[tkam]

I went to the meet hosted by Thaddy today it was a great time. It was a pretty small meet but there was some good gear there and the people were great. I'll post pics and impressons later.

 

[Thaddy]

Yes I just arrived home at my parents house. I'm going to spend some time unpacking and such, as well as gathering my thoughts. I'll be looking forward to seeing some pics later, as well as posting my impressions!

Hopefully Jose Perez and gsferrari make it home safely, it's been snowing all day.

 

[GlowWorm]

Well, this was my 1st Head-Fi meet, and it was a very enjoyable experience I must say. You couldn't hope to meet a nicer bunch of guys, and the fact that there was some exellent cans and gear to hear was just an added bonus.

Thanks Thaddy for being such a gracious host, and for help making it a good time for all who attended. Will post further impressions once I've gathered my thoughts.

 

[Jose Perez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thaddy Yes I just arrived home at my parents house. I'm going to spend some time unpacking and such, as well as gathering my thoughts. I'll be looking forward to seeing some pics later, as well as posting my impressions! Hopefully Jose Perez and gsferrari make it home safely, it's been snowing all day.

Made it home safe and sound, thanks again for hosting

 

[Thaddy]

Well, since my main setup consists of the AV-710 and HD580's, I wanted to spend some time with tkam's Music Hall Maverick, his PPA (nicer than mine

), and GS's HD650's + Oehlbach cables. I was pretty confident that any differences would be very easy for me to pick out, as I was very used to the Sennheiser sound.

First, I gave the HD650's a shot with my own source and amp, and quickly noticed a few refinements they hold over the HD580's. I'd say the improvements were pretty much all across the frequency range, most notibly the bass. They seemed to have much more of a controlled lower end, it was quicker and tighter. Is it worth the extra money over the 580's? I'm not sure yet...

Stepping up to tkam's source and amp, as well as the SACD version of Dark Side of the Moon, I was greeted with a MUCH smoother sound. Compared to the AV-710, his Maverick sounded worlds more natural and relaxing. I would even go as far as saying the AV-710 (and probably my MP3's) were bright compared to my AV710/PPA. This was not apparent with the Maverick and PPA. Soundstage was not much of an improvement over the HD580's while using my source/amp, but I noticed better positioning when using the Maverick/PPA. Now, later on I'll get to the CD3K/HP1's, and how impressed I was with those

Oh, and for clarification, my PPA was using the Intersil buffers and an Elpac PSU. I had the Glassman buffers previosly, but unfortunant events occured and now I'm with the Intersils

tkam's PPA had a DACT stepped attenuator, Glassman buffers, and a STEPS PSU

 

[tkam]

Here's some pics I'll add captions later.

 

[Thaddy]

I hope everyone like the interior decorating job that I've done

 

[skitlets]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thaddy I hope everyone like the interior decorating job that I've done

I'm sure that alone was worth the trip

 

[tyrion]

It's nice to see that my old Eddie Current HD300 is still looking good. It looks like you guys had a good time. I want to know how many times Guru told people to be quiet. The Florida Headfi contingent have a pool going. The high low was 10.

 

[andrzejpw]

sorry I couldn't make it. I'll try for the summer meet (right?)

 

[gsferrari]

First of all I would like to thank Thaddy for hosting this meet. I am happy to say that it was just as awesome as all the meet's I have had the pleasure of attending.


The day before the meet there was some uncertainty because of the weather. Jose had graciously agreed to give me a lift but he was concerned about poor weather conditions and, given the bad experiences I have had with the white stuff, I was hoping for sunshine and rainbows

Jose picked me up and we drove down to the meet but not before taking a few wrong turns (thanks to your's truly

Jose had no idea what he was getting into when he entrusted me with navigation...I get distracted easy

).

