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$500 cans on, this is how you dream right - Official Headphone Thread
- Thread starter HiResDes
- Start date
Final post in my little upgrade story. continues from this
So I got the Schitt Asgrd amp late last week and hooked it up to the new MSII DAC that I got. First of all, this thing is a monster and I love it. thick aluminum plating, nice and heavy. I then plugged in the Grado RS2s and they sounded about the same as on the E9. not bad, by any means, but not noticeable better either. same tight bass, same upfront mids, same incredibly detailed highs.
Ive been using the amp for the weekend and the sound with the Grados hasnt really changed from what it was with the E9. I think this is mainly due to the power of the E9 amp and the relative ease in driving the Grados. The Asgard isnt a super expensive amp at 250 bucks and it still sounds great but its not a clear step above the E9 for the Grados.
The big surprise for me was when I hooked up the Denon D5000s to the Asgard. The midrange suddenly came alive and was pushed to the front and was at the same level as the ever-present bass in these cans. it was a shocking improvement over the way they sounded with the E9, where I had previously described them here as being very recessed with the mids.
So now I find myself flipping back and forth much more often between the Grados and the Denons. The Denons sound much better with guitar rock than they used to. they still dont have the same midrange emphasis that the Grados have but the increased soundstage and bass can be more pleasing for some songs now that the midrange doesnt feel so recessed as it did before.
so, quick summary. the E7 DAC was definitely the weakest link in my chain. replacing it with the HRT MSII held immediate benefits for both headphones. The E9 wasnt very weak at all for the Grados and sounds about as same as the Asgard amp does now, but the Asgard drives the Denons much better and was a worthwhile upgrade just for this surprise performance boost.
Now I just gotta decide if I want to sell the E7/E9 deck or use it as a bedroom listening station.
So I got the Schitt Asgrd amp late last week and hooked it up to the new MSII DAC that I got. First of all, this thing is a monster and I love it. thick aluminum plating, nice and heavy. I then plugged in the Grado RS2s and they sounded about the same as on the E9. not bad, by any means, but not noticeable better either. same tight bass, same upfront mids, same incredibly detailed highs.
Ive been using the amp for the weekend and the sound with the Grados hasnt really changed from what it was with the E9. I think this is mainly due to the power of the E9 amp and the relative ease in driving the Grados. The Asgard isnt a super expensive amp at 250 bucks and it still sounds great but its not a clear step above the E9 for the Grados.
The big surprise for me was when I hooked up the Denon D5000s to the Asgard. The midrange suddenly came alive and was pushed to the front and was at the same level as the ever-present bass in these cans. it was a shocking improvement over the way they sounded with the E9, where I had previously described them here as being very recessed with the mids.
So now I find myself flipping back and forth much more often between the Grados and the Denons. The Denons sound much better with guitar rock than they used to. they still dont have the same midrange emphasis that the Grados have but the increased soundstage and bass can be more pleasing for some songs now that the midrange doesnt feel so recessed as it did before.
so, quick summary. the E7 DAC was definitely the weakest link in my chain. replacing it with the HRT MSII held immediate benefits for both headphones. The E9 wasnt very weak at all for the Grados and sounds about as same as the Asgard amp does now, but the Asgard drives the Denons much better and was a worthwhile upgrade just for this surprise performance boost.
Now I just gotta decide if I want to sell the E7/E9 deck or use it as a bedroom listening station.
childplease
Banned
I recently bought a pair of Astro A40s , this came with an awesome mix amp for games.
There seems to be a slight problem though, certain sound in games tend to cause the sound to be distorted, it does not happen in every game but the more games I play the more I am starting to notice this problem. It usually happens with low frequency sounds such as the pistol in crysis 2, the APC firing its 30mm cannon in Bad Company 2.
Any suggestions on cans that do not suffer from this problem ? Distortion.
There seems to be a slight problem though, certain sound in games tend to cause the sound to be distorted, it does not happen in every game but the more games I play the more I am starting to notice this problem. It usually happens with low frequency sounds such as the pistol in crysis 2, the APC firing its 30mm cannon in Bad Company 2.
Any suggestions on cans that do not suffer from this problem ? Distortion.
I have an obligatory this or this post. I haven't seen someone ask about these two headphones before, so hopefully this hasn't been asked.
I have been looking at the TMA-1's ever since they were announced for preorder. I really dig the style of them and have heard good things about them. $200 has always been kind of a sticking point for me, but I actually have money now and seeing as the cord on my current headphones (some random Bose headphones I got for Christmas one year) is about to split, I am looking to pick up something new. I have been reading here and some other places and pretty much all I hear is that the Audio-Technica ATH-M50's are the way to go. They are the best headphones for the price and they are also $40 cheaper than the TMA-1's.
So obviously my problem is choosing between the two. The $40 is not a big deal to me, so that isn't an issue. I mainly listen to music from a 5g iPod Classic and also my laptop. I do prefer the closed design of my current headphones, keeping everything in and keeping outside noise to a minimum and including not disturbing others (I use them at work a lot). So with the TMA-1's being open, it is a downside. I do like that the cord for the TMA-1's are removable. Overall, while sound quality is important to me, it is not the end all be all. Unless sound quality is drastically different, I probably won't notice it. Some people say they can, but it's whatever. I also do not really like the look of the M50's.
