TOTL Headphone Amps

@oddiofyl  I'm glad to hear that.  I have some nice stuff, but it's mostly "mid-fi" and most of it I have purchased second hand.

First off, I'm not really a DIY person, I like to purchase fully realized products.  You may have me confused with someone else.

I have no doubt that I would enjoy listening to those amps.  Headphones amps (and a lot of the other gear we use to enjoy our hobby) don't have to cost a lot to be good. 

I recently sold my Musical Fidelity M1 HPAP headphone amp, which originally sold for $799.  It was class A and had a lot of power, two inputs, and sounded really good.  I'm sure the person I sold it to is enjoying it as much as I did.  If I would have had to sell all my other amps for some reason and only keep that one, it would have been only a minor "downgrade", more a loss of features than anything else.  I think it sounded as good or better than the Oppo HA-1 headphone amp I had.

I've moved on to some more expensive gear and it does sound better, but incrementally.  In most cases, there were features those pieces had that were also important in my purchasing decision when I decided to upgrade.

I don't think something like the Manley headphone amp is "worth it" for any practical reason.  I think much of what you're paying for is the look of it, which of course is hard to put a value on.  It's unique and would be something to show off if you're into that sort of thing.  I have a Manley Chinook phono stage and think it's a really nice piece, but there's nothing flashy about it and it was "affordable" for me.

@big_greg can you compare the AURALiC Taurus with the moon 430ha? I liked the Taurus but sold it chasing the dragon...from memory it had a clean, clear, and warmth to it. Never fatiguing. I’m wondering if the RH-5 is neutral-bright as I seem to get fatigue even at low listening levels. If the ha430 is similar to the Taurus, then that might be a better match for me.

I have the Woo Audio WA 33 with the upgraded tubes, and love it!  The Woo has plenty of power for virtually any headphone, with sufficient head room that results in a very enjoyable listening experience.  Although tube based, the highs are certainly presented well, as are the lowest notes.  Not surprisingly, the mods are fantastic.

@cbl117 Sorry, I missed your question.  I haven't used them both in the same system, so the sources were different.  I had the Taurus in my main system, which of course has my best components.

I found the 430HA to have more power and to be a little more detailed than the Taurus.  I think they were more alike than different in terms of the sound signature (both fairly neutral), but the 430HA has a lot more power and gives you more flexibility in terms of outputs with the rest of your system as well as remote control.  

@oddiofyl , Yesterday I acquired a Hegel Rost integrated amp. It has a headphone output. My Arya sounds wonderful on it with tremendously impactful, deep and tight bass, especially with electronic drum and bass and jungle. I’m amazed. I still need more time to test it on classical which comprises of most of my listening.

The Neve was on my radar but my gut tells me the build quality and sonics of the Quicksilver would suit my tastes better. I’m just hoping it will give the 41ohm Arya the drive and control it needs.  I know u mentioned something about the Quick silver driving your 32 ohm Grados nicely.

Still going well, I assume?