[bcowen]

It is indeed. When it dropped to $400 I could not resist.

I am trying them with aune t1 Mk3 DAC, with two Sylvania VT-192, on to Vali 2 with RCA 6SN7 Grey Glass, and from Vali 2 RCA out to E90 energiser's RCA in.

So far, KOSS ESP-95X sound very transparent and fast, but the tonal balance does not compare with my K702 which I like better so far. But ESP-95X seem to be settling down. Let us give them more time...

EDIT: Dusted Modi MB, and connected E90 to Modi's RCA. Hm. Better than aune+Vali 2 for Koss ESP-950? Seems so: a step in the right direction!

Give 'em about 24 hours of Marilyn Manson at 100 dB's and they'll be ready. Perhaps don't put them on your head during that...

 

[bcowen]

My guinea piggin' for this week. Unfortunately I'm still waiting on the adapter...

 

[Joe Garfield]

My Siemens tube doesn’t work - only left channel plays. If I tap it, the right channel pops.

Good thing for eBay return policy!

 

[bcowen]

My Siemens tube doesn’t work - only left channel plays. If I tap it, the right channel pops.

Good thing for eBay return policy!

Bummer, man. That was a really nice looking tube from the listing. Hopefully the seller will refund your money quickly. Ebay will too, it just takes a while if you have to go that route.

Here's a pair that came from Upscale Audio, so as long as the seller isn't switching boxes they've been well tested. Current bid is at $8.50, but 2 days left to go....and they won't end up at that price. Still maybe worth giving it a try:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Matched-Pa...074388&hash=item3fd6505816:g:ONoAAOSwHfxeDSRA

And there's more of the Brimar 6BQ7's available. Seems there are several of us that really like this tube, and the pair I got from this seller test very nicely:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-Matche...370507?hash=item54733908cb:g:0wEAAOSwOTZdO5Hy

 

[Joe Garfield]

LOL. I started the return and the seller is accusing me of buying the wrong tube (you must have meant to buy a 6DHJ8 or ECC88, not this E88CC), then saying I must have broke it. But the return is already started so whatever. This whole ‘star seller’ or whatever its called on eBay is BS - there’s a million good reviews because it’s setup such that you can’t really leave anything but - or so it seems to me.

 

[bibbs]

this little amp loves vinyl.

still got a bit of work to do to the Systemdek. it might be the beer but this thing is amazing for the money.

could do with more ooomph though.

systemdek iix rega rb250 with michell technoweight and denon dl301mk2, schiit mani, schiit vali2, beyer dt880's.

listening to daft punk ram.

wish my converter would hurry up so i can plug the brimar in. but the stock valve is well tamed with vinyl.

 

[Old Deaf Donkey]

It is indeed. When it dropped to $400 I could not resist.

I am trying them with aune t1 Mk3 DAC, with two Sylvania VT-192, on to Vali 2 with RCA 6SN7 Grey Glass, and from Vali 2 RCA out to E90 amp's RCA in.

So far, KOSS ESP-95X sound very transparent and fast, but the tonal balance does not compare with my K702 which I like better so far. But ESP-95X seem to be settling down. Let us give them more time...

EDIT: Dusted Modi MB, and connected E90 to Modi's RCA. Hm. Better than aune+Vali 2 for Koss ESP-950? Seems so: a step in the right direction!

Koss Massdrop ESP-95X are extremely good HP. They work OK with Modi MB. If I did not have my main setup, I would think this was an amazing HP. In some individual qualities, Koss surpasses my setup: maybe faster, maybe more transparent. In simple recordings, such as voice with several instruments, it sounds awesome... until I switch to my aune/vali/K702. I must have been lucky to stumble and arrive at a system that sounds extremely realistic, engaging, balanced and euphonic to me. I do not miss anything in this sound signature. All it needs is appropriate tubes, and I have enough of them now. Have I become a slave of my system, good becoming an enemy of better? Perhaps.

Is there a way to bring Koss ESP-95X to the same overall satisfaction? Perhaps there is. I have read reviews and opinions. Change earpads, buy a Stax amp instead of E90, look for a better match in DAC... Will I? No. I will keep them and occasionally experiment for their place in my current system. I will let you know if I find it.

 

[bcowen]

Have I become a slave of my system, good becoming an enemy of better? Perhaps.

I would have to argue -- not in opposition but just from another perspective -- that 'good' is what's better if it's more satisfying and enjoyable to you.

