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In Reply to: Re: Headphone Amp. suggestions posted by NEIL on November 05, 1999 at 08:33:09:
Did you audition any other than Headroom? I've got the Little on my lsit and have found a used one for $200. However, it seems the regulated power supply is a must. That is an extra $200 if you buy from Headroom or about $40 if you buy from Rat Shack. I also have EarMax on the list, but $575 is a lot of bucks for something that may be only a little better than the Creek. It is Stereophile class C and the X-CANS are b, but I have heard the X-CANS come up short on the bass. I understand the Creek is clear and tight from bass to treble. Is that correct?
I had narrowed my list down to these two. I was not really interested in tube amps. Headroom seemed like a good company and producing great products. I thought thier cross-feed circuitry was a really cool idea. So I bought both the MAX and a Creek, knowing I could return one. Considering the huge price difference I did not expect the results I heard. The MAX seemed soft on the high end, less sparkle than the Creek. One would assume the MAX would be better at the low end, but it just wasn't the case. The Creek matched it in every area. The Creek has a very alive sound, cymbols shimmer and the mids are very transparent. The bass is tight and solid and well integrated in with the other frequencies. The upgraded power supply might help the bass, I don't know, I haven't heard it, but the standard one does a fine job. I talked to someone who bought the upgraded power supply for it, and he said it may or may not make a difference in bass depending on your cans. He said if any, it was very small.I told myself to pretend they were the same price and then make the decision as to which one to keep. I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy the slightly rounded, dull sound of the MAX. I messed around with different interconnects, but it just intensified the differences I was hearing. The final kicker was the cross-feed circuit. It sounds good on paper, but it made me dizzy and light-headed, like I just got off a boat. I tried it again the next day thinking I just wasn't used to it, but I got the same result. The effect you hear is very subtle and I would be hard pressed to tell if it was on or off without looking. (or leaving it on long enough until I felt like throwing up...)
Even at the same price, I still chose the Creek with my headphones. Basing what I heard from the top of the line Headroom amp, I would recommend the Creek over the Little.
NEIL
assoc equipment:
Meridian 508.24
Sennheiser HD600 phones
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