NSFW: SuperBAF Best of 2015 Golden Schlong Awards

Discussion in 'Leaderboard, Overboard, and Deals' started by purr1n, Dec 8, 2015.

  1. blackships

    blackships Friend

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    Riva Turbo X

    /list
     
  2. EraserXIV

    EraserXIV Friend

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    I have the Turbo X and love it, has anyone heard the Turbo S?
     
  3. hawaiiancerveza

    hawaiiancerveza Friend

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    Has it released yet?
     
  4. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    EC rankings from me and CEE TEE:

    Best of 2015 - Black Widow. Best SS headphone amp I've ever heard. Would be best of at $2500k.

    E- Eddie Current Studio. Simply the most resolution and clarity of any amp, anywhere. The pinnacle that everyone else should aspire to.
    VG - Zana Deux Super Sings with Yggdrasil/Gungnir Multibit and the HD6x0.
    VG to E - Cinemag BA with high frequency heater. Really f'ing excellent. A bit of that lushness for fans of the original but some increases in resolution and bass quality/control. Probably endgame for 99% of audiophiles.
     
  5. Gravity

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    Have you heard the Liquid Carbon? If so, how do they compare?
     
  6. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    Uhhh, you're asking me to compare the entry level Cavalli amp to current lineup of best EC amps?
     
  7. TMoney

    TMoney Shits on SBAF over at Head-Case to be cool

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    I agree with these ratings with the sole exception of the BW, which I suppose just isn't my cup of tea.
     
  8. Cakecake

    Cakecake Guest

    He probably knew that but perhaps wanted to hear it from value point of view.
     
  9. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    yah, but the "value / availability" of $600 in your pocket is different to everyone, no?
    (LC $600, BW $1200.)

    listening to BW daily, and only hearing LC at RMAF 2015- might BW be twice "as amazeballs" compared to LC? using Person X's ears and (any) DAC/headphone chain?
    no.
    but IF one had to make The One Final Choice, to be Done With SS amp selections for the end of time?
    maybe $600 is worth that.

    summary: no answer Ravi (nor I) provide answers the question satisfactorily, except maybe:
    LC isn't out performing amps 2x it's price.
     
  10. Jeb

    Jeb Friend

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    @zerodeefex - since you mentioned it specifically - Taking the HD6x0 alone, do you personally feel it is better suited to the Zana Deux S vs the BA ?
     
  11. Judeus

    Judeus Facebook Friend

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    the zds should have an * it's really only good with high impedance stuff

    Id still put an e* over a vg* but either is acceptable
     
  12. songmic

    songmic Gear cycler East Asia edition

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    Only really good with high impedance stuff?

    Aside from other EC amps, I dare you to find a tube amp that drives the 25 ohm TH-X00/900 better than ZDS does. :rolleyes:
     
  13. Gravity

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    That's correct. But as jexby says, if you haven't compared them on the same setup then nevermind.
     
  14. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    That's fair. This is two data points.
    They're not in the same class. This has been hashed out before. I am not going to disparage the Liquid Carbon because it's a good amp and Alex is a friend, but even the cheapest amp on the EC list has not been equalled by anything sub $3k in my experience.
     
  15. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    Haven't heard the HD600/650 on the new BA. Just the HD800s and it was glorious. I will say the ZD:S and the crazy upgraded ZD prototype CEE TEE has both sound wonderful with the HD600.

    The ZD amps do really well with reasonably low impedance gear, The ZD:SE was the best I heard the TH-900s when I owned them. I'm certain the ZD:S with the TH-X00 is something special.
     
  16. rott

    rott Secretly hates other millenials - Friend

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    How comparable are amps on the grading scale? For example, if the GO V2 merits "VG" (balanced out), and the LC is "G", does the GO actually sound better than the LC, or is it just a better performance/value proposition because it is amp + DAC at a lower price?
     
  17. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    We could do another list of "Absolute sound quality" but this is a mix of performance and value.
     
  18. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Part of that is different product category. LC is strictly an amp, and should only be compared against other amps. GOV2 is DAC/amp combo and should be compared against Hugo, Mojo, Element, etc.
     
  19. SPS

    SPS New

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    I understand that it really takes a lot of time & experience(with different gears) and $$$ off-course but would it be possible for the esteemed members and contributors to post some thing like marveys-dac-chart-of-awesomeness for amps as well.
     
  20. EraserXIV

    EraserXIV Friend

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    The DNA Stratus is $2700 new from Donald. Personally haven't heard the BW or the ZD:S (the two cheapest EC amps), but does your statement hold true even with the Stratus in the picture?
     

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