[Womaz]

This is a great thread and very informative for a novice like me. I am looking to get a new headphone set up. Currently have a Devialet 200 with the Musical Fidelity HIPAP headphone amp and AKGQ701s.
Looking at upgrading the cans first as I think the HP amp is pretty good and remember a lot of very favourable reviews at releaseI have narrows my search down to Oppo PM1, HE1000 and the HD800. Very difficult to audition as up In Newcastle ..........infact not a HiFIman stockist anywhere near me.
 
HD800 seems the safe bet.

 

[Sorrodje]

Although the hd800 Is my reference headphone as well, I wouldn't say it's a safe bet. The senn needs time and money and the path to felicity is narrow and complex.

 

[Womaz]

To a novice like me your post is quite terrifying

 
I am thinking get a really good headphone first and then maybe a new Amp later.
 
HE1000 very expensive and cant see me being able to audition.

 

[Sorrodje]

I really think an audiophile journey needs time. Make too big jumps can be disappointing because the brain needs training to enjoy fully what he hears. SR009 and HD800 are maybe the two most revealing headphones I know and both can be unforgiving for sources, amp and recordings. Hence my assessments above.

IMO a hd600\650 is the more interesting headphone because it sounds good in any conditions but can improve drastically with better gear and offers then one of the best sound in the market. Moreover it's quite cheap. That's what I call a safe bet.

 

[Womaz]

Yes I see your point now. I have the AKGQ701 headphones at present and I w=always assumed that they were a quite revealing headphone.
 
My pal has the same MF headphone amp as me and he says it drives his HD800s really well. Unfortunatley he lives in Dorset so cant listen to them

 

[Rhamnetin]

I hope to vote in this thread one day.  I won't stop upgrading until I have a properly driven Stax SR-009, which I won't be able to afford for a very long time.

 

[OddE]

  I hope to vote in this thread one day.  I won't stop upgrading until I have a properly driven Stax SR-009, which I won't be able to afford for a very long time.

 
-Glad to hear I am not the only one. (I'm getting half of the equation sorted out - building myself a KGSSHV as we speak, though I am in no rush to get it finished - the way our currency has tumbled vs. the pound and the dollar, a nice SR-009 got 30-40% more expensive in a few months.
 
I'll give the krone a couple of years to recover. Should leave plenty of time to get the amp done, tested and verified ad nauseum.
 
In the meantime, it's not like I am actually _suffering_ when donning my LCD-X...

 

[purk]

   
I love my HD800s with the EC 445 and Apex Teton. I have given up on the HE1000 though I appreciate its strengths. It takes the cake in a niche area of listening and I can well see people preferring it for very long listening sessions. But even with the TOTL amps and DACs I have I have not been able to drive the HE1000 to the same level as the SR009 and HD800 rigs.
 
How do you compare the BHSE and the DIYT2?

The DIY T2 is more resolving than the BHSE and able to portray even deeper soundstage.  It has slightly warmer/more fluid tonality, stronger bass present while displaying the same amount of details.  The T2 is more musical to my ears.  I personally don't find any weakness in the T2 and it does pair up spectacularly well with all of my stats headphones. 

 

[jibzilla]

  The DIY T2 is more resolving than the BHSE and able to portray even deeper soundstage.  It has slightly warmer/more fluid tonality, stronger bass present while displaying the same amount of details.  The T2 is more musical to my ears.  I personally don't find any weakness in the T2 and it does pair up spectacularly well with all of my stats headphones. 

 
It takes a certain tube set but I can't find any weakness in the Teton. If you haven't tried this amp with hd800's I highly suggest it. Def. becoming my endgame.

 

[Rhamnetin]

   
-Glad to hear I am not the only one. (I'm getting half of the equation sorted out - building myself a KGSSHV as we speak, though I am in no rush to get it finished - the way our currency has tumbled vs. the pound and the dollar, a nice SR-009 got 30-40% more expensive in a few months.
 
I'll give the krone a couple of years to recover. Should leave plenty of time to get the amp done, tested and verified ad nauseum.
 
In the meantime, it's not like I am actually _suffering_ when donning my LCD-X...

 
The KGSSHV may very well be the amp I end up with, but unfortunately I'm in no way shape or form able to build one myself.  Still, Mjolnir Audio sells them for $3,300 (full size) and $3,000 (mini).  Those are such good deals that it's hard to rationalize buying any other amp.  Even the new Carbon one at $4,600 is a good deal compared to what more established brands sell.

