Jan 17, 2020
But you start getting to what is commercial and what is not. The Devel Sixteen is at 347.
Still to fast for me.
That’s pretty slow compared to 763mph.
I think koen… has something even faster now, maybe 310? And I’m going off vague recollection of a side story I saw. But the question does become what is production and what isn’t.
My 10 yr old Ford Escape gets me to work quick enough, some mornings too quick.
Bugatti goes fast with absurd opulence. Many other super cars are pared to the bone.
Top speed is cool. 0-60 mph more analogous to the first watt, perhaps.
Looking for an amp upgrade, coming from 789. Main headphones are clear, aeolus, 6xx. DAC is the all-mighty rme! Budget around 1200usd. Solid state preference but open to tubes (too lazy to play around with tubes). Looking at the new burson soloist 3x amp. Appreciate any advice!
What kind of sound are you wanting to get from a new amplifier?
I guess I could just start rattling off amps, but that’s not really helpful.
True…something a bit warmer and fast would be what I’d want while still retaining lots of detail. Something different from 789 but mostly an amp that will pair well with the clears and is balanced preferably
I’ll throw in the Schiit Asgard 3 as my recommendation. I used to own a 789, and replaced it with an Asgard 3 a while back. Fits your requirements I’d say.
I apologize I forgot to add that I prefer it balanced only because I use balanced everywhere already.
Liquid platinum / Lyr 3 are very solid. Given the recent price drop of the Plat, it’s hard not to suggest it.
Gilmore Lite Mk3 and Asgard 3 are nicely warmer amps that I really like that still have detail, and pair well with Clear and Aeolus.
The Bottlehead Crack w/ Speedball is excellent for the price.
There are very few pure tube amps in the +$600 to sub $1200 price category that I would recommend. At all.
Edit: Balanced only? The LP is my only suggestion then. I think the Jotunheim is too energetic for the Focal sound. Modius I haven’t heard to know how it pairs.
Honestly, and this just my opinion, the balanced only mentality people have picked up from various places on the interwebs is pretty dumb. The RME has perfectly fine SE outs.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Would you recommend swapping out the stock tubes in them? If so, which ones?
Anything you’d recommend that is ss and balanced?
Alright man. I personally don’t find there to be an advantage to balanced over single-ended, but that’s just my opinion.
The Burson Soloist X3 looks interesting though, it’s one I’d like to try out some day. Gives you some flexibility with the ability to roll opamps too.
Nope, not really. Sorry.
Edit: Oops, missed your tube question. The lyr had a really good sound with Westinghouse Reliatron D getter 6SN7 tubes. People sing the praises of a few new production models too, like the round globe thingy I can’t remember the name of.
The liquid plat paired well with some ECC88 Amprex A frames I had.
Yeah, that is an interesting feature.
No, I totally agree with the balanced having no advantage but all my headphone cables are already balanced and I don’t like stacking dac and amps, so I run balanced out on rme to 789 on the other side of the table. That requires some long cables. So that’s why I prefer balanced
Haha, alright. Thank you for the other recs though!
I’m new to tubes so where do you usually buy yours from?
Mary I suggest something like this so you can use both?
Yeah, I’m covered on that. Got one from zmf!
Edit: That looks better though…haha