My Mom Says I'm Cool

[postjack]

Got a package today:

[humanflyz]

Damn, how much did that cost you?

[Thelonious Monk]

1. are those nos? they look absolutely mint

2. how much did it cost?

3. damn, by the time i can afford them they'll all be gone...

4. fuck you

[postjack]

[Nanoha]

Did you get that off Insomniac?

[ojnihs]

motherfucker, motherfucker, motherfucker (please repeat over and over again)

[philodox]

MOTHER

FUCKER

[deepak]

Welcome to the gang

[deepak]

MOTHER

FUCKER

Redeemer

[recstar24]

Welcome to the gang

Ah, how the air is so much fresher on top of mount mint HP-1000:) Glad to have you with us.

[postjack]

Ah, how the air is so much fresher on top of mount mint HP-1000:) Glad to have you with us.

lol, that is a good one.

[postjack]

so, do you like the combo?

Still burning it in. I put the Melos + hp2 out in my garage and hooked it up to an old radio tuner. I've got the volume maxxed out and I'm playing static through it, so I won't actually listen to them for at least a 1000 hours.

[Thelonious Monk]

what tubes do you have for it?

[postjack]

Still burning it in. I put the Melos + hp2 out in my garage and hooked it up to an old radio tuner. I've got the volume maxxed out and I'm playing static through it, so I won't actually listen to them for at least a 1000 hours.

But more seriously, I'm was trying to give it a good listen and throw lots of music at it before I gave any impressions, BUT, in brief:

Its really just amazing. I mean really, just super. The HP2 handles congested passages MUCH better then the RS-1. Next to the HD650, the HP2 is the least fatiguing can I've ever owned. I like the way the HP2 presents highs better then the RS-1: high frequency treble spikes leave me grinning with joy, because I keep thinking the high will "break" and display some sibilance, like it tends to occasional do with the RS-1, but the HP2 just reels that shit in, its marvelous. Present in both is the famous Grado midrange happiness, though I'm thinking it is not as boosted in the HP2. Obviously the HP2 is more neutral, thats what everybody says, but its not K701 overly polite neutral, but more of a "here is what the recording you are listening to sounds like" neutral.

I remember reading in one of jpak's reviews that the HP2 will let you know if a recording is crappy, and this is true. Having said that, it is marvelous to here say, a late-seventies DIY-type recording, and here it in all its true glory, tape hiss and all!

Decay is noticeably better with the HP2. Bass and midbass is pumping and very pleasing, much like the RS-1.

I am listening through the Melos, but I can't speak too much for it in particular because I haven't been able to listen to the HP2 through the PPX3 yet, because I am just so hooked on exactly how it sounds now. I don't want to goto sleep, I don't want to goto work. When I wake up in the morning I stare at my rig and it makes me want to call in sick and just listen to music all day. This has not happened before with other audio equipment.

But eventually I will do some more extensive comparisons and give you all some similarly amateur impressions. Also I have the Dynahi coming in hopefully next week. It has a high/low gain switch, so I'll at least give the HP2 and RS-1 a shot with that.

Please note these are impressions after just a couple days of listening, card subject to change.

[deepak]

I know the feeling. For all of March I got by on 6 hours of sleep just so I could stay up and listen to them. They just gel with the types of music I'm into.

And they're the only Grados I've heard that have amazing depth to the soundstage. This to me is what sets apart the ho hum from the world class.

Roll in some Amperex and welcome to Melos heaven

warning: these headphones carry a special curse. You'll start to look for the best versions of recorded music (is it coincidence LFF has an HP-1000?), I'm lurking the SH forums even more now. And they also demanded a vinyl rig, who am I to say no.

[postjack]

The HP-2 is absolutely brutal on my SL1200. Does not like it at all! All my records have this cold, lifeless feel. Still plenty of depth and analog "bigness", but pretty bad lack of dynamics. The RS-1 is much more kind.

Transparency can be a bitch sometimes I guess.

[postjack]

haha, luckily the melos makes the RS-1 its bitch! haha! listening with flats, floyd "the wall". that bass hit at the beginning of "another brick in the wall pt 2" was PERFECT! ah, here come the chorus of children, bit of that rs-1 harshness, but thats okay.

good to have both cans. but before its over with i've either got to buy some kab upgrades for this TT or buy a P3 or mmf-7. in the future of course.

