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The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC

A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
I have a couple of fairly cheap iems in case I need to send my more expensive ones for repair or whatever, but I'm not really one to cycle between different sounds. Right now I'm trying to consolidate iems to use in different situations, but I find I'll just always use my best one for all situations anyway.

Even the ciem I'm waiting on to be finished will probably just be used as my main exercise phones.
 
E

EthanC

Banned
Got a pair of V-moda Crossfade Wireless for Christmas and paired them with a Boompro mic. Puts every gaming headset I've ever used to shame and it's also amazing for music and movies via my AppleTV4 using Bluetooth.
 
M

MegalonJJ

Banned
T1 2nd gen is superb.

tumblr_larpyuSBq31qas5xlo1_500.gif


Soooo goooood!!
 
T

Tommy DJ

Member
henhowc said:
So what's the deal with this boomstick device thing?

http://www.slashgear.com/boomstick-review-99-headphone-upgrade-03420235/
Click to expand...

Who the hell knows, the website is fucking useless because their demo isn't volume matched. From the sounds of things with my shitty internet, I hear a boost in treble and bass and an overall huge increase in volume.

Bill Rizer said:
So, what is the best pick among recent mid-priced DAPs?

I think I want to upgrade from my Fiio X1 and I'm evaluating AK Jr, iBasso Dx80, and Cayin N5 (which I find aesthetically awesome, btw!!!). I don't mind size at all, since I will use it at home on bed when I just want to relax. Headphones will be Grado sr80e, Akg K550, K121, Sony mdr-7506. I currently power them with the Fiio e11k and I'd ideally want a DAP with comparable power without need of external amp. (For instance, I find unamped X1 quite underpowered, especially for K550)
Click to expand...

With that headphone lineup, I'd just use a smartphone. Let's be honest: most DAPs are extremely shitty from a usability standpoint and most are extremely underpowered compared to external amp/DAC combos. Like the Astell and Kern Jr is like $400-600 and STILL has user interface lag and is pretty unusable in the left hand. Even with the bulk, I'd rather just carry a Oppo HA-2 or LH Geek Out V2 Infinity.

Like how do you know that the X1 is underpowered for the K550? I think people tend to overestimate just how much power their headphones need. Its a 32 ohm dynamic driver headphone with a sensitivity of 102 dB SPL/mW. Its not a Sennheiser HD600 or Hifiman HE-6.
 
J

jesalr

Member
My Dunu TITAN 1s have developed a low hum in the right ear, going to see if Amazon will take them aback. They're still under 6 months old.

Any options on what to switch to if I get a full refund? Mostly listen to podcasts, R&B, hip-hop, and a bit of house/electro.

Had one recommendation for the MA750i.
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
MA750i is a good shout.

The new dunu titan range seems very interesting as well, especially the 3.

Trinity Hyperions is still my favourite in that price range.
 
K

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
jesalr said:
My Dunu TITAN 1s have developed a low hum in the right ear, going to see if Amazon will take them aback. They're still under 6 months old.

Any options on what to switch to if I get a full refund? Mostly listen to podcasts, R&B, hip-hop, and a bit of house/electro.

Had one recommendation for the MA750i.
Click to expand...

I'll be blown away if Amazon takes them back, after all this time.
 
L

Linius

Member
jesalr said:
In the UK the seller is responsible for the first year's warranty. Never had any issue with them taking things back within a year before
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how European laws work for the UK since you lads are so stubborn but trough the EU it's even two years.
 
J

jesalr

Member
Linius said:
I'm not sure how European laws work for the UK since you lads are so stubborn but trough the EU it's even two years.
Click to expand...
I think it applies, but there's some weird burden of proof.

Either way, refund secured. Will send these back after I pick up a new set. At the moment between the MA750 and Titan 5 (Amazon don't sell the 3, and I probably like the description of the 5 more anyway)
 
K

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
jesalr said:
In the UK the seller is responsible for the first year's warranty. Never had any issue with them taking things back within a year before
Click to expand...

Oh the UK, yeah you're good. Us American pleebs don't get such consumer friendly laws.
 
