[bagwell359]

I think I understand what he means. I didn't have my really first good component stereo system until 1972. I grew up in the early sixties through the late sixties when there were great bands releasing great albums listening to those albums on low-fi equipment loving the music. Of course after experiencing good stereo systems over the last 50 years I couldn't listen to and enjoy that equipment now. But then again maybe that's not what he means.

What he means is if you answer yes to most of these questions you are not loving the music over the equipment:

1. Is your equipment a source of pride, and even subtle feelings of superiority?
2. Is your equipment stack in prominent place, and if you have speakers, is the rack expensive, nice looking, and right in the middle of your speakers?
3. Have you given up listening to music you used to love because it doesn't sound good on your equipment?
4. Do you get pissed when you buy something that cost a good amount, and then the new version comes out a few months later? Bonus points if you buy the new one, and triple points if you try to dump the OG before the change is common knowledge.
5. Do you day dream about equipment you can not afford?
6. Do you read sites, magazines, and talk to sales folk a lot? Bonus points if you plan your next moves when a loved one is speaking to you.
7. Do you try and one, two, or three up your audio pals? and feel bad when they do it to you?

Remove points if you play music, your equipment is mostly used and/or crappy looking, you keep equipment for decades, you think spending $6k on a pair of headphones is loony - not that your spouse will brain you if you do buy them.

 

[George Hincapie]

What he means is if you answer yes to most of these questions you are not loving the music over the equipment:

1. Is your equipment a source of pride, and even subtle feelings of superiority?
2. Is your equipment stack in prominent place, and if you have speakers, is the rack expensive, nice looking, and right in the middle of your speakers?
3. Have you given up listening to music you used to love because it doesn't sound good on your equipment?
4. Do you get pissed when you buy something that cost a good amount, and then the new version comes out a few months later? Bonus points if you buy the new one, and triple points if you try to dump the OG before the change is common knowledge.
5. Do you day dream about equipment you can not afford?
6. Do you read sites, magazines, and talk to sales folk a lot? Bonus points if you plan your next moves when a loved one is speaking to you.
7. Do you try and one, two, or three up your audio pals? and feel bad when they do it to you?

Remove points if you play music, your equipment is mostly used and/or crappy looking, you keep equipment for decades, you think spending $6k on a pair of headphones is loony - not that your spouse will brain you if you do buy them.

That's a challenging read

 

[bagwell359]

That's a challenging read

I channel Ike & Tina "we never do anything nice and easy..."

 

[sacd lover]

For currently available SS amps the WHAMMY .... even the bone stock version sounds great. Favorite all time is the amb M cubed / M^3 with a TDK pot upgrade, OPA 627 op amps and an amb linear power supply.

 

[tamleo]

Many talked about the Piety and I think that amp sounds just okay to my ears mostly due to lacking inner details and depth. The best part is that that amp can play with both my dynamic and my planar headphone without too much weirdness. My fav ss amp is the Ifi singature Zen can but it doesn't play well with my planar headphone.

 

[ClicketEKlack]

Just placed my order for the DSHA-3FN - very excited. Fingers crossed, I’ll be one DAC away from endgame…

 

[chesebert]

For currently available SS amps the WHAMMY .... even the bone stock version sounds great. Favorite all time is the amb M cubed / M^3 with a TDK pot upgrade, OPA 627 op amps and an amb linear power supply.

Staccato discrete opamp is the bees knee. I felt like I upgraded to a whole new amp when I replaced 627 with Staccato. The only issue is the lack of dc servo circuit so there is a few mv drift when the amp is cold.

 

[jonathan c]

Many talked about the Piety and I think that amp sounds just okay to my ears mostly due to lacking inner details and depth. The best part is that that amp can play with both my dynamic and my planar headphone without too much weirdness**. My fav ss amp is the Ifi singature Zen can but it doesn't play well with my planar headphone.

** what is just the right amount of weirdness? and what is weirdness? …

 

[silent-circuit]

I know there's much nicer stuff out there, but I really enjoy the Topping A90; it's enough power that I can't imagine wanting for more with planar or dynamic headphones and sounds very crisp and clean to my ear when paired with the D90 in a way the Schiit Jotunheim with multibit DAC and Modi 2 Uber / Magni 2 were not.

 

[John Buchanan]

The Merging Anubis (and probably the Neumann MT48, as it is VERY similar) is a great unit - sound and functions.

 

[OnlySoMany]

Depends on the headphones.

 

[Stax 7]

Depends on the headphones.

Audio GD Master 19 both for Planar or Dynamic

 

[chesebert]

87 posts later and still no mention of Dynahi, one of the the best SS amps ever created for headphone use. Dynahi is extremely powerful and sweet sounding and will compete with anything on the market (commercial or otherwise) - the only downside being it runs extremely hot (I used to have a dedicated fan blowing on it when things get too toasty).

 

[OnlySoMany]

Niimbus and Enleum 23r are excellent. I just moved to an all tube setup tho. Sold enleum, and Niimbus is for sale on uasm.

 

[paradoxper]

87 posts later and still no mention of Dynahi, one of the the best SS amps ever created for headphone use. Dynahi is extremely powerful and sweet sounding and will compete with anything on the market (commercial or otherwise) - the only downside being it runs extremely hot (I used to have a dedicated fan blowing on it when things get too toasty).

Absolutely. I still have mine as well.