HiWire

That's over double what I paid for my new Arcam player, for probably a lot less than double the improvement in sound. I'm most interested in the APL Esoteric X-01, but the tube output stage is a turnoff. Back to Stax - has anybody heard of the Kimik(?) mod for the SRM-007T? I read about it in a magazine review today, but can't find anything on the internet. I'd probably go for the SRM-727II anyway...

That's exactly the sound I'm looking for... I can't afford APL gear either, though.

Getting lossless through this would make for an interesting experiment, at the very least...

True enough. Those IEM and mobile products will make more money for them - development of a new flagship is probably not cost-effective. Also, I think it's a bit weird that they still carry the HD 600 concurrently with the HD 650.

Yes, I get that, but I'd rather save $500 for more music, a home amp upgrade, or whatever. No slam against Justin or the other portable amp makers, though. I generally run my Alessandro MS-1 directly out of my Sony D-EJ2000 PCDP - it gets the job done when I'm on the go. I've got enough gear to carry in my bag, and I listen at fairly low volume.

It's possible that the gas price will drop again, even though we're at a record high for oil barrels right now. Nevertheless, the overall trend will be an increase in fossil fuel prices across the board. Back on topic - the Pico looks real purty and is handy with that optional DAC. It probably sounds good - (un)fortunately, I don't understand the market for portable headphone amps. The demand is certainly there... congrats to those who have received their amps.

Just bend it back in with your hands, trying to keep it straight (e.g. don't twist). Don't use too much force - you can do this a few times until the fit is right. Try to keep your hands away from the ends, since you don't want anything to snap near the rods. If the fit gets too tight, just do the reverse - your ears shouldn't be pressed too hard against the driver screens. If you end up getting other kinds of pads, you might want to adjust the headband again to improve the fit.

It's just a matter of funds and availability. Besides, the Headsave Classic sounds quite good - definitely better than most people would expect. My point about the audiophile equipment is this: I'm listening to the Crystal Method's Vegas at work right now, which was recorded in a studio environment, but meant to be played in clubs, etc. Some rock and pop music recordings sound good on audiophile equipment, other recordings sound better on "everyman" setups.

I have heard the MS-2i. It's not as good as my HP-2, which I'm running off an OPA627 Headsave Classic v3 and Arcam FMJ CD36.

I thought this site was set up so that Aerius could post porn Err... I cross-post my reviews at Head-Fi. I might stop doing this in a while because they don't generate the same kind of interest and intelligent discussion over there. There is a high noise-to-signal ratio over there - it's not necessarily the fault of the mods.

It sounds like the MS-2i would go well with a richer-sounding amp or source combo, then. I like the lower-end Grados because they still distort enough to get down-and-dirty with lesser recordings, e.g. pop music. I've noticed that really high end speakers and headphones sound a bit odd with poor recordings... you don't really need audiophile equipment for all music. Blasphemy, I know...

Sorry, what was that? You get tired of your Orpheus? Just kidding - you can get used to anything. I'd love to hear the new SR-007MK2. They're the next logical step from the HP-2, for me.

Happy Birthday!

Happy New Year!

I'm still in the burn-in phase, so it's probably too early to tell. I don't think the reviewer's Dynaudios were a good match for the Arcam - I would certainly pair them with something a bit warmer. Bass and rhythm are just fine, though, in my system. I don't find the CD36 to be particularly analytical, but it does sound a bit more delicate than other players - music is flowing rather than forceful. The overall sound is full-bodied, but neither forward nor laid-back. I'm assuming that the treble will soften slightly over time or that I'll adjust - it's a totally different listening experience from my portable, with an expanded frequency response and outstanding dynamics.

I got a new source after extensive auditioning, the Arcam FMJ CD36. I think it is making my life better

I've listened to the rest of Monheit's album. There is definitely more attention given to emotional nuance and the accompanying instruments are better balanced against Jane Monheit's voice. In Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction, the guitar and vocals flow along quite well, but the CD36 doesn't get down and dirty or rough-sounding like some other CD players. I'm hoping that it improves in rock performance with burn-in. Rhythm is good, but the Arcam player never loses its polish and poise. My first CD, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult's 13 Above the Night, fared better. The mixture of goth electro-rock and disco techno-house was irresistible and the densely-mixed lo-fi sound was appropriately funky and swinging. The real eargasm/revelation/epiphany happened with Anna Netrebko's Sempre Libera. The incredible quality of Netrebko's voice and the superb recording of the orchestra and her accompanying vocalists made all my other discs sound like crap. The compelling lyricism, richness, and musicality of the performances (La traviata and Gianni Schicchi) proved that the player earned its money's worth.

You can also get the Oppo players modded at www.tweakaudio.com for less than $1,000, depending on your choice of options. I'm planning to pick up the new Oppo DV-983H player a few months after it's released next year.

I'm using the Headsave Classic - I think it's the third revision, and one of the last home amps that Norm made. The ground op-amp blew out, so I haven't been able to listen to my HP-2s for about three weeks. Norm replaced the dead OPA627 with an OPA227, and I'll be ordering an OPA627 right away.

I finally got my amp back and running, so I'm going to start posting my impressions of my new CD player. I still have my Panasonic SL-S160 PCDP as a reference, but I'll probably stop making comparisons after a while. Before I mention anything else though, I noticed the output power is much higher than my Panasonic's - this is logical because of the differences between portable and home players' power supplies and output sections. Anyway, the Arcam sounds much louder at the same level on the volume dial - I'll probably have to turn it down when I listen for longer periods. I've only listened to the first three tracks of Jane Monheit's Taking a Chance on Love on both players so far - I'll listen to a greater variety of music and at greater length when I get back from dinner and the gym tonight. Also, I'll post a pic of my incredibly ghetto audiophile phurniture. The first things that I am noticing are increased frequency response, improved soundstage, and better flow. Bass was immediately deeper and tighter, and highs are more extended. In terms of soundstage, the perceived space is wider and deeper - also, I can hear accompanying instrumentalists far more clearly now. This is somewhat related to flow - the CD36 makes Jane Monheit's voice more realistic (fuller-bodied, smoother, and more nuanced) while allowing several instruments to stay prominent at the same time. I have noticed that lower-end players have difficulty handling complex arrangements while better players can keep up with a layered sound.

Any news on the new modules? I strongly considered the updated GS-1 when my amp died. It's a neck-and-neck race between the GS-1 and CI Audio's VHP-2 so far.

A lot of headphones scale quite well. Most people engage in herd behavior - now I'm going to see if my amp has returned. Amps are about more than volume - microdynamics are beyond the MP3 crowd...

I just read this. Fantastic review, aerius.

Are you talking stock performance or buying with an intent to mod?

About 6 or 7 feet. I prefer to be close enough to turn the volume knob, but not close enough to hear the transport working...