[grinch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tuberoller It is truly outstanding as a preamp and is near the very best as a headamp but the QC issues must be address.I can't offer any type of recommendation at this point.Things must get better at ASL.

wow. i'm so happy somebody else has finally seen some problems with asl's quality control.. i am very unimpressed with the build of my mg head and it is for this reason that i am not at all interested in the twinhead.

sounds like a great weekend. and i'm so happy somebody has FINALLY heard the rs-1/blockhead! even better is it has gotten a positive review.

 

[Tuberoller]

Thanks to tantefon for posting the pics for me.I am still beat and tired.

Since we had this at an audio store we had acess to a lot of gear.I bought two VPI turntables and there were at least a dozen other new and used tables we could have used.There were also at least six other CDPs that could have been used besides the ones we did on the main table.I bought one Sony NS-500 and those guys keep two on hand for demos even though they don't sell them.The Fisher 400 is that one I bought at a garage sale for $35.00.I have'nt had time to clean the chassis but I replaced all the tubes and installed new knob covers and grounded the chassis.All the meet participants will attest to how awesome this old receiver sounded with the AKG K-1000 earspeakers.Mike at Decibel said he has to have the AKG now to go with his own Fisher.We used a Monster HTs-3500 on the main table and a Monster HTS-1000 on the table with the solid state amps and the Fisher.earlier in the week I went be the shop and hard line grounded all the outlets and custom- made two six foot extensions from Belden 14/3 power cord and WBT WH-1 plug ends.

The one bad thing about having the meet where we did was the terrible parking situation.JoelK stopped by on Saturday when I was there setting some gear up and said he was not coming back around there because of the parking.I have a driveway and there is plenty of parking on the streets around my house.The next meet will be at my house.

I left a bunch of gear at home by mistake but we still had a good time.I really wanted you guys to hear the MF DAC and the Arcam CD72 but I was in too much of a hurry and forgot the last box.I actually have more gear coming on loan but it didn't make it here in time for the meet.I will have more time to plan next meet and will have even more good stuff.I am going to take a few more,and better,pics of the gear before I ship it all back.I will offer some more thoughts on the Blockhead combo later tonight and the Max/Arcam combo that really has me impressed.The Twinhead sounds great with everything and I will use it with the Revox on the last day I have them together to see how they complement one another.That Blockhead/Grado combo is so right,they were made for each other.

 

[bootman]

Quote:

That Blockhead/Grado combo is so right,they were made for each other.

Wow.
I think I have a new headphone lust list.
(I can only imagine what a modded HP-1000 would sound like with the Blockhead)

Synergistic Research's active shielding has always fascinated me as far as cable design goes.
It's really that good huh?

I wish I was there.

 

[yage]

Yeah, this was a great meet. I always have trouble at these kinds of things though... so much gear, so many headphones, so little time!

I guess I'll only comment on the two setups that had the "WOW!" factor (for me) in spades: namely, the Blockhead and the Fisher.


Revox/Blockhead/HD600, RS1:

Blew my mind. It had effortless dynamics and recreated the sense of a huge space in the classical pieces that I listened to. Simply incredible. BUT, I suppose I might be the lone dissenting voice on this one, I liked it more with the HD600s. This could've been due to the fact that I didn't diddle with the switches for gain, crossfeed, filter, etc... as much with the RS1 than with the HD600s.

Sony NS500/Fisher/AKG1000:

To me, this was the real gem of the meet. With the AKG 1000s this setup was hard to beat for sheer musicality. I was very surprised at how good the system sounded: eerily close to a really good speaker setup. Not the last word in detail (when I did a head-to-head of the SACD and redbook versions of "Straight, No Chaser" I couldn't hear a difference) but it had that elusive 'boogie' factor. I can only wonder what a better source could do for the Fisher/AKG combo (hooking it up to the Revox, perhaps?). A strike against the AKG would have to be aesthetics... you won't be winning over any members of the opposite sex by donning what looks like a pair of electric shavers...