Meeting guys like Thaddy, Tkam, GlowWorm and the others was an awesome experience. These are people I have come to know via the forums but it is always nice to associate a face with the name. In typical HeadFi tradition I have no idea what their first and last names are...I am planning to have a new passport re-issued with "gsferrari" on the name box

Since the gear count was moderate the setup time was short and I think everyone was ready to begin within 15-20 minutes...We had a late arrival = GlowWorm

LOL

With everything under way I zeroed in on the reason why I decided to come to this meet at any cost - the Headphile CD-3000 with the HP-1000 drivers. This headphone belongs to tkam and my initial impressions are :-

The HP-1000 drivers in the woody CD-3000 "open" shell creates an entirely new headphone. It doesnt sound like the HP1000 series...and it doesnt sound like a CD-3000. It combines the best of both worlds. The hybrid has the same AWESOME soundstage of the CD-3000...it is simply magnificent...envelopes the listener completely...I doubt even the K1000 is up to these standards and the CD-3000 comfort is a HUGE plus. In addition to the improved soundstage - the HP-1000 drivers give the headphones a more controlled sound without the sony sibilance. This is a headphone you can listen to without a break...easily the least fatiguing headphone I have ever heard.

Now can you imagine anyone saying this of the CD-3000 or the HP-1000 as they are??

The Hybrid sounds very relaxed and lacks the impact of the HP-1000. I detest the stock CD-3000 sound and dont even consider it as part of the comparison. Bass is comparable to the HP-1000 with a little more lower end extension. The midrange sounds a bit recessed and the hybrid falls behind the HP-1000 in the detail department. Not by much however because I rate it on par with the Senn HD-650 on the detail scale...

The overall signature of the hybrid can be summed up as follows :-

* Excellent Bass
* Midrange is on par with HD-650
* Treble is smooth and has the typical Grado "tone" without the ultra-resolution
* Detail is on par with the HD-650 but falls short of the Grado SR-225, HP-1000 standard. But this is not a bad thing and some people may actually prefer it.
* Soundstage is probably the best among any headphone I have heard...R10, K1000...nothing comes close to this...it is truly AMAZING!!

More later...

 

[gsferrari]

[size=small]JMT PPA :-
[/size]

The PPA is unfortunately an under-performer in my book. Not this one. I dont know if it is because of the Glassman Buffers OR the DACT attenuator OR the TEPS PSU but this is a butt-kicker of an amp.

Tkam's primary amp - the PPA is a solid performer and has raised the amount of respect I had for the PPA by a HUGE margin. This amplifier performed well with the HD-650 and the woody CD-3000 with Sony drivers. I did not like the hybrid CD-3000 + HP-1000 out of this amplifier because it sounded smudged over.

The bass boost is a nice option to have but it blots over the rest of the spectrum and I would rather NOT use it. I never got around to understanding how the crossfeed switches were set up but I found one setting that sounded good and left it at that.

I could live with an amp like this...very versatile...

But if I am to get a hybrid CD-3000 Woody + HP-1000 like Tkam's then I will have to look elsewhere for my amp requirements.




[size=small]MELOS - SHA :[/size]

This is my first time with this amp and boy oh boy is it an awesome match for the Grado <insert series...doesnt matter which one

> Headphone!!!

It is a HUGE rackmount though and I will need to compare with the Berning MicroZOTL before making a decision. The sound reminded me of a Sugden Headmaster with "audible" bass...the Melos had plenty of bass and I believe it is one of the top amps you can buy for under $1000.00

Why isnt this amp more popular around here?

It is better than my Gilmore V2-BE and the HPA-1 by a BIG margin...


[size=small]Eddy Current HD-300 :[/size]


This is round 2 with this amplifier. The last time I heard it was when it belonged to Tyrion at the South Florida meet. I liked it then but I like it a LOT more now. When I first heard it I thought it sounded congested but passably so. It sounded better than the PPX3 6SN7 then and in its current "tuberolled" and "burnt-in" configuration I think it can annihilate the PPX3 in all areas.

This amplifier looks and sounds like a winner with almost every headphone I could throw at it. There was a slight "hum" with the CD-3000 but that headphone will hum if you hold the jack up in the air and wave it around a bit

I am a BIG fan of the EC product lineup and their newest headphone amp (The HUGE moth audio amp that Tyrion currently has in his possession) is another winner...but this is for another thread

LOL

 

[gsferrari]

[size=small]AKG K-501 :[/size]


These are not the new ones that people are raving about...but they sound pretty darn good all the same. They are larger than I thought they would be and they share the "house" sound with the AKG-K271 Pro...which is a good thing because I like the K-271 sound immensely.

