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The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC
- Thread starter HiResDes
- Start date
My Sennheiser Adidas failed and I'm in need for some travel-friendly over-ears (thinK Grados) or preferably in-ear headphones in the sub-$200 range (preferably lower end). I've got a pair of HD555s that I use when I *need* decent sound at home, and have a nice hi-fi setup, so I'm not looking for THE BEST HEADPHONE EVER, but I need something that's comparable to the Sennheisers. Mostly used without any amplification (iPhone, 3DS, Switch, etc). Any recommendations?
Nero's Neptune
Member
So I re-bought the Sony MDR-CD900STs again for like the 4th time. It's really interesting going from my other 'phones, particularly my T5Ps, to these. They're just voiced so much differently. They are so mellow, despite being even more detailed than the T5Ps. The T5Ps still have their place in my collection, but I remember why I consider the CD900STs to be my favorite headphones ever. They're just so lovely and yummy and easy to listen to.
Grados mostly makes on ears (supra aural headphones... Is that what you're talking about?
No. I mean something like their SR line that isn't anywhere near as gargantuan as an AT or Sennheiser or whatever phone that rests over ears.
Those are Supra-Aural, On-Ears, so I'd suggest something like the Martin Logan Mikros 90. You might want to replace the pads with either QC3 ones or HD25 ones though as they're not the most comfortable headphones. They sound great though unless you're really fond of a lot of bass.
Xander51
Member
The Sony MDR-1000X is down to $350 at a bunch of places right now. Started a couple days ago. Not sure if it's just a sale for this week, or the start of a more permanent price drop. If you're looking for a solid wireless ANC headphone, it's worth a look. Best deal on them I've seen since holiday sales.
And yes, I'm the guy that once bashed their sound...but it turns out I was demoing a defective/badly amped pair. I picked some up thanks to the sale and I prefer their sound quite a bit to my Bose QC35's. The 1000X sounds a fair bit like the MDR-1A but with a bit less bass. A nice warm fun sound, with much more natural treble than the QC35.
And yes, I'm the guy that once bashed their sound...but it turns out I was demoing a defective/badly amped pair. I picked some up thanks to the sale and I prefer their sound quite a bit to my Bose QC35's. The 1000X sounds a fair bit like the MDR-1A but with a bit less bass. A nice warm fun sound, with much more natural treble than the QC35.
A strange thing happened in the last week or so. I've been liking my Modi Multibit so much that I decided to really dive down the rabbit hole in terms of what a really great DAC could do for my setup.
I've been salivating over a Schiit Gungnir Multibit but had two problems with it. 1) the price, at $1250 was more than I wanted to pay and 2) the look. I know it sounds shallow but giant slabs of silver colored aluminum don't exactly match anything else in my room.
Sound is always the #1 priority but the price and the look have to fall into line also, especially as the price increases. A silver modi multibit is fine at $250. A silver Gumby at $1250 is not as fine.
Anyway, through my reading and searching I found a private seller on Audiogon selling a PS Audio PerfectWave MkII (Black) for a very good price. I took a look at my budget for the next month or so and made him a good offer and he accepted! (Funnily enough, a week ago I didn't even know who PS Audio were or what a PerfectWave was. Back in 2013 when the MkII launched it was close to a $4k DAC while good used ones generally go for around $1500 these days. I ended up paying somewhat less than the price of a new Gumby!)
I honestly don't know what to expect. The Mimby redefined sound quality for me and I am hoping that the PerfectWave will do the same thing as well as provide an even greater and more detailed canvas for the ZMF Eikon that I have on order. Either way, exciting times in personal audio land are ahead.
I've been salivating over a Schiit Gungnir Multibit but had two problems with it. 1) the price, at $1250 was more than I wanted to pay and 2) the look. I know it sounds shallow but giant slabs of silver colored aluminum don't exactly match anything else in my room.
Sound is always the #1 priority but the price and the look have to fall into line also, especially as the price increases. A silver modi multibit is fine at $250. A silver Gumby at $1250 is not as fine.
