Eternal upgrades that plight us & perfection quest
Printed From: Graham Slee Hifi System Components
Category: Headphone Audio
Forum Name: High Fidelity Headphone User
Forum Description: Technical Q&A, hints and tips
URL: https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1783
Printed Date: 27 Mar 2026 at 4:04am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Eternal upgrades that plight us & perfection quest
Posted By: 11rushgarrick11
Subject: Eternal upgrades that plight us & perfection quest
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 11:37am
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Good morning all.. I'm not for one second saying that I have achieved audio perfection with the system I have currently hobbled together but to my ears I'm extremely happy. Since the start of my pursuit I have tried to keep an open budget as much as actually possible (I don't mind paying £150+ for a cable) providing my ears can justify it. I'm not for one second saying price brings greatness, I'm just giving you an example of budget and justification.. So I have my headphones 701s to me my idea of an audio dream, my three headphone amps (one Slee, one other manufacturer which I've upgraded components on and one DIY build from my uni days), my cable I love very much (yes I said love) and my beautiful source, the apollo. They reside also on an a nicely isolated granite plinth. I adore the sound produced and Mr Cohens voice is delivered with real depth and texture, there is real emphasis in the notes he delivers and real emotion. The notes also have beautiful decay... Hearing Tori's gasps of breath is something really to hear. So what's the problem? I'm stuck in a condition I call APL (audiophiles perpetual loop). It's been a good week here in tattoo land without sounding brash and I'm looking to buy an upgrade to my system but where to go next? I'm thinking the most noticeable leap would be DAC but I'm scratching my head.. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated, I mean other than the dac route, what other directions can I go.. Any ways any idea no matter how whacky (so long as its not snake oil) is greatly appreciated. I know no matter what I buy, the following week/month I will be researching something new to add. So whilst asking the genuine question that I'd like help with. I'm also looking for other addicts to say, you know what.. Don't worry we are all in the same boat. I guess it's just an audiophiles way. (I do hate that word audiophile) I just used it for descriptive purposes. So yip, any thoughts, opinions would be great.. The founding member of AA (Audiophiles Anonymous). Peace all take care :p Hmm.. guess it's only a matter of time before I throw a greater interest in vinyl.. Hmm! Arghh see I'm at it again :p ------------- the real art of conducting consists in transistors :p |
Replies:
Posted By: mitch65
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 1:02pm
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I don't think you're on your own Robert, my wife 'rolls eyes' on a regular basis, she knows I have an 'audio addiction' and, within reason, let's me get on with it. Funnily enough things like phono stages and speakers are items I tend to keep for ever and a day but amps, cd players, etc. I change like the weather. I've been lucky that I've always come out evens or slightly ahead financially thanks to the 'bay'. Can't help you with your DAC problem, I've had the Rega one and a fine DAC it is. Graham is in the final stages of his Big DAC so might be worth hanging it out til then, I'll certainly be giving it a go.....  ------------- Greg Rega Planer 3 Gram Amp 2 Audiolab 8000A Auralic Aries Mini Russell K 50 |
Posted By: morris_minor
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 3:00pm
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Going on the spectacular performance of the Bitzie, Graham's Big DAC should be well worth waiting for! ------------- Bob Majestic DAC/pre-amp Accession MC/Enigma, Accession MM, Reflex M, Elevator EXP, Era Gold V Solo ULDE, Novo, Lautus USB and digital, Libran balanced, CuSat50 2 x Proprius + Spatia/Spatia Links |
Posted By: Graham Slee
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 3:13pm
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Lautus interconnects throughout? Spatia speaker cables and links? Bitzie USB DAC and Lautus USB? Just ideas... Graham ------------- That none should be able to park up and enjoy the view without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps |
Posted By: Fatmangolf
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 8:43pm
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GSP - one day all hi-fi will be hand built this way. ------------- Jon Open mind and ears whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession M, Accession MC, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC. |
Posted By: jamescodway
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 9:15pm
HD800... Sorry  ------------- Voyager - HD25 |
Posted By: 11rushgarrick11
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 9:33pm
lol (I did say upgrade) JOKE!!  I've had the pleasure of auditioning many headphones including the Senn 800s and Grados second from flagship and I will always return to the 701s. I'm not saying they are better, it's just my ears find them more pleasurable. That's what makes audio so subjective and difficult to review. ------------- the real art of conducting consists in transistors :p |
Posted By: jamescodway
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 9:47pm
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Robert, glad to hear you're well partnered with your 701s... Expensive wives are not always the most rewarding I resisted even auditioning the 800s until last summer. Then after 4 auditions, 1 of which was with 701s, I couldnt deny my ears the source of their pleasure... the difference is I often close my eyes and believe myself there in the room with the musicians. That never happened before really. Best James ------------- Voyager - HD25 |
Posted By: JamesD
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 9:59pm
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Unfortunately (like most of us I guess) it is for financial reasons that I try to keep my recurring 'upgraditis' at bay by regular doses of just sitting down, listening to and enjoying what I've already got. I'm hoping one day there will be a few more GSP boxes sat on my hi-fi rack (before Graham finally hangs up his test leads...) so turntable aside my entire hi-fi will be hand built within a 30 mile or so radius of where I live, including the rack itself.
