[vaibhavp]

We had a wonderful meet at Shreyas place. Thanks to Shreyas for wonderful hospitality and everyone for attending meet.
 
some pics
 
my garage 1217 project solstice
 

 
In pic Sennheiser HD700, Akg K550, Philips Fidelio X2, Vmoda m100 and lots of gear
 

 
Abhineets Beyerdynamic T1
 

 
Folks enjoying coffee 
 

 

[xEcuToR]

  We had a wonderful meet at Shreyas place. Thanks to Shreyas for wonderful hospitality and everyone for attending meet.
 
some pics
 
my garage 1217 project solstice
 

 
In pic Sennheiser HD700, Akg K550, Philips Fidelio X2, Vmoda m100 and lots of gear
 

 
Abhineets Beyerdynamic T1
 

 
Folks enjoying coffee 
 

Nice photos. Could you specifically mention, what gear you guys used here, all I can see from the photos are a couple of FiiO X series DAPs (X5,X5II may be), one FiiO E12A & one FiiO E7 except for the few headphones.

 

[xEcuToR]

Apple again rumored to drop 3.5mm headphone jack from 'iPhone 7' for Lightning, Bluetooth

 

[ShreyasMax]

  Nice photos. Could you specifically mention, what gear you guys used here, all I can see from the photos are a couple of FiiO X series DAPs (X5,X5II may be), one FiiO E12A & one FiiO E7 except for the few headphones.

 
All of us used our current DAPs strapped to our portable amps as the source, barring the sole Project Solstice that is pictured, which was connected through line out to either of these DAPs.
 
Since all folks are currently on the upward trajectory, a couple of them knocking on the TOTL doors with Vaibhav's HD700 and Abhineet's Beyer T1, and the rest of us exploring recent purchases and best possible upgrade paths, we spent time discussing various available buying options within India & abroad, both desktop and portable, and weighed in on our understanding and interests with regards to sonic preferences, favourite music, Headphone Connect etc. It wasn't a head-fi meet in its true sense, rather a getting together of us 'headphone' pals (as my wife would put it), and we intend to keep meeting regularly, as far as possible that is.
 
And hopefully, we shall soon be meeting again after someone purchases some new gear, which shouldn't be too far ahead!

 

[vaibhavp]

   
All of us used our current DAPs strapped to our portable amps as the source, barring the sole Project Solstice that is pictured, which was connected through line out to either of these DAPs.
 
Since all folks are currently on the upward trajectory, a couple of them knocking on the TOTL doors with Vaibhav's HD700 and Abhineet's Beyer T1, and the rest of us exploring recent purchases and best possible upgrade paths, we spent time discussing various available buying options within India & abroad, both desktop and portable, and weighed in on our understanding and interests with regards to sonic preferences, favourite music, Headphone Connect etc. It wasn't a head-fi meet in its true sense, rather a getting together of us 'headphone' pals (as my wife would put it), and we intend to keep meeting regularly, as far as possible that is.
 
And hopefully, we shall soon be meeting again after someone purchases some new gear, which shouldn't be too far ahead!

 
my understanding is if you wanna keep it in reasonable territory, around 50-75k and not lacs, best system would be as follows:
 
20-25k for dap (usable as dac. X5 is as good as $150-200 standalone dacs. I compared its lineout with $130 audinst hud mini and it was a clear upgrade.)
5-10k for iems
20k for desptop amp (portable amps will overshoot budget like nobody's business)
30 k for hps. 
 
at least thats how i have done. i have added an e12 to mix to have competent sound from both solid state and tube amp. x5 on its own i think is lacking a bit. 
 
i also used fiio x7 as a dac for some days in my system. it was upgrade over x5 but i think was too expensive for what it offered. (mainly more clarity and detail.) easier upgrades can be had by investing in better amps. (more detail, dynamics, soundstage) a good solid state $400 amp like meier jazz will bring any hp in 30k range close to its potential.
 
my 2 cents.

 

[rajibranjan]

   
my understanding is if you wanna keep it in reasonable territory, around 50-75k and not lacs, best system would be as follows:
 
20-25k for dap (usable as dac. X5 is as good as $150-200 standalone dacs. I compared its lineout with $130 audinst hud mini and it was a clear upgrade.)
5-10k for iems
20k for desptop amp (portable amps will overshoot budget like nobody's business)
30 k for hps. 
 
at least thats how i have done. i have added an e12 to mix to have competent sound from both solid state and tube amp. x5 on its own i think is lacking a bit. 
 
i also used fiio x7 as a dac for some days in my system. it was upgrade over x5 but i think was too expensive for what it offered. (mainly more clarity and detail.) easier upgrades can be had by investing in better amps. (more detail, dynamics, soundstage) a good solid state $400 amp like meier jazz will bring any hp in 30k range close to its potential.
 
my 2 cents.