Excellent detail and speed with a slight lack of Bass depth. It is not something that bothers me because the midrange is probably one of the sweetest in the business...I prefer the K501 mids over the HD-650 midrange...which is shocking to me because the HD-650, even after the meet, remain one of the top cans in my list.

The HD-650 does everything well and does bass and detail exceptionally. The K-501 does detail and mids well but suffers on other fronts (all relative to the HD-650).

But looking at the price difference...my brain is working overtime

LOL




[size=small]Sennheiser HD-595's :[/size]


I was re-united with the first headphone that featured in my "HATE" list and it was not a pleasant experience. I spent a few minutes with this headphone on the HD-300, Gilmore V2-BE, Melos SHA and PPA and I think it mates best with the PPA and Bass Boost.

I still find it exceedingly dull, dry and desolate...like an arid desert during a midsummer afternoon sandstorm...

How a $200.00 something headphone can sound this boring is beyond me

[size=small]i-Audio M3 / iRiver IHP-120 :[/size]


I like the M3. Looks good, feels well made but is HARD to use. Oh man...took me several minutes to figure it out...The IHP120 is no piece of cake either and both these DAP's will severely test the patience of an iPod graduate

I prefer the Rio interface and database system. I like the M3's remote control but the fact that it needs the dock for line out is a shame. This is where the iRiver steps forward with a line out on the DAP itself.

However - both players sounded harsh playing lossless files. Compared to FLAC out of a Rio Karma these players sound harsh with plenty of glare.

 

[Jose Perez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skitlets I'm sure that alone was worth the trip

Thaddy should have had a sign at the door that said "Welcome to the Pittsburgh Head-Fi meet, sorry about your wallet"

I came there looking for a new amp to mate with my K501's and, unfortunately for my wallet, I found one. After about 30 seconds of listening to GlowWorm's HD300 and I knew I HAD to have one. I listened to it hooked into his Marantz CD source and the synergy between the two was nothing short of incredible. boodi if you're listening, the is THE amp for your K501's. I was smiling the whole time I listened and kept on listening. That find alone was worth the trip there.

Speaking of the trip down, could it have snowed any more?

gsferrari and I made it down there and back in one piece but the roads were harsh and very dangerous, especially on the return trip. All the blowing snow made for some tense moments.

Anyways here's my take of the whole meet:

Everyone was incredibly cool to hang with for the day, gsferrari was a gret person to be stuck in a car for 5 hours with, Thank you so much to Thaddy for the great job he did of putting together this meet with an awesome selection of equipment to demo in a short time.

As far as the equipment, I got to play with the following:
[size=medium]Sources:[/size]
tkam's MusicHall Maverick SACD
all I can say about it is...drool

thaddy's chaintech & foobar equipped PC
this is one well behaved computer setup and sounded very clean. Definitely not the harsh sound I've gotten accustomed to hearing from a PC

my own azur 640c
well what do you think I'm going to say about my own source? Of course I think it rocks.

GlowWorm's Marantz CD source
no wonder these are very popular for modding. Very clean sound and easy to control.

I didn't get to listen to the gsferrari's Sony SACD changer or any of his Gilmore amps. With him living a mile away I suspect I'll be able to get another opportunity to audition them before too long

btw, IMO this is not the most ideal setting to critique the sound of a source as the sound differences are usually subtle and tough to discern in such a busy atmosphere.

[size=medium]Amps[/size]
Thaddy's PPA
This was the first PPA I listened to and I quickly saw why so many head-fi'ers recommend these. Lots of musicality in that amp and very little coloration of the music.

tkam's PPA
well this unit took everything that thaddy's PPA did well and refined it. I loved the DACT stepped atenuator, the tons of headroom, the very strong transient response, and the shear power made me a believer

my MG Head OTL-H
Well I've found that this amps isn't well mated with my k501's but when you plug in the Senn hd-580's, 600's, or 650's then WHAM, it really comes to life. I love the large tube sound and the clean output at high volumes with the 300ohm senns.

