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I now have made that important step into audiophile territory by getting the Ultra Micro Stack, powered with Astrodyne PSU's.

It's a pleasing upgrade from what I was using before, a Firestone Spitfire/Supplier PSU, coupled with a Micro Amp/Astrodyne.

The overall sound quality in terms of warmth, amount of base etc. is about the same. However, there's more detail and more immediacy to some of the sound. It's easy to appreciate the difference and I'm enjoying the improved sound a lot. This Ultra Micro Stack makes for a great combo and I have no regrets at all having made the upgrade. I was a bit worried that I would be, considering how great my previous setup sounded, especially with 24 bit recordings that made it really come alive.

I'm quite content now and any change would be just for experimentation rather than a genuine quest for better sound.

My next move will be a change of cans. I'll be deciding on the new Senns vs a pair of Denon AH-D7000s. Should make for a nice birthday or further down the road, Christmas present to myself.

The FireStone SpitFire certainly rocks in terms of sound. I'd be really curious to listen to the SpitFire paired with the Cute Beyond or Little Country III. FireStone products are not to be scoffed at. They are a wonderful bang for the buck, but if you really want that extra detail, immediacy and intricacy of soundstaging, then you gotta move on. HeadRoom's premium offerings make for a great step up.

 

[thread]

I thought the Ultra Micro Stack sounded really great, too! It definitely can work those HD650's in a very good way. Sweet rig you've got.

I wouldn't recommend trying to pair them with IEMs or other low sensitivity phones, though. I was not happy about the hiss I heard with my SE530 or UE11.

I still use the Ultra Micro DAC every day, though... It performs wonderfully and makes a great transportable dac.

 

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Originally Posted by thread /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thought the Ultra Micro Stack sounded really great, too! It definitely can work those HD650's in a very good way. Sweet rig you've got. I wouldn't recommend trying to pair them with IEMs or other low sensitivity phones, though. I was not happy about the hiss I heard with my SE530 or UE11. I still use the Ultra Micro DAC every day, though... It performs wonderfully and makes a great transportable dac.

Thanks for the tip on the low sensitivity phones.

I don't like in-ear phones and use them only if I have to, i.e., while on the go. The lowest sensitivity phones I have are the Sennheiser HD 595's.

I'll need something more portable for amping/dacing while on the go. I guess the desktop portable would not be the way to go then.

 

[orkney]

Congrats on the Ultra stack -- it's a seriously good combo that competes well with far pricier kit, IME. The only drawbacks for me are the minijacks and the stack's light weight but these are really quibbles. Should be an excellent match with the D7000s and I imagine the HD800s also, extrapolating from the HD650s.

best,

o

 

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Originally Posted by orkney /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congrats on the Ultra stack -- it's a seriously good combo that competes well with far pricier kit, IME. The only drawbacks for me are the minijacks and the stack's light weight but these are really quibbles. Should be an excellent match with the D7000s and I imagine the HD800s also, extrapolating from the HD650s. best, o

I am confident about what you say, in that the Ultra Micro Stack competes well with pricier kit. The realm of rapidly diminishing returns has been entered.

I was seriously considered the ultra desktop amp and would have ended up with the Ultra desktop if the sale had not been started. Either way, I'm happy and don't really mind the mini jacks. I really am using the rig solely with my iMac, with no plans to do otherwise.

I now need a portable option and will likely go with a Ray Samuels option just to try another highly reputed amp designer/maker.