Here is my current system. Looking for any suggestions on things I can upgrade or modify to improve my system. It is strickly a 2 Channel headphone rig.
09/07/04 Update:
Replaced the 222ES by Sony with a nice Rega Planet 2000 in Silver with black lid. Very sweet sounding unit. Also added a DH Labs Power Plus AC cable. Still breaking it in, but it's a welcome change from the stock cord.
07/02/03 Update:
Well I've traded in the SR225 for the Grado RS-1 headphones. Very nice cans. Currently breaking them in at the moment.
Sweet, analog sounding CD player. A keeper for me.
Grado RA-1
Battery powered, machined from a solid block of mahogany, the RA-1 uses a pair of audiophile op-amps with high-current output capability and wide bandwidth. Two nine volt batteries will drive the amp for a full 40 to 50 hours. Hook it up to any line source, portable or in the home, and luxuriate in the warm, smooth, full-bodied, rich, non-fatiguing sound.
JPS Labs Superconductor FX
Locking interconnect providing great detail and letting all the music through.
Grado RS-1
Grado's new Reference Series RS-1 headphone is handcrafted at Grado Labs from a special species of mahogany. Grado technicians devised an intricate process of curing the wood to achieve optimal sonic clarity. The result? A sound that's pure Grado--warm and harmonically accurate with full-bodied vocals, excellent dynamics, and an ultra-smooth treble. You haven't heard bass and detail like this before--at least not anywhere near this price! The new Grado RS-1 weighs a mere 9 ounces, so it's exceptionally light on the ear. The flexible hand-stitched leather headband is super-comfortable and easy to adjust for any individual.
I also have a headphone rig. I did have a Marantz SA-14 SACD player until yesterday. I also have the Sony 222ES SACD changer (modified -- you might look into doing that) in my main system and compared it to the SA-14. I preferred the SA-14 by a small margin. I replaced the SA-14 with a Resolution Audio Opus 21 (no SACD) last night and I love it! I just decided I was tired of SACD players that aren't great with redbook.
I have the Grace 901 headphone amp which you might look into someday. It's real sweet, but pricey. I use 3 vibrapods under it and this makes a small improvement (but the my floor is bouncy). And surely you've heard of the Sennheiser HD600s. Different sound that the Grados (I prefer the HD600s). One nice thing about the HD600s is you can use aftermarket cables for them. I use the Stefan AuioArt Equinox cables. Finally, I use Audience Au24 interconnects (I really like them, have them all over my main system), Audience PowerChords (I think the 222ES powercord is fixed, correct?), and a Blue Circle Music Ring "power conditioner" thingy.
I sorta went all out in this system, but it is a real treat and gets you intimately involved in the music. It's my escape when I'm stressed or just want to drift for awhile.
