[pigmode]

What is that tube amp to the right of the RKV?

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by pigmode What is that tube amp to the right of the RKV?

The RKV is the amp on the right. The amp on the left is the EAR HP4. The EAR was running without a case, as the case couldn't fit over the tall-bottle tubes I'm using. I'm actually having a taller case made for it, but it wasn't ready in time for the meet.

 

[dhwilkin]

Hirsch, how do you think the Gilmore amp did w/ the W2002 as opposed to the Sugden? Anything in particular stand out?

 

[kelly]

Quote:

Originally posted by dhwilkin Hirsch, how do you think the Gilmore amp did w/ the W2002 as opposed to the Sugden? Anything in particular stand out?

(Don't say bass, don't say bass.)

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by dhwilkin Hirsch, how do you think the Gilmore amp did w/ the W2002 as opposed to the Sugden? Anything in particular stand out?

I thought the Gilmore amp was spectacular with the W20002. I hesitate to make comparisons with the Sugden, as there wasn't one present. Very detailed, clean sound throughout, with none of the smearing that I hear with the W2002 and tube amps. Also had very excellent (uh oh, I can't use that word, got to think of something else...trout! That's it.) The Gilmore amp and the W2002 had very strong and well-defined trout.

 

[Steve999]

I only listened to them for 5 or 10 minutes, first out of my porta corda and then out of my MZ-N505 md recorder. The bass was all there and it was well-balanced and very clear and sounded just right for an aggressive but clear and balanced headphone. That's about the most I can say with my limited listening time. I was listening to a well recorded acoustic jazz quintet. It was obviously first-class bass and overall sound.

The most astonishing thing to me was that the 100ti's came out smoking right out of my portable MD player. These have to be a candidate for best headphones without an amp, depending on your taste in sound (aggressive vs. laid back).

Quote:

Originally posted by williamgoody Steve, how's the low end on the 100ti's?

 

[BDA_ABAT]

Hirsch: Thanks again for hosting another fabulous fest! And thanks for sharing some of your impressive collection.

Headroom: Thanks for sending so many goodies! Truly a class operation. Thanks especially to Todd and Ivy for, ummm, acquiring a Blockhead for the meet.

Dusty, antness, kerelybonto, steve999 et al: Thanks for bringing along your gear/music for all to hear.

Oy! My brain hurts.... tooo many choices, tooooo many combinations, too much information to try and distill into something complete/concise/comprehensible.

Quick notes:
HP 1 + RS 1 both sounded sooooo listenable thru Hirsch's ZOTL/Rotel/Monarchy/GW-Labs/DIO setup. Niiiiicccceeeee Very good chemistry there.

antness Gilmore amp + Arcam + HD600 =

Great detail, terrific bass, lovley decay... excellent!

R10 is, well, the R10... Very, very enjoyable!

Dave1's Cosmic was mighty impressive in the portable/luggable area. Deep bass, excellent detail.

Gotta find more of "Anonymous 4": Very interesting music, lovely voices.

Thanks again everyone!

Bruce

 

[dhwilkin]

Quote:

Hirsch said... The Gilmore amp and the W2002 had very strong and well-defined trout.

Trout? Aww, but I don't like seafood.

Thanks, Hirsch. I may have to have a talk w/ antness at this rate... Few more questions, you said the Blockhead sounded like it lacked soul, I guess... I take it the Gilmore amp did not have this problem? And was the overall sound leaning towards warm, cool, or neutral?

 

[Hirsch]

Please bear in mind that impressions in a meet setting are not formal reviews. These are based on brief listening impressions. The Blockhead is a one of the best solid state amps I've heard. However, these days I tend to judge an amp by plugging in the R10 and seeing what it sounds like. I couldn't do that with the Blockhead, for obvious reasons (it requires a modified headphone plug for those not familiar with it). So, I was listening with a headphone that I don't use a lot anymore. The Blockhead and Gilmore amp were on different sources, one of which I didn't know very well (the Arcam), which may also have influenced my impressions. I simply didn't have time to do a real comparison between the two amps (running them both from the same source, using similar interconnects and power cords, and, most important, taking my time), although I was able to listen to both with HD-600/Cardas headphones. Price may be a factor too. At the cost level of the Blockhead, I come to the table expecting greatness. At the cost level of the Gilmore amp, it doesn't need to achieve state of the art to represent great value. So, part of what I heard may have been influenced by what I expected/hoped to hear when I sat down. However, the fact that I do think that the Gilmore amp merits a careful comparison to the Blockhead, or more realistically the Max, says a bit about how well I think it performs.

