One Amp for GS-1000 and Ultrasone E9

[fallow81]

Hey

I have GS-1000 but in the very near future also E9.
I want to use both for some time, then decide which one will stay.

Currently I am RS2 and HD 25-1 user.

Please advice me which amps will be best for combo 1 and 2

1) RME HDSP9632 as source, GS-1000 as Headphones, amp ??
2) RME HDSP9632 as source, Ultrasone E9 as Headphones, amp ??

in RME HDSP 9632 I can use both balanced and non-balanced output.

RME HDSP 9632 is rather good music interface, detaliled without any smoothness - as need in home studio or semi pro studio.

So I think maybe I should go for the lamps ?

My types are:
- Yamamoto HA-02 which I read has good synergy with GS-1000 but range is little cuted on top and bottom - Really deep bas extension is important for me so Im little addraid of this. Also good low bas energy and impact are welcome. GS-1000 will be with standard cable, so I think highs can be little smoooothed

No idea about synergy with UE9
- RudiStor NX-33 - as I know very good transparency and really good extension in both lows and highs. But can it be good with RME HDSP ? However very good synergy with UE9. No idea about GS-1000
- RudiStor RPX-33 - against NX-33 is the thing that it hasnt balanced mode. Good extension and impact. Im affraid about too harsh highs with GS-1000 and RME HDSP 9632.
- RSA Predator...
- Corda Opera....

Budget for the amp is 1000-1500 USD.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[tarobyte]

fallow, I have the Yamamoto & Grado and quite like the GS1000 combo. I also have the W1000 which the HA-02 was voiced with and still think the GS1000 is superior. I withold final judgement until I get my source sorted - will have a DAC1 USB in the loop in a few days.

slwiser uses the UE9 with the Yammy and seems to like it alot with his Lavry DA10

 

[slwiser]

I have two of the Yamamoto's just to let you have a feel about how I think about them. One for my computer area and one for my easy chair setup. I feed both my Yamamoto's with my Lavry DA10. All the Yamamoto's and Lavry's are powered by good cables as well. I suggest at least an basic IeGO PC. They go for about 65$ not including shipping. I also use good ICs between the Lavry and Yamamoto. You can see my sig for details there.

The Yamamoto is very musical and involving while being very detailed more-so than some SS amps. Here is a link to a comparison I did of the Yamamoto HA-02 with the Berning micro-ZOTL and Audio Technica AT-HA5000 Solid State amp built for the ATH-W5000 that I had at the time and subsequently sold after getting the Edition 9. The Yamamoto is designed for a low impedance headphone and the W5000, W1000, UE9 and GS1000 all meet this criteria. I probably did not put enough effort into writing this up but maybe it will do.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/3343108-post746.html

Here is another link where the Yamamoto HA-02 was found compared with several other pieces of equipment:

Singapore Headphone Meet 2007 Impressions! - SGHeadphones

 

[blessingx]

Put more weight behind the opinions of those that have lived with the Yama, but my one experience (and it was short) with it and the GS1Ks would not be the direction I would go.

The Grados need fixin' in the midrange and some tube combos work better there than others. I had both phones (Ed.9s since sold to go electrostatic), but usually used different amps with them. Eventually settled on the Singlepower Extreme for both because of the various tube combos. Another possibility might be the WA6 LE and pick up a few rectifiers to bubble up the midrange when needed. The best I've heard the GS1Ks, inexpensively, was the stock WA6 with different 5U4x rectifiers. Don't know how the Ed.9s would sound with them, but I suspect some output tube would work.

 

[slwiser]

I did a search on the Grado GS1000 and Yamamoto HA-02 and could not find anything so this combo may not be best for that headphone as blessingx suggested but it sure works for the UE9.

 

[tarobyte]

There isn't much info to be sure - this post caught my eye though.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/k10...ch-but-256447/
The poster seems to have experience with a good array of equipment including the OP combo.

I am beginning to suspect I may have strange ears. I also like the GS1000 direct out of the Benchmark DAC1 USB headphone amp - which I think may be another non-recommended combo

 

[ldj325]

I see by your sig that you went for the NX-33. I've had one for little over a year. IMO its a great little amp. I have the balanced Senn 650, and I felt it worked very well in combo. But my favorite is the balanced Edition 9s--very, very nice. But have no idea how the NX would do with the GS-1000. What is your experience of this combination?

I didn't see a mention of it, but I assume you are running balanced Senn 650 and Edition 9s. If not you are not getting all that amp can offer.

I've enjoyed the NX-33 so much that I've decided to move up to the RPX-100. I'm hoping for even more of the same goodness.