JimL11
1000+ Head-Fier
I would be wary of anything from Woo, as spritzer has documented that Woo has had problems with their bias supplies, potentially leading to gradual deterioration of the headphone diaphragms.
Welp, it's settled, Imma go budget for now and just get the SRS-3100 package until I can throw cash at a better unit, maybe a vintage energizer. I feel like a vintage energizer is a gamble, but one that could have a nice payoff...people keep telling me not to get one though.I would be wary of anything from Woo, as spritzer has documented that Woo has had problems with their bias supplies, potentially leading to gradual deterioration of the headphone diaphragms.
If plan on using a pre-amp Spritzer has his Octave III unit he recently made a few of, scroll down to second from bottom:
https://mjolnir-audio.com/products/
Looks awesome....but beyond my means, as I'd also need to buy a poweramp.
I have, at most, $1400 to work with, if I want to sell all my other gear to finance it.
Yeah, 'low cost' Spritzer equipment is still not that inexpensive. Make sure you check the used amp section he has every so often because sometimes he will post up some nice vintage gear that he's reworked and modded (replaced component/capacitors, added custom boards, etc...) and its often not too much more than getting that stock vintage gear in unknown original condition.
I don't have a T-1, but my SRM-1 Mk2 is the exact unit in the Z Reviews video. And my ears largely agree with his regarding 252S vs SRM-1 vs 353X (I bought my 353X afterwards).
My particular SRM-1 *may* need to be recapped...but is a definite resolution step up from my 252S. However it does sound slightly bright to me.
When I got my 353X, it kept the resolution step up while fixing the too-bright sound I was hearing. It sounds more fleshed out overall.
As always, IMO, YMMV, etc.
With the single-ended input on the SRM-353X BK, I don't hear much of a difference compared to the SRM-252S.
The balanced input on the other hand has better instrument separation, weightier bass, and a much tamed brightness at the ~2 kHz resonance peak of the older Lambda headphones. I no longer need to apply an EQ to my setup with the 353X balanced inputs.
The 252 and the Woo Wee offer about the same sound quality (decent and usable but not great) and the SRM1-MK2 is a pretty big step up from both of those options.
Stax SRD7-MK2 (Pro + Normal Biased) combined with a nice and clean speakers amp (anything First Watt for example) will sound better than everything that I've talked about and costs less than the BHSE and the 3SE Elite from Woo Audio.
The 252 and the Woo Wee offer about the same sound quality (decent and usable but not great) and the SRM1-MK2 is a pretty big step up from both of those options.
Stax SRD7-MK2 (Pro + Normal Biased) combined with a nice and clean speakers amp (anything First Watt for example) will sound better than everything that I've talked about and costs less than the BHSE and the 3SE Elite from Woo Audio.