A big thank you has to go out to Tuberoller for organizing everything and to decibel for allowing us to camp out in their store like a bunch of traveling headphone gypsies...

 

[john_jcb]

Quote:

Originally posted by ChenaynayC Ah! Anytime I can spend with the Blockhead is time well spent. Tubroller had it connected to an ungodly expensive Revox CD player via some ungodly expensive Synergistic cables, and we had the Senn and RS1 balanced headphones to try. It was the first time I heard the RS1s via the Blockhead ... yeah, here's the party! I think I need both sets of cans, cause I can't decide which I like best. That mood thing again I'll never to able to afford it and the proper accoutrements - but I can dream can't I? On to the rest of the show: Table #1 MG Head w/Modern Audio Design - Pearl ICs Headroom Maxed Out Home w/DiMarzio ICs Headroom Max w/DiMazio ICs Grado RA-1 w/Grado ICs Corda Blue/Unmodded Art DI/O w/Outlaw ICs Fisher 400 Receiver w/AKG K1000s Super Meta42 - missed the hook-up on this one Porta Corda These amps were driven by 2 Sony DVP-NS500Vs. We also had a Sony D25 PCDP for the portable amps. Headphones in the area consisted of SennHD600s with Red Clou, Beyer DT-831, Sony 1700, AKG401s and 501s. Headphones kept moving! Imagine that! AcidTripWow also share his Fix-up Mini with those that were interested. I saw an Altoid CHA-47 on the premises too. Table #2 Sonic Adventure w/Synergistic ICs AudioValve RKV Mark II w/Synergistic ICs ASL Twin Head w/Synergistic ICs Wheatfield HA-2 (oops, I missed the ICs - prob Synergistics) These amps were driven by a Cambridge 500, Roksan (Kandy) KC-1?, MMF-CD25, and for the later half of the gathering a Sony CE555ES SACD player. Headphones hanging about included Grado HP1s, Senn HD600s with Stephan Equinox, Pioneer 10R, and Beyer 931. I hear there were some Beyer DT-770s in the house - but I missed 'em.

There was also a Cosmic with the reference module in a traveler bag at table one. A pair of Porta-Pros and KSC-50s as well.

The New Sonic Adventure amp is also worth mentioning. It will be a strong competitor for ASL. I spent too much time listening to different cables on the HD600's to do much amp A/B listening but my first impressions were very favorable. More later tonight when I have some free time.

Fred -- Thanks again it was a great day!!

 

[Tuberoller]

I spent some quality time with the Fisher/AKG K100 combo last night and I am still amazed.I think the big secret with the K1000 is that you must be in a quiet place to really enjoy them.I do hear much better detail when there is very little outside noise.I later tried them with one of my heavily modded Fishers and they sounded even better.I'm gonna try them with the Revox before I gotta return it tomorrow and offer some thoughts.I was never impressed with the K1000 at the Headroom tours and I think the tour is a bad place to demo them.You must hear these phones at home in your system.these phones do seem to be very amp dependant,I tried them with a NAD 317 integrated and they sounded good.With the Fisher they sounded amazing.Time for us all to reconsider these.

That Sonic Adventure amp was'nt bad but wasn't the greatest either.I can certainly see it giving the MGHead a run for the money.It is better than the MG in every single way.It too had some QC issues(a poor connection at the headphone jack) but the sound was impressive for the projected price.It also seemed to sound good with every phone I tried it with.This amp is a contender.

hey,

I think BORN2Bwire left the remote for his Sony SACD player.After you guys left Mike,Adam and myself were spinning some vinyl listening to those sweet Vandersteens and found the remote on the floor.Give Decibel a call and Adam will send it back to you or you can stop by to pick it up if you call first.

 

[yage]

funny... just checked ebay for some akg k1000's and guess who's the high bidder for the only auction?

decibel audio.

 

[john_jcb]

Quote:

Originally posted by PC Corp hm.. Spring break, spring break. Do you mean there will be some hot chicks? If the answer is a yes then please reserve a seat for me now. .

I am pretty sure that there will not be any additional entertainment.

