[yomomma1]

Hi.
 
I'm a newb so forgive me if 1: I've posted i the wrong place 2: for my girlified excitement at my purchasing prospect.
 
Anyways, I'm in somewhat of a dilemma, I am currently running a set of 225's and loving them to bits after upgrading from he 80's last year. Well I have a bit of money to treat myself this xmas and want advice where I should spend it. 
 
My options are
 
1: get a little dot amp to help get the best out of the 225's (currently using e5 so I can walk around with it but want to bring the best out of them now)
 
2:  a 4 month old set of rs2i's for £330 with very little use and pos get a fiio e7 so I can still walk around with it. With the potential of buying the e9 in the future to pair with e7, I haven't seen any reviews as yet so a tad sceptical, though I'm so so so tempted to get the rs2i's.
 
I am open to suggestions though so please give me some advice. The basic story is that I work from home, sometimes at a desk and sometimes stood working and moving around so would love something that suits the up and down environment I work in (hence the fiio option).
 
Thanks

 

[Uncle Erik]

£330 could get you a used RS-1 if you're willing to have it shipped from the States. Have you thought about that? Most SR-225 owners end up with the RS-1, though I have enjoyed some brief listens to the RS-2.

I don't use an external amp with Grados on the go. I run them straight from an iPod and am happy with them. Don't feel that an amp purchase is necessary.

Also, I'd recommend a headphone upgrade. You'd get more from an RS-1 and iPod than a SR-225 and an amp.

 

[yomomma1]

Cheers Erik.

 

[yomomma1]

Uncle Erik. Took your advice, I have a used set of rs1's complete with silver dragon re-cabling, being shipped over from the U S of A as I type. I've also order a LOD off Bogac on eShmay and am waiting on delivery of an E7 to DAC my mac up. I am now teetering on the thought of an amp, I know the Grado's aren't power hungry but will obviously benefit form a bit of a poke. Do you (or anyone here) have an experience with Grado's with little dot mk3, M-stage or the Fiio e9 ?
 
Looking for some advice
 
Many tanks

 

[clifwst]

I own the Grado 225's and the HF-2's and a Little Dot III.  The 225's sound fuller IE better bass (quicker, deeper with out the blat sound) clearer high end with more detail with the amp as opposed to just the source output.  Vocals are real simply incredible vs the source alone .The HF-2's even more so enter their own with an amp which the source cannot do on it's own, so I would expect the little dot or any other amp the help the RS-1's achieve their potential.

 

[yomomma1]

Thanks Clifwst.
 
I have ended up going with Unkle Eriks advise and getting myself some used RS-1's. I have bought an E7 for the DAC and portability. I am now looking to either get an M stage amp (though I am made aware I cannot connect it to the E7 without a special Fiio lod that they have not yet produced ?) or a Fiio E9? I just hope the E9 will give me a good result or I'd be very upset.
 
Thanks again

 

[whirlwind]

Congrats......Someday I hope to own RS1's.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

With my Grados it is a day and night difference with an amp. Grados may not need an amp but they sure do WANT one.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Before you jump on one of those amps...consider a tube amp. Grados and tubes just go together like PB&J. It just works. I am not saying that those amps won't either but I think you owe it to the RS1's to make sure you are giving it the best you can. My vote is for tubes. I have a Little Dot 1+ and with my Grados it is fantastic. YMMV.
 
Quote:

Thanks Clifwst.
 
I have ended up going with Unkle Eriks advise and getting myself some used RS-1's. I have bought an E7 for the DAC and portability. I am now looking to either get an M stage amp (though I am made aware I cannot connect it to the E7 without a special Fiio lod that they have not yet produced ?) or a Fiio E9? I just hope the E9 will give me a good result or I'd be very upset.
 
Thanks again

 

 

[yomomma1]

Quote:

Before you jump on one of those amps...consider a tube amp. Grados and tubes just go together like PB&J. It just works. I am not saying that those amps won't either but I think you owe it to the RS1's to make sure you are giving it the best you can. My vote is for tubes. I have a Little Dot 1+ and with my Grados it is fantastic. YMMV.
 
 

 

Well with tubes in mind, would you recommend a tube/dac combo ? If so which one ? As I can always sell the E7, I got that based on the thought of getting the E9 but if I am going to get better results from not much more cash then I'm all for it!
 
Whirlwind, the rs-1's are not too far out of reach as Unkle Erik advised me. I got mine shipped from US for about $500, that was with Silver Dragon re-cable as well. Yeah it's not a small amount of cash but I've wasted more than that this year going out eating and drinking so let yourself put it into perspective and splash out
 
Oh and don't tell the Mrs

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Well...if the E7 is a DAC then you could just keep that and add a tube amp like the LD1+. I don't want to say that the E7/E9 combo won't be great...it could be...I have no experience. I just know that in my system and from what I read...Grados really like tubes. But I also have not read that they do poorly on solid state. The LD's are pretty cheap...the LD1+ can be had for $150ish shipped and if you don't like it they sell on here quickly. The Fiio stuff has a great following as well so if you get that first and don't like it and cannot return it for whatever reason...it should sell easily too. Yeah...I know...not much help...lol...sorry.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Oh...and to answer your question about a the amp/DAC combo...I have never looked into it so I don't know what is out there as far as a tube amp/DAC combo. I guess there is such a thing but like I said...I've never looked. My Little Dot is the first amp I have had and I like it enough that I don't plan to switch anytime soon...and if I do I will likely either go with a highend Little Dot or blow it completely out of the water and get something like a DECWARE. I do however want to get a new DAC. While my Keces is a nice unit...when I demoed my Grados a couple weeks ago...I demoed them with my amp but with a Citypulse DAC. When I got home I realized that the sound wasn't as nice as it was when I demoed and I am pretty sure that it is because of the DAC. So when tax time rolls around I will probably be looking to upgrade my DAC but the amp will stay the same. 

 

[yomomma1]

Yeah I have thought of the DAC situation but from reading (too many to be healthy) reviews on the E7 I thought it was a great and 'cost effective' start. I completely agree with you about being able to shift the gear if I am not convinced. I will probably order the E9 now, listen it over Xmas and demo my mates dacmagic/little dot 3 rig as well. Then I can make my mind up and splerge next year. I cannot work out whether I am in love with the idea of tubes more than anything else ? I do love a pretty gadget  
 
oooh shiny, I need one of those all of a sudden!
 
There are lots of 'eastern' tube choices on eSlay but I only really get good vibes from LD and pos Yaquin.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

I am sure that is not going to be a bad decision. It's not going to cost you a ton of money and it will have good resale IF you even decide you want to sell it off later. I read a lot of good about the Fiio stuff so I am sure it will work out. I am interested in hearing your thoughts on the setup once you get everything in place.

 

[Jibbie]

I was under the impression that the Fiio E7 doesn't have a line out and therefore cannot be used as a dedicated DAC unlessed paired with the doc in the E9.