purk

The Lite mk2 should sound like the GSX MK2 in single end but with less refinement due to the lesser power supply. With a dedicated DPS, the Gilmore Lite MK2 should sound identical to the GS-X MK2 in single end operation.

In single-end with lesser PSU, so a yes.

I did remember that the SQ wave also had a horrible USB DAC section. It was a pretty harsh sounding DAC. The giant wall wart was a good selling point for $1500 amp.

But it has blackgates!

Way too many great sounding amps from you Doug. I am not complaining at all.

Not directly I don't think TomB is selling the Torpedo on his site.

I love the Utopia and they demand very little in term of amplification compared to other highend headphones. I get *excellent* results out of my Sony NW-ZX300 Balanced output.

I figure that you may want to settle down by now.

I get what you are saying. Having an ability to do a tuberolling is fun and the Supra/SDS are great for that. How about getting the DSHA-3 from Doug and be happily ever after?

Too much hype on the Aeon Open I think. I have it too and thought it was a bit too warm for my taste and somewhat bassy with the stock cable. I'm also ready to sell mine. You can always check with Doug before proceeding with the BD purchase. For instance, my old DSHA-2 prototype is a better match to the Utopia because the Utopia's driver work better on an amplifier with very low output impedance rating. I'm not sure about the Clear.

I miss the DSHA-2 prototype that I used to have. That was an ultra nice sounding amp in the Black Diamond Chasis.

Have yet to hear a bad sounding ECP amps. Hell, I auditioned four of them and ended up buying all of them. Thank god now I am down to just the Ravenswood & L3.

Check out the ECP amps and report back and you will understand why. I completely agree about the HD800 vs. HD800S though. TMoney should share his thought. His DSHA-3 is an excellent match to the HD800 as well.

Have a great birthday Tom. Thanks for all the help and advice all these years!

Well, the HD800 is a completed different animal all together with the ECP L3 & Ravenswood than than the GS-X MKII or GS-X MKI w/ MKII module that I used to have. My best experience with the HD800 out of KG Design is the SuSy Dynahi.

Not going to debate with you, but ECP L3 & DSHA-4 are amazing with the HD800. My HD-800 + L3 combo is near the KGSSHV + SR009/SR007 level.

Well, you need a really good amp to wake up the HD800. Doug makes several that compliment them perfectly and the KG SuSy Dynahi and the old Headroom Balanced Max are also great options. Once they are mated with those amps they are even better than the Utopia. But Utopia is superb out of portable source and that's an amazing quality to have. They also match well with Sony NW-WM1A.

You will like it even more when you try them out of portable source. The HD-800 out of top end ECP amps still have them beat but they sound incredible out of my Sony NW-ZX100 DAP with 15 mw @ 16 ohm on tap.

Happy Birthday!!

An external desktop drive is a great solution though. The rip speed is a lot faster and the drive is more solidly built. I bought the LG Blu-ray writer recently and I'm super happy by the result.

They sure come with nice and shiny labels though!

Those cool kids on headfi would still buy the Liquid Carbon over this amp. SAD!

I would leave ur phone alone and get the Sony NW-ZX300 from Amazon Japan and never look back. Don't forget to run roxbox to add English language.

450 USD for the that TaoBao Dynalo MKII?

Should have gone for all Furutech connectors. They indeed make a different in a direct comparison. I made two black dragon cables but using standard and Furutech and Furutech was able to squeeze more performance out of the HD800.