K

Karish

Member
I just got Piston 3 Youth and the AKG 323XS in the mail. The 323XS are easily the most comfortable earbuds I've ever used. They basically dissapear in your ear canal. That being said, I much prefer my XIAOMI Hyrbids that I got before either of these. Piston 3 Youth might have a good sound but hard to ignore how cheap they feel compared to the Hybrids which feel very premium.

Hybrid >>>> 323XS > Piston 3 Youth

Edit: Also really appreciate the 323XS's lack of microphonics. They may become my go-to in bed for this reason alone.
 
D

DagsJT

Member
AKG K7xx's have arrived today and a Schiit Vali arriving tomorrow. Very excited.

Going to be running them off a Mixamp as a DAC for now as I still want surround for my Xbox One. Maybe at some point I'll get a Modi 2 Uber if I move off from surround and happy with stereo gaming.
 
B

Blitzhex

Member
K.Jack said:
Mine literally live in my bag, thrown in and out with no regard for their safety. I haven't had a single issue with my KC06 or KC06A.

I certainly trust their sturdiness over that of the Tenore. The cable feels way more rugged.
.
Click to expand...

Sounds good. I hope the ear guides keep them secure during cardio.

DagsJT said:
AKG K7xx's have arrived today and a Schiit Vali arriving tomorrow. Very excited.

Going to be running them off a Mixamp as a DAC for now as I still want surround for my Xbox One. Maybe at some point I'll get a Modi 2 Uber if I move off from surround and happy with stereo gaming.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the club.
Legendary soundstage, pretty much endgame for anyone for gaming.
img_20151227_022801d8j0d.jpg
Click to expand...

I've got the vali 2 instead. The combo is amazing for music as well though, jazz especially sounds phenomenal. I stick to stereo for games, really hated the cmss-3d off my creative card. HAven't tried razer surround software yet.
 
D

DagsJT

Member
Blitzhex said:
Sounds good. I hope the ear guides keep them secure during cardio.



Welcome to the club.
Legendary soundstage, pretty much endgame for anyone for gaming.


I've got the vali 2 instead. The combo is amazing for music as well though, jazz especially sounds phenomenal. I stick to stereo for games, really hated the cmss-3d off my creative card. HAven't tried razer surround software yet.
Click to expand...

The Vali 2 looks great! Are you using a DAC?
 
B

Blitzhex

Member
DagsJT said:
The Vali 2 looks great! Are you using a DAC?
Click to expand...

Using the Titanium HD, it has a pretty good dac. It's giving me some crackling issues though where I have to reset settings in the card to make crackling go away. Think it's Creative's horrendous drivers causing it. Might pick up a modi2u later to go with the looks.
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
Man, the mojo drop on massdrop is why you have to be so careful with massdrop. Inflated msrp to make the drop look more enticing, and not approved by the manufacturer. They can be so skeezy at times.
 
T

Tommy DJ

Member
Not really but I like loudspeakers better than headphones so I can probably give you some advice. You can also try the vinyl thread in this subforum as they're pretty much 100% stereo there's bound to be a few people there that can help you.
 
W

Waikis

Member
Antiwhippy said:
Man, the mojo drop on massdrop is why you have to be so careful with massdrop. Inflated msrp to make the drop look more enticing, and not approved by the manufacturer. They can be so skeezy at times.
Click to expand...

Speaking of Mojo, anyone here has tried it yet?
Ive briefly tested it with th x00 and it seems to be competent enough. Can't say much since th x00 doesnt really need amp to shine. Will try it with hd 800 later on.

Also yes yes the hugo is way overpriced for what it is, but mojo seems to priced competitively.
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
Dunno, want to try it, but the only distributor they have in Australia is in another state so I can't audition it.

Not looking for another portable DAC/amp. Need something with optical out. Might get it some time in the future though.
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
Welp, I've fallen to the darkside. I just bought a headphone cable.

To be fair I bought it more for ergonomic reasons. Estrom Linum Bax. The memory wire on my harmony isn't as bothersome as the 2.5 but as a glasses wearer it's still annoying to deal with. The linum bax sounds right up my alley.

