The All Purpose Advice Thread

I don't know, but I suspect that will not work well. My monitor speakers present a 100ohm load when switched off, and if I forget to unplug them from Yggdrasil's XLRs while using the SE out, so that I effectively have a 100ohm resistor in parallel with my headphone amp, everything becomes flat and dull, and even audibly distorted if I go above -12db. Seems like a low impedance load like an IEM would suffer the same fate.

EDIT: I'm a bozo, I'm talking complete rubbish. To get a volume level that doesn't instantly vaporise your IEMs and your ears I reckon (via back-of-envelope calculation without envelope) you probably need about a 5k resistor in series with them. Yggdrasil output will have no problem sourcing current into that load.

 

I've been using a Lyr 2 (previously a Lyr) for my desktop amp for a few years. I love the thing but I have this nagging feeling that I should try a solid state amp that is as transparent/uncolored as possible. Search around enough, and every review seems to say that an amp is colored in this or that way.

So how do you find an amp that's truly transparent?

 

Throw money at it.

 

Make the chassis out of perspex.

 

Are we in dickmode atm?

 

Transparent to what?

 

I made my old Nuforce HDP transparent...

 

@ggabriele3

Don't forget to introduce yourself, read the rules and use the general questions thread.

Nice bike btw.

 

Thread locked for low signal to noise ratio, especially from the OP. To the OP: every amp is colored in some way, some more-so than others. There is no true "wire with gain", which I assume you're asking about. if you want to look for a resolving amp that is close to neutral, please ask in the All Purpose Advice Thread.

http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/the-all-purpose-advice-thread.19/

 

What is the "End Game" for dark/warm sound you guys think?

I have been in the 580/650 family forever now. When my HD580 wore out I got a 650. I just ordered an Audeze LCD-2 and I hope it lives up to the hype.

Any recommendations for dark/warm endgame?

 

Endgame is defined by your budget and tears. How much are you willing to spend?

 

I realize you can spend $10,000 easy I am just looking for general opinions on the best overall warm/dark setup. I just bought the LCD-2 so I can spend some money.

 

"Endgame" and "best overall" are very vague terms that depend on your individual preferences and budget, which is why people are asking how much you're willing to spend.

What's the maximum you're willing to spend?

 

hello,

@svperstar, endgame for me might have been this: http://www.stax.co.jp/Export/SRS3170e.html (now o.o.p.)

and a cheap DVD player from NAD.

this is why you are being called to account.

 

Ok lets say $3,000 for headphones and amp?

 

Used HE-6... <$1k
Used Bryston 2B (<500) or B60 (<$1k) if you don't have a preamp
Audeze Vegan pads $100
piece of felt or sock $1
banana/XLR4 adapter $50
spend the rest on a dac, speakers, and personal vices

 

HD650 and used EC 2A3 whatever version. I wanna see someone top that.

 

EC 2A3 is most neutral amp you can get for this money. HD650 + EC 2A3 are not warm/dark at all.
I am also warm music lover, so for me best combo is some Metrum R2R DAC + Laconic NBM + HD650/LCD2.2 (not fazor).
NBM is hard to get, so you can replace it with some other warm amp, like WA5 or...

 

Neutral amp --> dark headphones = dark sound
Dark amp --> dark headphones = emo/goth