Elephas

I've never heard a Lambda Nova Signature. If it's anything like the SR-404 or Airbow SR-SC1, I can understand why you would like it. Sometimes there's a lot of "noise" here. I just scroll through those useless posts.

I haven't heard the Edition 9 or HFI-780. Every Ultrasone I've heard didn't sound very good: Proline 2500, Proline 750, HFI 2200 ULE, DJ1, a few others and iCans. The iCans were especially horrible. The 2500 is OK and not a bad value at around US$200, but I would choose the HD600, HD650, K601, K701 and various Beyers, Grados and AT's instead. I dislike Ultrasone. But I like Contrastique's posts. If only she liked the L3000, W5000, AD2000, Qualia, R10, PS-1, HP1000, etc. instead.

I just bought the cable from him, Zach didn't do the actual recabling job. I think he can recable most headphones, but I'm not sure about the RS-1 or MS Pro. I'm sending him an AD2000 to recable. Given a choice between the RS-1 or AD2000, I would pick the AD2000.

The SA5000 is not bad with some electronica music. It has good details and speed. I wouldn't use it with other types of music, though. I've had mine recabled with a balanced Enigma Oracle cable. It is very comfortable and lightweight. To me, the RS-1 and MS-Pro are too similar to consider owning both. Like the SA5000, I think they perform best with specific types of music. I use the RS-1 with flat pads and my unit has also been recabled with a balanced Oracle cable. The AD2000 has been one of my favorite headphones for a long time. It sounds very natural. It's midrange is forward-sounding and I think it performs best with pop and easy listening vocals. Soundstage isn't as large as I would like and details aren't at the highest levels, but it is always an enjoyable listen. With some specific songs, the AD2000 can as enjoyable as any other headphones I've heard. The HD600 might be the least expensive headphone that can perform at a high level. I use it with an Equinox cable. It is a good all-rounder that doesn't excel in any area but isn't bad either. I think it needs more details and speed; the offspring of an HD600 and SA5000 could be a very good headphone. I have an MS2i recabled with a Silver Dragon XLR. I don't think the MS2i is competitive with the other headphones mentioned here. I don't think the K601 is as good as the K701. The K701 is very inexpensive, and like the HD600 an excellent value. Besides soundstage size, the K701 doesn't really excel in any area. It's not bad with classical or jazz, and can do OK with electronica. But it lacks PRaT and sense of energy and can be somewhat bland and unexciting. Details and body/weight are a bit lacking.

The 4070 is the most "neutral-sounding" and accurate headphone I've heard. But I don't like it as much as several other headphones, including some dynamics. Team Electrostatic:

I'm also expecting to receive an amp from SinglePower soon. How about a bet? The one who receives his amp first is the "loser" and has to send the "winner" a prize. I'm willing to put up my RSA Raptor or AT-HA5000. I have horrible luck and there's no way I'm going to get my amp soon.

I've had a Zana Deux for about a month. It is more versatile and better overall than the RSA Raptor, Lehmann Black Cube Linear and AT-HA5000, three amps I've owned for over a year. The ZD drives the L3000, PS-1, HP-2, R10 and Qualia much better than the other three amps. With the HD650, HD600 or K701, the Raptor and Lehmann are more competitive but still out-classed by the ZD. The AT-HA5000 is competitive with the ZD and wins in some areas driving the W5000, but I still prefer the ZD. There are some headphones I haven't tried with the ZD yet, including the AD2000, W2002, W11JPN, HF-1 and SA5000. I expect the ZD to also perform very well. I can probably sell the Raptor and AT-HA5000 now. The Lehmann is useful due to its small size and preamp functionality, and it was my first "real amp," so I'll keep it.

I'm glad they didn't take too long to arrive. I don't think the stand is suitable for AT's due to their 3D-Wings. L3000? Put it inside a soft bag or soft, cushioned box and store it inside an airtight, humidity-controlled box!

Hehe. Er, I didn't really finish the sentence, the last part should be "in exchange for his SRM-T2."

If darthnut shows up in this thread, I'll give him my HeadAmp Aristaeus.

Pricewise it might not be fair to compare the L3000+ZD with the W5000+HA5000, especially since the L3000 is discontinued. But based on the priority I place on details, imaging and soundstage, it might be a valid comparison. Those are the W5000+HA5000's strengths. Matched with the ZD, the L3000 still can't match the W5000's larger, more airy and more spacious soundstage. But it improves enough in many areas (versus driven by the HA5000) for me to prefer it over the W5000. Add the L3000's superior tonality, tonal balance, body, bass quality and bass quantity and it scores a decisive win over the W5000+HA5000. However, I haven't tried the W5000 with the ZD yet. And I also have recabled balanced versions of the W5000 (Enigma Oracle) and L3000 (APS v3) that I can try with an XLR-3.5mm adapter.

