Best audiophile headphones

[dan31]

I just downsized to a headphone only system. I lost my music room to my 4 year old. Priorities and sacrifices. Headphones can be satisfying and intimate. No room issues to sort out or tune.

Question now is do I sell my Spectral preamp/amp and speakers or box them up for the next 10-14 years?

 

[KeithR]

I just downsized to a headphone only system. I lost my music room to my 4 year old. Priorities and sacrifices. Headphones can be satisfying and intimate. No room issues to sort out or tune.

Question now is do I sell my Spectral preamp/amp and speakers or box them up for the next 10-14 years?

Funny, we have a 6 mo old and it’s very difficult to get any night listening time. Hence thinking Stax for evenings.

 

[thomask]

I just downsized to a headphone only system. I lost my music room to my 4 year old. Priorities and sacrifices. Headphones can be satisfying and intimate. No room issues to sort out or tune.

Question now is do I sell my Spectral preamp/amp and speakers or box them up for the next 10-14 years?

I recommend you to try Raal sr1a if you like speedy sound out of Spectral amp.

 

[Tango]

I recommend you to try Raal sr1a if you like speedy sound out of Spectral amp.

Isn't Spectral amp already a speedy sohnd?

 

[thomask]

Isn't Spectral amp already a speedy sohnd?

He seems to like speedy and transparent sound since he is using Spectral amp.

But I do not recommend him to use Spectral amp for Sr1a.

 

[dan31]

Funny, we have a 6 mo old and it’s very difficult to get any night listening time. Hence thinking Stax for evenings.

Having a young child and Covid-19 lock down did it for me. I learned to appreciate headphone listening. I may be one of a few using an Aesthetix Io phono pre to a headphone amp. I will start looking into stats and other amps if I spend more time listening. Currently my set up is satisfying.

 

[dan31]

I am all tube right now. Tube phono to OTL headphone amp. Currently 27 tubes to listen to an LP.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

I am all tube right now. Tube phono to OTL headphone amp. Currently 27 tubes to listen to an LP.

27 tubes? That's a nice collection to have What is the model of the OTL amp?

 

[dan31]

27 tubes? That's a nice collection to have What is the model of the OTL amp?

The OTL headphone amp only has 3 tubes. It’s the Aesthetix Io phono preamp that has 24 tubes. I will say LP’s sound great on the headphones. Time will tell.

The headphone amp is a RSA Raptor. I think I have had it since 2008.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

The OTL headphone amp only has 3 tubes. It’s the Aesthetix Io phono preamp that has 24 tubes. I will say LP’s sound great on the headphones. Time will tell.

The headphone amp is a RSA Raptor. I think I have had it since 2008.

Impressive set! No wonder, why you don't want to look at other gear. Have considered tuberolling?

 

[dan31]

Impressive set! No wonder, why you don't want to look at other gear. Have considered tuberolling?

Trying to stay away from tube rolling. Its a rabbit hole that goes quite deep. If I do roll, it would be the first tubes in the Aesthetix Io. Problem being NOS 12AX7's are getting rare and pricy. We have several discussions on the Aesthetix Io thread on WBF.

 

[bazelio]

The OTL headphone amp only has 3 tubes. It’s the Aesthetix Io phono preamp that has 24 tubes. I will say LP’s sound great on the headphones. Time will tell.

The headphone amp is a RSA Raptor. I think I have had it since 2008.

The RSA stuff is quite good. He makes a phono stage that is under $1k (or used to be) and is very good. I also had the RSA B52 that I used with headphones. Very nice headphone amp, as well.

For anyone downsizing from a two channel setup to headphones only, Donald North Audio makes the best HP amp I've ever heard. It's 2A3, and is called the Stellaris. If I was relegated to headphones, this would be my amp. Which headphones, TBD. But I'm not a Stax fan.

 

[AMR / iFi audio]

Trying to stay away from tube rolling. Its a rabbit hole that goes quite deep. If I do roll, it would be the first tubes in the Aesthetix Io. Problem being NOS 12AX7's are getting rare and pricy. We have several discussions on the Aesthetix Io thread on WBF.