That's pretty much it. I'd like to see what some opinions are and all. As far as music goes, it tends to stray in a few different directions. I mostly listen to Indie/Alternative (things like Radiohead, The National, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem) and Electronic Music (Daft Punk, Aphex Twin, Autechre, Pretty Lights). You can look at my Last.fm to get a better idea if it will help. http://www.last.fm/user/KillerElDiablo
So what should I buy? I know the M50's are going to be more widely supported here, but I would like to hear what everyone has to say.
I have been looking at the TMA-1's ever since they were announced for preorder. I really dig the style of them and have heard good things about them. $200 has always been kind of a sticking point for me, but I actually have money now and seeing as the cord on my current headphones (some random Bose headphones I got for Christmas one year) is about to split, I am looking to pick up something new. I have been reading here and some other places and pretty much all I hear is that the Audio-Technica ATH-M50's are the way to go. They are the best headphones for the price and they are also $40 cheaper than the TMA-1's.
So obviously my problem is choosing between the two. The $40 is not a big deal to me, so that isn't an issue. I mainly listen to music from a 5g iPod Classic and also my laptop. I do prefer the closed design of my current headphones, keeping everything in and keeping outside noise to a minimum and including not disturbing others (I use them at work a lot). So with the TMA-1's being open, it is a downside. I do like that the cord for the TMA-1's are removable. Overall, while sound quality is important to me, it is not the end all be all. Unless sound quality is drastically different, I probably won't notice it. Some people say they can, but it's whatever. I also do not really like the look of the M50's.
That's pretty much it. I'd like to see what some opinions are and all. As far as music goes, it tends to stray in a few different directions. I mostly listen to Indie/Alternative (things like Radiohead, The National, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem) and Electronic Music (Daft Punk, Aphex Twin, Autechre, Pretty Lights). You can look at my Last.fm to get a better idea if it will help. http://www.last.fm/user/KillerElDiablo
So what should I buy? I know the M50's are going to be more widely supported here, but I would like to hear what everyone has to say.
They're closed in that they isolate sounds, that's what makes closed headphones closed basically. However, you're right in that they won't cover your ear completely. What you're actually talking about is circumaural (over-the-ear design) vs. supraaural (on-the-ear design). The band on the M50 might be slightly less comfortable to you, but if you have big ears you may favor the circumaural design. So I guess it's a wash.
bedlamite said:
Portability is a plus, but not necessary. I usually just throw them in my backpack when I go to work. I guess if it works with electronic music, it will work with indie music. A lot of indie music nowadays seems to have a lot of electronic based sounds nowadays. I don't know...the more I read reviews of the TMA-1's the more I want them. I wish there was somewhere I could go and listen to them all.
YuriLowell
Member
So im thinking of getting the e7 to use with my laptop instead of using the crappy on board sound.
Im using a pair of modded 555s.
It seems to be the best bang for the buck.
Im using a pair of modded 555s.
It seems to be the best bang for the buck.
Taco_Human
Member
So I'm only starting out my fancy headphone trip. I currently own a pair of Sennheiser 448's and after a long period of listening to music on my iPod, I finally found my old CD player and started listening to a few CD's to compare the quality. The difference amazed me. I'm starting a CD collection as of today.
Teach me more headphone overlords.
Teach me more headphone overlords.
CarbonatedFalcon
Member
Taco_Human said:
Pretty sure what I have is a pair of 448s or very similar and after about a year or two now the coating on the jack has worn away some and I only get sound in the left ear unless I align the plug in just the exact way inside the port. So that's something to look out for.
It was suggested that I could fix it by getting a new plug and cutting off the old one, but I'm not sure if I want to mess with that.
I'm thinking of getting HD 595s or HD 555s as a replacement but I'm not sure what the difference between the two models really is. I know the 595s are supposed to be the newer iteration of that model though, but I'm wondering if the $20-$30 extra really gets me anything worth it.
omgkitty said:
haven't tried both myself, but this seems like a pretty good comparison.
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread...-tma-1-vs-audio-technica-ath-m50-tma-1-review
Dreams-Visions
Member
6-month check in with my ATH-M50's and D7000s.
Love them like it was still Day 1.
Love them like it was still Day 1.
This has been discussed almost half as much as the M50, which is a lot...But anyway this is correct, the 595 is not newer but merely meant to be a step up from the cheaper 555. However, there are newer models of both (the 598 & 558), but they aren't on sale.Ashhong said:
LaneDS said:
Speaker Thread
Just pulled the trigger on some SE535's. Had the SE530's before, and found them sonically ideal bar the rolled off high's compared to other IEM's (Westone 3, iE8 etc), but now the SE535 sorts the cable issue, adds better high's and a wider sound stage, it seems like it could be the perfect IEM for me.
Could you guys also recommend me a pair of headphones for use with my Asus Essence ST out of the following?
