[common]

Finally realised the most cost effective way to 'hifi heaven' is via a good headphone setup.

My £500 brought

Source - 3D Lab Reference 1 CD Player with 24bit 96khz upsampling - RRP £1250 - cost £250 ex dem

Headphones - Sony CD3000 - brought 2nd hand for £130

Amp - Headsave Classic II - £120


The dynamics and detail from this setup is amazing, i'm hearing things that I never used to with my previous Meridian active system.

[Grif]

I'd go along with that!

Sony CDP-X3000ES second hand £200

Sennheiser 650 new ebay £199
Oehlbach cable second hand £25

Headsave classic second hand £85

[extremelydodgy]

Great deals you got, common!


I'm up to a little more than ten times that. Still not quite there IMO, but I have only a few practical steps left to take. I think my last 'wow' moment was the Audio-Technica woodies, but I managed to pick lots of holes in them (although I still have them). Since then it's been a slightly lukewarm journey of discovery. I might have given up upgrading with the CD3000, if only they were comfy for me (they weren't).


The X3000 is a gorgeous player... I loved mine and it did a great job. After I compared the X3000ES to even an XA333ES though, I realised why there are new players The difference was quite acute. A bighter, 'faster' player definitely wouldn't hurt if you're using the HD650.

[Grif]

Reasonable comments re the X3000 extremlydodgy....I have been toying with the idea of getting it breathed on ie new clock,psu,caps,op's etc....but can't make up my mind...just seems like a bit of a punt!

I don't think I've ever seen a deal on a cdp like common got...jammy get

[common]

re-cd player

http://www.audusa.com/exdemo.htm

Scroll down to the 3d lab section - still some major bargains to be had !