PATB
1000+ Head-Fier
My headamp KGSS finally arrived today. Here's a front side pic,
and a family portrait,
My KGSS is taller than a stock Headamp KGSS to accommodate the Black Gates capacitors. The KGSS occupies the entire shelf surface, so I can no longer use the back panel of my Salamander Designs rack as the XLR cables stick out.
As far as looks, from pictures posted here and on the headamp website, I always thought the headmp KGSS does not look as professional and sturdy as the GS-1 or Gilmore Lite. However, in person, the headamp KGSS looks and feels really sturdy and business-like. The etched letterings, the knobs, connectors, etc. are, as GMC puts it, "professional grade." The left and right volume are easy to match because the fron panel markers actually line up with the knob marker for each step of the attenuators. No need to count the steps to match volume. I also don't have a problem finding the right listenable volume even with the step attenuators.
I just plugged the Omega IIs about two hours ago but I can't help giving it a quick listen to check if both the Omega IIs and the KGSS work. It would be a bummer if my Omegas don't work, as I have to return it to EIFL in Japan. Thank goodness they both work.
I inserted Alison Krauss' "Lonely Runs Both Ways" album in the Meridian and pressed play. This album is wonderfully mastered and makes all my gear sound better than they have any right to be. The Meridian G08 is driving both the Rega Couple(RCA)/HR-2/Zu Mobius/HD650 on the unbalanced outputs and the Grover UR (XLR)/KGSS/O2 on the balanced outputs at the same time. A/B comparison is thus as fast as I can position the headphones on my head. As expected, the HD650s and the Omega IIs have two different sonic signatures. Even when the Omegas are not fully charged and broken-in, I can readily tell that the Omegas extract more detail from the album than the HD650 even when the KGSS is set at really low volume. Also, I thought the HD650 midrange is smooth, but the Omega's midrange is even more so. It is addicting. The Omegas also sound "fuller" than the HD650/Zu Mobius. That was actually a surprise to me. I am going to put the HD650 stock cable back for comparison, as I think the Zu makes the HD650s sound a tad thin.
I haven't had the chance to listen to the O2s with faster music, so I am not sure if the HD650s will be gathering dust soon. One thing is for certain, the CD3000 and the HD650 are the two "hi-fi" cans I heard before. Now, I am really curious how the HE90 sounds like.
and a family portrait,
My KGSS is taller than a stock Headamp KGSS to accommodate the Black Gates capacitors. The KGSS occupies the entire shelf surface, so I can no longer use the back panel of my Salamander Designs rack as the XLR cables stick out.
As far as looks, from pictures posted here and on the headamp website, I always thought the headmp KGSS does not look as professional and sturdy as the GS-1 or Gilmore Lite. However, in person, the headamp KGSS looks and feels really sturdy and business-like. The etched letterings, the knobs, connectors, etc. are, as GMC puts it, "professional grade." The left and right volume are easy to match because the fron panel markers actually line up with the knob marker for each step of the attenuators. No need to count the steps to match volume. I also don't have a problem finding the right listenable volume even with the step attenuators.
I just plugged the Omega IIs about two hours ago but I can't help giving it a quick listen to check if both the Omega IIs and the KGSS work. It would be a bummer if my Omegas don't work, as I have to return it to EIFL in Japan. Thank goodness they both work.
I inserted Alison Krauss' "Lonely Runs Both Ways" album in the Meridian and pressed play. This album is wonderfully mastered and makes all my gear sound better than they have any right to be. The Meridian G08 is driving both the Rega Couple(RCA)/HR-2/Zu Mobius/HD650 on the unbalanced outputs and the Grover UR (XLR)/KGSS/O2 on the balanced outputs at the same time. A/B comparison is thus as fast as I can position the headphones on my head. As expected, the HD650s and the Omega IIs have two different sonic signatures. Even when the Omegas are not fully charged and broken-in, I can readily tell that the Omegas extract more detail from the album than the HD650 even when the KGSS is set at really low volume. Also, I thought the HD650 midrange is smooth, but the Omega's midrange is even more so. It is addicting. The Omegas also sound "fuller" than the HD650/Zu Mobius. That was actually a surprise to me. I am going to put the HD650 stock cable back for comparison, as I think the Zu makes the HD650s sound a tad thin.
I haven't had the chance to listen to the O2s with faster music, so I am not sure if the HD650s will be gathering dust soon. One thing is for certain, the CD3000 and the HD650 are the two "hi-fi" cans I heard before. Now, I am really curious how the HE90 sounds like.
