Inoculator

Overall very cohesive-sounding headamp driving the HD 600. Compared to the SW51+: A little more direct and sterile, a little etch to female vocals, less holographic and has less sense of musical flow....but overall a great SS option to have in the stack. Nicely dynamic, very clear/authoritative without being fatiguing, and has a good sense of drive/punch.

In my first call with them one of them spotted my HD 600 and I found out he is rocking an Asgard 3+DT-990 combo, so may see if he would rather just get a dedicated microphone.

Neumann U87 for him then.

And $5k in room treatments to make it sound good. :)

I used low Z pretty much all the time. My amp had hum which was worse on high Z. Ultimately it made me not enjoy the amp and sell it. Recently got a ZDT jr that doesn't hum and enjoy it as much if not more.

For me low output=no hum or minimal hum with most phones high=minumal hum to pretty bad hum depending on the headphone (koss porta pro hums very badly) But my SW51 has a custom transformer made one for japanese 100V so it might be different from the others. Also I had hum problem in the past with Jotunheim, WA6-SE, Vali2,Elekit tu-8200 but no hum at all with Magni 3+. Headanp gilmore lite MK2, DNA Stratus

@gixxerwimp Late reply, but mine is definitely a very very subtle hum from high Z with HD 600, but it is there for sure. Noticeable with nothing playing. I wanted to test today to make sure I was not just having an off day or something as I did not notice the first day I had it, but sure enough still noticing it this morning. Maybe my tubes are just a bit noisier or something

SW51 BF2 HD6X0 best combo evar

@Gaspasser I have seen the light. Easily the best HD 600 has ever sounded. I expected the SW51+ to be a bit more technical/analytical sounding, but it might be the most emotional sounding amp I have ever heard...without sacrificing technicality. I realize I am gushing, but like a tear came to my eye listening to Cat Power.

I've recently sold my Sonnet Morpheus and Hermes because I needed funds for other things. Now I have BF2 as my only DAC and SW51/3F amps. Mostly listen BF2-SW51 combo and it is good! I can't say I lost a lot when I sold Morpheus, music is still enjoyable.

It's not as detailed nor "technical" but I like Auteur a bit more for it's tone than Verite, happy to hear your enjoying it man!! Looks stunning

Auteur > Verite all day every day. I don't mind losing a bit of detail for that natural biocell timbre and 6x0-esque tuning. Auteur's slightly weak macrodyna can also be ameliorated w/ better amps like SW51+ and 3F. Wenge Auteur + ESX900 should be a pretty kick ass combo @Inoculator :)

Y'all are weirdos. Verite all the way.

Just kidding. There's a reason why the Auteur has a Golden Schlong (I kind of miss mine sometimes)

Easy to forget in this hobby how satisfying a simple little rig can be. Thinking I better pair a Modi 3/Multibit with this for a little extra stack.

I wouldn't. As good as my LG thinq G7 is as a source is, my computer smokes it as a source. And I use Senn 600s. Phone to amp though is good idea.

@bixby oh for sure, LG dac was just being used out of desperation today due to no dac currently in the house (everything on loan to friends currently). Was just surprised how good the whole setup sounded. Makes me think the Vali 1 warrants a proper dac pairing

I've had nightmares about just this. Thankfully hasn't happened (yet) and all my kids love rocking out with Dad... which is priceless.

I have not tested the cartridge yet, but I think I lucked out. Despite both his hands manhandling it, stylus/cantilever still look straight. When he ran into my office to visit while I was working and he ran straight for the PrimaLuna tube amp...that is when I knew it was time for a change there as well, haha.

This is when you spend more money than should be necessary to get a cover for your turntable that’s really just a big plastic box.

I always assumed these were akin to like a stereophile April Fools prank or something. These are real?!

I thought they were a real product, but just bullshit. Surprised someone like vpi makes them...

Get them while supplies last!!!!

I resisted myself. Was gonna try to snatch the purple VCs, but I think I'd rather use use the money for more clothing and other tech lol. Didn't want to go through the hassle of reselling my existing VC.

