Looking for a great tube headphone amp

Interesting to see that I'm the only one here who didn't find the ASL MG Head DT to work to his satisfaction with the HD600's, hearing a consistent sonic signature across all of my sources that comparision revealed was endemic to the amp. For the record, since some of the above folks mentioned this, I did invest in a new pair of JJ EL-84's and burned them in well, but didn't find the sound a whole lot improved. I returned the unit for a refund, but I currently have no use for the upgraded tubes, which have a long life ahead of them...offers, anyone?

Before you buy a tube headphone amp consider the GRACE 901.This is the amp used by the best engineers extant and what they final master what you wind up listening to yourself.At 1300 retail, not cheap but when I am listening to my HD 600'S sourced through the audio aero mk1 with the GRACE I feel graced.

With the Antique Sound Labs, it's important to get the newer OTL version of the MG Head. While I haven't heard the DT, I assume that it sounds similar to the OTL model in "transformer mode," and I find its performance in OTL mode to be much better than with the transformers in the signal path, either with or without feedback.

Also, the tubes are critical -- the stock tubes are NOT good, and do the amp no justice at all. I pitched the stock tubes, went to eBay, and picked up a pair of NOS Sylvania black-plate EL84s and a barely used Telefunken 12AX7 for about $75, and the Head sounds like a different (and much better!) amp.

You might also want to check out the forums at headfi.org. There is a lot of good feedback on them.

Greg

I have been 'Head FI-ing' for a couple of years now.
I currently own ASL MG HEAD w/Electro Harmonic Russian TUBES.I use both Senn. HD 600's w/ Cardas cable upgrade & Grado 225's.The best thing is this Amp is wired for both.
Both phones have there characteristics, thats why I own
both.
I just sold my MF X-Can V2.It was great, but not much in the way of looks.Hard to tweak too!No complaints on the sound.But the ASL is a cool looking Amp w/ great sound!!!
I like that fat tubey sound anyways. The EL84's have a sound
that the 6922's don't.But it's all in your Ear & Head anyway.Everybody's different, thats why you have to addition
the choices and hear the differences yourself.