I appreciate the invite from @M0N and thought this thread was the best place to make my first post. For a few months I had been researching the Quicksilver on all the forums that had threads/posts discussing it. I stumbled across @M0N’s very detailed impressions of the amp, and they offered the deepest insights I had come across anywhere. They really helped me feel confident in my decision to purchase the Quicksilver. To put things in perspective, it is the most expensive amp I have bought to date.
I happened to have the Quicksilver on order at the same time that I patiently awaited an SW51+ to arrive from Russia. These were my first tube amp purchases after 15+ years in the headphone hobby. Over the last year or so I have been making some pretty dramatic upgrades to my setup. I spent years in the budget Topping/JDS Labs realm of DAC’s and amps. I had been convinced that this was all that anyone really needed to get the most out of their headphones. Back then, my best headphones were the HD58X and Mod House Argon MK2 (a popular Fostex T50 mod.)
I got my first big-boy headphones when I splurged on a used ZMF Aeolus. I really liked it but never got a chance to hear it on tubes or with a nicer DAC. After much deliberation, I sold them to help fund a ZMF Verite Closed. This was so much more than I ever expected to spend on a pair of headphones, but I did snag a sweet deal on a rarity during ZMF November last year and couldn’t be happier with them. I then set out to do them justice by upgrading my chain. First on the list was a new DAC. I saved up and went from a Topping E30 to a Bifrost 2. Then before I knew it, I had 2 tube amps on my bedside table to choose between.
The Quicksilver has impressed from the beginning, even with the stock tubes. I have since rolled in a number of vintage 12AX7’s and EL84’s. I’ve currently settled on a pair of mid 60’s Amperex 12AX7’s made in Holland and GE oval plate EL84’s made in Kentucky in the 60’s. With this combination, I have a hard time finding any complaints. The sound is full and detailed, while having excellent soundstage even with a closed-back. It’s a very smooth and refined sound with excellent timbre. Instruments and voices sound like they should, and there is very rarely any harshness. Excellent recordings have become easy to distinguish from the mediocre ones.
The SW51+ is great as well, and for the price, it has to be one of the best bang-for-the-buck deals out there. It certainly takes the crown when it comes to headphone tube amplifiers. The best compliment I can give it is that if I hadn’t gotten the Quicksilver at about the same time, I think I would have been perfectly content with it. Only when switching from the SW51+ to the Quicksilver do I notice all the things the QS does better. For that reason, I’d say the QS gets about 95% of my listening time. I think I’ll eventually build a secondary headphone setup using the SW51+. It’s not fair to have it sitting next to the Quicksilver getting so little love.
This has been a super-long first post! I hope it doesn’t come off as rambling. I would like to see more input from other Quicksilver owners out there. I’ve yet to see an owner say anything negative about the thing. I’m hard-pressed to find an issue myself. It’s good enough that I have recently only been tempted by adventures in tube-rolling instead of further equipment purchases. Who knows how long that will last, but temporary contentment is a really nice thing in this rabbit hole of a hobby!
The Quicksilver is a great tube amp. I think it performs well above it’s price point. Im actually listening to mine right now while I work from home. This morning is actually the 1st time I’ve listened to my HE-500 on it…they sound like they were meant to be played off of the QS. The HE-500 is a more intimate sounding soundstage…so the tubes give it some much needed width. I currently am using 2 Sylvania 7189 and 2 RCA 12AX7A tubes.
My Double Helix adapters finally arrived today, so I’m listening the Quicksilver this evening to test out the XLR-to-1/4" adapter I just got and yeah, I forgot how nice the Quicksilver is, lol. I haven’t heard it in a while since my home office has higher-level gear now, which means the Quicksilver and RNHP got moved upstairs.
Like yes, it’s more washed out than what I’ve been listening to for the last couple weeks, but it’s still super-enjoyable for just chilling out in the evening. I guess to be more specific, I’m listening to Quicksilver + Bifrost 2 + Eikon, and I really wouldn’t blame anyone for ending their journey at this level, there’s still a great experience to be had here.
I’d like to hear more about your thoughts on the Double Helix adapter. I have a ZMF 2K Copper cable with a 4-pin XLR connector that came with a Verite Closed I just picked up used and also use the Quicksilver Headphone Amp like you. I have been considering having the cable re-terminated by ZMF to a 1/4" connector. I didn’t like the idea of a $150 2K Copper adapter, but I did consider it.