 

[Jodiuh]

Hello all.

Well, I had a blast. Although overwhelmed, I still managed to settle down a bit to experience these wonderful ciruits of joy. Amps! That's right I'm about 3 wks. old according to the head-fi book of rights! *orders buttons for all pockets* My main goal for the meeting was to decide whether of not an amp really made a difference. I started out by connecting my newborn Senn 580's into something with tubes sticking out of it, laughing in my head the whole time. Once I figured everything out, I was greeted by a serious lesson in sound. The hadphone amp is my friend. Next, I met Reynman and listened to his Beyerdynamic 250-80's with that cute little altoid amp. Verrrry nice. I will have to start getting used to phones that don't fit "perfectly" (think Senn570/580/590/600) soon! Maybe I'll get them for Christmas instead of winter clothes, lol! Reynman uses them for earmuffs will be my excuse

Thanks again for everything guys.

Reynman~helping me with my amp decision
Tuberoller~for being so hospitable
Darius~for unpacking when he was ready to go so I could hear his amp
Acidtrip~for not being what I expected~died hair, multiple piercings, etc., etc.
Jon~for explaining things that haven't quite sunk in yet

The Decibel guys~for the bathroom and of course the free shirt!!

...forgetting names sorry!!

Jod

 

[dariusf]

Hi all!

First of all I want to thank tuberoller for putting together such awesome event. Also for everyone bringing all the super cool hardware and being so nice and friendly. Its nice to be able to put a face behind the name. Can't forget the decibel Audio store for letting us use their facility and even closing the store for the event.

I think who ever recognizes themselves on the pics should post who they are.

Thanks to all, it was really cool

 

[Jodiuh]

That's me in the gray sweatshirt and cargo pants trying to figure everthing out...

Jod

 

[yage]

that's me in the redshirt listening to... what else?... the fisher/akg combo.

man, why do i look so serious in all the pics?

 

[JMT]

Great pics, thanks for sharing. Quote:

man, why do i look so serious in all the pics?

Cause you had some serious stuff to play with.

 

[Born2bwire]

I'm the one in the Upscale Audio shirt.
The extra guy monopolizing the RS1's on the Blockhead is my deadbeat brother

. I loved the RS1's, had so much body to the bass and the vocals. The Twinhead seemed to still have a slight hum for me, more placebo or a powerline hum, something I could barely pick out when it was quiet. The amp was great though, but when I hooked it up to the Sony CE555 it sounded too warm for my tastes. Tubiness..... The AKG K1000's really were a hit, they look, well, unique. But they've got soundstage up the ascots and just about anything else you'd want. The only complaint I had was that the bass was on the lean side. Definitely lacking the punch of the Grado's (but I guess that would hard unless you have the drivers millimeters from your ears). I switched from the 1000's to the 501's and it was like somebody put a viel over the music, I couldn't take it and quickly ran back to audio Nirvana and put the 1000's on. Got to do a lil listening with the headphone cables, I was a little overwhelmed by trying to hear everything to do a serious comparison, but I liked what I heard with the Cardas, definitely opened the soundstage up and I think there was more to the highs. Hmmm, if I had something that could drive the K1000, I would make Decibel Audio run for that auction

. Actually, I had an afterthought wondering what they would sound like on the Twinhead, I bet that has the juice to drive em. The HP-1000's were neat to hear, though the headband seemed to be shaped for a pumpkin. Hmmm, I guess the only thing I didn't get to hear was enough of the Blockhead setup and the RKV. Oh well, there's always the next meet.

So in conclusion, yes I do think that we are decidedely better than Dallas.

And yes, it seems that Murphy's Law was picking on my yesterday, that is my remote Tuberoller, I'll give try to take care of that.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tuberoller I spent some quality time with the Fisher/AKG K100 combo last night and I am still amazed.

I spent yesterday listening to this combo at home, and am very pleased. However, there seems to be something special going on that's particular to the Fisher. When I hook the K-1000 to other amps (up to 60 wpc), it actually produces more apparent detail, but the "magic" goes away.