2100

Based your opinion on hearsay, did you? Tube headamps can't handle low impedance cans? That's blasphemy as we have tested, auditioned and tried a variety of tube amps with all kinds of cans favoured in this and other similar forums. At least Cayin HA-1A did not falter, neither do those stipulated in Naz's post. I wanna add one more......XiangSheng 708A.....in fact, I'm only worried you fry the Grados if the volume pot is turned too high up! Words can only mean so much so take my opinion with a pinch of salt, taste it yourself if the broth is too salty or otherwise. My only concern is not whether tube amps are able to drive Grados but synergy. Drive capability is one thing, sounding good is another. Hi broz, don't have to get so worked up lar. It's just a hobby. You can check this out. http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=138581 Yup, it's hearsay, that's because i do not have Grados. However, I Do have a HA-1A + 32 ohms Philips phones. Or perhaps I have to go MBD and buy a Grado to find out myself..... Whatever rocks your boat boys. Just sharing my opinion. Hope that's allowed here.

Have you ever wonder why the expensive Bullet plugs and the favoured Neutrik RCA plugs are mostly made of plastic? Hence, do not be mistaken than all metal jacks are supposedly superior to plastic ones. The following link will shed some light on this issue. http://www.xs4all.nl/~rabruil/bullet.html Neutrik Profi Professional RCA connectors http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=092-114 Hehe...I meant those cheap $3.50 black plastic RCA splitters lar. Lest he gets those. It's not a big price difference also and the plating looks better too. Of course if one gets the branded ones that'd be good. Shucks....WBTs are made of metal....

I am not going to debate about whether power cords change the sound or not. But the thing about Belden power cables is that they are shielded, and make sure you do terminate the shield to the mains end ground plug (that's why need to get LHS to do it, even if it means collecting it on another day). I done up 2pcs of 83803, lets say that i'll be more than willing to pay $50 for the labour. After all, you have don't know how many km of Spore Power cabling in front of you. Also, make sure you do not have something like the refrigerator in the same loop as your audio stuff, get the basics right first. Anyway, pretty cheap lar, so can spend. If you ask me to spend > $300 bucks on a PC, no way man. I'll go get another DT-880. Power cords have a much less significant difference in sound quality, compared to interconnects and speaker cables.

For 83803, better spend some money to get LHS to do it and avoid DIY. It's a b*tch to work with.

Azeroth, NDV = New Disc Village, 4th level Adephi. But they have run out of stock. I saw some good RCA splitters at Harvey Norman @ Jurong Point, $7.40 each. I guess you can find them at Sim Lim Tower also. Those good ones which is metal all the way, not the part plastic ones.

Tried this before with a pair of the high quality RCA gold-plated splitters i got from NDV. Can't hear any difference at all. Now, i could hear a difference from defoaming my HD-650, so no difference really means no difference. Split to my SHA-1 and HA-1A. But now got additional source liao. PS. Thanks for Mackie for the heads-up for the DT-770 and 880 price. Got myself a 880 and also recommended an ang moh from headfi who will be heading there tomorrow. He's on transit.

Hi there bro, On lesser sources, there is no big diff. For eg, my CD-67SE. I plugged in my HD650 into both the Melos SHA-1 and Cayin HA-1A, and compared against the CDP's headphone out. Not much diff, probably the HA-1A goes slightly deeper and more extension. I just modded the CD-67SE with TS Lim, took back and listened. Wah lao, quite a big difference. Transient attack, dynamics both micro n macro, the blackness between notes etc..... all improved. I have another source which has higher resolution than this (fully mod 963sa), but that one no Headphone Out.

Hmm...the grados work great on HA-1A? Ferbose reported otherwise on his review thread in head-fi. He did say it worked great with even the power guzzling K-1000. If one strongly believes that a particular tube gear is good enough to be able to handle 32 ohms and likes that gear, i guess it's ok to go ahead. Of course i'm just being careful, these things are not cheap for me and one does lose money when experimenting. I am already sweating if the HA-1A can handle 62 ohms of the K-701. When it does come i'll probably bring the HA-1A over to listen first.

I don't think tube amps suit the low impedance 32 ohms Grados, even the HA-1A with low-impedance selection. Better stay away from tubes as a whole, just in case. Reported from other users too on headfi.

Ok....just got a DT770 since it's on promo now. Waiting for the K701 too, actually wanted to get direct from headphone.com but nah..... Can't get myself to spend 440 bucks (called mbd, same price) on the cable.

av98m, You are also right here. I know what you are talking about, coz I own both TS Lim and EAM modified products. Hmm.... I guess I have fallen prey to that "bigger is better" problem again (think firemen hose cables). Curse "high-end" hifi! Brainwashed. But then if the RA-1 design is really that good, US$100 would be a better price. Then again....!! If it's so cheap then it's not good. Sigh.... Look at Gucci, when they offered $800 lelong sale last year the image immediately dropped. This world is crazy!

Yup, even for those w/o the thickness, one can still DIY and save quite a bit. Eg, I use vdH D102 Mk III, with decent plugs it's only like 75 bucks a pair.

Nothing much. But i must say the 2 sources I have, TS Lim CD-67SE and James' EAM 963sa, are very very very very very very very good value for money. The Chinese products are actually pretty good, stuff like the Cayin HA-1A. At least I know they cost the same amt as the RA-1 but they have much more stuff inside. I just received my 5 pcs of Victoria Secrets panties! Woohoos.... US$25 for the goods and US$19 for shipping. I opened it up, alas, a "Made in Sri Lanka" sticker in font 20 size awaited me. Wife regretted like mad. Hope she doesn't aim CD, LV or Chanel from now on liao..... Afterwards see if the $299 DT880 or DT770 got discount or not.....

Yah lar, of coz I know quite a lot of Hifi stuff are not worth the $$$ in parts. Some are worth more than others, but this is a bit ridiculous. Yeah....powercords is another blackhole. Just saw some couple of hundred dollars powercords terminiated with that $10 "hospital property" red plug you get at LHS. Check this out http://afublog.blogspot.com/2005/08/pad-pu...gn-is-very.html

Tell me if it's worth USD300+ http://www.ecp.cc/ra1.html