Part 2
Instead of teasing you guys more, I'll quickly comment on the Red Top with HD800. I used Quest/Raif's old HD800 last night for a little over two hours last night as we were discussing the use of marijuana and potheads in Santa Cruz beating up Jehovah's witnesses in the shoutbox. These HD800s had Tyll's Anax mod, so they are actually brighter than the current 2.0 iteration. They also used the stock cables. For others to calibrate to their own tastes, I find the stock HD800 unbearably bright.
I used a variety of tracks from old Soundgarden, the Journey Escape SACD, GNR, Scorpions, Eva Cassidy, Patricia Barber, etc. This was purely intentional. I can attest that I had absolutely no issue with any kind of etch, nasty treble, excess sibilance, etc. at least with those tracks in question. It was still bright - just not nasty. The only caveat to this observation is that I actually think the amp settled down (or my ears adjusted) after being left on for a few hours by the time I got to the HD800.
The first hour was strictly with the PM-2 with alt. PM-1 pads. Great combination BTW. The second hour was with a variety of headphones, AD2000, Paradox, MA900, Abyss. The last two with the HD800. I have a tendency to believe that SS takes a lot longer than tubes to settle down, like hours.
For those who have heard the 4-45 or Levi, the amp is less bright than the 4-45 but brighter than the Levi. The treble timbre is definitely different from tubes though with more of a "snap" coloration, but yet at the same time sounding nothing at all from some other SS amps. I found the timbre realistic in its own SS way. As with other EC amps, the Red Top has plenty of bite, but the treble edge is taken off. The attacks are definitely much more precise and delineated than the EC tube amps - but this is what SS does well.
As far as bass impact and balls, not quite there compared to 4-45 (and hence BA, etc.) or Mojo (two hard hitting amps). I would say more than Vali, Crack, but less than the big boys mentioned above. A huge part of this would lie with the DAC - so be careful here. I was originally running with Loki as the DAC and saying to myself "hmm, this sucks, not dynamic enough in sub low bass"... until I switched over the M7/OR5. DAC does matter.
But but but, the best part... what Craig refers to as the "organic" aspect, which meshes well with the HD800. More in a bit.
