Support NeoGAF

[Tonza]

Half price is a really good place to be with those, though. Nice pick-up!

Yeah, the sound is pretty amazing for Bluetooth (comparable to wired ones available for the price). It may be placebo but I think the highs are settling a bit since I don't hear sibilance anymore that I had when I first heard listened to these. I guess they haven't been used much even though they are refurbished. They seem like brand new with no marks of use.

I really need to get some headphone stands since my collection seems to be growing. I first thought I would sell the 1A's after getting the H7's but I think I'll keep them for their easy-listening sound and comfort.

 

[Antiwhippy]

My ZMF Eikon arrived yesterday. I was too busy listening to it last night and did not take a good picture but it is a gorgeous and well made headphone that is built like a tank. For a closed back headphone that is quite heavy it is very comfortable and sits nicely on the head.

With the Schiit Jotunheim the bass goes DEEEEEP and is strong and powerful. With some EQ'ing the Eikon could be a bass-head's dream can. Mids are smooth and just right for me (might be a little relaxed for some) and the highs have enough presence without ever being sibilant or tizzy.

The Eikon is an analytical headphone though. It does not smear or gloss over the details. I think with the right DAC and Amp it could be one of the best and most unique closed back headphones out there.

My only disappointment is with the synergy between the Eikon and the Night Blues Mini tube amp. The NBM just doesn't have enough juice to do the Eikon justice. The bass is loose and rolled off and there's just not enough driver control going on. It seems like the Eikon really responds well to power and needs a good bit of it to really come to life.

Yeah, Zach did say they need quite a bit of juice. Which is making me hesitate because I don't really want to invest in a proper dac/amp setip yet.

 

[matmanx1]

I've been emailing Zach back and forth about amps and such and he recommends at least 150mW at 300 ohms which really isn't that much in the scheme of things. But I hear what you are saying. After all, if you are going to invest that much in a headphone wouldn't you want the best source and amp to drive it properly?

I'm fairly pleased with the Jotunheim for now but you better believe I am still on the lookout for a tube amp that will work well with the Eikon without breaking the bank.

 

[Flying Toaster]

I have had the very distinct pleasure of spending time with this particular black Russian over the past week.

This is the Laconic Labs Night Blues Mini. I first heard about it from a thread over at SBAF last year where it got glowing reviews from some folks who are known for being very hard to impress. The only problem? It's never been offered for sale outside of Russia.

Foreign buyers were forced to find willing private parties in Russia who would buy one of these and then risk the Russian mail services to get it out of the country. Most of the time the amps got where they were going but sometimes they did not. This particular amp was purchased by a buyer in London last October and he offered it for sale the week before last. When I saw it for sale I immediately sent an inquiry and a couple of days later it was on its way to me in the US.

There was one final snag when it got held up in Customs (for less than a day, thankfully) and both I and the seller had to email very specific information about what the item was and what I was going to be doing with it along with detailed information about the company in Russia that made it.

So, was it worth all the trouble? Oh heck yes. The more I listen to it the more impressed I become. A couple of weeks ago I bought the Jotunheim and it is absolutely everything I want out of a solid state headphone amplifier. The Jot really plays nicely with my headphones and sounds fantastic.

Well, the Night Blues Mini takes the Jotunheim's performance and improves on it in every area except one, and even there it isn't far off the mark. (bass tightness/slam) The Night Blues Mini (NBM) extends just as well as the Jot, images just as well but then adds more air and "visibility" to each individual instrument as well as doing a bang up job of pulling out the tiny details and microdetails present in the music.

It's a sweeter sound but that sweetness is very subtle and it's taken me several listening sessions of comparing back and forth between the Jot and the NBM for me really get a handle on the difference. And now when I plug my headphones into the Jot it sounds like something is missing or has been diminished in some way.

Anyway, whatever it is that the NBM is dishing out has me completely hooked. I am completely smitten and I hope that it plays just as well with the Eikon (scheduled for delivery next week!!) as it does with my other headphones.