Could you post a picture of the adapter in use? I’m curious to see if it has any cabling at all. I was also concerned it might be bulky and put strain on the Quicksilver’s headphone out. Any info you can provide would help me out a lot!
PlusSound does a micro adapter that has no cable between the two ends, and they are on 20% off at the moment
I will definitely take a look at PlusSound as well. Thanks for the heads up! I’d like to hear from anyone that has used an XLR to 1/4" adapter with their amps. The safer option is the short little wired versions, but I feel obligated to stick with the same cable (ZMF 2K Copper) that is used in the headphone cable. The cleanest solution is to do what I originally planned, which is to have ZMF re-terminate the cable to a 1/4" connector. I really can’t decide.
Generally when it comes to adapters shorter is better, the dhc ultrashort stuff really has minimal to no sonic difference at least to my ears with some of their stuff, but if you don’t want to go that route and need a cabled adapter, I would try and get something using the same cable you already use to keep it consistent sound wise. If you get some cheapo adapter you will likely degrade the sound, and if you get a quality adapter but one that isn’t similar to the cable you are using you will likely get a bit of a different coloration/sound but that could still be fine if you end up getting a deal. Personally I’d spend for a quality adapter if you are going to be using it with any frequency, for both sound and piece of mind/not breaking on you
@M0N What are your thoughts on something like the DHC Ultrashort adapter (Plan A) versus going full ZMF and spending the extra $50 for an adapter using the same 2K Copper wire (Plan B)?
Plan C is having the cable re-terminated to 1/4" and skipping adapters altogether.
Either one would work, for xlr to 1/4 inch I honestly might want cabled since cableless adapters in that form can put a lot of stress on the 1/4 inch depending on how heavy the 4 pin going into it is. I’d say if you already like the zmf cable I’d honestly just go with a zmf adapter and be done there. I personally wouldn’t re terminate since that now reduces flexibility in the future (and decreases resale value, typically bal cables are more valuable than se)
Good points about the flexibility and re-sale value. This cable retailed for $799, so I probably shouldn’t re-terminate just because I don’t need a balanced connector at present. Thanks for the advice.
Here are some quick photos I just took with my phone, hopefully this helps! (The XLR cable pictured is a Kimber Axios Copper cable.)
EDIT: It looks like it does place a non-zero amount of strain on the connections, but it seems like a small enough amount I’m personally not too concerned about it, for whatever that’s worth. Sonically, I don’t have any real way of comparing, since I don’t own two of the same cable with different terminations to compare, but I don’t seem to be able to hear the adapter at all from what I can tell.
Thank you for those pictures. That really helps me in my decision-making. I just need to decide between this DHC adapter and the ZMF adapter that comes with the 2-3" of copper cable to take any strain off the amp’s headphone output.
Yeah the dhc stuff is on the more fine side of things, there’s some other more heavy options that actually cause more problems, but you are likely fine here either way. It’s not like it’s an ultrashort 4 pin female to 2.5mm male or anything that easily broken
That always worries me too (just on looks, no experience). Woo makes a 4.4 to XLR adapter for their portable amps that give me that same feeling.
Glad to hear that it’s not a big deal!
I know for a fact that one does place a reasonable amount of stress so be careful with that one
IMHO why use an adapter when you can get the cable re-terminated with the correct connection. I know if it’s going to be plugged into many amps, it’s difficult to do but for critical listening, and if you’re going out of your way to buy $500~1000 dollar cable, it’s for their sound characteristics, and anything you put inline to that cable will change the sound characteristics of it. It doesn’t make sense if you’re talking about your end game gear when you’re trying to extract every bit of performance.
That was my thought as well before I started considering adapters. Re-terminating is also quite a bit cheaper than these adapters, though it does involve shipping charges both ways.
I don’t have any plans to get a balanced amp. I really like my Quicksilver and don’t see myself “upgrading” any time soon. Then again, I might decide to sell this super-luxurious $800 cable one day, and a balanced cable often fetches more on the used market and I’m sure a matching ZMF 2K Copper adapter would sweeten the deal.
Where to you buy this Adapter?
It looks good,better as a converter cable i find.
I bought mine here, though note that orders can take a while:
…also, I’m not sure where it would go, but maybe it would make sense to move all the adapter talk out of the Quicksilver thread?