair.

 

[jjcha]

Eh, what amp are you gonna use for the Darth-ness and HF-1??

Best,

-Jason

 

[Oski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn Yeah I'm looking at poor Pinkie right now, all doubleboxed and ready to go, and I'm already having seller's remorse.

I'm quite surprised that you got rid of Pinkie with all the mods that went into it and its synergistic mating with your HP-2s. Really, the level of detail that came from the Miles and Clapton tracks were quite eye opening.

I hope the amp you were looking to get is still on stand by for you once you seal this sale.

As a new dad to both a baby and all the new gear, I think it's time for a mini van to get your family and equipment around town. Think about it, a mobile micro meet...

 

[Oski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lan I think you need some power conditioning mojo.

Yeah Jason, especially with your stuff setup between the fridge and micro wave. NYC power sucks big time.

 

[lan]

Pinkie needs a moment of silence...

A mini van? I was thinking more along let's rent a stretch hummer for a meet

If I procure those other K1000 pictures, you cannot give them to anyone else. Promise?

 

[Jahn]

I'm serious, I don't think even a suitcase is going to do this time, hehe! I need a forklift, or highjack Bozebutton's fresh Caddy ride.

The HF-1 is going to be in the Portable rig, so it'll make do with the GoVibe V3. Take that, John Grado cans!

Darth Grado and Darth Beyer are waiting for the Death Star...hopefully by next next week!

And yeah Lan and Pinkie really made that Solo a beast, and so detailed as well, yet having that punch and impact undiminished - what the heck am I doing?

 

[jjcha]

Oh before I forget, can I just say, I have never met anyone able to critically listen to gear to JPop as crappy as mine! Holy cow, how anyone could listen to that much SPEED and speak intelligently about sonic characteristics without running to the hills, I'll never know...

Best,

-Jason