$10K, what should I get?

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Electrostatics lack viseral impact, so you may or may not enjoy them.

The only electrostatic setup I thought was really nice was omega II's with a custom 300b amp.

Biggie.

[earwicker7]

If you're referring to the 007t then you cannot run your HD650 off that amp. It's for electrostatic headphones only and would fry your HD650 pretty quick.

No, I'm talking about a totally different set of cans. My understanding is that HD650s and the Omegas are very different sounds. I'm thinking the HD650s for rock and the Omegas for classical.

EDIT--The HD650s are running off of a very portable amp, the Headroom Desktop. If I wanted to listen to rock, I could easily bring the amp into my bedroom. I know I can't run the Senns off of the Omega amp.

[thrice]

I think you misunderstand me. You said:

What do you guys think about this setup? Modded Opus 21 CD player and the Stax Omega II cans with the SRM-007T amp.

If this setup sounds good, what kind of interconnects should I use? The description on the website says it has "RCAx2 and XLR1" inputs. I'm assuming the XLR is better, right? Also, newbie question here... I know on my HD650s, it has two XLR inputs, one for each channel. Does this amp only have one XLR connection? Is that all that is needed for balanced sound?

I assumed from your post that you were still talking about the SRM-007t amp (that goes with the Omega II). Your next paragraph seems to indicate that you are asking about using the HD650 with that amp....you cannot. It's an electrostatic headphone amp, not a dynamic headphone amp. Moreover the RCA/XLR specs they cite are the inputs. The SRM-007t amp has two sets of RCA inputs (two single-ended sources) and one set of balanced input (1 balanced source). The output jack of the SRM-007t amp is a 5-pin plug that Stax headphones use.....quite different from the typical 1/4 jack or balanced XLR connectors used for dynamic amps.

[earwicker7]

I think you misunderstand me. You said:

I assumed from your post that you were still talking about the SRM-007t amp (that goes with the Omega II). Your next paragraph seems to indicate that you are asking about using the HD650 with that amp....you cannot. It's an electrostatic headphone amp, not a dynamic headphone amp. Moreover the RCA/XLR specs they cite are the inputs. The SRM-007t amp has two sets of RCA inputs (two single-ended sources) and one set of balanced input (1 balanced source). The output jack of the SRM-007t amp is a 5-pin plug that Stax headphones use.....quite different from the typical 1/4 jack or balanced XLR connectors used for dynamic amps.

Sorry if that's the way it came off. I just mentioned the 650s because that's what I have and am familiar with.

Here's a more correctly phrased version of the question--On my 650s, there are two XLR inputs. I'm looking at getting an additional set of headphones and am thinking about the Stax Omegas driven by the SRM-007t amp. Being somewhat of a headphone newbie, I was wondering if there is a reason why my Balanced HD650s have two XLR inputs but the Stax amp, which I'm assuming is considered balanced, only has one XLR input. Is there are reason that there are two XLR channels on the Senns but only one XLR channel on the Stax amp?

Hope this clears things up

[thrice]

The stax amp has one XLR input....which consists of two jacks, one for the right channel and one for the left channel. So there are two jacks that make up the single balanced input that amp has. If it had two balanced inputs it would have 4 balanced jacks. Each input has two jacks, one for the right channel and one for the left channel be it RCA, or XLR.

[earwicker7]

The stax amp has one XLR input....which consists of two jacks, one for the right channel and one for the left channel. So there are two jacks that make up the single balanced input that amp has. If it had two balanced inputs it would have 4 balanced jacks. Each input has two jacks, one for the right channel and one for the left channel be it RCA, or XLR.

Thanks!!! You cleared it up for me; I was thinking one input meant one jack, which is why I was a bit confused. D'oh!

[deepak]

Thanks!!! You cleared it up for me; I was thinking one input meant one jack, which is why I was a bit confused. D'oh!

Listen to the OII before you decide to buy.

You might not like the sound of stats, after owning a pair for a while I'm not a big fan of their sound.

[Thelonious Monk]

i refrained from giving advice because it's obviously way outta the pricerange where i am familiar with gear; however, i agree with the sentiments to try before you buy. and try a lot. for example, a lot of people agree that the hd650 isn't the best headphone for fast-paced rock music. i love the hd6x0 for classical and stuff like pink floyd but if you like hard rock or metal it's not the best can for the job; listen to a grado headphone, they are pretty well known for their aptitude with rock music. of course there's other headphones that kick ass at rock music, though. if i had $10,000 i wouldn't blow it all at once; i would try every headphone possible within my pricerange, THEN blow it all at once.

[philodox]

This is a very personal choice as well. For $10K, I would stick with the headphones and amp that I have, though I would likely put some money into more boutique parts for the amp. Most of my money would go into the source. The Opus is certainly interesting and I've always liked Meitner and Wadia gear.

[mirumu]

Listen to the OII before you decide to buy.

You might not like the sound of stats, after owning a pair for a while I'm not a big fan of their sound.

I agree. It seems you either love them or you hate them and finding out in advance of any purchases is the best way to go. Personally I have a very hard time listening to most dynamic headphones these days, they just sound wrong to me and don't think I could go back. Maybe some of the real high end dynamics like the R10s or K1000s would change my mind, I won't know until I try them.

In terms of visceral impact electrostatics usually are found wanting. It doesn't necessarily mean there's less bass, often the bass is very present and well defined. It's just that you don't get quite the same feeling of the air hitting your ears, it's just not the same satisfying "thump" that dynamics can provide. That said, the Omega II is in my experience the stat with the most visceral impact but it needs a lot of power from the amp to make it happen. My own Omega II setup is not ideal using a transformer box from a second-rate power amp but the one way this method does deliver is voltage and the visceral impact of my system is great and exceeds any of the mid-range dynamics I've heard. While I have not heard the Blue Hawaii personally, this visceral ability is said to be one of it's best traits. I'm not familiar enough with the SRM-007t to comment on it although it does seem that the KGSS, Blue Hawaii and ES-1 are generally preferred.