Yes, it is a rabbit hole. If you are not interested in going there, I understand. It takes a lot of nerve!

The RSA stuff is quite good. He makes a phono stage that is under $1k (or used to be) and is very good. I also had the RSA B52 that I used with headphones. Very nice headphone amp, as well.

For anyone downsizing from a two channel setup to headphones only, Donald North Audio makes the best HP amp I've ever heard. It's 2A3, and is called the Stellaris. If I was relegated to headphones, this would be my amp. Which headphones, TBD. But I'm not a Stax fan.

Well, most tubes prefer higher impedance headphones. On the other hand with 2A3 you have enough power to drive anything anyway.

 

[Klonk]

The RSA stuff is quite good. He makes a phono stage that is under $1k (or used to be) and is very good. I also had the RSA B52 that I used with headphones. Very nice headphone amp, as well.

For anyone downsizing from a two channel setup to headphones only, Donald North Audio makes the best HP amp I've ever heard. It's 2A3, and is called the Stellaris. If I was relegated to headphones, this would be my amp. Which headphones, TBD. But I'm not a Stax fan.

The DNA Stellaris is a great amp, I owned it for a while. I wouldn't call it the best HP amp, but it is right up there with others. At the same time when I owned the Stellaris I also had the Riviera HP amp, which was different, but just as good. Depending on HP connected to it. However in one respect DNA in my opinion is the best, when it comes to customer service, Donald North is second to none.
And by the way, there are different level of the DNA Stellaris, and I had the basic one, so perhaps at a higher level, it really is the best HP amp.

 

[bazelio]

The DNA Stellaris is a great amp, I owned it for a while. I wouldn't call it the best HP amp, but it is right up there with others. At the same time when I owned the Stellaris I also had the Riviera HP amp, which was different, but just as good. Depending on HP connected to it. However in one respect DNA in my opinion is the best, when it comes to customer service, Donald North is second to none.
And by the way, there are different level of the DNA Stellaris, and I had the basic one, so perhaps at a higher level, it really is the best HP amp.

The DNA Stellaris is a great amp, I owned it for a while. I wouldn't call it the best HP amp, but it is right up there with others. At the same time when I owned the Stellaris I also had the Riviera HP amp, which was different, but just as good. Depending on HP connected to it. However in one respect DNA in my opinion is the best, when it comes to customer service, Donald North is second to none.
And by the way, there are different level of the DNA Stellaris, and I had the basic one, so perhaps at a higher level, it really is the best HP amp.

Interesting. I haven't sampled anything that's out there in the land of HP amps for about 5 years. I've never heard of Riviera. There was a Woo Audio amp that I thought was almost as good as the Stellaris with copper OPTs. But the Stellaris with silver OPTs, I thought, stood alone. Donald is a great guy too, as you say. I've met him a couple times. He's in Southern Cal.

 

[Klonk]

Interesting. I haven't sampled anything that's out there in the land of HP amps for about 5 years. I've never heard of Riviera. There was a Woo Audio amp that I thought was almost as good as the Stellaris with copper OPTs. But the Stellaris with silver OPTs, I thought, stood alone. Donald is a great guy too, as you say. I've met him a couple times. He's in Southern Cal.

I have never met Donald in person, since I live in Europe. Woo Audio has some nice amps, but they were never my cup of tea.

 

[bazelio]

I have never met Donald in person, since I live in Europe. Woo Audio has some nice amps, but they were never my cup of tea.

Most Woo amps aren't mine either. The WA33 is excellent though. The base model is better than the "upgraded" version from what I recall.

 

[dan31]

Has anyone here heard or owned the Raal SR1a ribbon headphone? It is an interesting design and seems to be well received.

 

[bazelio]

Has anyone here heard or owned the Raal SR1a ribbon headphone? It is an interesting design and seems to be well received.

Heard it. Haven't owned it. Very good. Maybe a bit on the lean side, but that was just a quick takeaway.

 

[KeithR]

What’s the Blue Hawaii SE general opinion?