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monkeymax
25-01-2011, 15:41
Hi all!
Long time lurker, first time poster!! :)
My name is Max and I'm currently at post-grad Uni in Bedfordshire. Been listening to my music on headphones (due to living in various student houses since 2001) for quite a few years, but was content with my 2001 £25 Sony Headphones (MDR-CD380 for anyone that cares! And yes they still work and are now my office headphones). They were okay and I was happy with them - until I heard a friend's tube set up.

I then started with a decent (£150) set of Shure in-ear earphones. Extravagent for me, but I was working at the time and using them daily. They were fantastic. Until the wire fell apart. :( I returned them to Shure under warranty and got a (significantly cheaper in value) pair of SE110s in exchange. i was a bit annoyed at that - they're good, but nowhere near as good as the older ones.

I then came back to Uni and decided not to bring my speakers, but rather spend more time with the headphones. I bought an external Creative XMod thing for my MacBook Pro, which helped the Audio a bit (obviously better DAC than the Mac) but decided to also get some decent headphones for myself. A couple of years (?) back, I researched and bought some Audio Technica ATH AD700s, and a CMoy amp. The headphones are brilliant. I then 'upgraded' the amp to a Bravo Tube amp. It's okay, but my ears only tingle with the right combination of tube (yup, done some tube rolling) and music. There are some tracks where the CMoy amp is better - better spacing with 'wider', more defined music.

Anyway, I've wanted a Beresford for a while. Mostly for headphone usage while I'm still at Uni (another 6 months) but also for the hi-fi when I move back to my parents. I've got an old (1980s) Technics amp there, paired up with some stunning B&W 601s I repaired then did a small mod too. Ideally I'd like the Beresford to have 1 USB (for the Mac), 2 optical and S/PDIF input. However, it seems the Caiman is the closest to it, and from all I've read, it's probably what I'm gonna go for.
Been tight on money a lot recently, but sold my car last weekend, and don't want all the money to disappear to rent/food - would like to enjoy at least a portion of it!! So i think the time is right for the Caiman... :) And I'll probably be enjoying the sounds directly out of it - I'll get a Graham Slee Solo when I can afford one... (Spending money in my head already! LOL! :mental: )

Annnnyyyway, that's me. Hello all, and Stan, I'll be in touch soon!! :)

Alex_UK
25-01-2011, 17:44
Hi all!
Long time lurker, first time poster!! :)
My name is Max and I'm currently at post-grad Uni in Bedfordshire. Been listening to my music on headphones (due to living in various student houses since 2001) for quite a few years, but was content with my 2001 £25 Sony Headphones (MDR-CD380 for anyone that cares! And yes they still work and are now my office headphones). They were okay and I was happy with them - until I heard a friend's tube set up.

I then started with a decent (£150) set of Shure in-ear earphones. Extravagent for me, but I was working at the time and using them daily. They were fantastic. Until the wire fell apart. :( I returned them to Shure under warranty and got a (significantly cheaper in value) pair of SE110s in exchange. i was a bit annoyed at that - they're good, but nowhere near as good as the older ones.

I then came back to Uni and decided not to bring my speakers, but rather spend more time with the headphones. I bought an external Creative XMod thing for my MacBook Pro, which helped the Audio a bit (obviously better DAC than the Mac) but decided to also get some decent headphones for myself. A couple of years (?) back, I researched and bought some Audio Technica ATH AD700s, and a CMoy amp. The headphones are brilliant. I then 'upgraded' the amp to a Bravo Tube amp. It's okay, but my ears only tingle with the right combination of tube (yup, done some tube rolling) and music. There are some tracks where the CMoy amp is better - better spacing with 'wider', more defined music.

Anyway, I've wanted a Beresford for a while. Mostly for headphone usage while I'm still at Uni (another 6 months) but also for the hi-fi when I move back to my parents. I've got an old (1980s) Technics amp there, paired up with some stunning B&W 601s I repaired then did a small mod too. Ideally I'd like the Beresford to have 1 USB (for the Mac), 2 optical and S/PDIF input. However, it seems the Caiman is the closest to it, and from all I've read, it's probably what I'm gonna go for.
Been tight on money a lot recently, but sold my car last weekend, and don't want all the money to disappear to rent/food - would like to enjoy at least a portion of it!! So i think the time is right for the Caiman... :) And I'll probably be enjoying the sounds directly out of it - I'll get a Graham Slee Solo when I can afford one... (Spending money in my head already! LOL! :mental: )

Annnnyyyway, that's me. Hello all, and Stan, I'll be in touch soon!! :)

Hi Max, and "welcome" - albeit you know what goes on here already if you've been lurking that long!

If you are going to be a regular headphone user, then also talk to Stan about the Gator board, which will improve things over the standard Caiman even further - he can probably advise on the best Opamp for your needs - what sort of music are you into?

Hope you will improve your average post count and stick with us for a while! Good luck with your final 6 months at uni (you've got time to listen to music? ;))

monkeymax
25-01-2011, 17:57
Hi Alex,
Thanks! Yes, I've read a bit about the Gator mod, so will talk to Stan about it.
Music-wise: a wide range. From Rock (Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Rolling Stones, etc.) and electronic/orchestral stuff such as Hybrid & Schiller, through female vocalists (Allie Moss and Sara Gazarek are current favourites), Jazz (lots and lots, but again, currently diggin Chet Baker and Art Blakey), Soundtracks (orchestral), 80s, classical... etc, etc. Depends a lot on my mood! :) So I think I have a bit of a problem in choosing the best op-amp for my choices (same as I had problems choosing the right tube for the small Bravo amp I already have). I think that Jazz would take the upper step to everything else though... :)

I hope to stick around here, definitely. But don't know how much I will post; I'm admin of an MR2 forum (As well as being on the club committee) and my 'forum time' is mostly spent over there, so time is currently limited! And you're right, I don't have a huge amount of time for music listening at the moment, but always try to make some time to listen to something before going to bed - just lie down and enjoy it. As I'm limited for time, I wanna get the best quality in I can. :)

Spectral Morn
25-01-2011, 20:31
Hi Max


Welcome to AOS :)


Regards D S D L

Alex_UK
25-01-2011, 20:36
Excellent choices of music there Max.

Reid Malenfant
25-01-2011, 20:46
Hi Max, welcome to AoS :) It doesn't matter if you post often or not, all input is valid ;)

I hope you enjoy your stay & hope to see you about...

All the best :wave:

monkeymax
26-01-2011, 14:21
Thanks Chaps!

Caiman+ paid for this morning! Can't wait now!! :)

(Though I am now wondering whether the USB socket will be used much and whether it would've made more sense to go for the Caiman with two opticals instead...)

Thanks to reading on this forum yesterday, I ended up buying the gator upgrade, so spent more than I originally planned...! Ummm.... thanks!?! :lolsign:

John
26-01-2011, 16:13
Yes we good at advising people how to spend even more money....lol But I am sure the effort be worth it.
Welcome Max