Also I appreciate that they just list out the resistance instead of going "made from super polymer 1000000 stranded lizt cold press platinum to lift everything up and sound amazing". Going to be interesting, though I'm not sure if a 1.5 ohm resistance would make too much of a difference. BAs are weird though. I don't know the resistance of my original cables anyway so eh.
 
R

Rad Agast

Member
I have a quick question if you guys can help me with.

I've ordered the beyerdynamic custom one pro plus which comes with a wired mic. Would it work with the new xbox one controller or not?
 
B

br0ken_shad0w

Member
Antiwhippy said:
Man, the mojo drop on massdrop is why you have to be so careful with massdrop. Inflated msrp to make the drop look more enticing, and not approved by the manufacturer. They can be so skeezy at times.
Click to expand...

It's been like that for a while on Massdrop. Many times you can buy something listed there on another site for cheaper if you actually search a bit.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
thabiz said:
Are the Weston 40s worth it over the 30s?
Click to expand...

Bruh don't you have Dunu DN-2000js? Let me get those for the low if you aren't using them to compare to my other stuff

Also aren't the 4R supposed to be basically a more durable version of the 40s and are currently cheaper
 
T

thabiz

Member
HiResDes said:
Bruh don't you have Dunu DN-2000js? Let me get those for the low if you aren't using them to compare to my other stuff

Also aren't the 4R supposed to be basically a more durable version of the 40s and are currently cheaper
Click to expand...

Sadly I'll still be using the dunus. Love them.

I got a gift certificate for a headphone store and I do need a travel pair with a detachable cord. I initially wanted the 40s when I got the 2000js.

I haven't seen the 4rs. I'll check those out. Thanks.


Edit: yeah it seems they are better and cheaper. Perfect.
 
D

DagsJT

Member
Kinda feel I'm not able to appreciate my Vali using the Mixamp as a DAC. It might be that the Vali needs to burn in as well, but it feels like there's a LOT less soundstage and imaging compared to the SoundBlaster G5.

Really annoying that the Modi's are out of stock.
 
K

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
According to the founder and CEO of HIFIMAN on his Weibo (China's version of Twitter). The Shangri-La electrostatic headphone and amplifier combo isn't going to be cheaper than a BYD Tang SUV. (CN¥300,000 or ~$45,750 USD)

Just LOL, come on Fang, you're forgetting the philosophy Hifiman was built on bruv.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Tommy really opened my eyes to how shoddy some of their headphones are constructed. I don't think I'll ever rely on them to satiate my summit tier needs if I were to fall into a large sum of money.
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
The He-1000 does sound pretty sweet though.

Probably not for the money they ask for it but I really liked what I heard.
 
T

Tommy DJ

Member
I swear the Jade 2 is literally a Sennheiser Orpheus II clone right down to the insane stupid amp/pre-amp thingy and insane pricing, only without Sennheiser's attempt for some degree of innovation with shoving the amp inside the headphone for better efficiency/easier tuning/etc etc.

But holy shit that amp looks like shit. I could DIY something that looks better than that:

WSthhEA.jpg
 
W

Waikis

Member
Thoughts on vali 2 vs mojo / go v2?
The hype machine seems to be strong with vali 2 given its price and performance. However, I want to keep the clutter on my rack/desk as minimal as possible.

Can the mojo or go v2 stand on equal ground with Vali2 (in terms of the headphone output)?
 
K

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
HiResDes said:
Tommy really opened my eyes to how shoddy some of their headphones are constructed.
Click to expand...
All of my failed HFM sets over the years should've done that tenfold breh.

Body count:

RE-2
RE-ZERO x3
RE-400 x2
RE-300
HE-300 x3

I feel like I'm forgetting a couple.
 
T

Tommy DJ

Member
Waikis said:
Thoughts on vali 2 vs mojo / go v2?
The hype machine seems to be strong with vali 2 given its price and performance. However, I want to keep the clutter on my rack/desk as minimal as possible.

