HeadphoneAddict

The Eddie Current HD2 uses input transformers to accept a balanced signal, then the gain and volume stage are SE, then it uses output transformers to go balanced again. I haven't heard anyone complain yet that the input transformers muck up the sound.

If it wont run flash in Safari I'm not interested. If you can't tether to a cell phone I'm not interested.

If I need to use my XLR out with an SE amp I prefer to use my Jensen Transformers ISOMAX transformer box to convert XLR to RCA. Then I don't have to worry about shorts or no shorts, etc (but I still wear pants).

I spent two weeks with the WA22 prototype and K1000 vs my ZDT amp, and the WA22 had enough power but not the sonic synergy with K1000, which sounded better with the ZDT. If you wanted to make changes in the sound you could keep the stock 6C33C tubes and roll only the stock re-issue Mullard 12AX7 tube, with maybe a little nicer 12AX7 or 5751 tube (not a 12AU7, wont work). ZDT has the 8-watt speaker binding posts and 4-pin XLR coming off the same tap on the transformer, and both can drive the K1000. Otherwise I would recommend a Beta 22.

Guitar Center wont have them till 9/4 even though the website says 8/21

The Humanthesizer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IObPkUFq0hg

Thanks for the advice.

I shoulda bought the KGSS that was for sale recently...

I'll keep those in mind. The Ultra DAC seems interesting. Why not a Neko DAC? Sherwood I liked your ECD-1 for the sound but not the size, why did you sell it for the Peachtree Nova? Does everyone else also feel doing the Cullen mods to my PS Audio DLIII wont make the grade? Even while stock it's on about the level of the Stello DA1000 signature, and slightly above my Apogee mini-DAC when paired with my GES and ZDT. I thought that was good enough.

Well, I would have to hear the KGSS/O2 before I would think of selling off any of the other stat rig. What source would you recommend for the KGSS/O2 combo other than me sending my PS Audio for the Cullen mods that I was planning on?

I might be willing to trade my APS V3 cabled RS-1 #667 for an extra HF-2, but I'd have to listen and compare them again first. If I did that, I would then have Alex re-cable them with a 4-pin XLR cable for my ZDT.

I would pick my JH13Pro over my HD800 for most of my listening.

Schwing! Love the case - if it's in CF I'll buy one! And, no it isn't nuts to want to buy a spare JH13Pro. My spares are a UE11pro and ES3X, but two of your favorite actually makes more sense.

Happy Birthday! Can't wait to see what costume you decide to wear when celebrating this time... But no fishnet stocking please!

Well, I'm toying with the idea of selling the WA6 and GES to fund snatching up a used a KGBH SE when the first one comes up for sale used (or maybe a WES, depending how the final version turns out). The other option is adding a KGSS for the O2 Mk1 while I keep my GES for the Jade, HE60, Smegma Pro, SR-Lambda, SR-5 gold edition, and SR-003. Third option is finding someone I can pay to build my KGBH PCB's into a complete amp (that works). Fourth option is if Spritzer makes some aftermarket pro-bias transformer boxes with custom high quality transformers inside, that I could buy a more powerful speaker amp to drive.

I'm retracting something I said about the O2 vs JH13Pro on the other site. I'm sitting here doing A/B comparison of my Apogee mini-DAC > Woo WA6 > JH13Pro vs Apogee mini-DAC > Woo GES > O2 Mk1, and the JH13Pro is winning because the O2 Mk1 are too dark sounding (Eva Cassidy "Live at Blues Alley). They both have nice liquid mids and tight bass, but the JH13Pro treble is so much more extended in this rig. Granted, the O2 Mk1 sound better with the PS Audio DLIII DAC which is in the other room; but the JH13Pro sound even better with the Square Wave XL, so I suppose it's a wash. I really must get an amp that is better suited for my O2 Mk1 or I might have to sell the O2 a third time (second time for a Mk1).

The 8 watt ZDT sounds very nice with Blutarsky's Fostex horns. It's also a definite step up from my maxed WA6 (wider deeper soundstage, better instrument separation, moar power). I had the prototype WA22 for 2 weeks before our Colorado meet, and while the ZDT and WA22 performed similarly with a variety of Grados (RS1, HF-2) and Sennheisers (HD600/800), the ZDT performed better than the WA22 with modded Denon D2000/7000, ATH-A900 and K1000. This was with the PS Audio DLIII feeding the WA22 balanced and the ZDT single ended. The ZDT also sounds nice driving my SRD-7 Pro + HE60 or Jade, but not as good with the O2 Mk1 (duller and less detailed than my GES, darker). I still have to do some tube rolling with some new 5751's that I recently bought (GE black plate, tung sol).

Here, use this one:

This is basically the same 15 foot extension I bought from heels-6 last year (Jan 08 ): Ultimate Headphone Extension 1/4" TRS Cable - 15 foot - eBay (item 380147151946 end time Sep-06-09 20:29:13 PDT) The cable still looks new 18 months later.

ROFLMAO!

I've also bought a 15 foot headphone extension from heels-6 and he is a good seller, and the ext cable does not seem to degrade the sound either.

Well, with D2000 the Pico is going to be more detailed and spacious and still have great power for the low impedance phones, this is regardless of whether you use the built-in DAC or not. The Pico's DAC is one of the best USB DAC for under $700, and you can successfully use the Pico DAC/amp as a DAC/preamp to feed a desktop amp later and still sound excellent (I used mine for a year to feed my Woo GES). But the EF2 for 40% of the cost of the Pico is still pretty darn good, and is more powerful for the HD600 if you ever get a pair of those too. The EF2 is also warmer sounding, so you have to decide if you would take a less detailed but very musical sound over superior definition and soundstage for 2.5x the cost. All of this is with using a re-cabled woodied D2000 on them, and I can't say which is better for a stock D2000. I might guess the EF2 would fill in the mids a little better on a stock D2000 if you upgrade the stock tubes (my Raytheon 6AK5 have fuller richer mids).

Well, it's better than an iPod or Macbook headphone out...

I agree regarding O2 vs HE60/HD6X0, but fortunately the HD800 soundstage is not as blurred or diffuse.

Well, everything was in separate rigs but there is a comparison I think I can make. First off, the Cullen PSA DLIII wasn't mine, but I think it was Elluzion's (Doug). At the recent meet 2 weeks ago I thought the Cullen > HR Balanced Desktop > balanced HD600 was better than my Apogee mini-DAC > Sq Wave XL > balanced HD600. But in a previous meet that same Headroom amp was fed directly by the Music Hall 25.2, and at that time I felt that my Apogee > Sq Wave XL > balanced HD600 beat his rig. So, I have to attribute the improvement in his rig over mine this time to his new Cullen modded DAC, which he didn't have last time. I felt that now his rig had better space, definition, energy and slam with the Cullen PSA DLIII in the loop. In contrast, my stock PSA DLIII was feeding my new EC ZDT and I guess my amp more than made up for things, as I thought my rig sounded just as good or better. But, the rigs were not close to each other and we didn't get to do a direct comparison, so take all of this with a grain of salt.