I'm weird of course, so that's as FWIW as you can get.

Thanks for sharing your impressions on the Stax. I've never heard any, but have been curious. Are you confident they are fully broken-in? My new Aeon 2's were causing me some consternation because they just didn't have the macrodynamic swings that I wanted (or got out of the Aeon 1's). That finally came around and developed very nicely, but I'm guessing it was in excess of 100 hours before they got there.

 

[Mr Trev]

I would have to argue -- not in opposition but just from another perspective -- that 'good' is what's better if it's more satisfying and enjoyable to you.

I'm weird of course, so that's as FWIW as you can get.

Thanks for sharing your impressions on the Stax. I've never heard any, but have been curious. Are you confident they are fully broken-in? My new Aeon 2's were causing me some consternation because they just didn't have the macrodynamic swings that I wanted (or got out of the Aeon 1's). That finally came around and developed very nicely, but I'm guessing it was in excess of 100 hours before they got there.

How's the Vali treat them AFC2s? I've been tempted to get the original since I first read the reviews… now there's a better one

 

[Shane D]

Koss Massdrop ESP-95X are extremely good HP. They work OK with Modi MB. If I did not have my main setup, I would think this was an amazing HP. In some individual qualities, Koss surpasses my setup: maybe faster, maybe more transparent. In simple recordings, such as voice with several instruments, it sounds awesome... until I switch to my aune/vali/K702. I must have been lucky to stumble and arrive at a system that sounds extremely realistic, engaging, balanced and euphonic to me. I do not miss anything in this sound signature. All it needs is appropriate tubes, and I have enough of them now. Have I become a slave of my system, good becoming an enemy of better? Perhaps.

Is there a way to bring Koss ESP-95X to the same overall satisfaction? Perhaps there is. I have read reviews and opinions. Change earpads, buy a Stax amp instead of E90, look for a better match in DAC... Will I? No. I will keep them and occasionally experiment for their place in my current system. I will let you know if I find it.

Please try EQ'ing with the Koss system. My Schiit Loki makes them a keeper in my system for the long term.

Shane D

 

[Old Deaf Donkey]

Please try EQ'ing with the Koss system. My Schiit Loki makes them a keeper in my system for the long term.

Shane D

Thank you for sharing your experience. I would need 2 Loki minis: one for each channel. That is very tempting: both of my ears suffer from different hearing loss. So far my brain managed to overcome this without EQ. I am concerned that each piece of music will call for slightly different EQ, and there will be no end in adjusting and readjusting. Now I can just listen to music. Just saying.

 

[Shane D]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I would need 2 Loki minis: one for each channel. That is very tempting: both of my ears suffer from different hearing loss. So far my brain managed to overcome this without EQ. I am concerned that each piece of music will call for slightly different EQ, and there will be no end in adjusting and readjusting. Now I can just listen to music. Just saying.

Since the E95X has left and right volume, couldn't you use just one EQ and separate the volumes?

Or is the situation where each ear hears differently, not just volume wise?

Shane D

 

[Old Deaf Donkey]

Since the E95X has left and right volume, couldn't you use just one EQ and separate the volumes?

Or is the situation where each ear hears differently, not just volume wise?

Shane D

it is. I quite like the twin pots (as plural of pot) on E95X, but that's skating on a thin ice for me

 

[bcowen]

How's the Vali treat them AFC2s? I've been tempted to get the original since I first read the reviews… now there's a better one

The Vali is surprising me to no end with the AFC2's. The Aeon's very low impedance (13 ohms) coupled with their low-ish sensitivity make them a bit of a challenge for an amp. The Lyr 3 (at 9+ watts into 13 ohms) has more than enough grunt to whip them around like a rag doll, but I was concerned that even with the 1+ watt the Vali could push into that load it wouldn't be enough....or enough to fully flesh out what the Aeons can do. My concerns were misplaced. Using high gain (haven't tried low gain) the Vali has plenty of oomph to make the Aeons sing. Yeah the Lyr 3 is better overall (at 3x+ the price it would be a real shame if it wasn't), but it's not just because it has more power. I know you guys are probably well past tired of hearing about the Frankie, but I have to say that it is a particularly synergistic match with the Vali. Or the Aeons. Or my ears. Or probably some combination thereof...

 

[Ripper2860]

I know you guys are probably well past tired of hearing about the Frankie, but

OMG! YES, WE ARE!!!! Geez -- why don't you and Frankie just get a room already??!!