PPA + Grado = Bliss?

[ecclesand]

Just wondering if anyone has heard an SR-225 paired with a PPA. I've done some searching about good SS amps with the SR-225 and the CMOY, GoVibe5, and PA2V2 have been recommended as having good synergy with Grados. Just wondering if one of these amps can scale well when I upgrade to the RS-2 or RS-1.

I know tube amps are popular right now...would you choose a tube amp over a PPA or something along those lines?

 

[Thelonious Monk]

i haven't heard the PPA, but kramer has PPA + RS-1s iirc, might want to ask him about their synergy with Grados.

 

[khbaur330162]

From the discussions I've had with Kramer I really think it depends on what you're looking for in a Grado. Generally speaking, tube amps should give the RS-1/2's a little more coloration and bass bloom, while the PPA will keep things quick, punchy and dynamic and possibly a bit of added soundstage/airiness. Choose your flavor.

 

[MisterX]

IMO a Dynalo is a much better match for the SR225s then a PPA or PPA2 is.

 

[Voodoochile]

I liked the PPA with 225s okay, but Senns are a better fit for the extremely analytical nature of the PPA, IMO. Sheldon's amp, or the M3, and the Dynalo are better suited, I feel. Mapletree's Ear sounds pretty sweet with them as well.

 

[Zoide]

It also depends a lot on what opamp you have in the PPA. For example a PPA with AD8610 opamps would probably be too bright for a Grado, while an OPA627 would give it a fuller, sweeter sound that makes for a better match.

 

[ecclesand]

The Dynalo is a discrete amp right...meaning no op-amps in the signal path? So whatever sound you get...that's it...unless you want to pick up the soldering iron!

I've read that the Gilmore Lite is a Dynalo...is this true? Seems this amp would be a good match with the SR225 and would still be a good match when upgrading to the RS-1.

I have a Zhaolu 2.5C with the discrete amp and it drives my Grados and Senns just fine. I swapped the stock op-amps with some Burr Brown OPA2132 and they really make the SR225 sound great...punchy extended bass, crystal clear highs (so much so that telling the difference between lossless and LAME MP3-256K is pretty easy). I've also tried the LM4562 op-amps and they too sound really good! I think I would be happy with my Zhaolu if I didn't visit this forum...seems the Zhaolu is not well liked on Head-Fi.

I think perhaps I need to just sit back, enjoy my SR225 and HD580, and perhaps surf a needlepoint forum!

 

[Asr]

SR225 and Millett Hybrid paired even better than SR225 and Gilmore Lite, when I owned those.

 

[Thelonious Monk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecclesand /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Dynalo is a discrete amp right...meaning no op-amps in the signal path? So whatever sound you get...that's it...unless you want to pick up the soldering iron! I've read that the Gilmore Lite is a Dynalo...is this true? Seems this amp would be a good match with the SR225 and would still be a good match when upgrading to the RS-1. I have a Zhaolu 2.5C with the discrete amp and it drives my Grados and Senns just fine. I swapped the stock op-amps with some Burr Brown OPA2132 and they really make the SR225 sound great...punchy extended bass, crystal clear highs (so much so that telling the difference between lossless and LAME MP3-256K is pretty easy). I've also tried the LM4562 op-amps and they too sound really good! I think I would be happy with my Zhaolu if I didn't visit this forum...seems the Zhaolu is not well liked on Head-Fi. I think perhaps I need to just sit back, enjoy my SR225 and HD580, and perhaps surf a needlepoint forum!

if i recall correctly, the GS-1 is a dynalo and the GS-X is a dynamid.

 

[sbulack]

A PPA with discrete buffer and a triplet of OPA627's with the SR225 produces a compellingly beautiful sound, giving excellent depth, soundstage (yes, soundstage in a Grado), and both the dynamic range and detail resolution to enable an entry into the rich and satisfying subtleties of the music. AND a PPA can ROCK with the SR225. The PPA works really well with the HD580/600 as well, IMO. I've never really enjoyed the SR225 on my (high bias) M^3 nearly as much as I enjoy them on my PPA. But the M^3 is especially well-suited to the HD580/600, more so than the PPA, to my ear.