[project86]

Quote:

 
 
The W3000ANV is cheap at the states so do get it before it went out of stock forever! Stax 009 with Headamp Blue Hawaii SE?

 
I'm sure there will be some left over later in the year. I know the owners would like to think they are appreciating in value, but if that happens I suspect it will take some time.
 
Stax as in SR-007 with an SRM-323S for now (my favorite current production Stax amp) until I figure out what to do next - BHSE, Eddie Current Electra, etc. 

 

[uelover]

Quote:

 
I'm sure there will be some left over later in the year. I know the owners would like to think they are appreciating in value, but if that happens I suspect it will take some time.
 
Stax as in SR-007 with an SRM-323S for now (my favorite current production Stax amp) until I figure out what to do next - BHSE, Eddie Current Electra, etc. 

 
The W3000ANV are having sales over here in Singapore though. Seems like they are trying to clear the stock.
 
I am thinking of getting the W5000 also. Am still looking around for a decent deal on it. Can afford no Stax at the moment.
 
Do you think that you will end up selling everything and just keep the Stax around at home?

 

[project86]

The W3000ANV are having sales over here in Singapore though. Seems like they are trying to clear the stock.

I am thinking of getting the W5000 also. Am still looking around for a decent deal on it. Can afford no Stax at the moment.

Do you think that you will end up selling everything and just keep the Stax around at home?

I meant on the used forums. When you pay full price on the W1000X when it first comes out, then try to sell it at roughly half that price and get no takers.... It makes one reluctant to buy brand new again.

I can't sell everything and just go Stax - then I couldn't review other gear (except DACs I guess). I might trim the collection a bit but there will always be several amps and a bunch if dynamics and planars around.

 

[uelover]

Quote:

I meant on the used forums. When you pay full price on the W1000X when it first comes out, then try to sell it at roughly half that price and get no takers.... It makes one reluctant to buy brand new again.

 
Hmm I tend to base things around the Streetprice in Japan for Japanese products. The markup on most Japanese products (including W1000X) at overseas is way way too high. A brand new W1000X costs around USD430 in Japan now (also partly due to the recent massive depreciation of JPY). There are related fees due to shipping and import taxes but that is how much the W1000X itself is worth.

 

[project86]

Quote:

 
Hmm I tend to base things around the Streetprice in Japan for Japanese products. The markup on most Japanese products (including W1000X) at overseas is way way too high. A brand new W1000X costs around USD430 in Japan now (also partly due to the recent massive depreciation of JPY). There are related fees due to shipping and import taxes but that is how much the W1000X itself is worth.

 
Good to know. I believe original MSRP over here was $699 if I recall correctly. That's a whole different ballgame from the $400-500 range and competes with a whole different range of different headphones. 
 
All this makes it sound like I dislike the W1000X which is not the case at all. I actually love it and am going to miss it. But it doesn't make sense to keep it at this point. 

 

[uelover]

Quote:

 
Good to know. I believe original MSRP over here was $699 if I recall correctly. That's a whole different ballgame from the $400-500 range and competes with a whole different range of different headphones. 
 
All this makes it sound like I dislike the W1000X which is not the case at all. I actually love it and am going to miss it. But it doesn't make sense to keep it at this point. 

 
I do miss my W1000X but I don't have a place for it given the fact that I now have the W3000ANV. It is not a bad headphone. Really.

 

[deniall83]

Fantastic review. I would love your thoughts on this amp paired with the HD 650. I'm currently trying to sort a new rig out so this would be very helpful.

 

[project86]

Quote:

Fantastic review. I would love your thoughts on this amp paired with the HD 650. I'm currently trying to sort a new rig out so this would be very helpful.

 
Thanks!
 
This amp sounds excellent with HD650. The HD650 is arguably "veiled" which is not necessarily a bad thing depending on your musical choices and upstream gear. The Svetlana won't make the HD650 sound more pretty, so take that as you will. But it does have extended highs with very little grain meaning the resulting sound is about as clear as I've heard with those particular headphones. 

 

[deniall83]

Quote:

 
Thanks!
 
This amp sounds excellent with HD650. The HD650 is arguably "veiled" which is not necessarily a bad thing depending on your musical choices and upstream gear. The Svetlana won't make the HD650 sound more pretty, so take that as you will. But it does have extended highs with very little grain meaning the resulting sound is about as clear as I've heard with those particular headphones. 

 
Great! So as far as the HD 800 goes, does this amp tame it a bit or make it sound even more analytical than it already does?

 

[project86]

Quote:

 
Great! So as far as the HD 800 goes, does this amp tame it a bit or make it sound even more analytical than it already does?

 
Neither, really. It's more of a neutral presentation which delivers an accurate signal to the HD800 with lots of control. The rest is up to Sennheiser. 

 

[deniall83]

I'm really struggling to make a decision on an amp for my HD650. The Svetlana looks great but is quite expensive and living in Australia means I have to pay tax and import duty on items over $1000 which brings the price up quite a lot.

Have you heard the HD650 with the Woo amps or Burson Soloist?

I like a really dynamic and punchy sound with as much detail as possible.

 

[project86]

Quote:

I'm really struggling to make a decision on an amp for my HD650. The Svetlana looks great but is quite expensive and living in Australia means I have to pay tax and import duty on items over $1000 which brings the price up quite a lot.

Have you heard the HD650 with the Woo amps or Burson Soloist?

I like a really dynamic and punchy sound with as much detail as possible.

 
This amp is really great with the HD650, but it's hard to recommend a high priced unit when you have no way of auditioning it. Are there any local shops that carry headphone amps? Or a local mail order type place where you can easily return if you don't like something?
 
The Woo amps are pretty nice with HD650, and I haven't yet heard the Soloist. 

 

[deniall83]

Unfortunately for me, headphone amps are difficult to audition in Perth. If I lived in Melbourne I'd be set as there's a store that carries just about every headphone amp/DAC you could ever want.

I might email some companies and see if I can get a loaner. I appreciated the responses.

 

[erikfreedom]

 
adlab has two other headphone amps that are even more high end than the Svetlana 2. the prelude 3.1 and the prelude 3.1 se.
 
they weigh 22 pounds. the special edition can be ordered fully balanced.
 
http://www.analog.co.kr/prelude3.htm
 
http://www.analog.co.kr/prelude31se.htm
 
the fully balanced special edition when converted to usd$ is over 2800 dollar.
 
I am trying to buy one of these amps, they have the option of direct ordering, but only for the Svetlana 2 amplifier wich by the way is listed at 1499,00 usd$ on their website. it would be great if they could add the option for the other amps. the Svetlana 2 page is also the only page translated in English on their website. it is like they d'ont care selling their other products outside korea. it is a shame as these amps appear to be world class products.

 

[Rossliew]

I use a custom built tube amp with a 6z5p as rectifier and one 6n2 and 6n1p input. It is transformer coupled but sounds great with the HD650. Punchy, dynamic yet not lacking in clarity. Of course tube rolling is encouraged I have another amp being built right now with a pair of 829B tubes and a single 6n1p. Can't wait to try it out with the 650s.