HeadphoneAddict

I think the O2 Mk1/717 can seriously challenge, equal or beat your EHHA/HP1 rig, depending on your tastes. And although I have not done a side by side comparison, in my opinion they may even be fairly similar sounding rigs. As a bonus, with the O2 Mk1 you will get the comfort you are looking for and you may not need the Denon once you get the O2 Mk1/717 rig (unless you need the isolation, then get a JH13 Pro). You often can watch the forums and find an O2 Mk1 used for $1300-1400, and an SRM-717 for $1000. I didn't believe the 717 could synergize as well with O2 Mk1 and Mk2 as people had claimed, until I heard it for myself. Then I was upset because my $2500 GES didn't have the power, bass impact or separation that the 717 had, although it had great timbre/tone and musicality (leading me to buy a balanced WES instead, doh!) You'd likely keep the EHHA/HP1 as a companion rig till they "pry it from your cold dead hands". If you still upgrade your dynamic amp, I think the EC ZDT sounds fantastic with my friend's HP1 (and most other phones I have tried with my ZDT, including HD800). And it's very good with my modded D7000, but because my D7000 are not stock I can't really extrapolate that over to yours. I did compare my ZDT to wiatrob's balanced EHHA for 2 weeks and I felt the ZDT was only slightly better (I forget how the LA7000 sounded on the EHHA, sorry). So, you might not think a ZDT is a huge upgrade unless your EHHA doesn't sound as good as Bill's (he claims part of the great sound is some very good hard to find tubes). As a note - I thought the ZD at CanJam was on a similar level as the Balancing Act single ended, and I love the ZDT. After you've upgraded the amp, then you could consider an upgraded cable for the HP1. I know it seems like a sin to re-cable a rare headphone, but I have heard improvements in Grados with an upgraded cable, even among various cable brands (HP1 with SAA Equinox, PS-1 with Moon Audio Silver Dragon, Grado RS-1, RS-2 and HF-1 with APS V3, HF-1 with Jenna Labs). The HP1 really picked up a nice boost in the bass and transparency with the Equinox, and driven by the ZDT with a 4-pin XLR they sound fantastic. My APS v3 cabled RS-1 sounded similar to the HP1 with stock cable, but after the HP1 were re-cabled with the Equinox they moved up a level in transparency, detail and bass. Anyway, just a thought. Some people don't feel cables make a difference, and while I do think they help I also think they should come after phones/source/amp.

I have a non-jailbroken 3GS with 3.01 on it, with all the hacks working for tethering and MMS working, and my visual voicemail and texts and SMS all work fine, as does tethering.

I agree with that comparison. Also, the main advantage that Jerry has maintained all along is that the JH16 Pro can play louder without clipping than the JH13 Pro, especially in the bass (more dynamic range). But it wasn't to substantially boost the bass although it appears that they were able to achieve that in the end as well, from what I've read.

I think the PS Audio in 96K up-sampling mode sounds almost identical to the Stello DA100 and DA100 Signature. In the 192K mode it sounds a little brighter with a more spacious soundstage, but the change is not huge. I slightly prefer my Apogee mini-DAC to the PS Audio or Stello, but I do think they are both very decent for the price. I've heard the Cullen stage IV a couple of times at meets last year, and find it to be a little more refined sounding, with less edge to it in 192K mode, so I was planning to do the mods someday. Of interest, my PS Audio XLR jacks were putting out 5v at 60Hz at RMAF while the Cullen Circuits modded one was doing 2v at 60Hz, which we tested because it seemed like mine was overdriving the eXStatA amp's inputs while the Cullen and the Opus DAC were not. Cullen confirmed for me that they turn down the juice on the output a little if asked.

I only brought the EF5 up since it's part of the "$1000 rig" that Currawong was talking about. It's a decent amp for the price but nothing special when compared to the WA6 or ZDT.

I'm finding them to be good enough to displace my HD600 and HF-2 in my bedroom rig, as it made those sound muddy and veiled. The HE-5 allowed me to sell my APS v3 cabled RS-1, which were closest to the HE-5 but now redundant. In my rig I would never call the HE-5 mushy, but they still don't beat my HD800. I do think the SR-404LE on an eXStatA amp are a little better than the HE-5/EF5 combo, but it's not that easy to get the amp.

Excellent choice. Congrats!

Hmmm...

Her newest album, Believe, is more pop music for the younger generation and not as good. But this album rocks and is usually sold out in the states (she's from Australia).

Excellent.

I have three Tord Gustavsen Trio CD and they are all very nice. You came out well. I got a Nancy Bryan 45 RPM 12" LP, and look forward to trying it when I get home tomorrow night! The funny thing is I almost bought that album off of HDtracks.com a couple of weeks ago! I had only heard the 30 second samples and liked it a lot - I put it in my "to buy list" until after the holidays, so I am really excited to hear a nice LP on my TT rig. Thanks VPI - It's perfect!

I think you gave the rig enough burn-in. I agree with much of what you said about the fixes and sound as well. I find the EF5/HE-5 combo actually sounds better with my $99 uDAC than my $699 PS Audio Digital Link III, which makes the HE-5 warmer and fuller sounding with the EF5. At first I didn't like that DAC with the HE-5/EF5 but it grew on me. I suspect I would also like the EF5/HE-5 combo with my Mini-DAC and I'm going to swap DAC's between my bedroom rig and main rig later, since I think the WES/O2 Mk1 sounds a little better with the PS Audio in terms of frequency response. Now, with the PS Audio DAC I prefer the HE-5 with my WA6 over the EF5 amp, and with the Apogee/ZDT I like the HE-5 more as well. So, I wonder if changing the tube in the EF5 will help us, or if trying a different source (or amp) will help you. At this point, with the ZDT and WA6 amps I liked the HE-5 enough to sell the APS V3 RS-1 and TTVJ portable Millett hybrid to plaidplatypus (medical bills and car repair were calling). So, you'll get to hear that at a Florida meet one of these days. I have not extensively compared the HD-5 to my LA7000 yet but I suspect I'll find them to be on a similar level, making the used price I paid for LA7000 much less painful than full price. Was your wife liking modded D2000 or D5000 more?

Emotiva send me a Christmas card. I gave them my info at RMAF for updates on the UMC-1 and I hadn't heard back till now.

Yeah, and we're not 7 feet tall either.

Someone is gonna make that their forum avatar, I'm betting.

I met you at CanJam, and I do think I am about 10 lbs closer to that goal about now...

I'm holding out till the 24th - the suspense makes it more fun... VPI is welcome to open his now. I know he was going to be there to get it on the 20th (yesterday), and the CD got there ahead of him.

I just sent Blutarsky home from a mini-meet at my house with half a dozen Krispy Kreme in hand, and kept a dozen for me. Yum...

You look a lot happier than your avatar.

Good job Justin - that's impressive.

I do that all the time with my snowblower and go down the block to the mailbox and back. It practically pulls me along and makes it easier on my old bones.

Nice amp, and the site looks good. Thanks for the update.

Hmmm. I also didn't hear any improvement with a $180 Locust cryo USB cable and the one that came with my Pico DAC-only. Maybe it wasn't good enough. Nah...

Wow. Had to buy it at $0.99, even if it might not sound good.