[Tube Amp Recommendation]

Singlepower has to be on your list. I have used them with all but the W5000 and they work well with all of them. They are also about as tube roller friendly as you can get. This makes them suited to pretty much any phone you throw at them.

Down sides are long wait times, unless Mikhail has a demo for sale. Upside is they are IMO worth the wait.

I have not heard another model tube amp I like as much as the models from SP I have used.

However if I was to buy another model it probably be a Zana Duex.(I have not heard this amp, and I am going by what others have posted. So dont consider this a recomendation)

Any idea what kind of budget your going to have?

Yes from reading I would also consider Zana Deux.

[Too much edition 9 love in Headfi....have u listened to them?]

Hmm, I can only speak for my own experience with Ultarsone Edition 9. driving directly off Grace M902, the bass is not overwhelming at all the soundstage is VERY BIG but yes the midrange could be on the flat side. Still it is very well balanced. And running of LISA III, the midrange of UE9 is very beautiful, it's no longer flat nor recessed.

But I have heard UE9 bass sounds very bloaty with sibilance high, and skinny midrange in an unmatched system especially bad recordings.

[I finally heard the ER4S but ...]

Do you think it's worth the $200?

If you think you love ety sound signature that much yes, I do think it's worth that much.

First of all, esthetically awesome, the cable is a lot lighter. It fits snuggly over the ear, no longer microphonic.

And the harshness gone, the bass quantity is more.

But if you are not a fan of etymotic to start of with, then don't worry about upgrading the cable.

[I finally heard the ER4S but ...]

the thing is that its only on certain songs that its EXTREMELY sibilant (ex. ted leo and the pharmacists - me and mia)

btw, its straight out of a iriver ihp140 so maybe thats why? because when its amped, the sibilance goes away and its pretty fucking sweet.

slightly off topic but for portable use I should get the er4p since P is for portable right?

Actually if you replace stock ER-4S cable with apuresound cable, the high is very silky smooth, reduced sibilance dramatically even directly off iPOD. and the bass sounds bigger too.