[magiccabbage]

  Nice write up there Bacchus,
 
Speaking of amps.... got this in the mail yesterday.
 

 
Balanced no less, and with some fancy tubes as well.
 
Impressions to follow

 

you will have to post loads of pics of that amp

 

[Eee Pee]

Sonett and HD 800s are nice.
 

 

 

[koiloco]

   

 
Well... she's got some kind of talent that's for sure.
 
IMHO she's trying a bit too hard and I find it a bit hard to relax and just enjoy her music. I get the impression that the only message her music has is "I'm hot, I'm sexy and I can play violin! Look at me!"
 
But then she is pretty darn young and I'm sure she's having the time of her life so i don't blame her. I would like her a lot better if she wasn't so showy.
 
I prefer artists that are artists/musicians first and performers second.
 
For contrast & clarification: This is being an ART-ist first and performer second:
 
 

 
+1.  Her violin skill is alright; nothing compared to the violin greats.  I do like how she's bringing a classical instrument into a modern genre while looking good/hot doing it.  Very enjoyable.

 

[arteom]

I am pretty happy with my EHHA for amplification, but did just buy an opus DAC from the FS forums. I think the my Stello DA100 D/A stage is holding me back, as much as I do enjoy it's analog stage (it will find a good home in my bedroom). Hoping the Opus will perform near $1k level, anyone have any experience with the opus and the HD-800?

 

[icebear]

  ....  Well... she's got some kind of talent that's for sure.
 
IMHO she's trying a bit too hard and I find it a bit hard to relax and just enjoy her music. I get the impression that the only message her music has is "I'm hot, I'm sexy and I can play violin! Look at me!"

+2, this exactly is my take.
And a video in an awesome landscape that calls for silence and meditation or just listening the wind whistling layered with studio recorded sound and the performer faking it ... just not my cup of tea.

 

[hekeli]

   
I have never seen that version before. It looks good. What is the purpose of the front input since there is also a rear input but no selector? Are they simply tied together? And the rear output allows it to be used as a preamp?

 
I guess the front and rear inputs are simply tied. And yes it works as preamp, pot works for the rear output. Very nice!

 

[62ohm]

I've not heard of her, do you recommend the album ?

 
Nah not really, these all really described my take on the album.
 

   

 
Well... she's got some kind of talent that's for sure.
 
IMHO she's trying a bit too hard and I find it a bit hard to relax and just enjoy her music. I get the impression that the only message her music has is "I'm hot, I'm sexy and I can play violin! Look at me!"
 
But then she is pretty darn young and I'm sure she's having the time of her life so i don't blame her. I would like her a lot better if she wasn't so showy.
 
I prefer artists that are artists/musicians first and performers second.
 
For contrast & clarification: This is being an ART-ist first and performer second:
 
 

 

   
+1.  Her violin skill is alright; nothing compared to the violin greats.  I do like how she's bringing a classical instrument into a modern genre while looking good/hot doing it.  Very enjoyable.

 

  +2, this exactly is my take.
And a video in an awesome landscape that calls for silence and meditation or just listening the wind whistling layered with studio recorded sound and the performer faking it ... just not my cup of tea.

 
She's not a bad violinist, that's for sure. It's just somewhat hard to just relax and enjoy her music. The album is sort of full of extravagance and no emotion.

 

[TwoEars]

You asked for it!

 







 
Preliminary findings are very positive. It really doesn't sound like a tube amp at all, there's not a trace of being "thick" or "slow" or "syrupy".
 
Instead the Sonett is quick, agile, light on it's feet and really, really transparent. Music is *FUN* and engaging to listen to, there's very good presence and imaging.
 
It sounds more like the perfect +3000 dollar end-game Solid State amp than a mid-level tube amp to be honest, I don't think I could ever guess I was listening to a tube amp in a blind test.
 
It also seems to do well with whatever I throw at it. Beethoven - check. Sasha & John Digweed - check. Norah Jones - check. Collective soul - check. Very impressive!
 
