Oh cool. Thanks for the reply
np! Sorry for the delay. I don't check this forum all that often tbh.
Finding an amp for you resembles developing a cure for an orphan disease.
Bon chance.
Ironic signature.
Headfi is the place to read up on reviews both pros and owners
I have 2 phones very different and need an amp to sound so. but the source can be helpful it making a tonal difference
to me lastly a neutral amp is best to start with and
Make tonal changes before or after on cans.
stats are available in many flavors but there are some non stat cans that have arrived at Stat level of details.
laslty jam can events or audio shows are now great on personal audio now
May I ask what you own now source included
And what you want in sound and what you have.
I am an avid headfi consumer! Also use some other forums to a lesser extent, but HF is for sure the best place to energizer information that ive found.
As for my chain, I currently run the following:
* PC with USB out (FTA Calisto)
* Totaldac D1-Digital with AES out (totaldac UP12 AES)
* Totaldac D1- Dual with XLR to Z10E (Double helix cables Prion 4S) and RCA to Riviera AIC 10 (cheap worlds best RCAs cause my good ones are too short and I am waiting for a decent deal)
* Z10E to Hifiman Shangrila SR and Stax OG Omega
* AIC-10 (DHC Cimera Speaker tap to HP cable) to Susvara or Woo Wee (for the estats)
For power I use an old furman 15FI and JPS AC power cords everywhere. This will be upgraded to either a powerplant P12 or a niagara 3000 on short order though (within the next month). Better power cables will likely wait for a few months though.
I am looking to upgrade my digital side, but being a bit indecisive. Unfortunately I cant use a streamer since I cant add anything to my work network, so I'm stuck with USB into whatever I use. I also have a Holo Red DDC and a rockna wavedream I'm playing with, but I think the ultimate plan is to upgrade to the most current TD reclocker and the triunity currently. Just need to nail down a couple other things first.
As for canjams, I go to as many as I cant to hang out with the community, but tbh, they aren't super useful for really judging source gear outside of painting with broad strokes just do to the noise level on the floor. Ive been lucky enough to have quite a bit of time on 3ES Elite but its on a chain that prioritized detail so highly that it ended up quite dry and brittle which im not a fan of. T2 I think has the most chance of being what I want since it does give shang decent impact, but ive heard from several people that I trust that own the chain that it doesnt quite get the sub-bass extension that I want (which is my real complaint currently, much more so than impact).
Overall, what I really want out of shang, is just what I have + the sub bass rumble of AIC -> Susvara. I already know that its possible since AIC -> IFI iESL gives it that, but that transformer unfortunately sacrifices so much stage and detail that I end up preferring susvara. Woo Wee has similar stage and detail off of AIC to Z10E but lacks a bit of bass extension and speed. Given that Viva STX has TOTL technicalities and is transformer coupled, a better transformer is something I am pursuing but I cant seem to find any options that I haven't already tried and while im open to a custom one-off I cant find anyone who I even vaugely trust to have the level of estat experience to know what im looking for (there are a couple of DIYers like Mjolnir Audio with a lot of experience but our experience with different amps are so fundamentally opposed I dont trust them to make a transformer that i like)
The reason I pointed out that link to you is that as a manufacturer of triode OTLs for the last 50 years, this project looks excellent for the task you stated.
What will define it as up to the 'level' you're 'looking at' will be how committed you are to a decent chassis and parts. High end is driven by intention more than anything else. The sooner you understand that simple fact the sooner you can get something going.
Honestly, I am just generally kind put off by the fact that its a KG design. I think ive owned 4 or 5 of his DIY amps at this point and another 3 of his designs from headamp and I've not been particularly fond of any of them, so I dont realy trust his designs to go for a sound I like. I tried doing some more research on the ones you linked but I cant realy find any impressions to go off of to make me comfortable blind buying.
