The Ultimate Personal Stereo

Well a pleasent evening has been spent here in the company oneself experiencing the delights of headphone listening

Now this is no ordinary setup. A good friend has leant me his Audio Aero Capitole 11 CD player for a few days to trial. This is one impressive piece of kit and certainly a bargain on the used market for some. Why some Well, it's so obviously voiced to sound as close to a good analogue source, that CD diehards and Naimees (Robbo and Julian) would hardly be wetting themselves But I suspect the likes of Chris would find this one impressive CD spinner. Loads of body to the midrange, a slightly loose bottom end and just oodles of atmosphere. Where it falls down IMO is in leading edge definition and bass punch, in other words the typical strengths of typical CD players. No it doesn't have the ultimate refinement of a really good vinyl setup, but you have to really concentrate to notice.

Hooked directly into the balanced outs I have the Stax SRM-007T, a valve powered headphone amplifier, that is powering the Stax Omega 11 electrostatics. And tonight I have listened to 3 hours of CD's back to back, with no sense of fatigue, and experiecing a direct connection with the music that was trully stunning.

There isn't an amp speaker combination I can think of that can offer this level of sensuous tonality and detail full stop. Music makes even more sense than before, you notice how everything meshs together, being able to pull infinessimally small details out of the mix without it in anyway destroying the coherence of the music. Fabulous

So why, when this "amp and speaker combo" costs used about the same as an MF integrated and Mission speakers, do we dismiss headphone listening so readily Yep it's a different experience, and a solitary one. But it's just you and pure unadulterated music, surely that's what we are all after. I was going to sell these phones, but have removed the ad and look forward to some great listening in my new apartment well into the early hours

 

Nice post. Now go post it on Headfi.org and see what reaction you get

I generally think that most people in Britain use Headphones when they have to, ie when significant other is trying to get some sleep/watch eastenders etc etc.

Got a modest xcanv2/senheisers combo and thats fine for me and my cloth ears

Cheers.

 

Yeah, sounds like my cup of tea!

Feel free to drop it off round my house.. mwah hah harrrrr :JOEL:


On the phones thing - for me its just a case of cant afford the best of both... in fact cant even get the best of either!... so might as well stick with one to the best effect I can..

WARNING... upcoming thread hijack t:

I've just sold a bit of kit, and have up to £450 to blow on whateve I feel like.... here's my options....

1) orbe platter and DC motor for the gyro
2) border patrol modification to audio innovations L1 pre (and some spare cash).. or use the spare ££ for a wall rug to help with room acoustics.
3) sell transport and have about £650 to spend on a new one
4) Look for second hand rack
5) get a decent computer, this pentium 200 is w**k
6) go to amsterdam and get flock faced for a week
7) spend it on new kitchen cabinet doors zzzzzzzzzzz

Sorry about hijack, but interested in views.

Existing kit for those who do not know..

AC gyro with helius scorpio arm ortaphon Kont A cart
EAR 834P
Audio Innov. L1
Lectron JH50 (50w p/ch push/pull valve)
CAL sigma II dac, micromega T-Drive
Living Voice Avatar

rack - target glass/steel
cables - digi XLO reference, Goertz speaker, interconnects DIY £15 jobbies.

 

I think this sounds like the best option

6) go to amsterdam and get flock faced for a week

But I doubt £450 will cover it! Hotels in amsterdam (at least the central area) are very expensive, we paid £50 a night for a basic 3 star it was clean but didn't have air conditionning or even a lift.

A new computer sounds like a good idea too. I upgraded my P200 in 1999 but then I am a computing student so I need a good PC.

I would love a high end headphone setup oh well I can dream that when I graduate and earn £25k a year I can afford it. (if I move to Moss Side of course)

 

7 is definetly the way to go. :MILD:

 

Get the Orbe platter and DC supply, invite me round, and I will bring the cans

Audio Aero is a really emotive player, I reckon WM could do with injecting a bit of passion and colour, so may well take it over to him

 

£410 will buy a phase two Mana soundshelf for your turntable. £40 left for records.

 

I have been reliably informed that Michell don't do Mana

Michell apparently like a lot of mass in the support, and react well to slabs of granite. There's a used HNE rack on HFFS for about 450, also the Shelf from BDR is well respected but costly.

 

Don't 'do' Mana? My chum Tanais Fox has a Michell Orbe at phase thirteen (-ish).

Sounds OK to me.

 

The DC motor is a good move, as it means in future you can add either the VC external PSU, or the new (and cheaper, but apparently better) Never Connected one. This makes a big difference. I bought my Gyro with the Orbe platter, so I don't really know how much difference it makes, but a better PSU definitely made a significant improvement. (I went for the VC supply, because the Never Connected jobby wasn't out yet.)

-- Ian

 

Unlucky

 

I find headphones claustrophobic, the only ones I could stand where Walkmans, walking to work, a few years ago, but they are dangerous, kept ignoring the trafic...

 

6) go to amsterdam and get flock faced for a week



:MILD: :MILD: :MILD: :MILD:





Sounds good to me


Regards

JC

 

do the mods on the pre amp yerself,to celabrate get a cheap £30 sleazy jet flight from luton (early morning /late evening are cheapest),2 nights in a cheapish B+B £90,£250 spending money, leaving £80 for the parts needed to mod with

 

Quite tempting ... I like HNE racks... the only reason I want to change mine though is because one of the shelves gets in the way of my valve amp.

'Cos its got one more shelf than I need I was considering bashing one out with a lump hammer. That way I wouldnt really need to change it at all. .. At some later point I could change the glass for pine boards, and it would probably look okay.

Anyone ever done anything like that before? I dont want to thwat up the whole rack.

NB The orbe mods are winning so far. I DO like the sound of the pre mods and a rug though.... NB sorry hippy that bit of DIY is a bit beyond me !

Merlin - are you still after some cash? - I'll swap your orbe with SME V for my gyro plus £400 if you like
:JOEL:

whats that you say,... no?


chris

 

NO

Oh and it is now sold I'm afraid needed the cash to fund other projects, but the memory will linger.....vinyl's OK by me guys

 

How can there be a headphone thread without me replying to it :JPS:

You dont need a lot of money to appreciate high quality headphone listening. I got my DT880's for £130, which is an absolute bargain for the sound quality they offer. And although I have a very highly regarded, not particularly cheap headphone amp, they seem to sound great out of my £250 Rotel integrated, offering plenty of detail, dynamics, bass and a nice musical sound.

So, if you have a decent amp with a headphone jack, if you can hunt down some DT880s or similar type headphones, then you will have an outstanding set up. In terms of clarity, detail and accuracy, they rival a speaker/amp setup costing 10x what this cost me, no shit. As for the criticism that they are claustrophobic, the DT880's are the least claustrophobic phones I've ever heard, they simply get as close to the speaker experience I believe is possible out of any headphones without spending outrageous money.

Still, I appreciate how many people prefer speakers, I still love listening to speakers as well, its just that headphone listening can be so involving in its own right. Nothing else gets you as close to the music.