The One and Only Big D Thread

Discussion in 'How to Win Friends and Influence People' started by Big D Design, Feb 14, 2017.

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  1. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    @cskippy
    Looks like you are fond of the Koss ESP-950 Electrostatic Headphones. I am an electrostatic kind of guy and bought the cans.

    [​IMG]

    I will be juicing them up from the supplied electrostic amp with my Asus Xonar D1 Burr Brown DAC chips and then going out that to my Quinpu Mk-6000 Tube amplifier into the Koss RCA inputs in the back of the supplied Koss amplifier. This should get me some serious oomph that the Asus Xonar does not deliver on it's own from my computer front headphone output. I do this setup for my HiFiMan MassDrop headphones and it works great. You seemed very excited about the sale so I imagine that I'm in for a real treat. That amount of $549.00 is all I would ever spend on headphones. I would rather put my cash on my 2 channel stuff, just because. Well thanks for the heads up. I'm sure I'll like them.
     
  2. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Nice! Yeah I couldn't pass up that deal, nearly half off! Don't expect crazy bass with these, their just a good headphone without a fucked up frequency response. Vesper pads will be interesting to try as they're supposed to even them out even more and provide better bass.
     
  3. Regular Petey

    Regular Petey Facebook Friend

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    Are there inline diodes within the cable? Why would electrons flow better in one direction than the other? They do look nice though. I have no complaints about these: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/sear...5+4088723188+4288607253+4289362640+4289362619, but then I haven't compared XLR cables.
     
  4. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    @Regular Petey
    B&H Photo is where I got my existing Canaire XLR cables that I am listening to now. When you mention the direction, yes I think that is mumbo jumbo as well. I am building a set of speaker cables using Morrow Audio technology down in my shop. Now cable direction, huh? I'm going to try to do what I'm paying so much for myself, and see what happens. I'm doing it with 2 sets of speaker cables and I'm going to bi-wire them from my Krell KSA-200S. There are no diodes in the Morrow Audio cables, just small solid copper wires soldered together. Just bought 3 spools of high quality solid copper wire and sheathing just like what the pic you see. I have killer spades and we shall see if I can build the equivalent of 2 8AWG solid runs of copper speaker wires for my Logans and see what it sounds like. What the hell. I'm retired, and have time to do these little projects.

    I can tell you that I bought 2 sets of Reference cables from Morrow Audio called MA4 Reference cables. They opened up the sound in a way that was astonishing. Totally worth the money. I have used expensive cables over the years, and these are up there with some of the best.

    But what if I can duplicate in my well endowed shop that I have with almost every tool needed to build something. It will be fun and I could build one of their cables that cost thousands of dollars. Oh my! I use B&H all the time. They are great. Most say the XLR is not going to get better than a good professional cable. Well I have a 60 day return policy with Morrow Audio, and a FREE 5 day break-in on their "Power Break-In Wall". So we shall see. Nice to meet you Regular Petey. Hope your sound travels well.
     
  5. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    @cskippy
    I found a link to the Vesper Pads. Thanks. I'm hoping that my Tube amp with bring a whole lot of life into the Koss headphones as well. They have an adapter cable so you can use a STAX amplifier that costs just over $1,000.00 to improve the sound, but I think my setup will bring just as much to it for me not spending any more than the Vesper Pads. I can't believe that we both will have the same cans and the same preamp. Holy shit!
     
  6. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    @cskippy
    Ordered the Vesper Pads. They had 4 in stock. So I thought that I would get them. OMG. Spending spree.
     
  7. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    @udin
    I have the MassDrop HE-350 HiFiMan headphones. They certainly need some headphone amp drive. I use a computer with a really good sound card. Asus Xonar D1. 2 Burr Brown DACs. It just kicks Creative Labs ass all over the place times ten. Then there's the clincher. Over in China, there is competition with the tube designers in USA and they are you know trying to sell us out. I bought one of their models for $285.00 called the Quinpu Mk-6000. It is a headphone tube amplifier that sounds as good as a $1,000.00 USA tube amplifier. Anyway throw it into the output of a computer with a great DAC and what do you get? More output for your tough to drive headphone. And you also get the tube smoothing of a good tube amplifier in the mix as well. Win Win. The MassDrop is shit without the tube amp upgrade in my opinion. Headphones that are planar need to be driven by powerful stable amplification that is usually a place where two channel stereo has a place, not headphones. Electrostatic headphones have even more needs than just planars. It comes down to amplifier design and tubes that harness sound to make it analog again. Hope this helps.
     
