009 is sound fantastic, it's sounded so great that it overcome my view of ideal sound, there is nothing that I don't like in sound of 009, it's simply the best headphones I heared (from the tops of headphones in the past I owned LCD-2 rev.2, HE-6/500, SR-507, and listened to D7000, W5000, HD800, GS1000, Ultrasone Edition 8/10, Beyerdynamic T1/911, SR-007(SZ2)). Still listened LCD-2 rev.1 with CablePro cable with good amps (Phonitor and DIY good amp) and it was better than 009 in transmission of atmosphere of rock and jazz music, because 009 was playing too clear and too pretty, it was sounding a little bit like Pink Floyd was making a concert in Philarmonia and was dressed in tuxedos... so it sounded great in 009, but I think LCD-2 is closer to the true. Also emotionally on vocal this LCD-2 was clearly better than 009, although 009 technically was beter on vocal, but the emotions that I feel listening to that LCD-2 was outstanding (especially track Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue - Where The Wild Roses Grow).
Didn't listened to LL, but compared my upgraded GES (5751 GE drive tubes & 6S4A GE power tubes) with KGSS on 507/007(SZ2)/009 and I liked GES better on all of headphones (even though GES shouldn't be powerful enough to drive 007, but I get a distortion only on a volume far above of my comfortable volume and below that level I liked sound of GES more than KGSS). With 009 the sound is more rich and liquid with GES, although KGSS has a little more drive, becase it's darker and have more bass than my GES, but GES have enough bass and drive to my likings and I don't like dark sound, so GES is my choice... but listened KGSS + 009 in the house of the owner of KGSS and on his rig with Acustic Arts DAC 1 Mk II, Chord Gold Reference power cable (it was Black Dragon from moon-audio when we listened it in my place) and Power Plant P5 the sound of KGSS is become better, so I guess with KGSS+009 you need to have a "soft" sounding DAC and power cable, or it will sound a little harsh... but in case of 507 I didn' like them with KGSS even at the place of KGSS owner, it's still sounded harsh, especially violins sounded not very pleasant to me. With 007 (SZ2) it's too much bass with KGSS, on some tracks with a lot of bass I clearly heared a hum and it really was very loud hum but there was no hum on GES+007(SZ2) on the same track.
By the way listened April Eximus DP1 on sunday at my place and my DAC again showed me that I need some really great DAC to clearly outperform my MS Audio lab. DAC 1.0, because Eximus was so close to sound of my DAC that I can almost say that they sound the same, actually I didn't listened to so alike DAC's never before, very very alike sound.