 

[lojay]

The DIY T2 is more resolving than the BHSE and able to portray even deeper soundstage.  It has slightly warmer/more fluid tonality, stronger bass present while displaying the same amount of details.  The T2 is more musical to my ears.  I personally don't find any weakness in the T2 and it does pair up spectacularly well with all of my stats headphones. 

Thanks Purk, seems like the perfect match for the SR009. One thing I do not like about the KGSSHV is the comparatively fuzzy sounding imaging and lack of clarity. I hope that will be resolved by the T2.

Hopefully I will have two end game rigs, the SR009 and SR007Mk1 driven by the DIYT2 at office, and the HD800 driven by the EC Studio/445 and Teton at home. The idea is to have a both a forgiving and revealing setup in each of my rigs. The SR007 and Teton/HD800 will be the forgiving combinations. In light of this the HE1000 has no place to stay!

 

[preproman]

It's great to see where our endgame rig(s) finally ends..  Like:
 
Purk:
Multiple end game rigs for the most of us.  Comparing to End Game amps is that much better.  The T2 will be out of reach for the majority of people - heck the BHSE will be as well.  So with either of those amps one should be set for a end game stax riig - no doubt.
 
Jason:
Like me, the journey has been a long one.  While we're not there yet - it seems to be in sight.  I found the HE1K had not place as well,  as I did with the Yaggdrasil and the EC 445.  The HD800 has been the hardest nut to crack thus far.  
 
arnaud:
Seems like we'er headed in the same direction / Or better yet, I'll be where you're at sooner or later, with the 009 / BHSE / TotalDac D1-Dual three sum.  From all accounts from people who've heard that three sum it's a force to be reckoned with.  If the 009 / KGST / TotaDac D1-Dual is any indication of what the rig will sound like.  I just can't wait to hear it for my self.  
 
paradoxper:
Has always been a 1 rig man.  Lets see once the T2 arrives where the DAC road leads.
 
jibzilla:
Seems like your end game rig will end with some kind of amp from Apex and the Tenton seems like it's the one.  Lets see if the Pavane is where your DAC journey ends..
 
All these rigs are great.  As well as the ones that's not mentioned.  
 
The megatron and all the amps KG and Birgir comes up with.
The 300B E-Stat amp that Eddie Current has yet to build.  Waiting to see how this one turns out. 
All the TOTL DACs out there - there's one for everyone.  

 

[OddE]

  The KGSSHV may very well be the amp I end up with, but unfortunately I'm in no way shape or form able to build one myself.  Still, Mjolnir Audio sells them for $3,300 (full size) and $3,000 (mini).  Those are such good deals that it's hard to rationalize buying any other amp.  Even the new Carbon one at $4,600 is a good deal compared to what more established brands sell.

 
-I cheat; I am an electronics engineer and have tinkered with designing and building my own stuff for the better part of two decades - including some high-voltage tube gear (power amplifier for my ham radio hobby - how does a 3200VDC, 800mA power supply sound to you?
 
I've spent hours and hours looking over the Gilmore design and picked up quite a few bits of new knowledge - always fun - and am in the process of procuring all the parts I need. Boards are etched, plated, drilled and ready to go - so this will be a fun winter project. (Yes... Winter is coming. Well, in a couple of months it is. Right now, the weather is beautiful and I'll spend the next hour sitting outside with my LCD-X over my ears, listening to a Jan Garbarek record while the daylight fades. Oh, with a glass of my favourite Scotch in my hand. Life is, all things considered, pretty good.

 

[arnaud]

It's great to see where our endgame rig(s) finally ends..  Like:

arnaud:
Seems like we'er headed in the same direction / Or better yet, I'll be we'er your at sooner or later, with the 009 / BHSE / TotalDac D1-Dual three sum.  From all accounts from people who've heard that three sum it's a force to be reckoned with.  If the 009 / KGST / TotaDac D1-Dual is any indication of what the rig will sound like.  I just can't wait to hear it for my self.  

From the mini meet we did here recently with electra / bhse / kgst driven sr009 with the D1 dual as source, I can pretty much 120% guarantee you that you're in for a treat .

Don't neglect the tubes, they still make a difference in the bhse (just maybe not as much as other amps like the electra). XF2 and such are bloody expensive but well worth it imo.

Now, aren't you working on getting your hands on a T2? I'd be thrilled to hear this one!

Arnaud

 

[Earspeakers]

Multiple end game rigs for the most of us. 

 
Or one highly configurable rig