Jump to content

How has your rig changed in 2007? And do you have any future plans?


postjack

Recommended Posts

I just shelled out the big bucks to Todd for a new pair of flats for the HF-1. Of course I prefer them to the bowls. :)

Yup lub dem flats.

Flats + woody SR-325 are very nice. Still a tiny bit tizzy in the highs, and not the most detailed (compared to the L3000 and HP-2), but they're great for rock.

I should take a picture of them, Ian and Nate did a really nice job :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 177
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Yup lub dem flats.

Flats + woody SR-325 are very nice. Still a tiny bit tizzy in the highs, and not the most detailed (compared to the L3000 and HP-2), but they're great for rock.

I should take a picture of them, Ian and Nate did a really nice job :)

yeah you should, I forgot about your SR-325! you got that woody done fast.

I'll probably eventually get my HF-1 woodied, but for the time being I'm enjoying them quite well in stock form. Plus they are the only dynamic phone I own that is still single ended, and its a bit of a pain to plug every other phone into the damn balanced to single ended adapter everytime I switch cans. :mikey2:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I changed from my Denon DVD-4800 to a Denon DCD-815 CD Player and a Denon DA-500 DAC. Still have the 4800... A universal player that only plays Redbook doesn't get a lot of interest in the FS ads! The 4800 should theoretically be better than the mid-90s vintage Denon gear, but I like the versatility.

I also received a SMC EZStream wireless media streamer as a kick-ass birthday gift, which kicked the iPod and dock out. CDs are great and all, but it's so nice to be able to access anything I own without having to sort through piles and piles of discs. And the mod that added an optical out was a nice addition, allowing me to use it with the DA-500 which acts as a digital switchbox (3 optical inputs, 2 coaxial inputs) as well as a DAC.

Still using my Millett Hybrid, the same Tung Sol 12FK6 tubes, and my HF-1.

Though I did go from mahogany cups to zebrawood cups on the HF-1. Does that count? :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The year began with me having a K81DJ, er6i, and a Zen Vision:M. I bought a MSB Digital LinkIII early in the year.

I sold the K81DJ. I bought a K701 and built a M^3, SOHA, VanTOTL. Next round was a purchase of a W100. Then the sale of the W100, the purchase of the W10VTG. I bought a 3G ipod nano. Next I sold the 701, MMM. I bought a Super.Fi3. I bought a triple.fi 10 and built a mini^3. I then sold the mini^3 and triple.fi. I sold the super.fi3. I sold the VTG, VanTotl.

I now have the MSB, k240s, k271s, Zen Vision:M, iPod nano 3G, Kef iQ3, and am in the process of acquiring a pair of Kef iQ9.

Wow. Here's to staying happy with the gear we have ::)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, my trusty $40 DCD-815 has been getting louder and having more trouble initializing discs, so its replacement is on the way. I found a DCD-1015, which is actually a much nicer looking player from the same year, and looks to be in even better shape than the 815 was. Short money vintage replacements kick ass.

Auction pics:

1200074643_dcd_1015_01.jpg

1200074655_dcd_1015_02.jpg

1200074669_dcd_1015_03.jpg

1200074682_dcd_1015_04.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm thinking Pete Millet SRPP K1000 amp right now, after reading how good the Sowter transformers are.

If you build it, don't use the 12AU7. The joy of DIY is that there are many excellent tubes you can use which the commercial guys can't since they'd have to stock 10,000 spares. Use a pair of 6J5's (single triode version of the 6SN7) instead, or if you don't need quite as much gain, the 6P5GT which is the octal version of the 76.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you build it, don't use the 12AU7. The joy of DIY is that there are many excellent tubes you can use which the commercial guys can't since they'd have to stock 10,000 spares. Use a pair of 6J5's (single triode version of the 6SN7) instead, or if you don't need quite as much gain, the 6P5GT which is the octal version of the 76.

Cool, thanks for the info. I was planning on using something other than the 12au7.

Will have to see how much free time my master mind builder has.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a bit late to the game, I completely missed this thread until now.

I started 2007 with my job situation still in an odd state of limbo so I was still in downgrading mode. I believe I had sold the GS-1 so even though I had an X-DAC V3 courtesy of bahamaman's giveway, I didn't really have anything to use with it other than a Go-Vibe 5 I was using with my iPod and E500's. I still had the RS-1's at the first of the year as well but I finally gave in and sold them and the X-DAC in the spring to a somewhat local guy. I loved the RS-1's but they weren't seeing much use and I've also found that I'm one of those people who finds their ears ring after listening to them. At that point I was down to the Go-Vibe5, iPod and E500's.

My job situation stabilized in the spring so some time after I picked up an AE-2 and after, looking towards rebuilding a modest home setup, started to look around for a cheaper DAC, in the $200 range, which I could hook up to my DVD player and AE-2. It was then that I read Justin's initial posts in regards to the Pico here. I'll admit I didn't quite get it at first but when I realized what he was trying to build I started to rethink my allocation of finances and how I listened to music. I finally gave in and decided to go with a computer/Pico/E500 setup instead of a DVD player/DAC/AE-2/E500 rig so I sold the AE-2 in anticipation of the Pico's arrival.

So at the first of December all seemed set, all I had to do was stick it out until the Pico arrived. That was until first our DVD player died unexpectedly, thankfully my parents bought us an Oppo for Christmas, :P Then I fell victim to the E500 cable cracking problem. Not only did the cable crack but the soft rubber piece at the top of one of the housing came completely off revealing what appeared to be an older crack. SF Marketing here in Canada were great, they got me a replacement pair in about a week but this experience has really got me rethinking the wisdom of having an IEM as my sole high-end phone as they seem more vulnerable/prone to problems of this sort.

2008 has started with a bang though, the Pico has arrived and so far I'm thoroughly impressed with both it's amp and DAC capabilities but where I thought this would be it for my setup for awhile I find myself in flux yet again trying to decide what to do about headphones.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Replaced Stello DA220 and Eastern Electric Minimax Preamp with a Slim Devices Transporter. I find my rig sounds quite a bit purer without the preamp in the chain..much more enjoyable :)

Future Plans: Save for Esoteric D-03 ;D

That's because your preamp didn't use 1 but 2 12AU7s :o

Tell him to go nuts and build this. ;D

That looks like it will require the muchos grande monies, and I don't even like headphones that much anymore :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I picked up a pair of recabled AKG K81DJ's with stock and velor pads for kicking around at work when I don't want to have IEM's in. When I got them they had the velor pads on them and I can't say I was terribly fond of the sound so I tried to put the stock pads on. In my attempts I managed to screw up the recable job, the cable came away from the heatshrink at the cup. I attempted to sell them as is or to send them to Warrior05 who originally recabled them but found no takers. They sat until December when I sent them to a friend on the mainland who does some DIY work. He redid the cable job differently and got the stock pads on for me. I have to admit I only did this to resell them but I've actually been quite liking them for casual listening/gaming at work so have decided to keep them for the time being but depending on what I decide to do about the E500's I may sell them in the near future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.