Elephas

I'm just glad you guys are doing the work of swapping the earpads between the Mk1 and Mk2. It feels great to just sit here while listening to music with the Mk2 and magically somehow "know" the differences between the Mk1 and Mk2, how the Mk1 sounds with Mk2 earpads, how the Mk2 sounds with Mk1 earpads, how the Mk2 sounds with the port covered...

I would buy one, but I would have to use a dual 3-pin XLR to 4-pin XLR adapter. I like the 4-pin XLR, but it seems the dual 3-pins are the standard and all my balanced headphones have the dual 3-pins. I tried to join Team Balanced last year, but haven't received my balanced SinglePower amp yet. I think I won't see that amp until late 2009, so getting this inexpensive balanced amp is tempting. I've been sitting around with 6 or 7 balanced headphones and no balanced amp for several months.

Yeah, I would've bought one of the preview/beta 1.2B units at the introductory price if it had a Stax 5-pin plug

I don't think Craig has the "Winged C" versions of the 6C33C, just the regular "upside down Y" versions. Those will work fine, and are less expensive. Only crazy people have to have the "Winged C" versions. Craig only included a pair of rectifiers with my ZD, I got the other tubes off eBay. Many 6SL7 are sold in pairs, so you'll have extras. We ZD owners are barbaric, breaking apart all those nicely matched pairs. If you get a shiny faceplate, I'll trade you my cheapo-looking matte black faceplate for it.

Haha, one of my Winged C 6C33C also died within the first hour, but I was dumb and bought another one from the seller. I figured the tube was brand-new, so it wasn't the seller's fault anyway. I guess it never hurts to ask. Since then, which was about four months ago, the two Winged C 6C33C have been working fine. Yeah, the ZD needs plenty of ventilation and should be on the topmost shelf. The RS-1 and HD650/HD600 sound great with the ZD.

The Chord DAC64 is not bad and should match well with the O2+KGSS.

Those weren't really glory days, that was when I was an awkward, bad-tempered teenager and still had a lot of hair!

I got the Winged-C 6C33C tubes from eBay seller "galperj" (something like that, I believe he's also on Audiogon). They were expensive, but they came sealed in plastic bags and giant-size cardboard boxes. The rectifier tubes are inexpensive. Craig included a pair and I got two more pairs on eBay. Overall, the 5 tubes in the ZD are not very costly and that's one of the things I like about it. The PS-1 is definitely a basshead headphone. Its bass can seem too dominant at times to me, a supposedly non-basshead. But after listening for a while I get used to it and then everything else seems to have dinky bass. Well, not the L3000, that's another basshead headphone. Yeah, I think the shiny black faceplate looks better, I'm jealous. I remember seeing a silver faceplate that also looks very good.

Now I know who's hoarding all those good-condition SRD-7 units. I remember listening to Iron Maiden LPs during the 80's. It probably sounded bad with the crappy stereo and headphones I had then, but ignorance was bliss.

I have an SRM-T1W and it works OK with the SR-007 and SR-007Mk2, but I wouldn't recommend it. The T1W seems to be a better match with the SR-Omega and Airbow SR-SC1. I also have an SRD-7Mk2 and Illusion ESC-1001, but I haven't had the chance to try various power amps with the O2's. For an O2, I think the KGSS at around US$1500 or maybe slightly less for a used unit is worth saving up for.

I agree the HD650, HP2, L3000 and Qualia have very good sense of weight and mass behind the sound. Bass impact is seems to be more solid and have more substance. The R10, HE90 and others such as the W5000 have very good quality bass, but they have less sense of weight behind the bass notes. I do prefer the R10, HE90 and W5000 (recabled) over the HD650, HP2 and L3000 (stock), though, for other reasons. For jeffrey, here's a shot of the ZD with PS-1 and Qualia. Note, the headphones were placed there only briefly for the photo, the ZD gets very warm.

Heehee, back to normal now. It's somewhat disconcerting that this happened at all, though. I mean, this kind of thing would not have happened at Head-Fi. When I still had a KGSS, I did think it was a bit too bright and hard-sounding. However, the HE60+Aristaeus is very nicely bright. Yes, it seems to be a bit to the bright side of neutral, like the O2 is to the dark side of neutral. Sense of air and openness is very good, two things that I think the O2 is lacking in comparison.

You're right, I haven't been there in a long time. Good to know they've been able to expand the storefront, shop floorspace is expensive in HK.

Hey, I'm applying to Team Source First, I'm also with Marc that the source is very important. As for cables (uh, oh), my limited experience leads me to believe that they can make a difference. Also, I recently applied some Furutech Nano Liquid to my cables and was pleasantly surprised by the improvement. I know, this is getting close to Patrick82 craziness territory, but I hear what I hear. While spritzer is listening to his SR-007A, I'm enjoying the HE60+Aristaeus very much. I really like its relative brightness, treble crispness, speed and sense of air compared to the O2Mk1 or O2Mk2. "Quote from: Elpheas" I'm a baby elephant, dammit, not a constipated elf. Mamma, help!

