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IMPORTANT: New Members Read This Don't Be a Measurement Fascist Merv's Top 5 Headphones - 2023 Edition $1000 Challenge

Last Activity:: Mar 24, 2023 at 2:08 PM

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Birthday:: Jan 26, 1989 (Age: 34)

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Vansen

Gear Master (retiring), Male, 34, from Seattle

Staff Member Friend

Lin Lai E-6SN7 are very good, but in the 307a EC BA, this 1945 RCA smoke glass 6SN7GT is the clear winner. It's a magical pairing. Mar 24, 2023 at 1:50 PM

Vansen was last seen:: Viewing forum list, Mar 24, 2023 at 2:08 PM

1. Vansen
  Lin Lai E-6SN7 are very good, but in the 307a EC BA, this 1945 RCA smoke glass 6SN7GT is the clear winner. It's a magical pairing.
  
  Mar 24, 2023 at 1:50 PM
  1. RKML0007 and Entropy like this.
2. Vansen
  The longer I own/ dial in this HD580 BP, the more I understand its cult following. Staging/ imaging is between HD6## and HD800 w/ good FR.
  
  Mar 16, 2023
  1. Cryptowolf, CEE TEE, Northwest and 6 others like this.
  2. ColdsnapBry
    What have you been doing to dial it in? I've got a flat plate black paper i like.
    
    Mar 16, 2023
  3. Vansen
    I like worn pads and HD6xx grilles on mine. The old pads make the biggest difference.
    
    Mar 16, 2023
    
    Lyander, RestoredSparda and ColdsnapBry like this.
  4. ColdsnapBry
    Yea agreed, I'm currently coping with new pads. As all my OG pads from this era are gross from previous owners.
    
    Mar 16, 2023
    
    Vansen likes this.
3. Vansen
  FYI... the "Frequency Chart" link at the bottom of SBAF is hyperlinked to malware now.
  
  Mar 7, 2023
  1. gixxerwimp, Philimon and rlow like this.
  2. View previous comments...
  3. Vansen
    I updated my home network to use Unbound DNS with Quad9 and ad blocking, which now blocks this by default on clients without special endpoint protection.
    
    Mar 10, 2023
  4. M3NTAL
    I'll have to learn what those two options are. I only know about PiHole and I'm still intimidated by that.
    
    Mar 15, 2023
  5. Vansen
    The Unbound DNS is taking the same approach as PiHole. PiHole would do the job just as well and seems easier to implement. I bet you could even forward DNS to Quad9 with PiHole.
    
    Mar 15, 2023
4. Vansen
  The only HPs that get time on my system these days are JAR600 and HD580 BP. Really happy and I feel Utopia is the only competition for me.
  
  Feb 3, 2023
  1. FlySweep, atomicbob, SoupRKnowva and 4 others like this.
  2. View previous comments...
  3. ChaChaRealSmooth
    I also think Marv has a point though; the Utopia timbre "problem" I think is overstated and overblown. Every driver material has a sound.
    
    Then again, this from the person who can't stand planars so take with prerequisite grains of salt.
    
    Feb 3, 2023
    
    atomicbob, Vansen, ilikebananafudge_ and 2 others like this.
  4. brencho
    yeah of course, one person's trash is another one's treasure, and vice versa. It's all based on a person's prefs and sensitivity. I really like the utopia, but some of it's issues make it hard to go back to, inspite of the strengths.
    
    Feb 3, 2023
    
    ChaChaRealSmooth and Vansen like this.
  5. ChaChaRealSmooth
    Yeah very real drawbacks. No such thing as a free lunch. Also, I don't know how many acknowledge this, but it still has a WTF level price tag
    
    Feb 3, 2023
    
    brencho likes this.
5. Vansen
  Shoutout to the Bay Area folks and the Guildhouse for hosting a great meet. MKB community crossover was really cool, too.
  
  Jan 29, 2023
  1. RestoredSparda, Mdkaler, rhythmdevils and 3 others like this.
6. Vansen
  Swapping out some old caps before designing cases for these two PSUs: https://i.imgur.com/JeKerS4.jpg
  
  Jan 25, 2023
  1. RestoredSparda likes this.
  2. View previous comments...
  3. Vansen
    Interesting. I can try this easily, since one of the PSUs in this thread is a 5V LPS for another RPi. I wasn't aware of this aspect of the Pi2AES. I've seen similar measurements on just swapping from the stock PSU to a linear 24v PSU.
    
    Jan 26, 2023
    
    Michael Kelly likes this.
  4. Vansen
    It would have been nice to see this link also show measurements against a 24v LPS, since the author seems to assume much of the noise is from 5v switching, which some of it is, but a lot comes from the stock PSU. I probably would have gone for a 5v LPS if I saw this earlier. He could also have hooked up a 5v SMPS this way and measured for comparison.
    
