[mulveling]

Well, there go the days of a "Starving Student" driving a pair of Senn HD414's........

I started out around 2002 with a Sennheiser HD580 (GREAT choice), and a Total Airhead portable amp (bad choice, very bad). Man that Airhead sucked! I found that many portable CD players actually sounded much better without the Airhead, even driving the HD580 right out of their jacks. This thing was sold as the fix for "crappy stock headphone jacks" - except that it usually turned out to be the crappier of the two (yes, even when using the line-out). I even tried running the Airhead from a standalone CD/DVD player, and the 2V outputs drove the Airhead's input stage into hard clipping (any volume setting). Did I mention how much I hated that amp?

I remember obsessively browsing HeadRoom's 2000s amp lineup (before Facebook, leisure entertainment was between this, cereal boxes, and conditioner bottles), and marveling at the $1550 Max. Having no idea how any of this sounded beyond the Airhead/Little level (the HR "Little" sounded on par with a good stock headphone jack, but only just). I remember thinking to myself: "these look awesome but I bet there's no way I'd hear any differences past the $500 level". Damn, how wrong THAT was!

A year later I upgraded to HD600 with a Headamp Gilmore V2 (early dynalo), and that was the 1st time I fell in love with quality amplification.

 

[Rhamnetin]

I started out around 2002 with a Sennheiser HD580 (GREAT choice), and a Total Airhead portable amp (bad choice, very bad). Man that Airhead sucked! I found that many portable CD players actually sounded much better without the Airhead, even driving the HD580 right out of their jacks. This thing was sold as the fix for "crappy stock headphone jacks" - except that it usually turned out to be the crappier of the two (yes, even when using the line-out). I even tried running the Airhead from a standalone CD/DVD player, and the 2V outputs drove the Airhead's input stage into hard clipping (any volume setting). Did I mention how much I hated that amp?

I remember obsessively browsing HeadRoom's 2000s amp lineup (before Facebook, leisure entertainment was between this, cereal boxes, and conditioner bottles), and marveling at the $1550 Max. Having no idea how any of this sounded beyond the Airhead/Little level (the HR "Little" sounded on par with a good stock headphone jack, but only just). I remember thinking to myself: "these look awesome but I bet there's no way I'd hear any differences past the $500 level". Damn, how wrong THAT was!

A year later I upgraded to HD600 with a Headamp Gilmore V2 (early dynalo), and that was the 1st time I fell in love with quality amplification.

Hah, yeah most newbies doubt the magic of high end systems. I did not though; when I was first getting into this, there was already an SR-009 and Innerfidelity's "Comparing World Class Headphones" article was already published. I expected the SR-009 with top notch amplification to sound magical and boy was I right! It sure lived up to my hype.

 

[mulveling]

Hah, yeah most newbies doubt the magic of high end systems. I did not though; when I was first getting into this, there was already an SR-009 and Innerfidelity's "Comparing World Class Headphones" article was already published. I expected the SR-009 with top notch amplification to sound magical and boy was I right! It sure lived up to my hype.

Awesome! Glad you kept the faith. And for those out there unable to yet experience to a 009/007 with KG amplification, you can definitely lean on the sonic advice of guys like Purk and Whitigir - whom I find to be very much in line with my own preferences. Always spot-on!

I'll be selling my Utopia soon. That was a relatively short-lived fling. I like them; really nice for a dynamic driver, and I can see their application for transportable systems, but there's really no comparison here, even more so with the T2. The Utopia sonic newness/novelty wears off after a while. And they really don't seem to scale worth a damn with amplification. They did get on quite nicely with vinyl, though.

 

[mulveling]

This T2 sounds so good it's almost sickening. I'm literally torn about whether to listen to each album on the big 2ch system (much more total $ cost) or this. They each have their advantages, but I'm definitely hearing favorite music in a way new perspective with each 1st listen on this T2/vinyl/009/009S system. Holy crap!

It's so striking, I was previously wondering if this Cadenza Bronze cartridge wasn't up to snuff, or if I slightly botched the alignment/setup somehow (just compared to my 2ch rig; it still sounded better than digital). Nope. Just drop the T2 in, and suddenly it sounds mind blowing.