Other details: One of the reasons the NBM has gotten such high praise is that brand new it costs about $300 USD yet has the sound quality to compete with tubs amps that cost 3 or 4 times as much. Shipping from overseas with insurance was expensive but to my door it cost me about $480 which isn't all that much more than the Jot.

It's also 220v only but a step-up transformer solves that problem. Max power draw is about 30 watts so a 100 watt step-up transformer is more than sufficient.

At this point there still aren't alot of these things out in the wild but if you see one for sale (and there's been a couple of Head-fi) and are looking for an amazing deal in a tube amp then I highly recommend the NBM.

Russian amps are amazing. Glad you found and got one.

 

[andylsun]

I got a 3D printer a few weeks ago (101hero) and while it's been a lot of fun, I've finally moved from printing trinkets to objects that are actually useful.

Below is version 2. Version 1 broke as I forgot that Z axis is weakest and had that as a load bearing axis. So much to learn!

Next up will be a stand for my SR-207's

 

[Antiwhippy]

You should try doing 3D print mods for Fostex T50RP.

Look at where it got mrspeakers.

 

[andylsun]

You should try doing 3D print mods for Fostex T50RP.

Look at where it got mrspeakers.

I really want a pair of T50RP but am struggling to justify another pair of open headphones that aren't foldable. I'm pretty much at my headphone end game for everything but a pair of travel (foldable) over ear open back headphones that can go in a backpack for use in a hotel. Would like at least one pair of planers so that's what I need to find. Edit: taking my Grado + Earzoink pads on the next trip to see if that will do

Double Edit: grabbed the STL files for Mr Speakers Open Alpha. If I can print them successfully then might just get the T50. Just sliced them in Cura 2.5 and they will fit. whee..

 

[Antiwhippy]

People have been doing 3D print cup mods for grados also.

 

[K.Jack]

Chan at E-MU got back to me, via email:

"Tks for yr enquiry.

We can offer the following but shipment will be around mid of the month.
EMU Teak us$450 fixed cable or $500 for removable cable

Freight by Fedex depending on yr location, pls provide address and phone
no.

Additonal wooden cups is available upon request .....
$120 for Ebony, Palo Santo
$100 for Rose, Mahogany, Purple Heart, Sabili, Zebra

You can make payment to our paypal ac .. <redacted>

We target to Fedex your product by 16 May 2017

Goods should reach you within a wk."

Hmm, decision, decisions. I'm pretty sure these would be my end game basshead cans.

I've never even seen Palo Santo, Sapele, or Zebrawood offered.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Has anyone tried the new senheisser in ear momentums?

I'm rockin jay bird x3s for the gym and I like them but not love.

Also, what's comparable to the Westone w30s? I love these but wouldn't mind checking out some alternatives

 

[matmanx1]

Chan at E-MU got back to me, via email:

"Tks for yr enquiry.

We can offer the following but shipment will be around mid of the month.
EMU Teak us$450 fixed cable or $500 for removable cable

Freight by Fedex depending on yr location, pls provide address and phone
no.

Additonal wooden cups is available upon request .....
$120 for Ebony, Palo Santo
$100 for Rose, Mahogany, Purple Heart, Sabili, Zebra

You can make payment to our paypal ac .. <redacted>

We target to Fedex your product by 16 May 2017

Goods should reach you within a wk."

Hmm, decision, decisions. I'm pretty sure these would be my end game basshead cans.

I've never even seen Palo Santo, Sapele, or Zebrawood offered.

I have heard amazing things about the E-Mu Teak. Pretty sure Purpleheart is your most "bassy" wood based on the frequency response plots taken from the Fostex models that use the same driver.

Speaking of E-mu and Purpleheart, the Massdrop E-mu Purpleheart arrived at my house today. The drop was back at Christmas time so I almost forgot about it until last week when I got a shipping notification. They are a smallish, light and comfortable pair of headphones based on the Creative Aurvana Live headphone but with the the usual E-mu tweaks, including the Purpleheart cups.

