Let me clarify...... where do I start with a tight budget?

ESP950s

Let me clarify...... where do I start with a tight budget?

We should talk beefy if the ESP950 is what you decide your going for.

So where the hell do I start?!?

If you're on a very tight budget and can't find an ESP950, any of the Lambdas will work. Some of the more preferred ones include the Nova Signature and the normal bias Lambda, but even the apparently much despised Lambda Pro sounds good to my ears.

Cool beans. It looks like the amp may cost well over US$600 to build it to the standard I want, so I'll see how it goes......

If you're on a very tight budget and can't find an ESP950, any of the Lambdas will work. Some of the more preferred ones include the Nova Signature and the normal bias Lambda, but even the apparently much despised Lambda Pro sounds good to my ears.

I concur. The signature prices seem to be getting close to equaling to the pro everywhere these days though, I'd catch a signature over the pro any day.

I think you came to some great conclusions, glad to hear that your enjoying it. If you ever do want to upgrade, find some budget staxes next.

Ssss what? sticks? taxes? I can't hear you. lalalalalalalalala

I don't recall the last time I saw anyone at head-case recommend the HD555, certainly not over an HD600.

Forgot to mention. I read that many times over at the other place.

Not looking to de-rail too much...... but the potential of building myself an eXStata has me seriously looking at Stax, rather than moving to a balanced dynamic setup.

So where the hell do I start?!?

SR-003

HD650 with Gilmore Lite was one of my favorite rigs. Glad to hear you like the HD600 with the GLite.

HD650 with Gilmore Lite was one of my favorite rigs. Glad to hear you like the HD600 with the GLite.

I had both running off a GS-1, and I approve this message. You could stop there and be happy forever. I marginally favored the 600s, but it's a personal preference.

I had both running off a GS-1, and I approve this message. You could stop there and be happy forever. I marginally favored the 600s, but it's a personal preference.

I haven't heard anything else from Headamp, but I can only imagine that the headphones off of a GS-1 sound even better. I'm sure the pico dac makes the GLite combo sound just that much more smoother.

SR-003

Maybe a little bit too close to a start

Let me clarify...... where do I start with a tight budget?

SR-Lambda normal bias.

Oh man yes. That's also where you end, if you're smart

What was your source with the glite? and the Little Dot? Just for full disclosure.

My source for the glite was the mhdt havana dac coming from files on my pc.

The little dot also used the havana for a while but I downgraded to an emu0404 since I feel it has a better value and is good enough for me at the moment. Dare I say that the 0404 usb sounds even better to me than the havana using the stock Jan 5670 tube.

Since my last post on this thread, I changed my tubes on the ld mk2 to 6n6p power tubes and Mullard ef92 driver tubes. Now were cookin! My hd580s are rockin on this rig and for the price its pretty much unbeatable! It makes the little dot smoother/less grainy while faster and more dynamic sounding plus warmer and richer all at the same time. It rawks I tell yah It is definitely a more enjoyable rig to me than my old glite/hd600 with equinox combo. The hd580/ld mk2 rig is more powerful and punchy sounding compared to my memory of the glite/hd600 which always kept me wanting to try other amps because I thought they sound a little soft and veiled together while lacking balls.

The way I can double check my memory of the glite is that I always compared it with the hp jack of my audiolab integrated amp with the hd600s which was more ballsy, but had a harder and more etched sound when directly compared to the gilmore. Now with my hd580s, the Audiolab is outclassed by the LD mk2 using ef92/6n6p in every way. I sound like a shill with the LD mk2 comments hehehe but seriously give them a try with senns. These might very well be the cheapest amp out there that brings the senns to life.

I recommended a pair of upgraded HD580 (HD600 grilles, 650 cable) and a LD MK3 to a friend awhile back, and the system actually sounded pretty decent. That LD was the one that burnt a hole in my T40 pads (not the fault of the amp but the idiot who put my T40 on the tubes).

Glad you like the 0404 USB. It was a no-brainer for me for the price since I use the recording features as well as the DAC section and technically has balanced functionality. Might want to upgrade soon, though, since I think it's now the weak link in my system.