The Headroom MAX
This amp did absolutely NOTHING to the signal other than make it larger and I loved it for that. I tend to flinch from some of Headroom's prices but listening to this amp shows me axactly why they charge what they do. IMO this was the only amp I listened to that didn't add its own "sound" to the music played through it

Melos SHA-1
its absolutely stunning cosmetic design warned me that I was in for some serious fun and I was not disappointed. A close second to the MAX as far as clean ouput power

gsferrari's SR-71
I thought my little META42 did a great job until I listened to this unit. I thought the sound coloration I heard through my META42 was due to the compression from CD to OGG but when I plugged in the SR-71 I saw that the ogg vorbis CODEC was doing exactly what it was supposed to be doing, and that the real culprit was my little amp. The fit, finish, and form factor of the SR-71 screams quality and shows where it gets its $400 pricetag. I'm still not 100% sure I can afford to drop another 4 bills on my portable setup but I do know that I won't ever be satisfied with the performance of my META42 again

GlowWorm's HD300
As I said earlier, WOW! Yes this amp colors the sounds, but I just love the pallette it chose. All I want to know now is why hasn't Craig at Eddie Current returned my email? Comeon, its not like its Sundy night or nothing

[size=medium]Cans[/size]
tkam's cd3000/HP1000 hybrids
Wow and wow and wow. Beautiful sound, very little coloration of their own if any, incredible accurate yet musical. It was tough not to slip these into my jacket and run out of the place screaming "you can have them back when you pry them from my cold dead fingers (about 7-8 minutes with today's weather)

kikkoman's Senn hd-595
Not a big fan of these at all. I thought they lack musicality and emotion. Yes they were accurate but not at all engaging.

my K501's
I liked my k501's before this meet but now I absolutely love them. 'nuff said about 'em

someone's HP-1's
Grado fans of the world , you got yourself another member. HOLY Smoke were these some incredible sounding cans. Easy to see why the Grado folks will accept no substitute.

Someone's Senn hd-580's, 600's, & 650's
Easy to see why so many people (myself included) swear by the Senn sound. The detail they reveal in musical passages is nothing short of amazing and their build quality and comfort make them worth the price. When compared though I have to agree with a comment made by someone at the meet who said that it is hard to justify the cost of the 650's when you can get 95% of their sound from the 580's and 600's.

I also listened to a few other Grado cans but since most didn't have their badges on the grills I had no clue about which was which, but like I said earlier, they can add me to the list of people who can attest to their sweet sweet sound.

oh well, thats enough of my rambling. Thanks again to everyone and I hope to bump into you guys again

 

[gsferrari]

[size=medium]PICTURES[/size]


GlowWorm checking out the hybrid CD3KHP1K out of the Melos...superb combo!!

GlowWorm with the HP1K-HP1 out of my Gilmore V2-BEatch! He liked it...he liked it a LOT

hammer enjoying the SR-225 out of the Headamp Gilmore V2. I really dug this amp...well built and nice sound. The SR-225's are REALLY old and they sound so mellow that it doesnt sound like a grado anymore...quite heavenly

hammer with the Jecklin Floats out of the EC HD300...that amp can make any headphone sound sweet. The Floats are not half bad really...but the look like something you would find in a pawn shop

kikkoman enjoying the HD-650 out of the MG-Head OTL H amp and the uber sexy Cambridge Audio Azur 640c source. This is probably the sweetest looking CD Player under $500.00 and it sounds very tight to boot. The MG-head is inadequate sounding with any headphone that has an impedance less than 300 ohms

But with the HD-580 etc. it is passable. You still have to be near MAX! volume to get anything out of it but it sounds clean.

Just a general shot...you can see the HP-1000 HP2's in the box on the table. Nice headphone without the gimmicky phase switch. Maybe it was my mind playing games but they seemed to have more "resolution" in the midrange than the HP-1.

The humiliation rounds continue...ragging with the floats is now a HeadFi tradition and NOBODY escapes them!!

The man with his setup. Tkam + hybrid cd3khp1k + JMT PPA + Maverick (underwood mods). A nice setup indeed...and the smile on his face says it all

The sennheiser 580, 600, 650, 600 with woody mods...nothing escaped their clutches

The best way to wear the floats AND escape helmet hair

Put the hood on before you wear the floats...muffles the sound but keeps your hair intact for your next appointment...

This picture is more to show off the array of stuff on Thaddy's walls and mantle...strange esoteric collection

[size=medium]VIDEOS[/size]



This video is to show off thaddy's amazing DIY Decor

Simply hangover inducing

Video #1


The rape of GlowWorm...The Floats strike again!!!

Video #2