For $75 they are quite good. They have that smoothness that the TH-X00's and other biocell driver units have and are quite bassy and warm but with just a touch of treble sparkle. They are designed to toss in a bag and be used on the go and they sounded quite good out of my Google Pixel phone playing Tidal lossless tracks.

 

[andylsun]

All right. Let's do this.

My 3d printer is hooked up to my solar power system (300W panels, Lead Acid battery etc - see the solar power thread http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1111730), so this is going to be a bio-degradable (PLA), solar power produced, refurbished (T50RP headphones are $99 from amazon for a refurb) headphone.

It's going to take over a week to print all the parts.

 

[matmanx1]

All right. Let's do this.

My 3d printer is hooked up to my solar power system (300W panels, Lead Acid battery etc - see the solar power thread http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1111730), so this is going to be a bio-degradable (PLA), solar power produced, refurbished (T50RP headphones are $99 from amazon for a refurb) headphone.

It's going to take over a week to print all the parts.

That is really, really awesome. Let us know how it goes.

 

[K.Jack]

Been reading up on the different wood options, and I'm beginning to think that people are just lying to themselves, that there are actually very tangible differences.

I'm seeing these claims on SBAF and Head-Fi, but then there are people who say it's subtle at best.

 

[Antiwhippy]

You talking about emu? Do keep in mind that the teak cups' chamber is actually a different design whereas the other woods are more similar to the th-x00's cups.

 

[Tommy DJ]

Been reading up on the different wood options, and I'm beginning to think that people are just lying to themselves, that there are actually very tangible differences.

I'm seeing these claims on SBAF and Head-Fi, but then there are people who say it's subtle at best.

Audiophiles always exaggerate the impact XYZ have on their gear. There is a measurable difference between wood options, which isn't surprising as the wood density difference and mass would have an impact for a closed headphone design, but I sincerely doubt the majority of people would even care.

 

[Xander51]

I randomly picked up a pair of Pioneer SE-MS5T's recently, having enjoyed Pioneer's studio headphones in the recent past. I'm enjoying them more than I expected to for their $69 price.

I think the name is hot garbage and they don't rotate horizontally at all...but still managed to fit well on my head thanks to their highly sculpted pads. There's a wireless version too that I'm now tempted to check out.

"Mid-Fi Purgatory" forever, hah. I personally have the same amount of fun whether I'm trying out a cheap headphone or a really expensive one. I'm ultimately looking at the same things, regardless of the purchase price.

 

[matmanx1]

I randomly picked up a pair of Pioneer SE-MS5T's recently, having enjoyed Pioneer's studio headphones in the recent past. I'm enjoying them more than I expected to for their $69 price.

I think the name is hot garbage and they don't rotate horizontally at all...but still managed to fit well on my head thanks to their highly sculpted pads. There's a wireless version too that I'm now tempted to check out.

"Mid-Fi Purgatory" forever, hah. I personally have the same amount of fun whether I'm trying out a cheap headphone or a really expensive one. I'm ultimately looking at the same things, regardless of the purchase price.

"Mid-Fi Purgatory" is only purgatory if you aren't enjoying yourself and your purchases. If you are having a good time and enjoying the gear and the music then it isn't purgatory, is it? Case in point, the Massdrop E-mu Purplehearts showed up this week. $75 well spent, in my book. They are fun, comfortable and look classy. And even better, they sound most of the way to the TH-X00's I owned that cost $399 and are a heck of a lot more portable.

Who cares about labels anyway? As long as it's a good product at a good price then that's all we really need worry about, right?

 

[Xander51]

"Mid-Fi Purgatory" is only purgatory if you aren't enjoying yourself and your purchases. If you are having a good time and enjoying the gear and the music then it isn't purgatory, is it? Case in point, the Massdrop E-mu Purplehearts showed up this week. $75 well spent, in my book. They are fun, comfortable and look classy. And even better, they sound most of the way to the TH-X00's I owned that cost $399 and are a heck of a lot more portable.

