Sony MDR3000 with MG Head/OTL?

[kentamcolin]

It seems there are many strong opinions here about these cans. I currently have HD600/Cardas and I think they sound great with this amp. There are new MDR3000's on Ebay for $350 and I was considering picking up a pair to try out. I can always sell them if I don't like them as much. Anyone use them with the MG Head? How does their sound compare to the HD600 (Please try to comment without slamming HD600's, I like their sound so I won't believe you if you say they suck!)?

 

[Sovkiller]

The HD600/MGhead was my first decent setup, before I got the CD3000, the sound of the CD3000 is horrible out of the MGHead, not a good match at all, I do not reco it under any circumstances, but this is my opinion, maybe you like it, the HD600 OTOH is a very good match with it.
I really encourage you to try the MDR CD3000, but just if you have something to hook it with a decent sound (not on the MGHead) IMO it sounds awesome, the best I've heard (I sold my combo right after I got the CD3000, as I prefer it to the HD600, for me day and night and it was what I was looking for) but this my opinion, just give it a try....

 

[kentamcolin]

What tube amp would you recommend with MDR3000? Perhaps someone will have a set of these cans at the Chicago meet and I'll get to try them with some different amps.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

You can try the transformer out on the MG Head or use the impeder (see sig). How did the CD3000 sound out of the transformer out, Sovkiller?

I thought you said your receiver is better than the MG Head for the HD600 Sovkiller?

The CD3000 is a low impedance phone, you'd find it cheaper to find a decent solid state amp for them. If you insist on tubes, though, maybe you could try the MG Head OTL32 and report on how it sounds, both as CD3000 owner and 1st OTL32 owner here

 

[Sovkiller]

Well hirsch reco as the best option the Berning microZOTL (750.00) match in heaven, but the Ear Max Pro (650.00) will do the trick also, the Melos will work fine (about 500.00 used) the less expensive reco is th X-Can V2 (about 269) and lately I received a reco of the Mapletree Ear+ (about 400.00) that is probably the one I will get, the RKV is another solid candidate but has to be with the impeder (850 +190). All those are other people reco, personally i do not have tried any of those....just check a thread I open some time ago, do a search with the CD3000....

 

[Sovkiller]

No, what I said was that I "preffer it", and is not a receiver is an AMP TWO Audiosource, 110db S/N, and bla, bla, bla.....is a really nice amp, for more info go here:
http://www.vxm.com/tone.audiosource.html

I'm still looking for an amp for it, I can't afford the good guys

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Well if you prefer the Audiosource amp why don't you stick with it for now?

 

[Sovkiller]

That's what I'm doing for now, keep it like that, but who can assure me that there is no other option, better than the MGHead, and than my beloved Audiosource, and that's what I want, I want the best off my CD3000 (but sorry about my wallet) I know that it is a very controversial headphone according to what hirsch, SIE, and markl said, but I want to get what they got (or at least what they said they got) and I'm not getting the same as they did, or maybe I did, but I can't say the same, I want it singing, I'm a perfectionist, of course this cost money, but I will try at least to get the best.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

So how does the CD3000 sound like out of the MG Head to you?
Out of the transformer output? OTL output?

 

[Sovkiller]

Horrible, even when you increase he volume, it become distorted pretty son, I don't like at all, I try to use the impeder with 33ohms resistor and this does not help a lot, extremely bright and thin sound, the bass is missing, in a few words "you got a sound with no class" at all, and I can't blame the phones, as the same happen when I hook the MDR 7509 also that I used to have....form the main amp the sound is very good, day and nigh from the MGHead, I can live with it wihtout complains, but I know that it can be a little bit better, of course the reording has a big weight on the way it sounds, as I stated before in the rock there are al ot of poor recordings to the point that I prefer not ot use the phones with them, specially from the end of the 60's and beginning of the 70's, a real shame....