I'd like to hear the future Spritzer's uber amp now. Time travel is so tedious when it only moves forward at the snail's pace of one second at a time. Maybe the SRM-T2 would qualify as an "acceptable" amp for the O2, but I don't think anyone "we know" has heard one.

Yes. However, I haven't tried most of the dynamics yet. *Braveheart Scottish soldier voice* "They are too many!" Every one I've tried so far sounds better with the Zana Deux than with the other dynamic amps I've heard. I read up on the 6SL7 tubes and have prepared several NOS types. I like the Tung-Sol 6SU7GTY black glass, brown base tube very much. I also got three pairs of the 6C33C. One pair has the Winged-C logo and was made in the early 70's, but one of the tubes died after only an hour playing, so I'm stuck with a single tube. These are sold on eBay in pairs for $100. The other two pairs are the regular, cheaper type ($25 each) made in the 80's. Craig provided a pair of the rectifiers, and I got two more pairs just to be "safe." When it comes to tubes, I like feeling "safe." I'm especially enjoying the PS-1 and L3000 with the ZD. I think these two in particular sound significantly better with the ZD than with either the Raptor, AT-HA5000 or Lehmann Black Cube Linear. I think I'll have to give the edge to the L3000+ZD over the W5000+HA5000.

Let me know if you haven't received your stand by early next month. Back to the thread topic... what was the thread topic exactly? Dunno, I'll just blab a bit. I've been listening to the Grado PS-1 with the Zana Deux, and I think I can appreciate certain appealing and enjoyable qualities of being a basshead. I'm not a basshead. I'm more of an airhead + details and refinement junkie. Details and refinement are the top two priorities for me. Refinement isn't easily defined, though, and I think it's a combination of many qualities, so let's just say I like details and everything else. The PS-1 and L3000 driven by the Zana Deux should please most bassheads. The refined bassheads, not the ones who value bass quantity over all else. The L3000's bass seems to me better balanced and integrated than the PS-1's, which can seem overwhelming and over-emphasized. But with certain songs, maybe Rihanna - "Umbrella (Jody Den Broeder Lush Club Remix)," the PS-1 demonstrates how it can make a non-basshead wonder why he isn't one, when being one is so fun. I think I've lost some weight during the last 30 seconds by wiggling my butt around the chair.

You can either download the Vista+SP1 disc image and do a clean install or use a script to make Windows Update download SP1. WU will download the Release Candidate, but it should be the same as SP1 RTM. I've had no problems either way.

The shop shipped the acrylic headphone stands today. It may take some time to arrive, they were shipped by Postal Service regular air parcel service.

I like the ESW9. I think it's more refined than the ES7 or Senn HD25-1.

Based on the difference of the stock L3000 vs. an L3000 w/APureSound V3, I have high hopes for a recabled R10. The stock R10 already sounds very good, I can't wait to hear how it sounds with a recable. Why can't I get off my butt and ship the damn package already? (probably what Alex is thinking, too)

I'm jealous of the "new guy" OP. He's lurked here longer than I've been a member, he's younger than I am, and is almost certain to be smarter than me. Well, at least I'm better looking and have thick, gray skin.

Oooh, yes, that seems like a good candidate. I did hear a demo pair of Avantgarde speakers some time ago, but for some reason it wasn't as good as I expected. Probably due to a bad room setup.

I do most of my listening sitting at a computer desk. The room is not suitable for speakers, but maybe small studio monitors could work. I was looking for an integrated amp about a month ago for triple duty use with the K1000, Illusion Stax converter and small speakers. I couldn't find one I liked and gave up on the idea for now. And now I'm stuck with a pair of WE 300B tubes and no amp.

When you get married, insist on a prenuptial agreement. Stipulate that your headphone budget shall be equal to your future wife's shoe budget. Whatever she spends on shoes, you get to spend on headphones or audio gear.

Hehe, I'm not tempted by headphones anymore. I'm considering the SR-007 MkII and maybe the HE Audio electrostatic in the future. But that's it, no more headphones for me.

Unfortunately the shop was unable to ship the stands today, and will have to wait until next week to do so.

There are benefits.