Do tell..

Nothing much in this hobby is mutually exclusive (as @Zachik ‘s post above using headphones and DAP shows), and many of us enjoy both headphones and IEMs. The wonderful OG Watercooler thread (where I also participate) is mostly focused on portable audio, and this thread is mostly focused on...

That's a track to put on the AC alright. I'm sure it's shaking you to your core... :) Great question. If you were to trade on of these two ZMFs for Susvara, then yes I'd let the Caldera go and keep the AC, as you'll end up with two very complementary headphones that are really quite far in...

When you’re ready, give us your goals and budget. I think a lot of people here will be eager to help you spend it :) Seriously though, so much fun building a fresh new system from scratch. You’ll have your lessons from prior experience and optimize to that. Looking forward to learning what...

I'd be super interested in your impressions who they compare. I have the Aegis as well as you know. The Luna has always captivated me every time I demo-ed it. One of the most beautiful builds, but also makes everything sound good good, liquid smooth and rich (that's the spot in my rack the...

yea yea.. I "hear" ya... 🤣 tomorrow I'll try some new combos. fresh ears, new tubes, who knows?

We're all in the same camp.. the more ways we can enjoy music the better..

wonderful to have you! @warrenpchi keeps singing the praise of MSB dacs. I must say I'm afraid to try them exactly for the reason you mention 🤣 Your feedback seems very consistent with what I've been hearing!! I'll have to walk into a local dealer one day and have a real listen. Never heard...

You had me at "jazz"... Here is wonderful album I recently discovered. Wonderful trumpeteer and pianist are Australian musicians James Morrison and Joe Chindamo, respecitvely, beautifully playing many classic jazz standards. The trumpet is espeically wonderful to my ears:

I used to have the seV2, really loved them. I recall how they scaled with amplification, so much more than most folks realized. The HE6 OG is few hours in.. so my impressions may change quite a bit. But I've realized it's mostly sub-bass (mid bass is very present) and in comparison to the...

love the viniyl setup!

The Aegis is a really great amp. I have the DIY version (I'm actually lucky to have the amp designer @L0rdGwyn 's first built unit) and it's so great to see it now available as a commercial build. It's unique in its refine presentation and how it presents soundstage with extarodinary scale. As...

Indeed they do ❤️ And when it comes to wooded heapdhones.. one must mention ZMF as the ultimate brand for handmade wood craftsmanship

Hi everyone, This thread has been a godsend to the portable community over the last 3 years, with @Rockwell75 's amazing stewardsip in building this truly wonderful community. I had a few community members over the last couple of months asking me to start a parallel thread for full-size...

What a great question. Yes, but in my experience that can change dramatically with pads (not a very common practice for AT users as it is for ZMF users). In general, AT headphones tend to be fast, light on their feet, with lots of resolution and treble extension. While one AT headphone is...

This weekend I am getting to know two new headphones, one new, one vintage, and revisiting a recent purchase. ZMF Caldera Closed I recently received a demo unit from @zach915m of the ZMF Caldera Closed headphones (released yesterday). It's been a couple of months since I had them for an...

Welcome! I’ve been inspired by @Rockwell75 ’s wonderful portable audio community thread, The Watercooler, and wanted to offer a similar platform for the many community members interested in overhead Headphones, Amps, DACs, and related gears. All topics are welcome! Impressions, banter, music...

Tubes is a rabbit hole. I still learn myself. But it’s really lots of fun :)

these are not 5814A... these are ECC82 which are the european code for the american 12au7 the 5814A is a 12au7 variant, a military spec-ed higher quality tube. The code should show on the tube, like this:

Long plates mean the plate (the big vertical metal along the tube, which is the anode of the tube) is longer. Shorter or longer plates can impact the sound in theory. Triple vs. double mica means those horizontal structures that support the vertical tube components. Triple in theory means more...

Some questions are better left unanswered...

My first pair I got from another user here my second pair for backup I got from Hanoi tubes - they are generally an expensive, reliable, vendor with good NOS stock. Tube failors, at some low frequency, are just an inevitability of some bad luck. If it's a tube you just got from them let them...

can do

Right now the M8136 is in as it's new (I tend to let a new tube sit in for a few weeks as I get to know its flavor). For your purpose, go with the Simerns 5814A. The Mullard is a bit more sweet and lush and the Siemens is a bit more clear and open -- it's what you're looking for (and it's...