Can the mojo or go v2 stand on equal ground with Vali2 (in terms of the headphone output)?
Click to expand...

My money is on the Vali 2 if only because of the 6 ohm output impedance @ high gain. I think you mentioned that you use Sennheiser HD800s and I think one of the key parts of competent matching for them is to have a headphone amp with a few ohms of output impedance. This bumps up the mid-bass a little to make things sound less bright without making the HD800s sound like a completely different headphone or complete mud.

Geek Out V2 is great but the build quality is pretty utilitarian...though apparently Light Harmonic is trying to shift towards aluminium again. I've never heard the Chord Mojo but I wasn't really impressed with the Hugo (price was a HUGE factor here), I honestly thought it looked pretty lousy and the whole disco lights to show information action was not at all intuitive.
 
W

Waikis

Member
Tommy DJ said:
My money is on the Vali 2 if only because of the 6 ohm output impedance @ high gain. I think you mentioned that you use Sennheiser HD800s and I think one of the key parts of competent matching for them is to have a headphone amp with a few ohms of output impedance. This bumps up the mid-bass a little to make things sound less bright without making the HD800s sound like a completely different headphone or complete mud.

Geek Out V2 is great but the build quality is pretty utilitarian...though apparently Light Harmonic is trying to shift towards aluminium again. I've never heard the Chord Mojo but I wasn't really impressed with the Hugo (price was a HUGE factor here), I honestly thought it looked pretty lousy and the whole disco lights to show information action was not at all intuitive.
Click to expand...

I'm using sr009 for main rig, the vali will be used for th x00 and maybe hd 800 or other phones in the future. I think I'm leaning towards vali 2 as well now since I see that A2A has one in stock.

Also, while the mojo looks like a toy, the unit itself is a very solid chunk of aluminium.
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
K.Jack said:
All of my failed HFM sets over the years should've done that tenfold breh.

Body count:

RE-2
RE-ZERO x3
RE-400 x2
RE-300
HE-300 x3

I feel like I'm forgetting a couple.
Click to expand...

To be fair I think their headphones have better reputations than their earphones.

But yeah, I will never buy a HFM earphone just due to its reputation.
 
W

Waikis

Member
Tommy DJ said:
My money is on the Vali 2 if only because of the 6 ohm output impedance @ high gain. I think you mentioned that you use Sennheiser HD800s and I think one of the key parts of competent matching for them is to have a headphone amp with a few ohms of output impedance. This bumps up the mid-bass a little to make things sound less bright without making the HD800s sound like a completely different headphone or complete mud.

Geek Out V2 is great but the build quality is pretty utilitarian...though apparently Light Harmonic is trying to shift towards aluminium again. I've never heard the Chord Mojo but I wasn't really impressed with the Hugo (price was a HUGE factor here), I honestly thought it looked pretty lousy and the whole disco lights to show information action was not at all intuitive.
Click to expand...

Another question, since the Mojo has 2 3.5mm outputs, would splitting the L and R headphone cable and plugging them to each output provide any benefits?
Theres a guy who claims that the split cable would sound better. I can't see why it would sound better. Thoughts?
 
T

Tommy DJ

Member
The two 3.5mm outputs are the same single ended output. It is 100% not a balanced amplifier. The only reason you'd hear a real difference is if one of the cables is manufactured incorrectly or you're trying to convince yourself you can hear a difference. I can't think of a logical reason why the split cable would sound better unless there was already a problem with one of the cables.
 
K

Karish

Member
Some impressions on the Samson RH600:

These went on sale recently but I had a hard time finding reviews. Just one on Head-Fi and a few random comments here and there that were largely positive. I bit the bullet and they arrived last night. Two things I should note, these are my first open headphones and I am NOT an audiophile. Just an enthusiast who recently got addicted to headphones.
I am very impressed with these. I find them immensely comfortable and they sound great, very neutral. The sound-stage is excellent. My HM5 pads fit as well! Very happy at $20. Anyone wanting to try an open-pair for cheap should pick these up!
Pic of the cans w/ Hm5 pads on http://imgur.com/cxCzAW0
 
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