Who cares about labels anyway? As long as it's a good product at a good price then that's all we really need worry about, right?

I like the cut of your jib.

 

[andylsun]

Printing started.

I ran a couple of lower resolution test prints which uncovered two issues.

The first is that I needed to print the parts on a raft, which ups the print time but stops warping.

The second issue is that my printer supposedly has a print area that is circular and 140mm diameter. Turns out it's limited in firmware to printing in a square of 100mm. Had to do some rotating of parts to get them to fit.

Solar status - using about 2.5amps (at 12V), plenty of power to run this 24/7

gcode of the baffle

Printing! It won't take 2.5 days. Will print the baffles first, then the pad rings then the cups

Edit: low res test print with raft

Probably won't have something assembled for at least a couple of weeks as I'm away next week. My daughter does know how to run the printer, so perhaps she can continue while I'm away.

 

[K.Jack]

Might be getting laid off tomorrow.

Bout to YOLO the Paypal payment for the Teak anyway.

Wait, maybe not.

 

[Xander51]

Might be getting laid off tomorrow.

Bout to YOLO the Paypal payment for the Teak anyway.

Wait, maybe not.

Oh man, bummer.

Sorry to hear that. Hope you land on your feet soon.

 

[matmanx1]

Might be getting laid off tomorrow.

Bout to YOLO the Paypal payment for the Teak anyway.

Wait, maybe not.

Sorry to hear that, man. I hope things improve for you soon!

 

[Antiwhippy]

Might be getting laid off tomorrow.

Bout to YOLO the Paypal payment for the Teak anyway.

Wait, maybe not.

There are more important things than headphones man. Take care and good luck.

 

[The Boat]

All the best K. Jack, hope you land on your feet!

So, I need some help. I want some headphones mostly to use around the house on the PC/TV/Switch, although portability would be a nice bonus it isn't a priority. Undecided between open and closed, I don't have any DAC or soundcard, although I'm looking into it.
I had a set of JVC HARX 700 which were cool for the price, now I'm looking at spending around &#8364;100 give or take. Are the DT770s a good choice? What about ATH-M50X?

 

[NotSelf]

^Hi The Boat the Philips SHP9500S are very easy to drive and I find them more comfortable then the DT 770 you can also use a V-MODA BoomPro mic with them.

 

[Fou-Lu]

I'm looking to get a pair of over or on ear headphones for my girlfriend for her birthday. Something under $120, good sound, but she isn't an audiophile, and they need to be stylish (an interesting colour would probably make her like them more). Any suggestions?

 

[K.Jack]

Didn't lose my job, yet. Life is good for now.

I'm looking to get a pair of over or on ear headphones for my girlfriend for her birthday. Something under $120, good sound, but she isn't an audiophile, and they need to be stylish (an interesting colour would probably make her like them more). Any suggestions?

Is she an Apple user?

 

[M_to_P]

Got my HE-350 in yesterday, liking it a lot, combined with the fulla 2.

 

[The Boat]

^Hi The Boat the Philips SHP9500S are very easy to drive and I find them more comfortable then the DT 770 you can also use a V-MODA BoomPro mic with them.

Thanks, I'll look into those

 

[sixteen-bit]

Any tips on replacing the pads on fidelio X1s? I found out unlike the X2s they're not supposed to be replaceable, but is there like, a DIY fix?