I'd rate the Arcam/Gilmore to the warm side of neutral, but I've read that the Arcam fits that description, so I really don't know which component was responsible for my impression.

 

[Tuberoller]

Hey I wouldn't mind coming to your next meet and bringing some of my gear.Of course you guys realize that this will force me to pull out all the stops for the next Chicago meet.

Looks like you guys had a great time.Can I please come to the nesxt meet?

 

[Dave1]

Thanks Hirsch. It was a great opportunity to hear some of the finest amp and headphones available.

I will say that Hirsch has it figured out. The creek/hp-4/r-10 combo was unbeatable.

It was interesting to do the 580/600 comparison. I couldn't hear any difference. The 600/clou red did sound a little bit clearer. I also learned that I did not like the 590 as much as the 580/600, although I though I would from reading about it.

The Gilmore did sound great. I was not at all impressed with the blockhead. The ZOTL also sounded great.

The hp-4 sounded like a hybrid tube/ss to me. It had real smoothness with great bite.

Thanks all for a fun afternoon, and to Hirsch for opening his house and his great collection to us.

 

[kerelybonto]

Quote:

I tried running your post through Babelfish but no luck. Have you considered a profession as a Windtalker or whatever the modern equivalent is? Nonetheless, I found it at least as informative as many Head-Fi'ers normal contributions so thank you.

I do what I can, kelly. But since no one's posted an equipment list yet, I'll try to redo it:

Headphones

1. Grado: HP-1000 (x2: HP-1, HP-2), RS-1, SR-325, SR-225, SR-80. Flat pads, bowl pads, modified bowl pads, modified comfy pads.
2. Sennheiser: HD600 (x3: with Clou Red cable, with Cardas cable, with HeadRoom modified balanced Cardas cable), HD590 (with stock cable), HD580 (don't remember the cable), HD280 Pro.
3. Beyerdynamic: DT831, DT250-80 (x2), DT231.
4. Sony: MDR-R10, MDR-CD3000, MDR-F1, MDR-V6 (x2: with stock pads, with Beyerdynamic DT250 pads).
5. Other: Audio Technica ATH-W2002, Audio Technica ATH-A100Ti, AKG K1000, Etymotic Research ER4S.

Amplifiers

1. Solid-State: HeadRoom Blockhead, HeadRoom Cosmic (x2), Kevin Gilmore Dynamic (built by antness), Grado HPA-1, Grado RA-1, Porta Corda, CHA47 (built by JMT), Fixup Super Mini v3.
2. Tube: EAR HP4, Audiovalve RKV MkII v2, Berning MicroZOTL, Music Fidelity X-Can v2 (with X-PSU), Melos SHA-1, Ear Max Pro, Fisher 400 integrated amp (vintage), Marantz 1070 integrated amp (vintage), Yamaha integrated amp (vintage, missed model).

Sources and Processors

1. Home Sources: Creek CD53, Arcam CD23, Rotel 955AX, Sony DVP-NS500V, Apex AD-600A.
2. Portable Sources: Panasonic SL-CT570 PCDP, Panasonic SL-CT470 PCDP, JVC XM-R70 PMDP, Sony Walkman MZ-N505 PMDP, Rio Volt PHDDP, Sony Walkman D-303 PCDP, two other vintage Sony PCDPs whose models I forgot, two other newer PCDPs whose models I forgot.
3. Digital Signal Processors: ART DI/O (Bolder modified), ART DI/O (unmodified), Monarchy DIP 24/96, GW Labs DSP.

Unfortunately we didn't make use of any of Hirsch's turntables, and there were other sources that went unused. I'm sure I left out some headphones and amps as well, but that's all I can remember off-hand.

