Bloodember
Member
Yeah, those look real. Not sure why yours frayed like that though. If you haven't had them that long, I'd get a hold of customer support and see if you could get a new pair.
The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC
- Thread starter HiResDes
- Start date
Yeah, those look real. Not sure why yours frayed like that though. If you haven't had them that long, I'd get a hold of customer support and see if you could get a new pair.
disastermouse
Banned
I'm glad you like the amp, but your experience is completely different than mine. My O2 is in a junk drawer somewhere now.
chronos4590
Member
So ... I think my Accidentally Extraordinary 51st Studios Broke. Only one ear works. The left ear. I love these things. If i cant somehow fix it i wonder what would be a good replacement.
Any recommendations or ideas?
Any recommendations or ideas?
Same price range? Creative Aurvana Live.
chronos4590
Member
Basically even if i cant afford it this month I'd rather be on that range of price and sound quality (or better) Gonna look that up now. Thanks!
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
TH-X00 back on massdrop!
Still have to wait till may!
Still not getting it!
Still have to wait till may!
Still not getting it!
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Pretty sure that you can get way cheaper than that on the head fi buy sell forums.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Oh brand new. Fair enough, though I don't mind buying it used if I'm not going to get the warranty anyway. Do you have the warranty transferred over?
Nah, warranty still doesn't transfer over afaik. That was just a gamble I was willing to take and if anything were to happen, it would be the wires and that's an easy solder fix. Also the fact that $400 used pairs from anywhere in the world would cost $30 extra to ship to where I live. The difference in price becomes much smaller considering the ebay one I got has free shipping worldwide.
So today I went to a large music equipment store to compare a bunch of different over-ear headphones in the sub €300 range, namely the: dt 770 pro (250ohm), dt 880 pro (250ohm), ath-m50x, k702, k612, k712 pro, hd600, hd650. Since I was trying to find a replacement for my old dt 770 pro, I wanted to compare these headphones against the dt 770 as it sounds out of my O2/ODAC, but unfortunately for me this store sells mostly studio equipment and they didn't really have any dedicated headphone amps there. But after some time trying random amplifiers I managed to find one where the dt 770 they had sounded very close to what I was used to. After that I was just going back and forth listening to headphones and (probably) annoying store personel for about 4 hours. For what it's worth I'll try to summarize my impression of each headphone in a few words:
Beyer DT 770 pro (250 ohm): Great bass, lacking midrange and detail, somewhat excessive treble (sibilant!), smallish soundstage
Beyer DT 880 pro (250 ohm): Nice soundstage and detail, less treble but still excessive (sibilant!), bass a bit too supressed. Overal better than the dt 770.
AKG K702: Unnaturally large soundstage, quite detailed, lacking bass, sibilant, somewhat boring.
AKG K612: Nice soundstage, lots of detail, decent bass. Frequency response seems quite flat. Much better than K702, yet still sounds a bit too thin?
AKG K712 PRO: Same qualities as K612, nicer bass response. Fun to headphone to listen to, would recommend. The orange accents look terrible tho'.
Audio Technica ath-m50x: Nice build quality, removable cable. Cheap sounding (considering the price), not sure why these are still so popular.
Sennheiser HD600: Nice soundstage, lots of detail, very nice bass response. Great to listen to, quite similar sound to the k712 PRO but slightly less treble.
Sennheiser HD650: Almost the same as HD600, but with a touch more bass and no weird marble finish.
I ended up leaving with the hd 650, since that seemed to fit my taste the best, and I'm really happy with it. The O2 also seems to cope with it well on low gain, on high gain it clips on some songs though, so I'll probably end up swapping the resistors to reduce the gain a bit.
Beyer DT 770 pro (250 ohm): Great bass, lacking midrange and detail, somewhat excessive treble (sibilant!), smallish soundstage
Beyer DT 880 pro (250 ohm): Nice soundstage and detail, less treble but still excessive (sibilant!), bass a bit too supressed. Overal better than the dt 770.
AKG K702: Unnaturally large soundstage, quite detailed, lacking bass, sibilant, somewhat boring.
AKG K612: Nice soundstage, lots of detail, decent bass. Frequency response seems quite flat. Much better than K702, yet still sounds a bit too thin?
AKG K712 PRO: Same qualities as K612, nicer bass response. Fun to headphone to listen to, would recommend. The orange accents look terrible tho'.
Audio Technica ath-m50x: Nice build quality, removable cable. Cheap sounding (considering the price), not sure why these are still so popular.
Sennheiser HD600: Nice soundstage, lots of detail, very nice bass response. Great to listen to, quite similar sound to the k712 PRO but slightly less treble.