 

[matmanx1]

Despite receiving the ZMF Eikon over a week ago I haven't talked a lot about it yet. That isn't because the Eikon doesn't deserve the praise because it absolutely does. It's a great all around headphone that does a lot right and very little wrong. First of all, just look at that cherry wood grain:

Gorgeous! And huge too, by the way. Over 500 grams with the cherry wood and over 600 with the Padauk. Despite that the weight is well distributed and the Eikon is far, far more comfortable to me than the TH-X00's that weigh quite a bit less. The Eikon ear pads are very plush and conform to my face better than any other headphone that I have yet tried. (sidenote - I would really like to try the Eikon earpads on a TH-X00 or E-mu Teak)

Everything feels solid and well put together, much moreso than most of the mass produced headphones that I have owned. Sometimes with a "boutique" maker like ZMF you might be tempted to worry that the quality won't be as good as the big companies just because ZMF is so small and is working with far less resources and automation. Happily I can say that that is not at all the case. Zach and his team at ZMF are very serious about making an extremely well built headphone that honestly feels far more solid and robust than a lot of other top of the line stuff on the market (*cough* Hifiman *cough*).

Also, you get this nifty autographed owner's card (the other side has my name and the date of completion) and heavy duty carrying case! Inside it is nicely padded and has cloth bags for the removal cables so everything stays tidy.

Most important though, is how it sounds. And the ZMF Eikon sounds very, very nice indeed. If I was going to make a closed back headphone to my ideal frequency response then the Eikon is about 95% of the way there. Strong, powerful bass that goes deep but stays clean. Smooth mids that blend and aren't ever shouty and treble that is present and accurate while being a touch softer and darker.

And about that other 5%? I wish vocals were about 1 or 2 steps forward on the Eikon's soundstage from where they actually are. But that is a very minor complaint when set against all of the things that the Eikon does right. What is most important to me is accurate timbre and tone. Does each instrument or sample sound like it should and is the attack and decay of each note being represented accurately? That's my priority in a headphone and the Eikon gets those things right.

One thing I did not expect is that the Eikon has become my "go to" set for gaming for a couple of reasons. It's comfortable to wear for long periods, it isolates like a champ (no one can hear what you are hearing and you can't hear what's going on around you either) and the low frequencies are so much better than my everyday Hifiman HE-400S cans. Weapon fire, explosions, melee hits and all of those action type movie/game noises that utilize the low frequencies really benefit from the Eikon's bass response and power. (It goes without saying then that those same attributes make the Eikon a great set of headphones for watching your favorite movie)

I'll finish up by saying that Zach's customer service has been exemplary and he takes the time to stay in touch with his customers. Except for the longer than anticipated wait the ordering experience was a positive one and the finished product was well worth the wait. Two big thumbs up for Zach and the ZMF Eikon.

 

[Jay Sosa]

Seems like my eternal quest to find some decent sounding in ears that also do a great job at blocking outside noise has finally come to an end.

I tried the Shure 100 (mediocre SQ, decent isolation, uncomfortable as hell), Bose QC3 (laughable SQ for the price, mediocre isolation) Yamaha EP 100 (outstanding SQ, good isolation but lots of microphonics and very uncomfortable). and lots more...

I kinda gave up until I came across the Etymotics MK5. Man, these are everything I've ever hoped for: Crisp, analytic sound, thick, but still flexible cable, almost no microphonics and while the isolation when using plastic tips or normal foams is already quite impressive, when using these strangely looking, huge grey foam tips that come with it, the isolation is phenomenal. I had people talking loudly on their phone sitting right next to me and all I could hear was that sweet music coming from my walkman (yes, I still use a walkman).

The only slight downside is that because these foams are far less squishy than the comply ones, they're a bit uncomfortable at first.

Btw: Knowing that foams are flimsy as hell (and gross after a few months) are there any replacement foams similar to them? Cause they're quite a bit longer than the standard ones I've used so far. I have no idea if that or the different material makes the isolation so much more impressive that when using my comply tips.

Fake edit: Seems like it's the length that does the trick:

Maximum Noise Isolation
Designed with 50% longer length than standard eartips for a deeper in-ear fit to block out maximum external noise. Enjoy music without raising the volume to compensate for outside noise. P-series tips provide more than 2x dB reduction than standard silicone eartips.

http://www.complyfoam.com/products/p-series/

 

[Antiwhippy]

Those eikons look juicy indeed. If my attention isn't taken by another by next year I'll probably get those.

