[jonathan c]

One amp is all that is "needed", when it sounds as good as the HA300MK2.

Holy heck ! You should know that Head-Fi is driven by want!!

 

[Wes S]

Suuuuuure…. “one amp”..

I bet I could blow your mind with any one of your tube amps, with one of my tube rolls.

 

[Wes S]

Holy heck ! You should know that Head-Fi is driven by want!!

If you heard my amp with the tubes I am using, I bet you would want for nothing too.

 

[Wes S]

My 9 amps* are glaring at me as I read this.

It's heresy, pure and simple!

*not including the one that's F.S. (!)

I originally liked the idea of having multiple good amps for variety, but I have learned I get more from going all out on just one great one these days.

 

[jonathan c]

If you heard my amp with the tubes I am using, I bet you would want for nothing too.

“The HA-300MK2 is my headamp, I shall not want… … … I will dwell in the house of Cayin forever.”

 

[Wes S]

“The HA-300MK2 is my headamp, I shall not want… … … I will dwell in the house of Cayin forever.”

It's more like. . .Holy crap! This sounds so freaking great, I can't imagine it getting any better. Everything is perfect now, so why bother looking elsewhere.

House of Cayin, House of GEC, and House of Elrog are all my houses that I love and will dwell in forever.

The amp is only half the story, and the tubes tell the rest.

 

[jonathan c]

The amp is only half the story, and the tubes tell the rest.

‘Every Tube Amp Tells A Story’

 

[Monsterzero]

‘Every Tube Amp Tells A Story’

I see what you did there. Well played. Shanghai Lil sends her regards.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I originally liked the idea of having multiple good amps for variety, but I have learned I get more from going all out on just one great one these days.

My situation is quite different from yours. For one thing, I can't fit any of the big tube amps that you and others rave about here. I mean, really, truly can't fit them in the cramped space of this home office.

But there's another difference that's just as important. I crammed 2 complete systems into this space:

• The main system includes the NOS DAC, DDC, headphone amps, amp/preamps, speakers, sub, class D amp & electronic crossover. It's on the far right side of the long, L-shaped desk, with a big desktop computer the digital bitstream comes from;
• The side system includes a different DAC (NOS/AIO), SPDIF converter, headphone amps, and laptop that's my main machine
• Both DACs have dual RCA outputs live at all times, allowing 2 headphone amps to operate simultaneously in each system
• In the main system, thanks to the very transparent RCA pass-through output on the Icon Audio HP8 amp, I can actually connect 3 headphone amps (or amp/preamps) simultaneously (one of which is always the system preamp)
• And each system has a different mix of cables (USB, interconnects, digital coax) that I upgrade periodically

NOTE: None of my amps are the equal of a mega-tube amp, but some of them are very powerful and sound terrific (ie, Wells Audio Milo & Cavalli Liquid Carbon v2/side system; V281 & Icon Audio HP8 in main system). Plus each DAC has its own strengths.​

It's a lot of moving parts. But in practical terms, it's relatively simple. Sometimes I listen to headphones on the side system; other times on the main system. I can & often do move the headphone du jour (selected from 5 or 6 good ones) from one amp to the other during a single listening session. And I listen to the speakers/sub ~12 hrs/day, way more than I listen to any/all headphones.

So at least in my case, variety is the whole point. For me, the grass is always greener on the other end of the desk...

 

[goldwerger]

If you heard my amp with the tubes I am using, I bet you would want for nothing too.

I’m sure you are right

 

[ColSaulTigh]

I prefer that A20 does not have the optionality of A2. Ceteris paribus, simpler is better.

It's a lot of moving parts. But in practical terms, it's relatively simple. Sometimes I listen to headphones on the side system; other times on the main system. I can & often do move the headphone du jour (selected from 5 or 6 good ones) from one amp to the other during a single listening session. And I listen to the speakers/sub ~12 hrs/day, way more than I listen to any/all headphones.

First Latin, then French...you elitist audio-types disgust me!

bortaS bIr jablu'DI' reH QaQqu' nay'

 

[jonathan c]

First Latin, then French...you elitist audio-types disgust me! …

…. given their names, I guess that you won’t be keen on Aeolus, Atrium, Atticus, Auteur, Caldera, Eikon, Verite Closed, Verite Open … . Too bad !

 

[ColSaulTigh]

…. given their names, I guess that you won’t be keen on Aeolus, Atrium, Atticus, Auteur, Caldera, Eikon, Verite Closed, Verite Open … . Too bad !

In vino veritas.

 

[goldwerger]

First Latin, then French...you elitist audio-types disgust me!

bortaS bIr jablu'DI' reH QaQqu' nay'

si translate usus es ut hoc legas, non es captiosus quam cogitas..

 

[ColSaulTigh]

si translate usus es ut hoc legas, non es captiosus quam cogitas..

My Latin is very rusty (Catholic school was a long time ago). But the internet is a wonderful thing

Also, I do hope everyone realizes my comment was meant very much so tongue-in-cheek...