If you like a transparent and uncolored sound this combo I've got here with Anedio D1 sabre dac, Sonett & HD800 is highly impressive IMHO.
 
And it's gorgeous of course, that blue color really pops when you see it in person.

 

[LugBug1]

Well it certainly looks the business TwoEars - great photos aswell. Congrats bud! 

 

[ALRAINBOW]

I had Craig's for a few days. It gels very well with the hd800 . Very detailed it sounded better than my WOO WA5 . But the HE6 sounded better with the woo than the stratus .

Enjoy the pairing I think it is a very good pairing.

Al

 

[magiccabbage]

I had Craig's for a few days. It gels very well with the hd800 . Very detailed it sounded better than my WOO WA5 . But the HE6 sounded better with the woo than the stratus .

Enjoy the pairing I think it is a very good pairing.

Al

So you prefer DNA Stratus/HD800 to WA5/HD800? I think you said before that the DNA Stratus was not better than the WA22. 
 
That picture above is of the DNA sonnet though - so now im confused. 

 

[JeffA]

Preliminary findings are very positive. It really doesn't sound like a tube amp at all, there's not a trace of being "thick" or "slow" or "syrupy".
 
Instead the Sonett is quick, agile, light on it's feet and really, really transparent. Music is *FUN* and engaging to listen to, there's very good presence and imaging.
 
It sounds more like the perfect +3000 dollar end-game Solid State amp than a mid-level tube amp to be honest, I don't think I could ever guess I was listening to a tube amp in a blind test.
 
It also seems to do well with whatever I throw at it. Beethoven - check. Sasha & John Digweed - check. Norah Jones - check. Collective soul - check. Very impressive!
 
If you like a transparent and uncolored sound this combo I've got here with Anedio D1 sabre dac, Sonett & HD800 is highly impressive IMHO.
 
And it's gorgeous of course, that blue color really pops when you see it in person.

I just wanted to echo this. I recently took delivery of a Sonett 2. It is not a great "tube" amplifier. It is a great amplifier, period. Very well-engineered tube amps sound like the best solid state, and the best-engineered solid state amps sound like the best tube amps. At the top rungs of the ladder, they sound much more similar than dissimilar. The Sonett 2 is a fast, transparent, dynamic amplifier. Its strengths are a great match for the strengths of the HD800. It should get more notoriety around here as an option in the $1,500 space. And if the Stratus is a definite step up from the Sonett 2 … Oh my.

 

[elvergun]

  You asked for it!

 







 

 
What a great setup...and incredible pictures.

 

[Dionysus]

It is a beautiful looking amp and from what people echo a very good sounding headphone amp, I'm intrigued.

 

[TwoEars]

  Well it certainly looks the business TwoEars - great photos aswell. Congrats bud! 

 
Thanks! 

 

Enjoy the pairing I think it is a very good pairing.

Al

 
I certainly think so! Thanks!
 

  I just wanted to echo this. I recently took delivery of a Sonett 2. It is not a great "tube" amplifier. It is a great amplifier, period. Very well-engineered tube amps sound like the best solid state, and the best-engineered solid state amps sound like the best tube amps. At the top rungs of the ladder, they sound much more similar than dissimilar. The Sonett 2 is a fast, transparent, dynamic amplifier. Its strengths are a great match for the strengths of the HD800. It should get more notoriety around here as an option in the $1,500 space. And if the Stratus is a definite step up from the Sonett 2 … Oh my.

 
Congrats to you too! And I completely agree! It's not a great "tube amp", it's a great amp period! Good analysis!
 
Quote:

   
What a great setup...and incredible pictures.

 
Thanks!

 

It is a beautiful looking amp and from what people echo a very good sounding headphone amp, I'm intrigued.

 
Just go for it. I bought mine second hand but Donald is a great guy. Knows more than most but very low key. If anyone deserves your business he does!