[deepak]

haha, luckily the melos makes the RS-1 its bitch! haha! listening with flats, floyd "the wall". that bass hit at the beginning of "another brick in the wall pt 2" was PERFECT! ah, here come the chorus of children, bit of that rs-1 harshness, but thats okay.

good to have both cans. but before its over with i've either got to buy some kab upgrades for this TT or buy a P3 or mmf-7. in the future of course.

I see a Aries with SDS in your future

[postjack]

I see a Aries with SDS in your future

ha! i could never spend that much on an amp. but vinyl has gripped me like nothing else in this hobby.

if someone put a gun to my head today and made me buy a new table, I'd get a Rega, probably the new Rega P3 Mk24. Then once 909 sells me his Saturn because he is shelling out the big bux for the godly super high end godlike god source, I'll be all-rega, at least for CDs and vinyl.

I like Rega because the emphasis is on simplicity. I think VPI's are teh super pretty, but seem much too complicated for an amateur like myself.

[deepak]

ha! i could never spend that much on an amp. but vinyl has gripped me like nothing else in this hobby.

if someone put a gun to my head today and made me buy a new table, I'd get a Rega, probably the new Rega P3 Mk24. Then once 909 sells me his Saturn because he is shelling out the big bux for the godly super high end godlike god source, I'll be all-rega, at least for CDs and vinyl.

I like Rega because the emphasis is on simplicity. I think VPI's are teh super pretty, but seem much too complicated for an amateur like myself.

I meant SDS the motor control mechanism, not the SP amps. And Aries the VPI table.

[postjack]

I meant SDS the motor control mechanism, not the SP amps. And Aries the VPI table.

you gettin' smart with me, boy? don't take that tone with me, boy, might have to smack it out your mouth.

[postjack]

finally hooked my PPX3 Slam back into my rig. I was pleased to find my 999es has two outputs that both work simultaneously, so I was able to do a quick A/B by turning both the Melos and Slam on, and frantically pulling and replugging in my cans. CD used was the current remaster of Peter Gabriel's third album.

With the HP2: In short, the Slam had more, well, slam, while the Melos had an overall smoother presentation across the entire range. The Slam does not put enough emphasis on the mids and lower-highs for my taste, going instead for midbass impact. The Melos wins with the HP2.

With the RS-1: I have NOT been impressed with the Melos + RS-1 combination, at least relative to the Slam, which I suppose better suits the RS-1s "rockin" sound signature. That midbass impact is crucial for the RS-1s, at least that is what I'm looking for when I pick them up. Amongst other things, what this tells me is there really is a drastic difference between the Joe Grado and John Grado sound, though both have their similarities, namely small soundstage and smooth midrange, which I guess is the Grado house sound.

With Senns: The Melos leaves much to be desired with Senns. Actually it leaves everything to be desired. This is no surprise, the PPX3 wins hands down.

So am I saying I think the Melos is a one can amp? Maybe. I'll give it a shot with my MS2i, if I ever get it . But if it is a one can amp, it does a fine job with the one can it amps for.

Also still waiting on my Dynahi, looking forward to seeing if a solid state can compete with the tube and tube hybrid crew.

[deepak]

Interesting findings, sort of mirrors mine.

I don't care too much for the HF-1 and Melos. Surprisingly I sort of like the HD580/Melos, has a very fast detailed sound that suits the Senns.

[postjack]

With the RS-1: I have NOT been impressed with the Melos + RS-1 combination, at least relative to the Slam, which I suppose better suits the RS-1s "rockin" sound signature. That midbass impact is crucial for the RS-1s, at least that is what I'm looking for when I pick them up. Amongst other things, what this tells me is there really is a drastic difference between the Joe Grado and John Grado sound, though both have their similarities, namely small soundstage and smooth midrange, which I guess is the Grado house sound.

I think I mentioned this in another thread, but there is actually something very nice going on with the RS-1 + Melos, so long as I use flats. Still lacks the punchy impact the Slam brings, but there is a smooth naturalness without any bass bloat that is fun and pleasant to listen to.

[postjack]

After doing some more extensive comparisons, I decided I do quite like Sennheisers with the Melos. There was a sharpness in the highs when listening to large classical works with the HD650 + PPX3. The Melos lacks the impact and "slam" of the PPX3, but the highs are a bit smoother.

I'm just going to stop posting impressions altogether until I've owned the gear for at least a month.