Anyway, through my reading and searching I found a private seller on Audiogon selling a PS Audio PerfectWave MkII (Black) for a very good price. I took a look at my budget for the next month or so and made him a good offer and he accepted! (Funnily enough, a week ago I didn't even know who PS Audio were or what a PerfectWave was. Back in 2013 when the MkII launched it was close to a $4k DAC while good used ones generally go for around $1500 these days. I ended up paying somewhat less than the price of a new Gumby!)
I honestly don't know what to expect. The Mimby redefined sound quality for me and I am hoping that the PerfectWave will do the same thing as well as provide an even greater and more detailed canvas for the ZMF Eikon that I have on order. Either way, exciting times in personal audio land are ahead.
To be perfectly honest I don't know that I do either. This is all a big, fun experiment and I'm curious to see where it will take me. One thing is sure, I am learning a lot and enjoying the ride.
I also finally received my fa-011's today from Russia. I am listening to them right now and they are pure hilarity. They are probably about as far from neutral as you could possibly be but man are they fun. Kicking, thumping, rumbling bass and some very sweet, rolled off mids and highs seem to be the name of the game. But they have their own tone. They don't sound much like anything else that I have tried and that is a very good thing. I like unique and boy are these unique.
Welp, tried my new B&O H7 last night. It does a "humming" sound while in BT. It can only be heard when playing something at low volume since the BT connection stops when nothing plays, but it's there, and very much irritating on such a pricey model.
I've tried on two devices, same issue. It's a very "electric" sound, so my guess is that there is an isolation default on the BT chip ...
I've tried on two devices, same issue. It's a very "electric" sound, so my guess is that there is an isolation default on the BT chip ...
Yeah it definitely shouldn't be doing that. Sounds like a defect, which I know is irritating on a brand new product.
Yeah, B&O was great when contacted by email, they suggested that I checked the instant return policy of the store and if not they'll organize a replacement with UPS.
Great service (could be expected from such a "luxury" company, but it's still pleasant).
FallingEdge
Member
yeah I have an H7 as well and it isn't a defect, this is how it is, can be very irritating for sure.
I've looked at some other forums and many people claim that theirs don't do this sound at all.
Guess I'll see if I can have it replaced.
FallingEdge
Member
oh? I hear it pop in and out if there is no audio for like 5 seconds. I assumed that was the case as I read other people experiencing the same thing. If you can get a replacement, then go for it.
That is my exact reaction to them. First listen I busted out laughing, in a positive way.
On the off chance that you wind up needing an outlet for your Mimby, I'd definitely be interested.
Really look forward to hearing about the Eikons when those arrive.
Jabronium I will keep you in mind when it comes time to let the Mimby go. It sort of depends on how things go with the PerfectWave.
I am guessing I am going to be April for my Eikon. I'm number 70 in line right now according to the Google doc. that Zach keeps updated and I started out in the low 100's. There's about 20 folks ahead of me that are still waiting on sanding, like me. Zach has his hands full and is keeping busy, that is for sure.
Thank you kindly. Very interested to hear impressions about a DAC of the PerfectWave's caliber. Hell, I'm excited for you about the Eikons lol. What wood did you go with?
I use the perfectwave dac mk2, it's a great dac.
Yeah I hear the pop too, during the moment BT is connected but no sound is played. But when I play some music, and put the volume at 0, I can hear that electric sound, like electromagnetic interferences, something rolling, so on...
Thank you, sir. I would be thrilled about the Eikon's even without the PerfectWave but I want to make sure I am feeding them the absolute best quality signal possible and that's what led to the DAC purchase. I went with the Padauk Eikon for purely aesthetic reasons. Padauk is such a cool looking wood.
Oh cool. Do you have it connected to your PC and if so, what interface are you using? I picked up an ESI Juli@ pci-e version so that I could use the rca spdif output. Reading SBAF has given me USB nervosa even though I hear the perfectwave does a good job with USB.
I have always been a USB DAC guy, as long as the input is asynchronous, it's the best quality and easiest to manage for me. I built a mini solid state media PC which holds all my digital music, and that's hooked up to the Perfectwave.