[TheSloth]

The problem with headphones is that there is basically nothing made on a 'cost no object' basis. The cans themselves are all there to hit a price point, even if it's a relatively 'high' one. So all the money is going into the ancillary equipment, which, as important as it is, could leave you at the end feeling a bit unsatisfied.

With hedphone systems you are inevitably limited to the relatively small and fixed choice in transducers. Are the big manufacturers listening? There is a market for much higher end headphones. It seems that even now the average headphone user (head-fi type that is) is spending more on each piece of ancillary equipment than they do on their headphones in the first place, so why on earth haven't the manufacturers stepped up to provide equally high-end headphones?

But then I look at posts where we see people laud the 'expensive' headphones of the past like the K1000 (which was admittedly a unique achievement) and the R-10 (rather less of one), which have developed a mythology surrounding them simply because they were expensive and rare (relatively). I've yet to find anything that makes these headphones that are supposedly in another 'league' 'better' than the current top of the line production headphones, save the fact that some people prefer them (and again that is hardly universal).

[saint.panda]

I think the Orpheus was made on a cost no object basis but that's been how many years already? Disregarding personal preferences, current and less expensive electrostats have already caught up to it.

[earwicker7]

I may have already asked this question before, but I'm too lazy to scroll through 5 pages of posts to check

I already have a solid state amp, so I'm looking at getting a tube amp just so I can have some variety. Is it really important to use tubes in all stages, or will the amp suffice? I'm kind of interested in the Opus 21 CD player, but it's solid state.

[TheSloth]

I think the Orpheus was made on a cost no object basis but that's been how many years already? Disregarding personal preferences, current and less expensive electrostats have already caught up to it.

Well even if you subscribe to that, the fact that we have settled to a point where we have merely caught up with past greats is a bit sad, to me at least, when the market and technology would allow so much more...

[Dusty Chalk]

I already have a solid state amp, so I'm looking at getting a tube amp just so I can have some variety. Is it really important to use tubes in all stages, or will the amp suffice? I'm kind of interested in the Opus 21 CD player, but it's solid state.

The amp is enough.

[saint.panda]

Well even if you subscribe to that, the fact that we have settled to a point where we have merely caught up with past greats is a bit sad, to me at least, when the market and technology would allow so much more...

Absolutely agree.

I'd love to see Sennheiser come out with a new $8'000 headphone but I suppose it's simply more lucrative to develop consumer headphones. After all, headphones are still considered toys by "serious" audiophiles even though that might be changing.

[TheSloth]

Absolutely agree.

I'd love to see Sennheiser come out with a new $8'000 headphone but I suppose it's simply more lucrative to develop consumer headphones. After all, headphones are still considered toys by "serious" audiophiles even though that might be changing.

I think the current headphone and amp market is filling up with its own kind of audiophile. I'm not sure that the hard core megabuck speaker guys are going to flock to headphones, but the headphone market is getting people to spend a lot of money in audio in situations where they wouldn't if great headphone setups weren't an option.

[postjack]

I think the current headphone and amp market is filling up with its own kind of audiophile. I'm not sure that the hard core megabuck speaker guys are going to flock to headphones, but the headphone market is getting people to spend a lot of money in audio in situations where they wouldn't if great headphone setups weren't an option.

I got into headphones because I saw it as a cheap way to get great sound.

[mirumu]

But then I look at posts where we see people laud the 'expensive' headphones of the past like the K1000 (which was admittedly a unique achievement) and the R-10 (rather less of one), which have developed a mythology surrounding them simply because they were expensive and rare (relatively). I've yet to find anything that makes these headphones that are supposedly in another 'league' 'better' than the current top of the line production headphones, save the fact that some people prefer them (and again that is hardly universal).

I know the reason I mentioned the R10 and K1000 is that they typically seem to be the headphones that people leave electrostatics for if they're going to do so. I have no reason or experience to suspect they're any better than current production headphones otherwise. My experience with truly high end dynamics is largely non-existent really, the ATH-W5000 is probably the best I've had a chance to listen to.

[earwicker7]

I got into headphones because I saw it as a cheap way to get great sound.

Bingo!!!

Although many people would call me insane for thinking that $10,000 is "cheap", I know that it's easy to blow a quarter mil' on a good stereo system.

[TheSloth]

I got into headphones because I saw it as a cheap way to get great sound.

Right, but look at what you've been willing to spend. It's an example of someone who wouldn't necessarily spend that on speakers etc because it probably wouldn't even be worthwhile, but who might be willing to spend more on a truly great pair of headphones.

[postjack]

Right, but look at what you've been willing to spend. It's an example of someone who wouldn't necessarily spend that on speakers etc because it probably wouldn't even be worthwhile, but who might be willing to spend more on a truly great pair of headphones.

I probably should have put the instead of the . I did indeed start into this hobby because I knew I could get better sound for less money then with speakers. But after buying an HP2, a Modwright, and a few amps... hell, I could sell just my amps and my headphones and get a pretty decent speaker rig.

What I'm saying is at some point it became more then just "i can get better sound for cheaper."

[earwicker7]

Just ordered the Great Northern Sound reference modded Opus 21.

So... excited... drool

[postjack]

Just ordered the Great Northern Sound reference modded Opus 21.

So... excited... drool

Wow, congrats! Be sure to let us know how you like it when it arrives.

[earwicker7]

Wow, congrats! Be sure to let us know how you like it when it arrives.

Three weeks :'(

Oh well, I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

Now I need to start thinking cables and amplification...