AKG K702
Beyerdynamic DT 880
Sony MDR Z1000
Shure SRH840
Thanks!
Could you guys also recommend me a pair of headphones for use with my Asus Essence ST out of the following?
AKG K702
Beyerdynamic DT 880
Sony MDR Z1000
Shure SRH840
Thanks!
Picked up a pair of Sennheiser HD595s today along with a new receiver. Owned a pair of 580s years ago (an effing dog ate them; that was a bad day) and really loved them and have been using an inherited pair of 280s (I think... the plastic has chipped away to where I can't tell anymore) for years. Very excited to return to something (hopefully) considerably better.
GamePnoy74
Member
Thanks GAF for making me spend money from reading this thread! =P
I've bought:
- Sony MDR-7506 - for work and travel (love the clarity!)
- Audio Technica ATH-M50 - for home (love the clarity...and the bass!)
And I'm not done yet...thinking about getting another closed set like the Sony MDR-V6s or Shure SRH440s (when on sale) later on for my wife to use on her iPhone and iPad.
I've bought:
- Sony MDR-7506 - for work and travel (love the clarity!)
- Audio Technica ATH-M50 - for home (love the clarity...and the bass!)
And I'm not done yet...thinking about getting another closed set like the Sony MDR-V6s or Shure SRH440s (when on sale) later on for my wife to use on her iPhone and iPad.
GamePnoy74
Member
I didn't buy both sets of cans at the same time...I got the 7506s at first and was very happy with them...but after having to drag them from home to work (and vice versa) so frequently I started to look into another pair for home use and ended up getting the M50s.
I have finally decided on an amp for my LCD2s and placed an order for an Experience Head One Excited!
PflargBlarg
Member
GamePnoy74 said:
I'd really suggest trying on a pair of those SRH440s before buying them. I own them and they are extremely uncomfortable for me to wear for more than 20 minutes. I don't know if it's the shape of them or the clamp or what.
On the other hand, if you do try them out and they feel fine, I'll sell you mine for cheaper than the store. They even have upgraded ear pads.
The_Inquisitor
Member
Sent in my ATH-M50's in for repair last week. Haven't heard anything back yet. Really disappointed in the build quality. Hopefully the repaired ones work out better.
The_Inquisitor said:
I sent my ATH-ESW9's in for a loose headphone chord and they came back twice as sturdier than what I originally sent in. They even replaced the headphone cups and swivel pieces to much sturdier parts.
You are in good hands
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
Headphone-GAF, I want to buy a low cost set of headphones (with or without microphone) that are basically good to fall asleep with (i.e. won't get destroyed easily when lying on your side with them on). Don't really care about sound quality. Any suggestions? I'm in Australia, if that's relevant.
Not technically cans, but decided against headphones for now, sold off my SE530's for a very good price and bought a pair of SE535's for only a bit more. Definitely notice a difference in sound quality. The high's have more of a sparkle and the sound stage seems wider. General audio note seems to be slightly more v like, which I prefer. Completely satisfied with it. Always loved the tone of the SE530, even comparing to Westone 3, Triple.Fi etc. The SE535 just perfects it.
Now on to an affordable portable amp. What do you guys recommend? I'm thinking JDS Labs cMoyBB to start with. Could you guys link me to the correct cables I need to use this amp with my iPhone 4, other phones (Samsung Galaxy S II and HTC Sensation) along with my Xonar Essence ST sound card. Might already be here.
http://www.jdslabs.com/store.php
Many thanks.
Now on to an affordable portable amp. What do you guys recommend? I'm thinking JDS Labs cMoyBB to start with. Could you guys link me to the correct cables I need to use this amp with my iPhone 4, other phones (Samsung Galaxy S II and HTC Sensation) along with my Xonar Essence ST sound card. Might already be here.
http://www.jdslabs.com/store.php
Many thanks.
I'm in the exact same boat here. I'm not too big on hip-hop/electronica, but I keep leaning to the TMA-1. The M50 looks good too, I just wish that I could listen to them somewhere. Classes start in the fall, and I really need a headphone that can isolate outside sound, but still sound good. I'm not sure how well the TMA-1 does that due to it's on-ear rather than over-ear design. Can anyone tell me how well the TMA-1 isolates outside sound?omgkitty said:
I've taken the TMA-1 off of my head a few times, with music playing, and people have been shocked by how loud the music was blasting.
That the TMA-1 is only good for Hip-Hop and electronic music is false. My two favorite genres with these cans, are Jazz and anything with a female singing.
That the TMA-1 is only good for Hip-Hop and electronic music is false. My two favorite genres with these cans, are Jazz and anything with a female singing.
Wormdundee said:
I had similar issues with my 840's for the first month or so. I was close to returning them, but they did seem to break in after a while. They now don't feel as tightly clamped to my head as they once did but they are still on the heavy side. The SRH series certainly isn't for everyone and they do take some getting used to, but I just could not give up those gorgeous mids they put out. Love those upgraded ear pads too. Those are the ones that come standard with the 840's and I'm not sure I could ever wear the 440's without them added on.
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