    Jan 26, 2023
    
    Michael Kelly likes this.
  5. Azimuth
    I think the 24V input just hits another switcher/regulator. The 5V mod in that link bypasses that regulator.
    
    Jan 26, 2023
    
    RestoredSparda likes this.
7. Vansen
  It's been over a year since the OG FW on my Modi MB 1 has gone crazy and needed a reboot. Only change was a nicer UPS. Makes me wonder.
  
  Jan 25, 2023
  1. Lyander and Cryptowolf like this.
  2. Biodegraded
    Still happens to me with v2 firmware, but rarely since I moved - which I guess could also be a power thing. But I've unplugged it a few times to move things around...
    
    Jan 25, 2023
    
    Lyander likes this.
  3. edd
    happened to me before & after the firmware update; the MMB2 chapter on jason's headfi thread seems to indicate that changing the sample rate often triggers the issue. my MMB is packed up in a closet somewhere so I can't check myself.
    
    Jan 26, 2023
8. Vansen
  A week in and these JAR600 are still my all time favorite. It feels like the right evolution of the HD600.
  
  Dec 12, 2022
  1. Cryptowolf, caute, Qildail and 7 others like this.
  2. M3NTAL
    I'll need to look through the threads again, but did you listen to the JAR650's also?
    
    Dec 13, 2022
  3. Vansen
    I have not been part of the loaner programs yet and this JAR600 found its way to me through @Inoculator. I have heard about five different JAR650 and five JAR800. The JAR650 are really nice, but I've always been an HD600 person.
    
    Dec 13, 2022
    
    FlySweep, Inoculator and M3NTAL like this.
9. Vansen
  Holy shit these JAR600 are so good. The HD600 has always been my favorite, but now I no longer want to buy a Utopia.
  
  Dec 7, 2022
  1. FlySweep, caute, zottel and 8 others like this.
  2. View previous comments...
  3. ChaChaRealSmooth
    I swear no one believes me when I say that the JAR600 + EC Ultralinear made me contemplate selling everything else. Nice to see someone else enjoying the JAR600 (I'm never selling mine)
    
    Dec 7, 2022
    
    zottel, Jinxy245, obsiCO and 8 others like this.
  4. M3NTAL
    I'll need to go through that thread - curious which version you all are liking. I'm leaning strongly towards the 'B' / V2
    
    Dec 7, 2022
    
    pure5152, Lyander and dasman66 like this.
  5. caute
    @ChaChaRealSmooth Even with just a lowly Piety, I'm considering selling my LAuX + LCD-X and getting a JAR600B + Piety
    
    @M3NTAL I'll be shipping out the JARs to you tomorrow! Also strongly, even categorically prefer the B version as well.
    
    Dec 7, 2022
    
    FlySweep, pure5152 and M3NTAL like this.
10. Vansen
  Not in the market for a closed back, but this Mini-C is finally close to everything I've been waiting for a closed headphone to achieve.
  
  Nov 30, 2022
  1. nithhoggr, Cryptowolf, atomicbob and 6 others like this.
  2. Vansen
    More isolation would be my first wish, since it's a closed back.
    
    Nov 30, 2022
    
    dasman66 likes this.
  3. dasman66
    I can't wait to hear it... because I really like the Ollo closed back I have on loan right now. It's the best closed back I've heard to date. Based on everything said about the mini-C, I suspect I will be deciding between the two of them
    
    Nov 30, 2022
  4. Vansen
    Just put the Mini-C on the BA for the first time and damn. If I ever need a closed headphone, this is it for me. Sometimes you just know five minutes in.
    
    Nov 30, 2022
    
    obsiCO, Merrick, Tchoupitoulas and 1 other person like this.
11. Vansen
  I don’t know why I still have a Gustard X16 running occasionally, but the AES input on it sounds like crap compared to the rest of the DAC.
  
  Nov 11, 2022
  1. nishan99 likes this.
  2. Vansen
    And forget about USB inputs or SE outputs in this DAC.
    
    Nov 11, 2022
    
    nishan99 likes this.
12. Vansen
  Making Magni Piety’s and of course this has to be one of the first serial numbers assembled. https://imgur.com/a/aqF3ddd
  
  Oct 29, 2022
  1. dasman66, Soups, Azimuth and 10 others like this.
  2. View previous comments...
  3. Cspirou
    You’re working with @CEE TEE ?
    
    Oct 30, 2022
  4. HotRatSalad
    Even though I have 3 headphone amps I love, I still want one !
    
    Oct 30, 2022
    
    Cryptowolf likes this.
  5. Vansen
    We’ll call myself a cheerleader rather than business partner or employee!
    