When you say 20K for desktop amp - any suggestions? A few names would surely help the rest of us I guess...

 

[vaibhavp]

  When you say 20K for desktop amp - any suggestions? A few names would surely help the rest of us I guess...

my own project solstice is nice step up over my fiio e12.
 
its $250 but factoring shipping and duty goes just north of 20k. another option would be ifi ican. thats available on amazon India.

 

[xEcuToR]

   
my understanding is if you wanna keep it in reasonable territory, around 50-75k and not lacs, best system would be as follows:
 
20-25k for dap (usable as dac. X5 is as good as $150-200 standalone dacs. I compared its lineout with $130 audinst hud mini and it was a clear upgrade.)
5-10k for iems
20k for desptop amp (portable amps will overshoot budget like nobody's business)
30 k for hps. 
 
at least thats how i have done. i have added an e12 to mix to have competent sound from both solid state and tube amp. x5 on its own i think is lacking a bit. 
 
i also used fiio x7 as a dac for some days in my system. it was upgrade over x5 but i think was too expensive for what it offered. (mainly more clarity and detail.) easier upgrades can be had by investing in better amps. (more detail, dynamics, soundstage) a good solid state $400 amp like meier jazz will bring any hp in 30k range close to its potential.
 
my 2 cents.

Nice. But tastes change as time goes by, if one is continuing this as a hobby of collecting gear and is not just an enthusiast who is up for what the latest gadget/buzz is in the market. 
 
There are several permutations and combinations, which can be done, there is always an alternative to everything and every setup.  
 
If you are talking about budget setups, then one can make a great set up with Rs.100000/- at $500, $1000 & $1500 ranges 
 
$500 Setup
 
1.Rock It Sounds R50 IEM//HiFiman RE400
2.Superlux HD668B 
3. Schit Modi 2
4. iBasso Dx50
 
Range-($441-482) 
 
$1000 Setup
 
1. Lear Audio LHF AE1D
2. Audio Technica AD900x
3. Auditrak Dr Dac DX 2 Muses 
4. iBasso DX80
Total $1006
 
$1500 Setup
 
1. Dunu DN2000
2. AKG K712 Pro
3. FiiO X5 II
4. Chord Mojo
 
Total $1459
 
But this can vary as per individual preferences. This is just a list of products, which are still being marketed and sold, if one goes into the market of classic and discontinued headphones and gear then options are much wider and scope of improving sound is also bigger.
 
To me a set up like the AKG K501/Senn HD250 II/Sony MDR CD3000 with even a Crack OTL/Beta 22 with an iPod shuffle can beat any of the above mentioned products or their variations in SQ and definitely in the above mentioned to $3500 price range. 

 

[xEcuToR]

   
All of us used our current DAPs strapped to our portable amps as the source, barring the sole Project Solstice that is pictured, which was connected through line out to either of these DAPs.
 
Since all folks are currently on the upward trajectory, a couple of them knocking on the TOTL doors with Vaibhav's HD700 and Abhineet's Beyer T1, and the rest of us exploring recent purchases and best possible upgrade paths, we spent time discussing various available buying options within India & abroad, both desktop and portable, and weighed in on our understanding and interests with regards to sonic preferences, favourite music, Headphone Connect etc. It wasn't a head-fi meet in its true sense, rather a getting together of us 'headphone' pals (as my wife would put it), and we intend to keep meeting regularly, as far as possible that is.
 
And hopefully, we shall soon be meeting again after someone purchases some new gear, which shouldn't be too far ahead!

BTW, where was this, which city to be precise? 

 

[ShreyasMax]

  BTW, where was this, which city to be precise? 

 
This was at my current residence in Gurgaon. Us being Delhi/ NCR residents, we hope to have more of such meets, and regularly as well. Hopefully we'll have enough people into the hobby to organise bigger meets, and soon, we might even be able to have a country wide meet. So here's hoping for that to happen, which shall hopefully be in the not too distant future. 
 
Cheers & happy listening!

 

[xEcuToR]

   
This was at my current residence in Gurgaon. Us being Delhi/ NCR residents, we hope to have more of such meets, and regularly as well. Hopefully we'll have enough people into the hobby to organise bigger meets, and soon, we might even be able to have a country wide meet. So here's hoping for that to happen, which shall hopefully be in the not too distant future. 
 
Cheers & happy listening!

Great, I used to commute a while back to NCR and I personally know one enthusiast from Noida as well. Anyway if you guys are looking for a TOTL headphone SQ without spending any additional dough on amps/DACs, Final Pandora Hope VI is your answer. Get a pair and then listen to all the TOTL headphones in one V one tests (Including the HE1000 & HD800) and you'll get why I highly recommend this pair. A lot of people will consider that an end game headphone. 