I stopped listening to audiophiles after I made my own extremely expensive RCA interconnect cables using Eichmann Bullet plugs and silver/teflon wires, which made no discernible difference to the sound. You got the Lampizator DAC guys go on and on about how their DAC is the best and the most perfect DAC ever and so forth. For me the $2000 - $3000 pricepoint is where it's at. I can definitely differentiate between equipment, but there's also a hard limit.
If you asked my opinion I would have told you to buy the Mytek Brooklyn and called it a day, and not bother with so many different gear for a headphone setup. I just listened to it recently, it is a fantastic piece and has everything one can possibly need.
https://mytekdigital.com/hifi/products/brooklyn/
But enjoy the PWD2, they make very good gear, though I'm gonna upgrade to something else after buying a new pair of speakers.
Xander51
Member
Stumbled across the Pioneer DJ HRM-5 in the dusty corner of my local Fry's electronics where they keep studio gear, having no idea that it even existed beforehand. And then I bought it on a whim. It's phenomenal! It launched as a competitor for the M40X, and I find it much more comfy and better-sounding too.
I wasn't planning to buy anything more for a long while after already picking up the 1000Xs on sale, but then that seems to be just a natural part of being down the audio rabbit hole.
I wasn't planning to buy anything more for a long while after already picking up the 1000Xs on sale, but then that seems to be just a natural part of being down the audio rabbit hole.
Nice! What cups did you get?
I've definitely got ZMF's on my end game wishlist but it's going to be a while. What'd you think of the Lyr 2, still using it? I'm considering going to a Jot or Lyr 2 at some point over the summer.
I got the Teaks...honestly purely for audio reasons, all reviews pointed to the Teak cups being most liquid sounding. Really wanted to go for the Ebony though, just love how Ebony looks.
The driver material is magic, very highly resolving...there are a few things on some tracks I hadn't noticed before even with my high end speakers. The soundstage is also very nice and big.
Yeah, I love mine. I usually keep the ebony on just for looks. What amp are you running them through?
I mostly bought my headphones for on the go, though the E-Mu Teaks are too large for that. I am using a Pioneer XDP-100R to run them, which is a very good DAP, and I mostly have lossless files.
My home setup is actually a stereo speaker system. Currently in the process of upgrading my speakers, and after that the DAC. What I might do is get a high quality DAC with a headphone amp, since these E-Mu Teaks deserve something nice, and they are really designed for at home listening.
I like high resolution, but a slightly warm on the side of neutral sound signature, so these are very, very nice for my taste.
Thank you, I appreciate that. I've just got the PWD2 hooked up tonight and have been listening to it now for about an hour. I am hearing things in my music that I've never heard before. It's a bit spooky. Soundstage is wiiiiiide and everything is super clear. My first impressions are that I am hearing less bass than I am used to but that may just be because the Mimby was somewhat warm?
As far as cables go, I want good stuff but I don't want to be neurotic about it. I've got a $50 Pangea Audio power cable on the PWD2 and a $40 Pangea Audio S/PDIF cable coming out of my ESI Juli@ sound card. $20 PYST cables connect the PWD2 and my Lyr 2.
The Mytek looks amazing and I've heard good things about it. I will keep it in mind for the future for when I get the itch to try something different.
The Lyr 2 with the right tubes is fantastic. I bought a lightly used pair of 1975 Reflektor "HG" Silver Shields from a member on Head-Fi and they are amazing. They make everything sound better and more musical. The Lyr 2 with stock tubes is just ok. It has a lot of power and is very quiet but for best sound quality you want good tubes.
The LISST is also a pretty good option for it. Not as good as the 75 Reflektor tubes but certainly an upgrade from the stock tubes. LISST makes the Lyr 2 a 100% solid state amp and gives it a noticeable increase in slam.
With this level of gear you have to get used to a flatter, transparent signature. Think about if it's less bass, or more accurate bass, or perhaps your previous DAC had a peak around 50 HZ. I don't know, but those are the questions you want to ask. You want gear to be flat, cause you are buying the headphones to fit your taste in a way.