    Oct 30, 2022
    
    Priidik and Azimuth like this.
13. Vansen
  307a EC Balancing Act in the house, which also happens to be the very first prod BA! HF heater included. https://imgur.com/a/VujJtfc
  
  Oct 12, 2022
  1. CEE TEE, Kashalott, RestoredSparda and 11 others like this.
  2. Ksorota
    Make sure to swap in the National Unions; they were my favorite tube pair!
    
    Oct 13, 2022
    
    Vansen likes this.
  3. Vansen
    This is quite a special amp @Ksorota! Hasn’t disappointed after being at the top of my want list for about ten years. Thanks again!
    
    Oct 13, 2022
    
    Ksorota likes this.
  4. ufospls2
    super cool
    
    Oct 16, 2022
14. Vansen
  On another note, the MM phono stage on the Yamaha A-S801 is decent a w/ stock Marantz TT-15S1. My price together was $1500. Not bad value.
  
  Sep 6, 2022
  1. HotRatSalad and Qildail like this.
  2. Vansen
    I want to compare this to a Mani 2 for review. Would also have my Manley Chinook.
    
    Sep 6, 2022
15. Vansen
  3D printing has come a long way. Laser Sinter w/ Nylon 12 next to OEM part to save the day: https://imgur.com/a/GSoPmEf
  
  Sep 6, 2022
  1. Sqveak, Thad E Ginathom and abraxas666 like this.
16. Vansen
  Hot take: the HP out on the 2021 Apple MBP 16” doesn’t suck. Could possibly be the best stock HP amp built in a notebook to date.
  
  Aug 4, 2022
  1. Cryptowolf, obsiCO, yotacowboy and 6 others like this.
  2. View previous comments...
  3. Lyander
    No chance I'm ever getting into Apple's ecosystem (sorry @YMO) but I am wondering how this compares to some of the more popular dongles and compact desktop stuff, e.g. the baby Schiit or Zen stack?
    
    Aug 5, 2022
    
    Cryptowolf and Vansen like this.
  4. YMO
    YMO isn't an Apple Fanboi
    
    Aug 5, 2022
  5. Vansen
    Call me a heretic, but I’d rather listen to an HD6xx out of it than most of the dongles currently on tour. I don’t see it replacing a baby Schiit stack though.
    
    Aug 5, 2022
    
    Cspirou and YMO like this.
17. Vansen
  Dinner has been served from the green egg… https://imgur.com/a/zzNEwFF
  
  Jul 30, 2022
  1. Azimuth and Cryptowolf like this.
  2. bixby
    Those "eggs" look delicious!
    
    Jul 30, 2022
18. Vansen
  RIP Mac Miller - every time a posthumous album comes out, I always have to go back to Swimming.
  
  Jul 22, 2022
  1. Emojiless likes this.
  2. Vansen
    Swimming is a far more depressing album than I normally to listen to, but it’s a beautiful work of art from an artist about overcoming the very thing that turned out to be his demise.
    
    Jul 22, 2022
    
    Emojiless likes this.
19. Vansen
  Holo Spring 3 just showed up and the UPS driver was like, "enjoy the DAC!" as I signed for the completely plain brown box.
  
  Jul 13, 2022
  1. Josh83, Cryptowolf, zottel and 5 others like this.
  2. View previous comments...
  3. Tchoupitoulas
    Weird, when I sent it, I told the guy at UPS that it was a "digital to audio converter for music playback" and the guy gave me a blank look - the others who work there know me now and we have nice chats about audio, but not this guy - so I said, it's like an amplifier (I know) and he replied, "cool, that keeps it simple."
    
    Jul 13, 2022
    
    Jinxy245, Cryptowolf and Vansen like this.
  4. CEE TEE
    Fed-Ex delivered my fixed PS Audio PWD to the wrong house and refused to believe they did. A few days later, some really tall dude drops off the opened box at our front door. He must have been thinking "WTF- this huge thing only does WHAT? WHY?" Took him a few days though!
    
    Jul 13, 2022
    
    Vansen and Cryptowolf like this.
  5. Biodegraded
    @Vansen , @Tchoupitoulas , @CEE TEE - all of you just met Amir.
    
    Jul 14, 2022
    
    Jinxy245 likes this.
20. Vansen
  CapriSun anyone? https://imgur.com/a/kFvAkDB
  
  May 19, 2022
  1. Riotvan likes this.
  2. View previous comments...
  3. Thad E Ginathom
    What's NSFW?
    Oh wait... the cactus sex going on in the background
    
    Cactus sex makes me uncomfortable.
    
    May 20, 2022
  4. Vansen
    NSFW? Huh? Everything in that photo is safe.
    
    May 21, 2022
  5. Riotvan
    Gear porn ;)
    
    May 22, 2022
    
    Vansen likes this.
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