Current Events > Just spent $700 on audio gear. Rip my wallet.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Got a: SMSL SU-8 DAC, THX AAA 789 amp, and... add $100 for cables ._.

Should be nifty though.

---

I got the RAAL SR1a alongside the Jotunheim R and Bifrost 2 from Schiit; previously drove them out of my Parasound Halo Integrated sourced from the RME ADI-2 DAC and it sounds better, but the ribbon driver distorts when heavy bass is played from either chain. Now I'm debating if I should go for the Meze Empyrean next as I love planars and prefer a smoother signature overall, but I'm not sure if I want to sacrifice the amount of detail I get from the SR1a.

---

The ancient Greeks and feudal Japanese were practicing audiophiles. It's frowned upon in some circles due to modern attitudes. There's a whole debate to be had about the role audiophiles played in human history.

A friend of a friend was an audiophile but he got locked up for it. They caught him stealing headphones.

They say you can rehabilitate audiophiles but I'm not sure. Once you get into that kind of thing it's like shooting fish in a barrel.

---

Realforce posted...

I got the RAAL SR1a alongside the Jotunheim R and Bifrost 2 from Schiit; previously drove them out of my Parasound Halo Integrated sourced from the RME ADI-2 DAC and it sounds better, but the ribbon driver distorts when heavy bass is played from either chain. Now I'm debating if I should go for the Meze Empyrean next as I love planars and prefer a smoother signature overall, but I'm not sure if I want to sacrifice the amount of detail I get from the SR1a.

Geez dude must be nice to have money.
Where do you even buy the SR1a?

Also, for planars, why not just be a normie and get the LCD4?

---

Will be using it after ten years right.

---

sweet, what are you powering with it?

Best setup I've ever heard is a Focal Eutopia driven by a Woo WA22. Much preferred it to even the HE1 Orpheus at the convention I went to.

---

Omnislasher posted...

sweet, what are you powering with it?

I have a collection but two main pairs are HifiMan HE-560 and Fostex TR-X00. Will be my first foray into balanced gear.

---

daftpunk_mk5 posted...

Geez dude must be nice to have money.
Where do you even buy the SR1a?

Also, for planars, why not just be a normie and get the LCD4?

I'm not sure, the LCD 4 alongside the HE1000 requires some nice power from a headphone amp which I lack. The Empyrean is pretty easy to drive comparatively and I can get it to do so from the ADI-2 DAC on hi power mode. If I can't get the Empyrean cheap, I will settle for an Oppo PM-1/PM-2 for a real cheap price off of Ebay or Headfi. Kind of tempted to go down the tube amp route, but that and tube rolling has me hesitant.

I'm thinking of returning the Schiit stack since I'm in the 15 day return period. Found a good deal on the SR1a from a guy locally, but because of the distortion when I want to listen to some nice thumping tracks, I think planar is the way for me to go at this point.

---

Oldin posted...

Will be using it after ten years right.

I sure hope so. The THX amp is a genuine breakthrough the likes of which we rarely see. It's incredibly transparent with essentially 0 harmonic distortion. It makes amps several times its price obsolete.

Upgrading from an LH Geek Pulse DAC/amp.

---

Realforce posted...

I'm not sure, the LCD 4 alongside the HE1000 requires some nice power from a headphone amp which I lack. The Empyrean is pretty easy to drive comparatively and I can get it to do so from the ADI-2 DAC on hi power mode. If I can't get the Empyrean cheap, I will settle for an Oppo PM-1/PM-2 for a real cheap price off of Ebay or Headfi. Kind of tempted to go down the tube amp route, but that and tube rolling has me hesitant.

I'm thinking of returning the Schiit stack since I'm in the 15 day return period. Found a good deal on the SR1a from a guy locally, but because of the distortion when I want to listen to some nice thumping tracks, I think planar is the way for me to go at this point.

You should look at the THX 789 I ordered. You already have a solid balanced dac to feed it and it will put out 6watt per channel for only $400. Plenty for the LCD4.

---

Shipped

---

Do those things really improve already expensive headphones by that much? Or are you just memeing yourself into this shit?

toyota posted...

Do those things really improve already expensive headphones by that much? Or are you just memeing yourself into this shit?

Yes. Amps can dramatically alert the sound signature of a headphone.

---

Oldin posted...

Will be using it after ten years right.

sure, why wouldn't he be

All of my high-end shit I've been using for more than 10 years

daftpunk_mk5 posted...

Yes. Amps can dramatically alert the sound signature of a headphone.

what about speakers?

---

toyota posted...

Do those things really improve already expensive headphones by that much? Or are you just memeing yourself into this shit?

many expensive headphones barely work at all without amping

many others are dramatically improved

Stallion_Prime posted...

what about speakers?

same

Stallion_Prime posted...

what about speakers?

I have Martin Logan Impressions and I can confirm switching from a Marantz receiver to a Rotel power amp made a massive difference in sound quality.

---

_Marka_Ragnos_ posted...

I have Martin Logan Impressions and I can confirm switching from a Marantz receiver to a Rotel power amp made a massive difference in sound quality.

Jelly. The ESLs have been on my bucker list.

Right now i have a pair of QAcoustics 3050 towers powered by a Marantz pm6006. For an $1,100 set up they do sound great.

---