I could sell everything I own and still not be able to afford them.

ZMF is too expensive for my blood. But they are quite special.

Especially once the SW51+ gets here, but also for my LS3/5a (although hoping bass doesn't get too bloated).

@dematted yeah, I mainly have trouble with that incisiveness with the LS3/5a. Plus hoping BF2 is a good match so I can just take my whole setup SE at this point so not always having to use Freya s/Nexus to convert.

I came to the same conclusion.

This annoying/random thought brought to you by me being too distracted to work as I listen to a AAA pressing of Buena Vista Social Club.

I'm listening to a needledrop of classic records pressing of Led Zep 4 right now. Best version I've ever heard.

To the end of the year? That sucks...our daycare had to close today because of a positive case, but "only" for two weeks.

@jnak00 that is how our closure started, one case, shut down just that classroom. Within 5 days more teachers tested positive and they shut down the whole facility. WA Gov. just put in additional restrictions for a month, so they figured with that and holiday break they would just call it for 2020

Yeah looks like things are rampant out there. Home schooling ain't no party either. Good luck!

For sure more detailed and resolving. Actually a bit fuller sounding. Overall more holographic, deeper stage, more air, cleaner/natural bass (bass could border on a bit crunchy with the BJC). Maybe makes the LS3/5A even a bit more mid-forward, might have to mess with toe-in a bit because they are almost a bit too engaging now.

Would you consider doing this and reporting back? Get someone else to swap the cables a number of times without you looking. See if you correctly guess (say out of 5 or 10) which are the BJC and which are the Tellurium.

@PTS in an ideally world I would, but changing cables on my setup is a pain, and with startup/shutdown of a tube amp, it would just be a logistics nightmare. I did pull my whole rack out for the swap and test half a dozen tracks with BJC, then swapped (both 4 and 8ohm taps), and then swapped back.

this is what you're hearing - https://i.imgur.com/Wd1V7n1.png

vs https://i.imgur.com/XfNrRK1.png - it's basically a different headphone.

Yeah, I went into stock TH900 blind (hadn't read impressions or looked at FR). Yikes....

@Lyander Yeah I figure if I can't get over the ugly Fostex branding right in the middle of the gorgeous green cup, I can always sell them and use the funds for some custom cups. Would be a shame to not keep them with the serial #2 unit for a LTD run though.

Very jealous! Hope they are as pretty in person as photos

I'm so glad these 548843 drivers are getting a second chance. I can't get over how bad the TH900 implementation / tuning is stock. I remember hearing them at RMAF last year and just feeling heartbroken by the dope AF bass and shitty everything else. Maxed out at like 70db before fatigue set in lol

That was my pairing before too. It sounds great for such an inexpensive amp. Did you pair the Verite to something else before? I also noticed that you're also trying to find ways to make it less dark and better vocal presence.

@DJ XtAzY Since having the Verite I have cycled through the Liquid Platinum, Modded Liquid Platinum, and MJ2. Overall definitely enjoying the vocals best from the Asgard 3. SW51+ on the way, eyeing a Pendant/Starlett/3F for the future. Got the Asgard 3 as a stopgap, but digging it enough I may have to keep around for a future budget stack.

When I'm old and blind I'll go digital

Same, but instead of Roon for me it’s the Gungnir Multibit.

@Merrick yep, Pi2AES+Gungnir Multibit+Roon has been hard to beat. I still enjoy my vinyl setup more assuming it is a good pressing, but my wallet appreciates that I am starting to slow vinyl purchasing as I spend more time in the digital space lately.

Now if only I had a bigger listening space where I could really optimize their position...someday. Funny to think about these sitting on a shelf in a van for monitoring back in the day.

BBC stuff? Yes, designed to be only slightly further away than headphones, I guess.

@Thad E Ginathom yeah I am using very nearfield, just a few feet apart/away. Only big issue is I can only have a few inches out from the wall. I like the sound with no toe-in actually, but then end up with a bad bass reflection behind my monitor. Seems just a slight toe-in to get that back energy going away helps a lot. Might experiment with some sort of absorbing panels along that wall.