But then with all the silver on show I'll be wishing I'd bought a matching 1200 instead of a 1210. Oh, and although I'm not exactly sure what I'd do with it, I can't help looking at nice silver reel-to-reels on Ebay, surely the coolest things ever - or at least on a level with a turntable??? Time to go and listen to some more music I think. |
Posted By: Fatmangolf
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 10:09pm
An SL1210 with some more silver: ------------- Jon Open mind and ears whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession M, Accession MC, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC. |
Posted By: JamesD
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 10:12pm
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I have thought about blue LEDs as well...  |
Posted By: Fatmangolf
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 10:16pm
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Indeed - £5 well spent. ------------- Jon Open mind and ears whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession M, Accession MC, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC. |
Posted By: JamesD
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2013 at 10:33pm
| Mmm... I noticed in another photo Jon that you've got the Achromat, same here. I also notice a nice tonearm... I got the tonearm damper a while back for the standard arm which I keep using as a reason not to think about changing the arm... Law of diminishing returns and an impending house move forces me to think I'll stick to the LED mod (purely for aesthetics obviously...) once I get the time to open up the TT. |
Posted By: mitch65
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2013 at 6:08am
Yes James, I would have a reel to reel just to look at, obviously it would be sat next to a Nakamichi Dragon  ------------- Greg Rega Planer 3 Gram Amp 2 Audiolab 8000A Auralic Aries Mini Russell K 50 |
JamesD wrote:Posted By: Fatmangolf
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2013 at 3:47pm
Hi James I've read about people fitting heatshrink to a stock arm to damp it, as well as the oil damping trough. That should give you a perfectly good and cheap tweak to get the most from the stock arm, which I think sounds fine and is easily adjustable. If you're opening the deck up to fit blue LED's, it make be worth trying the filter loop mod. It means soldering a small capacitor and resistor in parallel with C210, please pm me for details if interested. It makes a small but audible difference IMO on the standard platter and mat, I added a switch. Most of the Technics mods I've tried were based on good advice from members of this forum, particularly Graham and Tony (tg). I've posted my notes in an existing thread http://audio-forum.gspaudio.co.uk/technics-sl1200-sl1210-who-uses-one-or-two_topic26_post16767.html#16767 - http://audio-forum.gspaudio.co.uk/technics-sl1200-sl1210-who-uses-one-or-two_topic26_post16767.html#16767 you may find just as useful as I did. ------------- Jon Open mind and ears whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession M, Accession MC, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC. |
Posted By: JamesD
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2013 at 6:22pm
| Thanks Jon, much appreciated. Will PM you about the filter loop mod. |
Posted By: 11rushgarrick11
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2013 at 7:40pm
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Well talk about a vinyl love in..... (joke) Well it's too late to go back on the choice I made today and my dac will be picked up soon, so that's the upgrade choice made. (No names mentioned against forum) So can you vinyl junkies put me on the right path straight from the get go. Just because of a generation thing more than anything else cd became the heart of my system and I only dabbled loosely with vinyl. My dac today was ex display so left a few pennies over.. Do any of you rate the RP3 as a good beginner deck? Mucho appreciation for any help Merci... ------------- the real art of conducting consists in transistors :p |
Posted By: mitch65
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2013 at 7:57pm
I'd rate the RP3 as a good deck period ------------- Greg Rega Planer 3 Gram Amp 2 Audiolab 8000A Auralic Aries Mini Russell K 50 |
Posted By: 11rushgarrick11
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2013 at 8:13pm
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Thanks Mitch, I soooo wanted to hear someone say that! I had heard good things about it I must admit but I then spotted it in white and fell head over heels. an expensive but rewarding week...------------- the real art of conducting consists in transistors :p |
Posted By: mitch65
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2013 at 9:02pm
White? Pah! That's for girls! That's why I went for a pink RP6  ------------- Greg Rega Planer 3 Gram Amp 2 Audiolab 8000A Auralic Aries Mini Russell K 50 |
Posted By: Fatmangolf
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2013 at 9:09pm
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+1 on the RP3 you've just got. I believe the RP3 is an improved P3-24, which is the turntable that got me back into vinyl. Happy listening. ------------- Jon Open mind and ears whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession M, Accession MC, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC. |
Posted By: Fatmangolf
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2013 at 9:11pm
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I may need to post some "under the bonnet" shots of my SL1210 showing the results of my hours slaving with a hot soldering iron under a white fluorescent light. ------------- Jon Open mind and ears whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession M, Accession MC, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC. |