[Slaughter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrvile Ok, just throwing this out there to get some more opinions. What about solid state amps? Are there any SS amps that offer the warm sound of tubes? From what I've read the Gilmore Lite is probably the best SS amp to compare to tubes, but that's just what I've read...

I have been doing the same research you have as the 501's are my first high-end phones. As for SS amps, the Dynalo and M3 have been highly recommended for the 501's. The Dynalo is very similar to a GLite and the M3 get praise from everyone. From my research the MH seems to be the best tube for these phones. I will probably be building an M3 since it seems the most versatile.

 

[Solitary1]

I'll throw in the X-Can v3. They sound great with some rock (most of the rock I listen to is classic rock).

 

[phergus_25]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrvile Thanks for all the info you've provided tonight Greg. I do remember reading about your 6080 quest a while back...you've done a lot for the community and I trust your knowledge. Anyway I think I'll go solid state for my first amp. I know tubes are great and probably sound better, but I think I'll go SS for the convenience, the peace of mind, and the ease of repair in case anything should go wrong (especially with the little knowledge of amps I have). So I'll probably settle with the Gilmore. I'll just have to wait and save up a bit more cash... Oh btw, this thread can be moved over to Amps if you guys want, I don't really know why I posted it here to begin with.

I'm blushin...
haha but yea in all seriousness thank man. I would really like to try out one of the SS amps above mentioned. Iv done little with SS.

With a community like we have around here I think that with alittle research, like you have obvisly done, any amp you get will work great with your 501s.

-greg

 

[Azure]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrvile Are there any SS amps that offer the warm sound of tubes?

M3 with warm op-amps would offer a warm SS sound.

You can get a used G-Lite for ~$250.

 

[wang228]

M^3 drives my K501 well, but so does my cheap audiosource speaker amp... plenty of drive there for these inefficient phones.

 

[VR6ofpain]

My Gilmore Lite (V2) goes together with my K501's very well. You should pick up this one in the FS forums, the price is right.

 

[meat01]

I agree with VR6ofpain, the linked Gilmore Lite is a bargain! I would go with that.

 

[Asr]

There's also this Millett Hybrid in the FS forums for $200:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=207057

 

[Mrvile]

Thanks for all the links and further suggestions.

I'd love to have an M^3 but they do seem pretty expensive and I don't have the knowledge or time to build one myself...

I took a look at the X-Can which looks nice but I can't seem to find how much they go for or where I could buy it...

EDIT: Oh, and what about the Headfive? Looks like a nicely made amp and looks very popular, how does it mate with the K501? If I want to get one I'll have to act fast...

 

[Rob80b]

Had a chance yesterday to try a Darkvoice 336i with my K501's at the Toronto meet. This was by far the best I've heard my K501's, lots of gain without grain, a really nice sound stage and lots of body.
My Headfive which I thought was adequate sounded pale in comparison.

 

[porschemad911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nothing101 im getting the 501 LDII+ combo cause i think the 501s really deserve tubes. Dont know how the LD sounds first hand though. ive read that it sounds like the gilmore lite. not sure what to believe, my ears will know in a few days.

I'd second this. My K-501 sounds *brilliant* with my LDII+!

Only gripe is that it can be a tad sibilant with poorly recorded (read 'lots of modern rock') CDs. With good stuff it's awesome though.

 

[nothing101]

bad thing just happened...

i got the LDII+ and 501 in the mail today. After an hour of use one of the valves blew.

now i have to use them on my computer unamped until the new valves come. My laptop can power them quite well actually but it just doesnt have that warm tubey sound that i wanted

 

[Hi-Finthen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nothing101 bad thing just happened... i got the LDII+ and 501 in the mail today. After an hour of use one of the valves blew. now i have to use them on my computer unamped until the new valves come. My laptop can power them quite well actually but it just doesnt have that warm tubey sound that i wanted

Gosh dang it ! That is a shame, sorry for your disappointment my friend....

And this is why I conservativly stick to S.S. as I too have thought of adding a tube amp to my setup. The failure rate of some tube amps and the cost of the tubes themselves... Although, I do implement a tube preamp to my component chain for it many benefits, IE. subtle euphonics, increased soundstage and deeper bass while softening high freq. grain with much of the poorly mastered/mixed rock music I prefer.... I have had excellent reliability with the Foreplay and its tubes, and its utility of switching between sources is a practical benifit. So I do know a well thought out, and executed design can minimise or even eliminate these failure rates seen with certain designs.

This is why I would recomend the HeadFive & 501 combination, amongst their other qualities together, is the reliability of this headamp!

 

[regal]

I knoked a Millet three foot down to a hardwood floor and it had no damage. A CD player is a more delicate apparatus.

 

[NeilPeart]

My (3rd pair now) K501 sounds amazing with my M-cubed, so much so that I regret not owning an amp of this caliber when I owned the first 2 pairs! They really love warm solid-state IME (I also remember really enjoying them with the Emmeline HR-2, HeadRoom Max and Corda HA-2 MkII SE). They really are unbelievably airy and in some areas feel even airier than the K1000, but I don't have a FirstWatt F1 to drive the K1Ks at this time!

They remind me of the HE90s in their speed and midrange tonality but of course not even close to the HE90 "sound" that I love so much. Also, even after 200 hours of break-in they still lack the bass and balanced sound that I enjoy so much with the K701; I still prefer the K701 sound signature, as it's much more balanced, IMO, but the K501 is indeed airier and more "open" sounding than the K701. I'm probably gonna stick with the K701 but the K501 is a bargain, especially to those who prefer a K701 sound that's slightly more open and don't mind a reduction in bass quantity (and slight reduction in quality as well, especially regarding texture and nuance).

I do notice that the headbands on the older K501s were of much higher-quality leather than this new pair (similar to how the older RS-1s had higher-quality leather headbands). I wish I had photos to illustrate the older, buttery-smooth leather (obviously higher-quality) compared to the cheaper, coarser leather found on $25 Office Max "Sales" chairs that the new K501 uses. C'est la vie - these are still a bargain regarding sound quality to dollar ratio, if one can tolerate the "unique" bass response. Also the velour earpads of the K701 are indeed smoother and softer on the skin, but those clothe pads of the K501 stay cooler than perhaps any other earpad I've used (the material used on the ATH-AD2000 is also excellent in this regard).

P.S. I am interested in hearing the K501 driven by the Millet Hybrid, as that sounds like an ideal amplifier for this 'phone.