 

[e_i]

Etymotic makes some great sound isolating earbuds. I have the HF5 myself.

Anyone have the 1More earbuds? Are they as good as everyone says?

 

[andylsun]

Keep looking at the Etymotic ER4-XR and wanting to buy.

But I've just spent 26 hours traveling on 3 planes and used my rockets the entire way and they are amazing. So another pair of IEMs is completely unnecessary.

The Open Alpha print will resume when I get home in a week. Was mucking around with Cura on the plane and due to limitations of my printer will end up printing them at a funky angle and not flat on the build plate. This should eliminate the warping I was getting.

I'm in Taipei this week and plan to hit the electronics mall on Sunday so may have some damage to report. At least I want to find some Spiral Dots

 

[nitewulf]

Friend of mine is looking for IEMs in the $400 - $500 range. He wants bassy, I'm thinking something with good, tight bass, smooth treble, that's accurate and highly resolving. He also really wants sound isolation. What are some options in that range?

 

[andylsun]

Friend of mine is looking for IEMs in the $400 - $500 range. He wants bassy, I'm thinking something with good, tight bass, smooth treble, that's accurate and highly resolving. He also really wants sound isolation. What are some options in that range?

What are they using at the moment where $400 would be an upgrade? What are they driving them from? I guess that's the price range for customs or depending on what they have already or their source, may not be much of an upgrade.

 

[Antiwhippy]

Friend of mine is looking for IEMs in the $400 - $500 range. He wants bassy, I'm thinking something with good, tight bass, smooth treble, that's accurate and highly resolving. He also really wants sound isolation. What are some options in that range?

Oooh, if he wants to swing $100 more i would have recommended the Lyra II from campfire audio.

At that price though probably the futuresonics g10.

Everything else I would recommend either would go over the price or have poor isolation.

 

[nitewulf]

Currently he is using pretty crappy stuff, he wants to really get an upgrade and has been saving up. But feel free to recommend anything around $250+ if it is competitive.

 

[DriftedPlanet]

Hi, headfiGAF. I'm going to walk in to a HiFi shop tomorrow (Gramophone) and ask to check out a bunch of headphones. Looking for suggestions of what I should ask to try and what sort of things I should ask in general.

What I already know I'd like to try (if they have them):
-Hifiman HE400S
-Oppo PM-3
-Oppo PM-2
-Fostex T50RP
-Audeze EL8.

What I already have:
-ATH AD700 (love the soundstage and general
sound but the lack of base is a killer and I
know there are much better cans out there;
still my daily driver)
-Sony MDR V6 (they're okay, bass is obviously
better than the AD700 but worse sound in
general)
-Sennheiser 280 Pro (extremely underwhelming,
I used it as a dry run for doing the
detachable cable mod on my AD700)
-Superlux HD668B (they were cheap and looked
like the the budget edition of the AD700;
they absolutely are, in every way. They have
a very similar design but are less
comfortable and don't do as well soundwise.
I added Brainwavz "Velor" pads to them to
replace the godawful stock pads, but they
still don't match the comfort of my AD700
with the softer wings and big comfy stock
pads. Still, I like their sound better than
the 280s and the MDR V6.)
-DAC/AMP Fiio E07K (I use it to drive whatever
I'm using)

The HE400S, t50rp, and pm-3 are within my price range (pm-3 are kinda out of it but they're at the edge).

I've got a fierce itch to hear some planars, some high end headphones that I couldn't possibly afford, and any good sub-500 ones I can.

I like open-backed cans, over-ear, soundstage, and am looking to try cans that are as good as the AD700 in general but with stronger bass or that straight up surpass them.

Comments and suggestions? I'll try whatever they'll let me try.

Edit: added Superlux HD668B to the owned category, grammar, and spacing adjustments.

 

[lightus]

Hey guys, I'm pretty new at the headset game and wondering if I can get a recommendation.


