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Blue Hawaii Special Edition


pabbi1

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When you've heard and been around people playing instruments for most of your life, usually in close proximity, I guess perspective is a bit different. And I gotta have my intro to Mahler 5 not sounding like I put a strip of T-shirt in between my ears and the drivers, dammit. Unless I let my amp warm up for at least 4 hours prior.

I said soft because I didn't want to say/imply that the treble wasn't well extended. And if anything I'm listening to causes me to wince, I either turn the volume down (if I like the music) or stop listening to it (if I don't like the music).

OK, I get it. For me it is a fine edge. When I listen to Miles and/or some other artists, I expect to wince a little now and then. If I don't then I consider that to be a resolution/detail problem. However, it shouldn't be painful to listen to on an extended basis.

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Ah, shit, why must you do this to me?

It is now first on my wishlist/getlist.

Edit: I never understood why people prefer a soft treble to listen to classical.

Well hang on now, because I find myself diverging from my own opinion. :P I directly compared the 404LE to the AD2000 the other day and found that I liked the AD2K more. So while the 404LE is my new favorite stat, the AD2K is still my #1 headphone.

Also wanted to add that my 404LE is #670 (of the #1000 that were made) and Elusive Disc reports they're out of stock now too. That was pretty fast.

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morphsci and luvdunhill, would you guys say your O2 setups achieve this fine edge?

Well hang on now, because I find myself diverging from my own opinion. :P I directly compared the 404LE to the AD2000 the other day and found that I liked the AD2K more. So while the 404LE is my new favorite stat, the AD2K is still my #1 headphone.

Also wanted to add that my 404LE is #670 (of the #1000 that were made) and Elusive Disc reports they're out of stock now too. That was pretty fast.

About AD2K, I doubt I will prefer dynamics to 'stats... pretty much ever, so I think your endorsement of the 404LE is still good. Also, damn, that's not cool. The ones on Ebay are still there... might have to buy one asap, or find a pair used asap over the next month or two.

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About AD2K, I doubt I will prefer dynamics to 'stats... pretty much ever, so I think your endorsement of the 404LE is still good. Also, damn, that's not cool. The ones on Ebay are still there... might have to buy one asap, or find a pair used asap over the next month or two.

I just got a new e-mail newsletter from Elusive Disc and they mention they'll get another 404LE shipment in mid-October. There's also a big mention of the limited-edition SRM-600 which is far less interesting. :P

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Well hang on now, because I find myself diverging from my own opinion. :P I directly compared the 404LE to the AD2000 the other day and found that I liked the AD2K more. So while the 404LE is my new favorite stat, the AD2K is still my #1 headphone.

Also wanted to add that my 404LE is #670 (of the #1000 that were made) and Elusive Disc reports they're out of stock now too. That was pretty fast.

True, you did say, "I think I might even like it more than the AD2000! Well it's not perfect but its sound has a lot of what I like..."

You never said you actually liked the 404LE more, and made it clear you weren't certain. Still seems a shame to have a $5000 amp for a $700 headphone, but I wonder how much you would or would not like them with a less expensive amp.

Also, my SR-404LE are #669. Hah! :cool:

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The BH could use a bit more power though and that's where SS steps in.

C'mon, be serious, if the BH needs anything it is more tubes, like eight EL34!

--

AD2000 > SR-404LE > O2?! :eek:

This is crazy stuff.

I like the AD2000 too, I use it with a Zana Deux, AT-HA5000 or CEC HD53N (balanced). Maybe, on a good day, the AD2000 can beat the SR-SC1. I'm not a big fan of plastic Lambdas. But against the Jade or HE60 the AD2000 is outclassed, it is slower, less detailed and has less precise imaging, among other things. I wouldn't want to put the AD2000 up against the O2mk1 or SR-Omega.

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Most of the time I would have to say no. But I do have another test subject on the way, so that is definitely not my final word.

I'm going to get offed by the mafia for this one, but I'd say:

no with the Blue Hawaii + SR-007

no with the KGSS + ESP-950

maybe with my KGSS + ESP-950

I'm working on it though, plenty of projects in various stages...

Thanks for the impressions... could mean I'm not that much of a treblehead.:D

Marc, I assume you meant no with KGSS + SR-007?

And I get the feeling that enough treble can be gotten out of the SR-007, usually involving throwing more power at it... I just don't really have any means nor willpower of achieving that, unlike you two. Close enough to the real thing is good enough for me, and even at this point, the quality of the recordings themselves become a huge factor.

I just got a new e-mail newsletter from Elusive Disc and they mention they'll get another 404LE shipment in mid-October. There's also a big mention of the limited-edition SRM-600 which is far less interesting. :P

Slightly cheaper than Ebay, with warranty... it may be time to go into starving mode. And agreed, the 600 is far less interesting.:P Same voltage swing as an 007t2, which I think is still more than what the ExStatA amp can achieve. 340Vrms vs 700-800 peak to peak.

Maybe, on a good day, the AD2000 can beat the SR-SC1. I'm not a big fan of plastic Lambdas.

Which Lambdas aren't plastic? Except for the 4070, which you really aren't a fan of. And I almost never hear of the Jade anymore, what's up with that? In fact, I think you're the only one I know with one.

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^^ That's why I rate the Omega > Omega II. It will usually get there with the same power that leaves the OII just a little shy. But realistically, these are middling differences. I will not be getting rid of my OII anytime soon. Once the wallet recovers I will be getting the 950. It was quite impressive out of the BHSE at DanJam.

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Big power SS for the O2 :ian: Don't get me wrong, I love good tube amps, and I already am using them to power the speakers, but the heat generation and size of amps like the BHSE do make them quite impractical to me. Otherwise I'd probably own a BH or would be waiting for a BHSE at this point.

Were there a SS amp to drive the O2 with a convenient size and lower heat production, but that managed to drive them like the BH/BHSE (power and sound wise), I'd be ordering one right away.

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Big power SS for the O2 :ian: Don't get me wrong, I love good tube amps, and I already am using them to power the speakers, but the heat generation and size of amps like the BHSE do make them quite impractical to me. Otherwise I'd probably own a BH or would be waiting for a BHSE at this point.

Were there a SS amp to drive the O2 with a convenient size and lower heat production, but that managed to drive them like the BH/BHSE (power and sound wise), I'd be ordering one right away.

Well, I moved back to my old room with mom and pop for a while to avoid unnecessary rent and save money, so I know exactly what you mean...

...the only difference being that I am opening up a damn window. Where there's a will there's a way, I always say!

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Hehehehe, yes, if you really want something, finding the way to have it is just a matter of time. Thing is that what I want is the O2 better powered than with the SRM-717. It's quite likely that in the future that is possible with SS alternatives to the BHSE. Who knows. Meanwhile I can live quite happy with the 717/O2 combo, though I don't know for how long ;D:P

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Well, I moved back to my old room with mom and pop for a while to avoid unnecessary rent and save money, so I know exactly what you mean...

...the only difference being that I am opening up a damn window. Where there's a will there's a way, I always say!

If you open a window in South Florida, I'm not sure you're helping things!

:D

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no with the KGSS + ESP-950

maybe with my KGSS + ESP-950

I'm working on it though, plenty of projects in various stages...

Hmm..i was thinking of building the KGSS for my ESP950..what doesn't it do right, could you explain please.

Oh and waht is special about your KGSS :P

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