The All Purpose Advice Thread

That's a good dac and so is the amp tbh. And the amp matches well with the two headphones that you mention. What are you looking for from the upgrade?

 

I do think the setup I have works pretty well. I'm just trying to see what else is up there. Prior to the Bifrost Multibit with the uber, I actually didn't like the hd650 with Val 2. I thought the hd650 mids sounded shouty, sound stage a little bit closed in, and overall feels 2D. I was really close to selling the hd650. Now, I think the HD650 sounds really good, like really good. I guess what I need to do is go to a meet and try out more amp and dacs to see what else I'm missing or if I'm really missing out much.
So my main reason of thinking about upgrading is to make sure what I'm hearing through the HD800 is some what where it should sound like. I don't want to cheap out on it, at the same time I'm not sure I'm committed enough to go all the way up to something over $2000. If where I'm at is actually pretty good with the hd800, I think I might just stay where I'm at with it and just enjoy.

 

Whoa, wait: you're saying that Val 2 -> EC BW isn't a big/worthwhile upgrade?

 

It probably isn't as big as you expect it to be. The advantage of the BW is that it also plays well with the rest of your headphones and planars, unlike Valhalla 2.

 

Oh, I'm just assuming that when someone is used to a tube amp, it will took a bit while for the ears to adapt with the SS sound signature; doesn't mean that the amp (BW) is not an upgrade of course, just perhaps it will be easier for him to focus in the improvements in his musics if he upgrades into a tube amp too.

 

Hm. Then I'd better reconsider saving up for a BW. If it's no major upgrade on Val2, I have to wonder how Val2 compares to my current amp instead.

Does BW have a "SS sound signature"? I thought it's supposed to sound a little tubey.

 

Mmm, how do I explain this, subjectively I hear the difference between a tube amp and 'not-tube' within the vocals. The word for it is the timbre perhaps? Overtones? If you're listening to a singing of someone with umm... plenty of plays in her vocals, tubes make it sounds more natural, kinda makes your music a bit more believe-able I guess; Unfortunately for me I never heard such presentation delivered by SS amps, but most probably it is because I haven't heard enough varieties of amps.

Don't get me wrong, I choose SS for my personal use 99% of the time (the 1% is if the tube amp being sold so cheap that it is figuratively a steal). For me, the practicality such as longevity, ease of maintenance, ease of use, beats whatever the difference in their musical presentation is.

... And I'm seriously curious about BW too but there's no option to audition it here, sadly.

 

No I get what the stereotypical SS sound is supposed to be like, but I'm sceptical about whether it applies to the Black Widow. Like I said, I thought it's supposed to sound a little tubey.

 

Hey Eric,

Are you one of the people who are also waiting to order an EC BW? What amp are you coming from?

 

Have been seriously considering it, yes. Currently use an Ember II with a grey GE 6dj8, and an Aikido that my friend built for me.

 

Yeah I am too. Initially, I thought my decision would be easier, dac or amp. If amp, I place order for EC BW. I didn't expect to hear the Val 2 might/does perform as closely to the BW. Maybe more people who experienced the BW can chime in. I just assume the BW would be a clear worthy upgrade(not trade off in technical ability), minus the fact the difference between tube vs SS. For me I don't really have a preference between SS and tubes. If it sounds good, it sounds good. I currently also have the DT880 32 ohm that I pair with the GO450 and I think it sounds really good together. What I have with the HD650 also sounds really good together. If the BW is not a clear upgrade, I will be having more money for myself during xmas.

 

Looking for a pair of fun, bass-heavy universal IEM. My UERMs are likely going to get serviced. Source AK Jr and AK100ii.

 

BuySonic has the Westone 3 for $199. I don't know how much you want to spend, but if by fun you mean "v-shaped", the W3 is a great choice. Sucked out mids on the W3 but just a fantastic soundstage.

 

Hey thanks buddy! I'm in Canada so things get a bit complicated. Also I forgot to mention I'm a big Westone hater...

I honestly haven't figured out how much I want to spend, but a pair of universal IEMs has always been lingering in my mind. I'm possibly willing to shell out some big bucks if I could find the IEM equivalent to TH900 as UERM to HD800. JH Angie's sound is what I'll describe as "fun": energetic, a bit euphonic, but not necessarily U or V shaped.

 

Hey, thanks for the idea! I ended up snagging an HP Pavillion X2 tablet on sale and it's great. It has all the features above, plus a 32 GB SSD. Now I'm having second thoughts about using it ONLY at work. It more than passed the test in my quick test setup (Tablet, Dacit -nonasync-, Magni, HD600). now I want to hook it up to something serious.

 

How does the Bryston BHA-1 compare with the newest set of solid state hardware with balanced input and/or outputs like the Schiit Mojo 2 and Liquid Carbon? The reason I'm asking is that its fairly old and some people have some mixed feelings about it but I can get it for pretty cheap (like $200+ difference), it has that insane warranty, and it also has balanced outputs for my studio monitors.

For reference, the headphones being used will be the HD800 and HD600. I've read that thread regarding HD800 amplification but the heat + BHA-1 = bass mud comment has me a little worried. Plus the thread doesn't take into consideration the recent onslaught of balanced amplifiers from the likes of, well, everyone.

I guess while I'm here, how much would a DNA Sonett SET typically be worth? Impossible for me to audition but I think I've got a good idea of what to expect from DNA.

 

Great choice and very affordable too I think sometimes people forget how far Windows computers have come since just a few years ago. A simple Windows tablet will more often than not sound just as good as a laptop or streamer server, and is much cheaper and more compact and mobile to boot.

 

Well, I am a natural skeptic of USB audio that comes from a computer, so I was only looking to dabble in the OTG realm for a low price. I think the combination of the fullsize USB port, the fanless design, ease of use (good old J River) and the solid state hard drive results in a very clean and fast signal being put out. Money well spent and then some.

 

So, the Sennheiser HD 598 Special Edition are going to be for sale on Amazon for $125 during Black Friday. As a first open back headphone, what do you guys think?

 

At that price and the all black look, do it!