  8. DigMe

    DigMe Friend

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    HE-350's are not planar.
     
  9. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    Just an FYI to the post above. The MassDrop HE-350 HiFiMan headphone is great. None of the complaints are there with a tube amp in the chain. Maybe those ESS Sabre chips suck as much as I think they do. Go Schiit Multi-Bit DAC.

    Listening to them right now.
     
  10. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    @DigMe
    Oh no. I thought they were. Anyway I got them sounding good. I bought he Koss ESP-950 today. What do you think of them?

    Bought the Vesper Pads....
     
  11. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    @Armaegis
    I want to thank you for pointing out that deal on the JBL 3 series Monitors. They are a favorite of mine to play Rock. My Logans just don't cut it for Rock and talk about cost effective the JBL Pro 3 Series is amazing, and can be modded to sound better with some Dynamat.

    Total cost of new JBL Pro 3 Series Rock system addition to Livingroom..... $659.00
    (still need to find some used speaker stands)
     
  12. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    The Rock system will have XLR cables waiting to be plugged into the Freya. And away we go with Rock and Roll JBL style. Momma is going to have to be in her far away bedroom watching TV, instead of the Den next door to the Livingroom system for some of the JBL madness though. Blasting Rock is what it is all about.

    Here is the JBL Professional Powered 3 Series System
    Link to Brochure.... http://www.jblpro.com/ProductAttachments/JBLpro_3series_brochure_011014_web.pdf

    JBL LSR308 Deal Price $162.00 each
    8" Two-Way Powered Studio Monitor
    Bi-amplified Studio Monitor with Magnetically-Shielded 8” Low Frequency Transducer and 1” Soft-Dome High Frequency Transducer and Image Control Wave Guide. Class-D 56 Watt RMS Amplifier for LF, and 56 Watt RMS Amplifier for HF. Balanced XLR and ¼” TRS Inputs with Detented Level Control, HF and LF Trim Controls.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Here comes the Subwoofer that goes with the system.......

    JBL LSR310S Deal B-Stock $325.00 FREE Ship
    10" Powered Studio Subwoofer With XLF

    Extend your system LF all the way down! The LSR310S subwoofer incorporates JBL’s patented Slip Stream™ Port working in concert with a custom 10" down-firing driver and a 200 Watt amplifier to add deep, powerful bass to any studio monitor system. A JBL first, the XLF Extended Low Frequency setting lets you hear your tracks with the augmented bass tuning used in today’s dance clubs.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    When you think what Apple charges for their products and JBL is offering this state of the art sound for a pittance. Who's the good guy?

    $659.00 Total Madness :)
     
    Last edited: Mar 22, 2017
  13. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    I need some cheap speaker stands. Don't want to pay much at all for them, and I don't feel like building them either.
    Edit: I'm contemplating building stands to go on top of the REL subs. Not sure. Still on the lookout for stands.

    Need to hold the 8" JBL LSR308
     
    Last edited: Mar 22, 2017
  14. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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  15. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    @Armaegis
    You know they could really work. Thanks. I was worried about fitment, but I'm pretty sure I could fit them.
    Thanks. Big D
     
  16. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    @Armaegis
    I ordered them. The only thing is they are 9 1/2" square and the JBL LSR308 dimensions are (H 16.5 in x W 10 in x L 12.1 in)
    Shouldn't be an issue. I'm sure there are ways to circumvent the overlay of the speaker. They look killer for what I need, and the price is spot on.
    The look will go well with the rest of the system as well. Thanks again.


    Edit: I measured, and 36" is too high. 24" is premium. So I cancelled the order. Oh well.
     
    Last edited: Mar 22, 2017
  17. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

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    We did it guys! We've surpassed GUTB's thread's post count.
     
  18. landroni

    landroni Friend

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    The way things are going, I suspect we're merely just about halfway sofar... ;)
     
  19. Big D Design

    Big D Design RIP 2021

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    Last edited: Mar 22, 2017
  20. Armaegis

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