 

[Whitigir]

@mulveling . I noticed that you have a very good black matching screws which I use Silver color instead. Even silver color on the volume knob as well . The reason why is because it has all Pure Silver internal wiring ....I meant I am jealous of your black screws !

 

[mulveling]

You definitely have a 1-up on me with the pure silver wiring! I think mine is silver-coated copper. I thought for a moment about asking for pure silver, and that's my preference, but was just so excited to be getting a T2 that I let it go. My interconnects are solid silver in teflon air tubes, at least. I'm actually running RCA's with XLR adapters because the phono stage source is single-ended.

The black screws certainly do look awesome; I'm ecstatic with the look of my amp

 

[Whitigir]

I too definitely love the look of your T2. All black makes it look very menacing, where as mine look more of a gentle man

Had T2 brought Magic into your Sr009S yet ? Crazy amp, magic to every Stax LoL! I swear eventhough Stax represented 009S was developed based on T8000, they did some on T2

 

[mulveling]

With the Staxes - 009 and 009S - though I still have an L700 too. Girlfriend listens too sometimes, so I actually use both headphones and jacks. Sometimes she picks 009 as favorite, and other times 009S. The L700 was actually the 1st headphone I plugged in to test, and it was immediately apparent this amp was amazing, though I haven't tried the L700 again since then. This amp has not yet failed to blow me away upon a listening session. I have a harder time stopping listening to this amp than I ever did getting up for school (I HATED getting up in mornings, especially for school. As an adult I find jobs where I don't have to get up lol).

 

[Whitigir]

I agree! And also, 009s and 009 are too different, the more you swap and listen to them both.....you just can’t let either one go LOL! (Actually, it is more like me)

 

[mulveling]

Yes, definitely agree - T2 owners really must own both 009 and 009S. With other amps I think most listeners are likely to build a strong preference towards one or the other, more probably 009S in those cases. But with T2 it really is two equally beautiful different experiences.

I am kinda pissed off at myself for not going for this sooner. Though GeorgeP (my builder) has added some refinements over the years that I really appreciate too! This is the build I always wanted. If a fire starts in my place, I will somehow have to schlep my T2 outside, with 009, 009S, and a crate of best records. Otherwise I'll just go down with the place. And my alnico Koestu Onyx Signature, maybe the SOTA and a Shelter too if I go Super-Saiyan.

 

[oneguy]

I’ve never been a fan in the 009 but maybe a listen through a T2 will convert me? As of now my long term goals are the T2, L700 and 009S.

 

[Rhamnetin]

Yes, definitely agree - T2 owners really must own both 009 and 009S. With other amps I think most listeners are likely to build a strong preference towards one or the other, more probably 009S in those cases. But with T2 it really is two equally beautiful different experiences.

I am kinda pissed off at myself for not going for this sooner. Though GeorgeP (my builder) has added some refinements over the years that I really appreciate too! This is the build I always wanted. If a fire starts in my place, I will somehow have to schlep my T2 outside, with 009, 009S, and a crate of best records. Otherwise I'll just go down with the place. And my alnico Koestu Onyx Signatiure, maybe the SOTA and a Shelter too if I go Super-Saiyan.

lol. The headphones can be replaced but that amp has to be top priority!

 

[Whitigir]

lol. The headphones can be replaced but that amp has to be top priority!

Definitely agreed

 

[mulveling]

My builder was GeorgeP, and he did a fantastic job, exceeding expectations in every way. I just waited to confirm that it was OK to reveal his handle. This build process really couldn't have gone any smoother, aside from US Customs' rough opening/handling, which was nobody's fault! What an awesome builder, and I love the refinements he's worked into this version of the original KG DIY T2.

 

[Whitigir]

My builder was GeorgeP, and he did a fantastic job, exceeding expectations in every way. I just waited to confirm that it was OK to reveal his handle. This build process really couldn't have gone any smoother, aside from US Customs' rough opening/handling, which was nobody's fault! What an awesome builder, and I love the refinements he's worked into this version of the original KG DIY T2.

He is absolutely a great builder . I would recommend him any times. I still can not send him enough “thank you”, without him, my “T2 Project” wouldn’t see the day light lol