Currently I have an ATH-M50x with an M-Audio Bass Traveler Amp. I'm very happy with them, but the left cup somehow snapped off the frame putting them out of commission. I figured if I'm buying something new, I may as well upgrade.

My typical usage is 50% gaming and 50% music (mostly vinyl). Here's the key points for what I'm looking for:

Headset:

• 200-250 prices range (will flex up to 300 if there is something amazing at that price)
• Heavier bass than the ATH-M50Xs
• I prefer over ear form factor.
• Closed-Back is fine with me. Weight isn't an issue.
• Soundstage: Not sure. as far as music goes I don't really care. Does it come into play when gaming?

Amp:

• Is a new amp recommended? If so my budget is 50 or below.
• I love the small form factor of my M-Audio Bass Traveler. Having something small like that is a requirement.

I'm sorry if these request have been done a lot. I didn't see any the last few pages I viewed and this thread is too long to explore fully.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking to have a pair picked out by the end of the weekend if possible, just to give a time frame. If there is anything I missed, please let me know!

 

[Fou-Lu]

Is she an Apple user?

I own a pair myself so she isn't interested in them.

 

[Xander51]

Hey guys, I'm pretty new at the headset game and wondering if I can get a recommendation.


Currently I have an ATH-M50x with an M-Audio Bass Traveler Amp. I'm very happy with them, but the left cup somehow snapped off the frame putting them out of commission. I figured if I'm buying something new, I may as well upgrade.

My typical usage is 50% gaming and 50% music (mostly vinyl). Here's the key points for what I'm looking for:

Headset:

• 200-250 prices range (will flex up to 300 if there is something amazing at that price)
• Heavier bass than the ATH-M50Xs
• I prefer over ear form factor.
• Closed-Back is fine with me. Weight isn't an issue.
• Soundstage: Not sure. as far as music goes I don't really care. Does it come into play when gaming?

Amp:

• Is a new amp recommended? If so my budget is 50 or below.
• I love the small form factor of my M-Audio Bass Traveler. Having something small like that is a requirement.

I'm sorry if these request have been done a lot. I didn't see any the last few pages I viewed and this thread is too long to explore fully.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking to have a pair picked out by the end of the weekend if possible, just to give a time frame. If there is anything I missed, please let me know!

If you're looking for more bass than the M50X and want something comfy, I'd recommend the Sony MDR-1A. You won't need any special amp for it at all.

 

[HiResDes]

If you're looking for more bass than the M50X and want something comfy, I'd recommend the Sony MDR-1A. You won't need any special amp for it at all.

While I definitely like the sound of the Sony more I wouldn't say it was much more bassy. If you want more bass I think the V-Moda M100 would be better if it's mainly about bass and you're not concerned about soundstage.

 

[lightus]

If you're looking for more bass than the M50X and want something comfy, I'd recommend the Sony MDR-1A. You won't need any special amp for it at all.

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll look into them.

While I definitely like the sound of the Sony more I wouldn't say it was much more bassy. If you want more bass I think the V-Moda M100 would be better if it's mainly about bass and you're not concerned about soundstage.

I'll look into the V-Moda M100's as well. Thank you!

Edit - Do you mean you prefer the sound of the MDR-1A's more than the M50Xs or the M100s?

 

[HiResDes]

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll look into them.



I'll look into the V-Moda M100's as well. Thank you!

Edit - Do you mean you prefer the sound of the MDR-1A's more than the M50Xs or the M100s?

I was just saying that while I enjoy the Sony more than the M50X I didn't think they had more bass while I did find the M100 to have superior bass. I probably like the Sony the most out of the three but that's mainly because of their soundstage and balance, not for their bass really.

 

[HiResDes]

Hi, headfiGAF. I'm going to walk in to a HiFi shop tomorrow (Gramophone) and ask to check out a bunch of headphones. Looking for suggestions of what I should ask to try and what sort of things I should ask in general.

