[3x331m]

I have not gotten a chance to hear the W2002 with HA2002, but read that the HA2002 is tuned for the W2002. I guess the the W2002/HA2002 must have really good synergy.

Is there any other amp which can compete with the HA2002 when it comes down to serving the W2002 ?

 

[jpelg]

I thought the Benchmark DAC1 amp/DAC combo sounded great with the W2002's when I had them. The Benchmark woke up the (rather sleepy otherwise) A-T's nicely.

The only other amp I heard sound particularly good with the W2002's was a heavily modded Sugden Headmaster. But I think, in retrospect, I preferred the Benchmark (which is, of course, also a source).

Never heard the HA2002.

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpelg /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thought the Benchmark DAC1 amp/DAC combo sounded great with the W2002's when I had them. The Benchmark woke up the (rather sleepy otherwise) A-T's nicely. The only other amp I heard sound particularly good with the W2002's was a heavily modded Sugden Headmaster. But I think, in retrospect, I preferred the Benchmark (which is, of course, also a source). Never heard the HA2002.

It must be the "synergy". I've tried my w2002 with SP, Rudistor, RKV, and Meier, but they were nothing special. However, the jack on my Marantz cdp (Cirrus-Logic) really woke them up. It made me wonder how the W2002 sounds with the HA2002, or something that can best the HA2002.

 

[Superpredator]

The M^3 does the job nicely, but is outmatched on nearly every level by the Yamamoto HA-02. Nearly all the complaints I've heard about the W2002, in fact, are addressed by the HA-02. The M^3 provided a full, supple, almost luminescent sound, but its superb mid bass lacked extension into true low territory and sometimes had the W2002 producing the feeling of bass without actually creating the full note. The M^3 also left the W2002 sounding very closed-in and in comparison to other (open) headphones as well as open-sounding closed headphones like the W5000, somewhat artificial. The three-blob soundstage was also in full effect. The HA-02 infuses the W2002 with a more open, airy quality, reduces or eliminates the three-blob soundstage and produces big, deep bass notes to tell your stereophile friends about.

Edit: With a good source I also thought the revised EC/SS sounded quite good, and this was in direct comparison to the HA-02.

 

[gpalmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpelg /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thought the Benchmark DAC1 amp/DAC combo sounded great with the W2002's when I had them. The Benchmark woke up the (rather sleepy otherwise) A-T's nicely. The only other amp I heard sound particularly good with the W2002's was a heavily modded Sugden Headmaster. But I think, in retrospect, I preferred the Benchmark (which is, of course, also a source). Never heard the HA2002.

I never heard the HA2002 either. I liked the W2002 with the Benchmark on first listen but over a relatively short period of time they started wearing on my nerves. Personally I'd vote for the Modded Sugden Headmaster combo hands down. It's really the only thing I've tried them with that held up for me long term.

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3x331m /img/forum/go_quote.gif It must be the "synergy". I've tried my w2002 with SP, Rudistor, RKV, and Meier, but they were nothing special. However, the jack on my Marantz cdp (Cirrus-Logic) really woke them up. It made me wonder how the W2002 sounds with the HA2002, or something that can best the HA2002.

What was it you liked about the sound through the Marantz? I know everyone has different ideas about what the best sound is... was it darker, brighter, better soundstage, etc?

That's a trip that you're getting the best sound without an amp. Just goes to show you can never make assumptions ("you have to have an amp") in this hobby.

By the way, I hadn't even heard of the HA2002, I kind of wish I'd tried it before I sold them to you. My god, even if that amp sounds like crap, it's beautiful. I've never seen an amp with a cherry front plate; now that I've seen it, I think it should be an option on more amps.

 

[Sarchi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's a trip that you're getting the best sound without an amp. Just goes to show you can never make assumptions ("you have to have an amp") in this hobby.

The newer Marantz CDP's have real buffer-circuit heaphone amps on them.

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarchi /img/forum/go_quote.gif The newer Marantz CDP's have real buffer-circuit heaphone amps on them.

Sweet... I did not know that.

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superpredator /img/forum/go_quote.gif The M^3 does the job nicely, but is outmatched on nearly every level by the Yamamoto HA-02. Nearly all the complaints I've heard about the W2002, in fact, are addressed by the HA-02. The M^3 provided a full, supple, almost luminescent sound, but its superb mid bass lacked extension into true low territory and sometimes had the W2002 producing the feeling of bass without actually creating the full note. The M^3 also left the W2002 sounding very closed-in and in comparison to other (open) headphones as well as open-sounding closed headphones like the W5000, somewhat artificial. The three-blob soundstage was also in full effect. The HA-02 infuses the W2002 with a more open, airy quality, reduces or eliminates the three-blob soundstage and produces big, deep bass notes to tell your stereophile friends about. Edit: With a good source I also thought the revised EC/SS sounded quite good, and this was in direct comparison to the HA-02.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpalmer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I never heard the HA2002 either. I liked the W2002 with the Benchmark on first listen but over a relatively short period of time they started wearing on my nerves. Personally I'd vote for the Modded Sugden Headmaster combo hands down. It's really the only thing I've tried them with that held up for me long term.

