Upgraded to Ultra Linear!

Well, one thing is sure from this spin with the Solo UL: I had never heard Mike Rutherford's intricate playing stand out so well. It still isn't a perfectly mixed album, but again I feel more separation between instruments than ever.

Very enjoyable!

Today I have listened to some more music:

- Depeche Mode "Violator" and "Exciter" on SACD: wonderful, wonderful. I know these albums by heart, and the warmth WITH transparency brought by the Solo ULDE to them is absolutely stellar. Listen to those electronic drums and the vocals in Exciter!!!!!

- Rage Against the Machine S/T on SACD (Steve Hoffman remaster): raw, visceral music. Violent, nasty, meant to played at ear-shattering volumes. But still, in spite of this, it's a reference recording like few others. The ULDE impressed me in showing how such an angry, punkish and ripping album can still have finesse, dynamic sound (absolutely not the crappy compressed and congested digital loudness feast that many "hard"/metal albums usually are). Exciting to say the least. I am listening to it at high volumes, and it's aggressive, but never fatiguing: kudos to both Steve Hoffman for the mixing and to Graham for the amping.

Overall, after 4 days, I can reasonably say that the components in the upgrade have settled (I understand electronics burn-in, but I think that it doesn't take more than a couple of days in my experience).

And that said, I must say this ULDE upgrade was well worth it. Fantastic sounding headphone amp, that I would recommend to anyone. The ease of listening and dynamics are wonderful. After a couple of hours with the SRG, I would take a break. With the ULDE, I would like to go on listening.

I can really find only one suggestion to give to Graham for foture evolutions: I would like to have a little bit more gain on it. I don't plan to upgrade headphones soon, and if I will, it will be for the Bowers & Wilkins P9 which are even more efficient than my Denons. But I would like to have the freedom to try some less sensitive headphones sooner or later. I know... I listen to music at too loud levels, which are probably not safe on the long term. But I also drink a lot of single malt, beer and wine, and I smoke cigarettes, pipes and cigars. I would like to choose my own weapon for hurting me instead of being "limited".

That said, with my current headphones, I have NO complaints at all: between 2 o'clock and 5 o'clock, my craving for ear-blasting volume is satisfied even on quiet recordings (albeit with a digital source or a MM cartridge with a high-ish output voltage level).

And my wife, who tested it today with a few CDs too, says I am crazy anyway and that she'll never feel the need to go beyond 11 o'clock.