So. I confirmed that I prefer a brighter, edgier sound than most people. I have little experience with equipment other than my own, and I spent most of the meet sampling as much as I could. I did no A/Bs, and much of the equipment I tested was running with very different associated components. For the rest of you who don't like it raw, I'll try to give my impressions against my HP-1000 (HP-2), which is usually considered to be fairly neutral and whose sound I have stuck in my head, but my preferences will still work their way in. So, for headphones:

• Sennheiser HD600/HD580: There were three or four of these available, with different cable options. This was the first time I had heard this vaunted headphone, and I was disappointed. I knew I prefered a forward, engaging sound, so I didn't expect to like them, but I found them extremely veiled and disinteresting, even running out of the RKV and HP4. I seem to recall them losing a bit of their muffled presentation out of the Gilmore Dynamic, which also brought their distinct flavor of bass response to the fore. With the Gilmore Dynamic they sounded closer to the pair running off the Blockhead, which I was able to find listenable with the brightness filter engaged. In fact, I liked this combination quite a bit, listening to Miles Davis's Bitches Brew and hearing a clear, extended, engaging sound. Miles's trumpet sounded like a trumpet, and the bassline on "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" was just cush. With the brightness filter unactived, though, the HD600 returned to its timid, euphonically moderate sound. I also didn't find these headphones particularly comfortable -- they felt different than the Grados and Sony MDR-V6 I wear most, but not better.
• Sennheiser HD590: I spent very little time with these, but I found them even more unlikeable than the HD600. Directly out of a portable source they were just bad, which I found significant since people often recommend them here to people looking for an aspect of the high-end sound without an amp. The only amp I ran them out of was the Gilmore Dynamic, where they became more similar in sound to the HD600. Whoever it was that started the HD590s as a cross between the Grado and Sennheiser sound are just wrong -- these headphones are definitely Sennheisers, just not as refined sounding as the HD600. But they're definitely no Grados.
• Audio Technica ATH-A100Ti: I listend to these headphones only briefly, out of the X-Can or MicroZOTL, not sure -- and I hated them. They sounded similar to the HD600, but the top end seemed even more collapsed, and there weren't any good points that stood out to make up for it. Joe Satriani's guitar sounded like it was playing from the depths of hell out of these cans. They're also not headphones I would want to wear around town.
• Grado RS-1: These headphones are definitely more similar to the current Prestige Series lineup than the old HP-1000s. The closest I came to doing a direct comparison of headphones came between the my HP-1000 (HP-2) and Hirsch's RS-1, running them side-by-side out of various amps with the same music. With the bowl pads, the RS-1 is significantly brighter than the HP-1000 and has less defined bass. As Zanth and MRael have posted previously, and as Hirsch also confirmed at the meet, the RS-1 improves considerably with the old flat pads: its top end comes down a bit and the bass kick and definition improve. I prefered the RS-1 with flats to my HP-1000 for the music I listen to most, as it retained its aggressive, engaging sound without sounding as shrill and overtly high-frequency-heavy as it normally does. I doubt I would ever replace my HP-1000 with a RS-1, though, due to things like build quality and the availibilty of flat pads (working on that one). I'll probably just go for silver-plated interconnects and otherwise butcher the supposed neutrality of the HP-1000 to achieve the sound I want.
• Sony MDR-CD3000: I found it altogether a decent can, but lacking the specific things I look for. I listened to it primarily out of the MicroZOTL, X-Can, and EAR HP4, all of which I thought sounded pretty good. I have trouble comparing closed cans against open ones, so I can't get into specifics, but I didn't see the gross deficiencies that many people describe.
• Audio Technica ATH-W2002: I didn't spend much time with this can, and only ran it out of the EAR HP4. It sounded pretty good, but nothing jumped out at me (which I suppose could be a good thing). I listened to Bitches Brew on it immediately after coming from the HD600/Blockhead, and found it less enjoyable than that combination.
• Grado HP-1000: I didn't perceive a difference between the HP-1 and HP-2 versions. Well, yes I did, but I attribute that slight discrepancy to the difference in headband shaping between Hirsch's and my cans. As has been previously reported, the difference between pads on these cans is not great. The flat pads are more comfortable, though. I'd call these cans what some people were trying to put over on the HD590s: they're between the high-end Sennheisers and Grados, at least tonally. They still have that distinct Grado mid- and low-end punch that sounds considerably different than Sennheiser's. I really think anyone could enjoy these headphones, regardless of sonic preferences. Oh, and I couldn't get the phase switched on the HP-1 to do anything noticable. The phase switches do, however, require a whole wad of wires to be placed behind the drivers -- I'll post pictures later.
• Sony MDR-R10: I only listend to these cans brieftly, right after I arrived. They were running off the EAR HP4, which had just been switched on. At that point they were tonally similar to the HD600 without being as muffled. Again, due to their closed construction, I can't really compare them to other headphones -- yes, I could tell they were closed, though perhaps only because of the isolation.
• Sony MDR-F1: This was kind of a 'meh' headphone. I have a feeling I wasn't really getting what they could do because they're so open and there were lots of other headphones running and people chatting, but ...

