neilvg
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2004
- Posts
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I just read the 'HE90, worth $8K?' thread/poll and it got me thinking... Is there a point at which the enjoyment becomes so great that it completely obscures the cost associated with attaining such an item? Assuming one can afford said $$$$$ item in the first place. For example, I don't even think $200 is worth it for an L3000. But that's just me. The enjoyment that phone brings me is not worth the $200.
Having said that, I would like to say that I am completely taken with my Orpheus combo. I think I have tried almost every phone and many many many amp combo's and I have always felt the need for something more. For me, it has never been about "what could possibly be better" in terms of phones (although there is a slight interest in that direction.) Rather it has always been about finding "my sound". What integrates best with the way I want to hear things?
I feel as though I can unequivocally say, for me, the Orpheus combo is such a beast. When I first had the opporunity to get this system, I got some PM's sent to me saying things like "Your gonna be slain by the Orpheus". At first I thought that this was a funny statement to make. I really don't see headphones, or gadgetry that way at all. But as I listen to this system more and more, and fine tune its associated equipment, I feel as though I understand this statement much more. I am slain in the sense that I feel as though, for the first time, I have found the headphone that can take me to the sonic reality I am looking for. Now, it is more a matter of coaxing out the greatest potential from this phone/system. Is the HEV90 amp perfect? No. Is there something more to the sound that can be had with further tweaking? Certainly. But I cannot imagine myself looking for any more in terms of its base signature. In other words, I sense the potential to coax the exact sound I am looking for out of it.
I know a lot of you have found your 'perfect' system(s). Some of you are lucky enough to have found several matches. So my question to you is, what headphone system gets and seems to be keeping you there? Or is your search seemingly never ending?
Neil
Edit: I have an adaptor to plug my HE60 into the HEV90. I am not sure if it is the amp, or the phone, but I can say one thing, MUCH of the magic is gone. Upon a very very cursory listen, one might be tempted to say that both phones are similar. They are not. I am sorry. Even the slightest of extended listens in a quiet and relaxed atmosphere will yield, in my opinion, a very elemental difference... and they just drift even further apart upon subsequent inspections.
Having said that, I would like to say that I am completely taken with my Orpheus combo. I think I have tried almost every phone and many many many amp combo's and I have always felt the need for something more. For me, it has never been about "what could possibly be better" in terms of phones (although there is a slight interest in that direction.) Rather it has always been about finding "my sound". What integrates best with the way I want to hear things?
I feel as though I can unequivocally say, for me, the Orpheus combo is such a beast. When I first had the opporunity to get this system, I got some PM's sent to me saying things like "Your gonna be slain by the Orpheus". At first I thought that this was a funny statement to make. I really don't see headphones, or gadgetry that way at all. But as I listen to this system more and more, and fine tune its associated equipment, I feel as though I understand this statement much more. I am slain in the sense that I feel as though, for the first time, I have found the headphone that can take me to the sonic reality I am looking for. Now, it is more a matter of coaxing out the greatest potential from this phone/system. Is the HEV90 amp perfect? No. Is there something more to the sound that can be had with further tweaking? Certainly. But I cannot imagine myself looking for any more in terms of its base signature. In other words, I sense the potential to coax the exact sound I am looking for out of it.
I know a lot of you have found your 'perfect' system(s). Some of you are lucky enough to have found several matches. So my question to you is, what headphone system gets and seems to be keeping you there? Or is your search seemingly never ending?
Neil
Edit: I have an adaptor to plug my HE60 into the HEV90. I am not sure if it is the amp, or the phone, but I can say one thing, MUCH of the magic is gone. Upon a very very cursory listen, one might be tempted to say that both phones are similar. They are not. I am sorry. Even the slightest of extended listens in a quiet and relaxed atmosphere will yield, in my opinion, a very elemental difference... and they just drift even further apart upon subsequent inspections.