What I already know I'd like to try (if they have them):
-Hifiman HE400S
-Oppo PM-3
-Oppo PM-2
-Fostex T50RP
-Audeze EL8.

What I already have:
-ATH AD700 (love the soundstage and general
sound but the lack of base is a killer and I
know there are much better cans out there;
still my daily driver)
-Sony MDR V6 (they're okay, bass is obviously
better than the AD700 but worse sound in
general)
-Sennheiser 280 Pro (extremely underwhelming,
I used it as a dry run for doing the
detachable cable mod on my AD700)
-Superlux HD668B (they were cheap and looked
like the the budget edition of the AD700;
they absolutely are, in every way. They have
a very similar design but are less
comfortable and don't do as well soundwise.
I added Brainwavz "Velor" pads to them to
replace the godawful stock pads, but they
still don't match the comfort of my AD700
with the softer wings and big comfy stock
pads. Still, I like their sound better than
the 280s and the MDR V6.)
-DAC/AMP Fiio E07K (I use it to drive whatever
I'm using)

The HE400S, t50rp, and pm-3 are within my price range (pm-3 are kinda out of it but they're at the edge).

I've got a fierce itch to hear some planars, some high end headphones that I couldn't possibly afford, and any good sub-500 ones I can.

I like open-backed cans, over-ear, soundstage, and am looking to try cans that are as good as the AD700 in general but with stronger bass or that straight up surpass them.

Comments and suggestions? I'll try whatever they'll let me try.

Edit: added Superlux HD668B to the owned category, grammar, and spacing adjustments.

Check out the original HE-400 if they have them and it's always a good idea to audition the Sennheiser HD650 if they have them. Beyerdynamic DT880 maybe as well.

 

[DriftedPlanet]

At the shop I tried the Hifiman 400S (with an amp that I didn't get the name of) connected to a MacBook they had at the store and listened to Everything in it's right place. It was okay. Not super impressive, it seemed kinda muted in treble, mids, and even bass compared to my AD700+E07K (bass boosted). I now kinda want to go listen to that song with my setup though. At least they were comfortable.

I also tried the Audeze LCD2 paired with another amp off in a separate room. We listened to Kendrick (Swimming pools, King Kunta). The LCD2 has a really clear sound, it was easier to pick out the various layers to each track while listening. The bass is more natural than my AD700s.

I'm conflicted about them as I can tell the LCD2 is a good set but the sound wasn't compelling me to sit back and soak it in while listening&#8203; like my AD700s with my setup, or even the MDR V6 or HD668B at times. I felt a strong desire to hook them up to my E07K and/or my computer so I would be able to tweak the sound and get it just right. I didn't bring the dac with me but I will next time.

I'll definitely go back. Next time though, prepared with dac in hand and my library loaded to my phone. I want to see how my setup can run things, especially ballpark sets like the HE400S.

Edit:

Check out the original HE-400 if they have them and it's always a good idea to audition the Sennheiser HD650 if they have them. Beyerdynamic DT880 maybe as well.

I've already gone and come back, but thanks for the suggestions. I'll demo the 650 and DT880 next time, probably next weekend. I'm also going to check out another shop called soundscape that has a different selection.

They also had Focal Elear, Focal Utopia, Audeze LCD-X, and AudioQuest Nighthawk carbons that I'd be interested in checking out. There are a bunch of others I didn't recognize but I'm going to try anyway. Apparently they hosted a party to show off all the various hifi audio brands just a few days ago and let people try all these different sets, including a pair priced at $50k which is one of two in the US.

Local HiFi seems like it's going to be really interesting to get into.

 

[lightus]

I was just saying that while I enjoy the Sony more than the M50X I didn't think they had more bass while I did find the M100 to have superior bass. I probably like the Sony the most out of the three but that's mainly because of their soundstage and balance, not for their bass really.

Okay cool. Thank you for the clarification. I thought that's what you meant but I wanted to double check.