 

[vaibhavp]

  Nice. But tastes change as time goes by, if one is continuing this as a hobby of collecting gear and is not just an enthusiast who is up for what the latest gadget/buzz is in the market. 
 
There are several permutations and combinations, which can be done, there is always an alternative to everything and every setup.  
 
If you are talking about budget setups, then one can make a great set up with Rs.100000/- at $500, $1000 & $1500 ranges 
 
$500 Setup
 
1.Rock It Sounds R50 IEM//HiFiman RE400
2.Superlux HD668B 
3. Schit Modi 2
4. iBasso Dx50
 
Range-($441-482) 
 
$1000 Setup
 
1. Lear Audio LHF AE1D
2. Audio Technica AD900x
3. Auditrak Dr Dac DX 2 Muses 
4. iBasso DX80
Total $1006
 
$1500 Setup
 
1. Dunu DN2000
2. AKG K712 Pro
3. FiiO X5 II
4. Chord Mojo
 
Total $1459
 
But this can vary as per individual preferences. This is just a list of products, which are still being marketed and sold, if one goes into the market of classic and discontinued headphones and gear then options are much wider and scope of improving sound is also bigger.
 
To me a set up like the AKG K501/Senn HD250 II/Sony MDR CD3000 with even a Crack OTL/Beta 22 with an iPod shuffle can beat any of the above mentioned products or their variations in SQ and definitely in the above mentioned to $3500 price range. 

 
you mentioned mojo. is it as good as desktop amp in driving full size hps with authority?
 
its rather confusing on headfi. some people say its competitive with fiio x7 which i think was lacking.
 
my e12 has power in spare but its not as good as desktop amps i tried. for one soundstage, dynamics, impact everything is smaller.

 

[Ritvik]

The Mojo according to Chord (Rob Watts) on this forum as well as when I bought my Mojo at a show, has the same power output is the same as Hugo. Should power cans from 4 to 800 Ohms and is class A biased like the Hugo.
 
I can't find the exact post though. http://www.head-fi.org/t/784602/chord-mojo-the-official-thread-please-read-the-3rd-post/630#post_12000442
 

 I met a guy who runs his HD800 off his Mojo and says its not far behind his desktop rig.
 
The demo I heard was powering the LCD2 and LCD-XC. I've owned the Rev2 and more recently the Fazor LCD2 and the Mojo sounded better with the Fazor than my Oppo HA-1 did. It's all subjective of course, but the amount of praise its getting from noteworthy reviewers and members here has to mean there's some substance to all these claims.

 

[vaibhavp]

  The Mojo according to Chord (Rob Watts) on this forum as well as when I bought my Mojo at a show, has the same power output is the same as Hugo. Should power cans from 4 to 800 Ohms and is class A biased like the Hugo.
 
I can't find the exact post though. http://www.head-fi.org/t/784602/chord-mojo-the-official-thread-please-read-the-3rd-post/630#post_12000442
 

 I met a guy who runs his HD800 off his Mojo and says its not far behind his desktop rig.
 
The demo I heard was powering the LCD2 and LCD-XC. I've owned the Rev2 and more recently the Fazor LCD2 and the Mojo sounded better with the Fazor than my Oppo HA-1 did. It's all subjective of course, but the amount of praise its getting from noteworthy reviewers and members here has to mean there's some substance to all these claims.

 
ha 1 is that balanced dac amp unit right?
 
sound signature and subjective preference aside, does mojo gives bigger sound than ha 1? in terms of detail, dynamics, soundstage? especially with full sized cans.
 
thanks.

 

[xEcuToR]

   
you mentioned mojo. is it as good as desktop amp in driving full size hps with authority?
 
its rather confusing on headfi. some people say its competitive with fiio x7 which i think was lacking.
 
my e12 has power in spare but its not as good as desktop amps i tried. for one soundstage, dynamics, impact everything is smaller.

Chord mojo is probably the best portable dac/amp solution available at the moment (Considering Hugo is not portable), even better than the CEnTrance HiFi M8 and even the Portaphile 627X & Vorzgue pure II. I confirmed with Nathan Wright once, and he said that the amp section of the Mojo is  even better than the above mentioned gear. 
 
You will easily be able to drive your Senn HD700 with the Chord Mojo. But if you want optimum results you need to build a Beta 22 system or get a decently priced ($1000-2500) amp. But the premium you'll pay will not be proportionate with the SQ margin.
 
Power matters but clean power matters even more. The Mojo is battery operated so you will get a cleaner sound with less amount of grain, harmonic distortion compared to any desktop setup unless you are thinking of Red Wine Audio Amps. 
 
If you are on a budget, Chord Mojo is a great solution for both your portable, home and office needs. I myself was going to get one, but I already had QP1R and so I got the Ressonessence Labs Concero HD for my home/office use.