(08-01-2012, 09:45 AM)your mom Wrote: I just got the O2 from JDS labs to replace my Little Dot tube amp. I figured since I'm never going to go back to regular dynamics and stick to planar magnetics, I might as well get an amp that has adequate damping factor for them.
I must say I like the way the O2 handles the HE-400.. or rather, doesn't handle the HE-400. It lets the HE-400 do all the talking. The clarity and instrument separation is great-- possibly a little of an upgrade from the Little Dot on the instrument separation front, definitely some on the clarity front.
I think it's more about finding which amp suits your tastes and headphones the best. Personally, I prefer the Little Dot I+ over the O2 for all my headphones. With OPA2107 and Voshkod 6ZH1P tubes they have a similar sound signature but the mids are slightly warmer on the LD amp. I also think the O2 could afford to tone down its treble a little bit given that most headphones are tuned with a treble tilt as of late. The same observations might not apply to your LD since I think your model is an OTL pure tube output design while the I+ is basically solid state with tube buffer. The O2 is great though! It's my default headphone amp for meets. I can trust it not to be colored so I can concentrate on the differences between the gear I want to audition.