[akwok]

Hi!

My ES-1 arrived! And I suck with impressions! Not much to say, except that it's the best rig I've heard yet. The OIIs are getting worked like no tomorrow, and it shows - immense soundstage, extreme transparency, and articulate highs. Dark? Who says! Damn it's a treat! The OIIs haven't even fully charged up yet!

So this is what a specific headphone-tailored amp sounds like!

I guess the downside is that my crappy recordings sound even crappier now.. but this may be because I've seen what can be achieved with good recordings -- not necessarily the amp making the bad recordings sound worse.

Won't be upgrading the amp for a long while

Pictures at Night:

Pictures in Daylight:

The HE90 plug does look rather lonely, as Patu stated..

 

[shplorgh]

We give up, you win!

 

[Thaddy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by akwok Hi! Won't be upgrading the amp for a long while

What the hell could you upgrade to?!?

Enjoy that amp Akwok, Mikhail has clearly created a masterpiece

edit: God that DAC is sexy...I must get one...

 

[jjcha]

I imagine you look an awful lot like your avatar right now.

Congrats matey!

Best,

-Jason

 

[bahamaman]

Wonderful pictures!

Glad it arrived safely, Akwok. The ES-1 + Omega II is just such an amazing combination.

 

[canloader]

Simply beautiful - !!

 

[elnero]

Congrats Adrian, that's looking like a really awesome system, I'd love to hear the Stax out of the ES-1... or maybe I wouldn't.

 

[akwok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bahamaman Wonderful pictures! Glad it arrived safely, Akwok. The ES-1 + Omega II is just such an amazing combination.

Yeah man! I'm not too good with those mumbo jumbo audio terms, I just know it sounds good -- better than I expected.

I guess that's why you haven't been posting much.. too busy listening?

 

[akwok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thaddy edit: God that DAC is sexy...I must get one...

Hmm.. I should really try out the D02 instead of the Ack Dack, but I'm too tired to switch interconnects.. maybe later,

.

Now I can finally see how the D02 is against the Ack Dack 2.0 (fully upgraded)!

 

[tjkurita]

Good gracious that thing is beautiful! Are those speaker posts? Are you going to drive speakers? K1K?

There are a number of owners of this amp now, right? To me, this is the absolute king and pinnacle of all HP amps when coupled with a great electrostat. I was completely blown away when I heard it at the National. For me, it killed the Orpheus.

Enjoy that beauty. I personally don't think music playback through headphones can get any better right now.

Great pics too. It looks like it is from the future with the glass and gloss and bright, clean white.

 

[akwok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjkurita Good gracious that thing is beautiful! Are those speaker posts? Are you going to drive speakers? K1K?

They are just posts to plug the multimeter in to bias the amp, unfortunately. It would be nice if they were speaker posts

.

An all-in-one electrostatic and dynamic amp.. haha.. I wish!

 

[sacd lover]

First congrats ..... your amp is a real beauty.

Whats the front tube wok .... looks like a 12 series tube? I see the second gain stage uses a 6bl7gta. What EL34's did you go with?

 

[tkam]

Looks like 12ax7 or 12au7

 

[Patu]

It looks gorgeous. Now hook your D02 up and tell us your impressions.

 

[akwok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover First congrats ..... your amp is a real beauty. Whats the front tube wok .... looks like a 12 series tube? I see the second gain stage uses a 6bl7gta. What EL34's did you go with?

The front two tubes are 12AU7, I believe. All tubes are stock - I'm planning to tuberoll later, once I get some more money (I'm trying to get into another hobby currently). I have some Telefunken 12AU7/12AX7s here, but I'll wait a while to roll em in.. it sounds fine already