[West726]

 

I realize that what I am about to type is not the norm  -- so please just think of it as a thought experiment.  I have the 2050 basic system, with the 252 amp and the 202 headphones.
 
Suppose that I wanted to upgrade, and upgrade to the top, and the upgrade would fall out of the sky (gently) into my hands.  I could buy EITHER the SR-007 headphones and use them with my SRM-252 amp, OR an SRM-007 amp and use them with my 202 headphones.  I know that the 252 will drive the 007s, but probably not very well.  And I know that the 007 will more than drive the 202s, but I might not be able to tell the difference over the 252.
 
Which option would you take?  Some rules:  you can't change the question and use the money to buy a 404 or anything else (you have to buy one or the other), pretend that either purchase would be free, and pretend that you have absolutely no idea whether you will ever buy another audio component again in your life (so don't take the future upgrade question into account)
 
(For what it's worth, you can also pretend that you have an Eddie Current Zana Deux and that you are astounded that your 202s sound almost as good, and sometimes, better, than your Beyer T1s, which are your favorite headphones, better than the HD800s or the K-1000s.)
​

 

[El_Doug]

under those strict parameters, id probably choose the amp.  driving the 202's (which are rather decent cans) to perfection seems like a much more reasonable course of action, than underamping the SR-007's and getting mediocre performance out of them

 

[mobbaddict]

I like the O2 much better than the Lambda Nova Signature out of the SRM-212. I didn't hear much difference with my Lambda out of the 727 but i didn't do much comparison to be honest. Never really liked the Lambdas anyway.

 

[graben]

I would upgrade the amp myself. From my experience the O2 sounds underamped out of even a T1S, and would rather have the 202 connected to a great amp.

 

[ktm]

I went the route of using  202's with an Exstata. I vote better amp now.

 

[manaox2]

I'm not sure the SRM-007t is a good choice for driving O2. I kind of want to vote for you to wait for a better amp like an SRM-717 for your 202 and saving for the next big thing.

 

[brat]

 
Quote:

 

I realize that what I am about to type is not the norm  -- so please just think of it as a thought experiment.  I have the 2050 basic system, with the 252 amp and the 202 headphones.
 
Suppose that I wanted to upgrade, and upgrade to the top, and the upgrade would fall out of the sky (gently) into my hands.  I could buy EITHER the SR-007 headphones and use them with my SRM-252 amp, OR an SRM-007 amp and use them with my 202 headphones.  I know that the 252 will drive the 007s, but probably not very well.  And I know that the 007 will more than drive the 202s, but I might not be able to tell the difference over the 252.
 
 
​

Both mixes are waste of money. I don't want to be rude but it's stupid dilemma.

 

[kevin gilmore]

SR-003 and a T2  FTW.
 
Ask those who heard it

 
Buy the O2mk2 and then build yourself an amp
as funds accumulate.

 

[spritzer]

The SR-003 rocks out of either the BHSE or the T2

 

[Faust2D]

O2 out of lesser amp would be my choice.

 

[jjinh]

Quote:

O2 out of lesser amp would be my choice.

Not my choice.
 
I havent tried the SR-007 out of the SRM-252 but I have a feeling it'd sound very ordinary; they feel underpowered from my SRM-007t. On the other hand the SR-202s sound pretty good out of the SRM-007t and would get my vote.  

 

[Lunatique]

I would definitely take the better headphone, as the headphones make far more of a difference than amps ever will (unless you're using horrible piece of crap). In many cases this emphasis on superior amps is overrated and exaggerated (IMO).

 

[West726]

OK, after two weeks, I (op) have 4 votes for amp, 4 votes for headphone, 2 who couldn't play by the rules of the question, and 1 "it's a dumb question."  It's a landslide!  Shall I flip a coin?

 

[KrypticMind]

As long as you properly amp the O2 in the end, either path works. I agree with Lunatique in that there's a bigger difference in sound signature with a change of headphones than a change of amps, so headphone first and buy/build yourself a BHSE or T2 as you get the funds, as KG suggested.

 

[Currawong]

I still vote the amp.  We're talking Stax and O2s here, not dynamic cans. Lambdas are great out of the big Stax amps.  However, if you are planning to continue to upgrade, I'd just save funds and go the whole hog down the track.