All the headphones of course sound very different, and people prefer different things, I always preferred a more musical, engaging signature than extreme flatness and accuracy.
Essentially if the DAC is warm, and the headphone amp is also warm, it can become too much of a good thing.
Yes, I think this is much more transparent and it is going to take some getting used to. It's essentially putting a microscope on the music itself, for better or for worse. I pulled up a couple of tracks that have strong lower bass and the bass itself was very clean, clear and accurate, so there's no problem there.
Before plugging in the PWD2 I had never heard a sophisticated DAC before and so I have years of music memory that's telling my brain that what I am hearing now is a little bit wrong. But that's not the case. It's just far more accurate and revealing than I am used to hearing.
I actually found a local Lyr 2 for sale last night, so I'll be picking that up next weekend when I'm back home. Looking forward to it.
A good track to test bass is "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo" by Bela Fleck. And for holographic imaging, check out "Key to the Highway" by BB King and Eric Clapton.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
My favourite bass test track
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI6PKMfkgYk
If this ain't slammin' I don't want it.
EMU teaks won't be here till tuesday. Damn long weekends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI6PKMfkgYk
If this ain't slammin' I don't want it.
EMU teaks won't be here till tuesday. Damn long weekends.
Nice! Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine.
Thanks for the recommendations. I appreciate it.
My favourite bass test track
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI6PKMfkgYk
If this ain't slammin' I don't want it.
EMU teaks won't be here till tuesday. Damn long weekends.
You said it. I am all about the slam. You guys and your EMU teaks are making me miss my Fostex TH-X00's that I sold to help fund the ZMF Eikon. I'm having fun with a few other pairs of headphones right now but I do miss that sweet biocellulose driver!
Picked up a pair of Sennheiser CX3.00 to tide me over until I can try out some higher end IEM before buying, and man I still like these. I've only tried the CX300 ii before and always thought they were fun. I'd compare these to the Shure SE215 easily.
But the tip is just slightly too large and uncomfortable while the next size down is too small. What are my best options to fix this?
But the tip is just slightly too large and uncomfortable while the next size down is too small. What are my best options to fix this?
Man I hate those to each his own
My favourite bass test track
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI6PKMfkgYk
If this ain't slammin' I don't want it.
EMU teaks won't be here till tuesday. Damn long weekends.
Dat bass
Please do yourself and find a higher quality version of you're gonna check it out, but here's my bass test track:
Bass Outlaws - 3 Kinds of Bass
For an actual song, my first go to is usually:
Recondite - Jaded
Bass Outlaws - 3 Kinds of Bass
For an actual song, my first go to is usually:
Recondite - Jaded
Sola Scriptura
Member
So with the X2s connected to a MixAmp that's connected to my PS4, do I need to add an amp as well?
Yeah, I actually played this one through my 5.1 setup at home and turned up the gain on my sub. My whole floor was shaking.
Thanks for the suggestions. I actually looked each of them up on Tidal as that is where I do my streaming.
Just curious, what do you hate? Maybe I just can't notice bad sound quality. As long as it fills up my head with solid sound and bass when I'm high, I'm happy. I want to get those wooden ones you suggested but I really need to try them out first before I drop that kind of money on IEMs
Even at their price range overall clarity is abysmal, they still have terrible microphonics which I can deal with if the IEMs sound good, and though they have a good amount of bass anything that calls for sub levels is really muddy to me.
You're talking about the 3.00 right? Because these at least sound more clear than the CX300 before it, at least to me. Microphonics are bad though, but I've never had a pair with good microphonics so I'm just used to it at this point
Was talking about the cx300 ii, guess there's a new model?... Okay my fault never heard those
I have actually never heard a pair of Beyer's before. What amp are you going to pair them with? 250 ohm is a fairly high impedance and will need a decent source to sound their best. I guess it would also be a good idea to ask you what kind of music you listen to and what your preferred sound signature is. For $150 - $200 there's a lot of decent to good headphones out there.