Somehow I completely missed any of the Beyerdynamic cans. Not sure how that happened. I also didn't get to listen to the Etys or the AKG K1000. Guess that leaves stuff for next time.

Okay, now amps. I had a tough time distinguishing between a lot of the amps, probably because I was constantly running around with a different set of headphones. Headphones definitely sound more unique than any amp. So I only have a couple comments:

• HeadRoom Blockhead: This was a good amp. (Recall that I was limited to the HD600 with it.) Its low-end was great, and it was sharp and dynamic. I could live with the HD600 with this amp.
• Kevin Glimore Dynamic: I think antness impressed all of us with this amp. It seemed to do very well with a variety of headphones, including the HP-1000 and RS-1, the headphones I was primarily interested it. It had a low-end that was scarily reminiscent of the Blockhead, and it didn't seem to fall down anywhere. It was also very resolving. I'll have more thoughts on this after I get one.
• Fixup Super Mini v3: This amp was not burned in, so I didn't really listen to it. But regardless, it's a very neat amp just because of how damn small it is. The gain on the version present was kind of low, and the single-button digital volume control is kind of annoying, but if it improves the sound of a portable player to any noticeable degree, it's definitely a valuable contribution to our hobby. You won't realize how small this thing is until you see one in person. This is the one portable amp I've seen that I would actually consider using based on its totally insignificant bulk.

So I think that's about it. Stupidly I forgot to listen to Hirsch's Melos SHA-1, a very bad move considering its supposed synergy with the HP-1000 and that Hirsch may be selling it.

Oh, a couple other thoughts:

1. The recording is by far the most important link in the sonic chain. Bad recordings will not sound good on any equipment. SACD (versus Redbook) makes a more significant difference than almost any piece of hi-fi gear once you're at a certain (fairly low) threshold.
2. Different people look for very different things in audio. Many of the impressions I heard at the meet and expect to read in this thread were very different than my own, often in polar opposition. I know I'm going to find the many "Yes it is, no it's not" threads here even more humorous than before.
3. Nevermind New York, nevermind Dallas, nevermind Chicago: the headphone capital of the free world is Rockville, Maryland.

kerely

 

[DarkAngel]

Hey
How about some more pictures of Hirsch's ultra-fab living quarters, wonder what that home theater system looks like?

 

[kerelybonto]

Some more things to note:

1. Steve999 thought the Beyer DT231 was a lot better than the Senn HD280 Pro. Considering they're not nearly as goofy looking ...
2. mkmelt though the Beyer DT831 was very similar to the HD600 and said if he had heard them both when he was buying and hadn't been influenced by the HD600's reputation, he may have ended up with the Beyer.
3. I don't think anyone thought the Blockhead was worth its price. I thought it was very good, and prefered it to the EAR HP4 and Audiovalve RKV, the only two amps present that approached its price, so I may be the dissenting opinion. The worst feature of the Blockhead, ironically, is its balanced outputs that disallow its use with standard headphones. If the Max is close to the Blockhead sonically, I think it's probably close to the ultimate solid-state amp.
4. antness is now shipping the Kevin Gilmore Dynamic with two selectable inputs and a preout. Yay.
5. No one on the DC Metro system (which is surprisingly busy on Sundays) uses headphones approaching decent.

I'm the guy in the red Death By Stereo t-shirt in Hirsch's picture. And I need a new Head-Fi handle -- no one, including me, can pronounce or spell my current one.

I have a few pictures I'll post eventually.

kerely

 

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Great impressions guys. I've been waiting a while for some more comments on the gilmore amp (how is the next shipment coming along anyways antness? ^^). I just want to go and try all this great stuff out!

Biggie.