[richpjr]

My current headphone setup consists of Senn HD600s with a cardas cable, a 963SA as my source (with an upgraded power cord and dynamat), and a tube rolled MG HEAD DT/OTL MKII.

I am really interested in the Corda Prehead (or perhaps the Ray Samuels Emmeline HR-2 - if only it had crossfeed) as my next upgrade. However, would a source upgrade be a better investment first? I'll eventually upgrade both, but unlike some of you guys, I have to pace my self on my purchases, so whatever I get next I will have to live with for a while before the next upgrade.

Any suggestions?

 

[Canman]

hey rich, it would help if you told us what you would like to improve in your system. where do you currently find fault?

 

[richpjr]

There is nothing terribly wrong with my system. The MG HEAD is a nice match with the 600s, as a lot of people have pointed out.

The 963sa has decent redbook playback and though I don't have many SACDs, it plays them as well. I have just heard players with far better detail and soundstage than the 963sa. Getting a PreHead gives me both a great headphone amp and can be used as a preamp. Having the MG HEAD for a few months has convinced me that I'll never be into tube rolling and I prefer solid state to tubes. I also miss crossfeed after going from my HeadRoom Little Premium to the MG HEAD.

 

[Sovkiller]

i still don't get it, what exactly you dislike from your current system, just as a curiosity, and maybe you are upgrading on the wrong place.... an if is only the crossfeed, get an standalone one and period, Pink Floyd could make you happy for a very few bucks...

 

[richpjr]

I don't dislike my system - I just am ready to move up the food chain! A good friend of mine has an Arcam CD92 player and to my ears this player sounds head and shoulders above the 963sa for redbook playback in every way, which you would expect given the price difference between the two. I don't know if I want to drop that much on a new source, so was considering something like the Arcam 73 or 82. The same with the amp - I have not had the opportunity to hear a PreHead yet, but from everything i have read about it, it sounds like exactly what I am interested in for my next amp.

I guess what I was trying to get at is would people recommend upgrading the source first and living with the MG HEAD for a while or getting the PreHead first and living with the 963sa for a while. Or to put it another way, would a PreHead/963sa combo sound better than an MG HEAD/Arcam xx combo? Or vice versa?

Hopefully that is not too confusing! I will do both upgrades, it just has to be spread out a bit (fear of wife here!).

 

[Sovkiller]

Are you using the same headphones (HD600), and cable when listening ot this other system....????

 

[richpjr]

I used the same headphones, but with a stock cable instead of the Cardas cable.

 

[Sovkiller]

And you still prefer the sound of the other system, hummm, so in other words, you like the sound of the HD600, and is not a change in the nature of the sound what you are looking for, ok, if is like that, well according to the members that have tried the three amps, the Prehead and Emmeline, both, are much better amp, but at more of the double of the price of the Head, and with your current source, or any other better ( that you could get later on), IMO, and I'm guessing here, but the logic indicates that both will sound better. If you have the money and have decided that you want to go for an upgrade, as the Phillips is a pretty good source to start with, and the Head is humble amp, I will suggest you to upgrade the amp....but why, if you like the sound of the MGHead, not looking for something of about this price, with tubey sound, but SS....???

Just another idea, the Prehead is an exceptional amp...but if you consider the Emmeline also, I think that is not hard to get an audition of it directly from Samuels, and a money back guarantee in case of not atisfaction, which I doubt...why not just PM him, the Prehead OTOH, is not returnable...if you do not like the HR-2, you can always try later the Prehead, but not the otherway around....

 

[richpjr]

That same thought (the no return policy) entered my mind, and seeing as how I don't know anyone who owns a Prehead, it's kind of hard to audition one.