It looks like a bright well designed SS amp is a good candidate ?

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif What was it you liked about the sound through the Marantz? I know everyone has different ideas about what the best sound is... was it darker, brighter, better soundstage, etc? That's a trip that you're getting the best sound without an amp. Just goes to show you can never make assumptions ("you have to have an amp") in this hobby. By the way, I hadn't even heard of the HA2002, I kind of wish I'd tried it before I sold them to you. My god, even if that amp sounds like crap, it's beautiful. I've never seen an amp with a cherry front plate; now that I've seen it, I think it should be an option on more amps.

I used a modified SP Extreme to do a quick comparison of my K1000, GS1000, and the W2002. The W2002 is behind the K1000 and GS1000 on the Extreme. However, when I plug the W2002 to the Marantz cdp, it became the winner. On the Marantz, the GS1000 has become sibilant and shrill. The W2002 is just right to have frequency extension on both ends, deeper sound stage, vocal and midrange is more intimate (Female vocalists

). The W2002 is no longer "Dark" on the Marantz, but very vibrant. BTW, I did not bother to use the K1000 on the Marantz.

The Marantz cdp has made me more curious about other amps out there, those have potential to work well with the W2002.

 

[jarnauga]

Marantz is just launched a new preamp, the SC-11S1, that has a dedicated amplifier for the headphone output.

http://www.marantz.jp/ce/products/au...1s1/index.html

The main board photo:

If you use an automatic translation web service you will notice there is a section in this page that explain the feature (well, in weird English but you can got the idea):

Quote:

... Balance input type headphone amplifier The headphone amplifier of the balance input type corresponding to the above-mentioned, balance linear control volume was newly developed. The circuit scale is a power amplifier circuit only for the headphone that combines the high sound quality operational amplifier with the amplifier of the current return type by the discrete circuit, and when it greatly surpasses a general headphone amplifier, becomes it. ...

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3x331m /img/forum/go_quote.gif I used a modified SP Extreme to do a quick comparison of my K1000, GS1000, and the W2002. The W2002 is behind the K1000 and GS1000 on the Extreme. However, when I plug the W2002 to the Marantz cdp, it became the winner. On the Marantz, the GS1000 has become sibilant and shrill. The W2002 is just right to have frequency extension on both ends, deeper sound stage, vocal and midrange is more intimate (Female vocalists ). The W2002 is no longer "Dark" on the Marantz, but very vibrant. BTW, I did not bother to use the K1000 on the Marantz. The Marantz cdp has made me more curious about other amps out there, those have potential to work well with the W2002.

Wow, it's beating the K1000? That's awesome. It sounds like you managed to find synergy city! They didn't really like either of my amps.

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, it's beating the K1000? That's awesome. It sounds like you managed to find synergy city! They didn't really like either of my amps.

Actually, I would not claim that the W2002 beats the K1000. I don't think I have a good enough amp for the K1000, based on my reading. My best amp for the K1000 is the upgraded SP Extreme for K1000 amp.

So far, the w2002 on the Marantz cdp sent my GS1000 and K1000 running for their money.

I wonder how I'm going raise fund for the HA-02 or the HA2002 ?

 

[gpalmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3x331m /img/forum/go_quote.gif It looks like a bright well designed SS amp is a good candidate ?

Actually, I would not try to prognosticate how any amp is going to sound with the W2002. My past success rate guessing how an amp will sound with them has been very low. I would not think that that a bright solid state amp would be a good choice since they tend to be reticient in the bass region.

They also tend to be soft in the bass region so you need something that extends the bass without allowing it to go out of control. Their real magic lies in the midrange. The modded Sugden tends to be about the midrange also. Not really plumbing the depths but extending reasonably well, well enough that the feel of the bass is there without a lot of very low frequencies. I've tried them with all the amps I have at my disposal and the Modded Sugden is the only reason they are still around, nothing else stood up over the long haul. The best was the DAC1, but that only took about 3-4 weeks before I was sick of it.

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpalmer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually, I would not try to prognosticate how any amp is going to sound with the W2002. My past success rate guessing how an amp will sound with them has been very low. I would not think that that a bright solid state amp would be a good choice since they tend to be reticient in the bass region. They also tend to be soft in the bass region so you need something that extends the bass without allowing it to go out of control. Their real magic lies in the midrange. The modded Sugden tends to be about the midrange also. Not really plumbing the depths but extending reasonably well, well enough that the feel of the bass is there without a lot of very low frequencies. I've tried them with all the amps I have at my disposal and the Modded Sugden is the only reason they are still around, nothing else stood up over the long haul. The best was the DAC1, but that only took about 3-4 weeks before I was sick of it.

I guess that you implicitly described the characters of the Sugden. I've read the DAC1 is also a nice one in many aspect.

How is DAC1 different than Sugden, in regard to the w2002 ?