So it was you, you OedipusRex monstrosity! I demand that it is changed back immediately and that GPH gets a mangled name too. "GPS" or "GPX" would be fine, thank you. Yeah, but isn't the O2+KGSS a bit too dark-sounding and laid-back compared to the HE60+KGSS, for example? And lacking some sense of energy and air as well? -- I know spritzer has been secretly listening to the SR-007A, you can't fool me.

I think spritzer's secretly listening to the SR-007A. What the, I didn't say I wanted a new name! I show you a screaming, kicking, super baby elephant tantrum!

Is that what I'm known as around here? Sounds like a constipated elf's name. Everyone else is spelled accurately. How would you like it if I mangled your name, GPN? Or GPM, GPS, GPX, GPZ?

The O2 + KGSS was what made me fall into the electrostatic money-pit last summer. I didn't realize O2 prices were falling in anticipation of the Mk2 launch in Dec. 2007, and bid too much for a used pair. Then, I needed an amp and was lucky enough to find a used KGSS listed for sale. I don't have the KGSS anymore, but I would say the O2 + KGSS combination is probably the best deal at a "not-so-insane" price point. I think it is equal to or better than an equivalent dynamic setup, such as HD650 + Zana Deux or W5000 + Zana Deux. Hmm, actually the W5000+ZD versus the O2+KGSS would be a tough choice. I also think the O2 itself is actually priced very reasonably, especially compared to many discontinued dynamics or the HE90.

I was actually pleasantly surprised about the real thread topic. I'm mean, I can see tatas anytime, but an R10 discussion? That's mighty rare. I've visited the Kingsound shop in Mongkok. It's in an office building with a food stall right next to it, where I stop by for some HK-style street food. The shop isn't really conducive for listening. All the headphones are in a glass cabinet or behind the counter. I remember they had a G&W amp on a small table in front of the counter and a few demo headphones.

The key to marital (and headphone) bliss is this equation: Your Headphone Budget = Your Wife's Shoe Budget

You can always come back when you're ready with an O2Mk2 and another amp. I like both but prefer the ESW9 a bit more. The ESW9 seems more refined to me and I like its greater air, separation and clarity. Even with an HD650 cable, the HD25-1 is still dark-sounding and relatively muddy compared to the ESW9. Its bass is stronger, and I think it is over-emphasized. It is also more bloated and boomy than the ESW9's. The HD25-1's isolation is a lot better.

Hi boomamma! Happy Mother's Day! I didn't get you gift because I'm applying to join Team Source First and spent all my money on sources. I'm sure you understand. Everyone I met at the orientation meeting were very nice. They all had goofy ecstatic expressions on their faces from listening to their "Source First" systems. Everyone also had perpetually empty wallets. They told me that's one of the benefits of joining the Team, because you'll be too tired from crying over your empty wallet to argue with people about cables on Internet forums. I'm looking forward to the day I get to join the Team. Your loving son, Elephas P.S. Are you kidding? The O2Mk2 is crazy-glued to my head!

I don't think the Lavry DA10 or Benchmark DAC1 is high-end. I think the Lavry Gold DA924, Esoteric D-05 and Chord DAC64 are reasonably semi-high-end. Of course, there are some even higher-end units out there. Not a DAC, but a dCS Puccini I heard once is definitely high-end.

The Chord DAC64 in action...

Please don't hurt me, I'll even give up the W5000 or L3000! But never the Qualia, it's mine forever! I've never heard any Stello, and assume it is better than a Lavry DA10 or Benchmark DAC1. By overkill I meant that a DA10 or Benchmark (or some other less expensive source) should work well enough with the Akai integrated amp and Ultrasone 750, and the difference the Stello might make would probably not be very large. I'm just guessing (read: BSing) here, if I'm wrong please don't tell mamma! I didn't mean overkill for computer-as-source. I'm an enthusiastic computer-source user, and my primary rig is actually an RME HDSP 9632 sound card > Esoteric D-05. I feel the PC-source is very, very close to the P-05 transport > D-05. One DAC I also like very much is the Chord DAC64. It works very well with the P-05 transport, RME sound card, MacBook's optical out or AirPort Express. It has a buffer that supposedly minimizes issues with the optical format. The Lavry DA10 is also supposed to be effective at dealing with issues with optical input. I think the Chord sounds better and looks much better than the DA10, though. I think you might prefer a Chord on your desk beside the laptop than a Stello. Sources I currently have: RME HDSP 9632 with word clock Esoteric P-05/D-05/G-03x Accuphase DP-500 Chord DAC64 MkII Lavry DA10 Mhdt Lab Constantine USB Moodlab Dice So please don't revoke my Team Source First membership!