[hciman77]

There is a Rotel RA-01 going on ebay with under a day to go and I reckon with a bit of luck I could get it for about $150 as it has been placed in the wrong category. I already have a Rotel RCD-02, would this amp be suitable with my Senn HD580s - I only want this as a h/phone amp - or would I be better off with a Pimeta as these would both be around the same price. My major listening is Classical.

I was considering one of Norm's Vibes but the reviews at the moment suggest they are better suited to Rock etc


Cheers

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hciman77 I was considering one of Norm's Vibes but the reviews at the moment suggest they are better suited to Rock etc

That was just IMHO...

I'd take your time and get to know the rep of various amps before making any quick decisions. The market is kind of flooded with headamps at the moment, and HD580s aren't the easiest cans to drive.

It's likely that if the Rotel isn't a dedicated headphone amp it may have a high output impedance at the jack, which is a no-no for neutrality with HD580s. Pimeta's not a bad choice, but there are so many... what's your source and price range?

 

[hciman77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fewtch That was just IMHO... It's likely that if the Rotel isn't a dedicated headphone amp it may have a high output impedance at the jack, which is a no-no for neutrality with HD580s. Pimeta's not a bad choice, but there are so many... what's your source and price range?

Source is principally a Rotel RCD-02 CDP. Pricewise, I just cleared $150 selling my older Rotel CDP so I guess $150 - $200 but that must include shipping.

 

[fewtch]

Just IMO, but I wouldn't get the Rotel amp unless you can audition it first, because of the possibility of high impedance at the headphone jack (would make the HD580s sound muddy and incoherent). Beyond that, I'd say Pimeta's not a bad idea (or perhaps a used maxed-out Meta42, which uses Elantec buffers... a lot of DIYers feel they sound better than the Buf634 buffers that the Pimeta amps use).