I've read lots of good things about using a Gilmore lite with Grado/Alessandros, and it IS pretty tempting.
The biggest problem I'm having with going with ANY amp at the moment is how easy the MS-1s are to drive. Even our old Sony PCDP is able to drive them easily with nearly no loss of SQ over the mid-level Onkyo phone-output stage of our main system.
The main reason for even looking closely at amps is the fact that I will most likely go with the Alessandro MS-2s as my final stop on the cans train(although the MS-PRO Woodies are pretty darned enticing!!)but I do need to upgrade my source devices as well as final amplification to make the final 'phone update worthwhile.
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What really stinks, is not following the directions listed over on the Head-Fi forum:
"Get your cans and leave this place....FOREVER"
Or:
"Sorry about your Wallet!"
And it's true!! I really like my MS-1s,....A Lot!!
So, why do we humans do this to ourselves??!!
Why do we openly subject ourselves to rampant unbridled "Upgraditus"??!!
WHY??!!