Sennheiser HD650: Almost the same as HD600, but with a touch more bass and no weird marble finish.
I ended up leaving with the hd 650, since that seemed to fit my taste the best, and I'm really happy with it. The O2 also seems to cope with it well on low gain, on high gain it clips on some songs though, so I'll probably end up swapping the resistors to reduce the gain a bit.
Yo would agree with all that pretty much, though I think the K612 doesn't sound too thin though at the time I was using a tube hybrid. The DT880s excessive treble doesn't sound quite as alarming after hours of brain burn in. I definitely think you'd like the Master and Dynamic MH40 but they're probably not any cheaper than the HD650 at this point.
I am having some serious difficulty finding some kind of clip on or something microphone to use with my HD598's for PS4/PC without spending $70 canadian on a modmic. I already have the combiner cable from some HyperX Cloud 1's that I don't like that much. So I should just need a microphone, but I'm having some troubles just finding any decent ones, any ideas?
Don't really want to have to mod the headphones to use a boompro either.
Don't really want to have to mod the headphones to use a boompro either.
That's actually really true. I think I forgot to post about it in here but after I mentioned I didn't like my DT880s anymore 2-3 weeks ago in this thread I decided I'd take them out the box and use them for a weekend. After several hours I got used to them and I understood why I liked them before. It just takes my brain a while to get used to their sound signature.
I use a Zalman clip on mic and a dollar store mic for my consoles and PC. There's really no need to pay a lot of money for a mic. Nobody complains that they can't hear me.
Zalman clip on mic.
It could also be that it highlights this aspect in the (older) recordings I listened to, since I mostly got that impression from Sympathy for the Devil and Hey Jude. Listening to Thriller or Adele's 25 the k612 sounded a lot nicer. Either way it's definitely a great pair of cans for the price, definitely competitive with more expensive pairs.
As for the MH40: They do seem/look amazing, so I tried to find a pair on sale here in the Netherlands. But it seems that only apple sells them throught their online store for 400 which is ~ 80 more than what the hd650 and the k712 pro typically go for. I also couldn't find an apple store near me where I could test them, so I decided against getting it.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Hmm, yeah, I think the mojo will be my endgame dac/amp. It's pretty highly unlikely that I'll buy something like the hd800 or the he-6 (though from what I've heard the mojo drivers the hd800 decently) anytime in the near future, plus a dedicated desktop solution just won't get a lot of use from me. Never say never, but I am more than happy to settle on the level of quality the mojo gives me. Plus I think I've already breached ludicrous levels with my setup.
I still really want to try the geek out v2+, but light harmonica makes it so hard for me to want to give them any business.
I still really want to try the geek out v2+, but light harmonica makes it so hard for me to want to give them any business.
Stereophile's review of Mojo (with measurements):
http://www.stereophile.com/content/chord-electronics-mojo-da-headphone-amplifier-measurements#7wthKaioQYfMdb0e.97
disastermouse
Banned
If Schiit ever makes a portable DAC/Amp, I'll jump on it. I can't believe the difference the Bifrost Multibit has made in my setup. I would have never thought a friggin' DAC would do what this one has done for me.
Yes it will. It drives my HD800's and T1's, as well as the LCD2's, 3's and T1 v2's I no longer own. In fact, the O2 powers all of these just as adequately as my Violectric V200 and old WooAudio WA2 amp. It just sounds ever so slightly different is all, not because it's worse in any way, but because it's completely neutral, whereas the others colour the sound slightly (the WA2 making things sound darker and bassier, the V200 ever so slightly more musical with a slight sub bass and upper mid bump). The O2 amp ironically enough sounds fractionally more detailed than either of the other two, despite costing orders of magnitude less.
People these days all too easily confuse colourisation with actual sufficient amperage. The O2 DAC/Amp is more than competent enough to power even the top headphones, so long as when you put your order through, you let the relevant parties know what sort of Ohm cans you'll be using with them, so they can tweak accordingly. There's always that gain switch too.
DAC/AMP advice.
To all the would be audiophiles on here, as someone who's spent thousands testing this hobby, in the words of DJ Khaled, don't play yourself. If you want a DAC/AMP that is as good as any out there, and sufficient enough to power pretty much anything, with an inaudible noise floor and complete neutrality, just buy the O2 DAC/Amp combo. It will compete with set ups that cost 10x more, despite what others will tell you. I say this after countless impartial tests and blind tests, else placebo is a powerful thing.
If however you don't want completely neutral amping and signal converting, and instead prefer intentional colouristion (Eg an artificial change in sonic presentation), such as the warmth of certain tube amps etc, then naturally feel free to look elsewhere. I actually use a Rein Audio X-DAC via optical instead of the ODac with my O2 amp or V200, because I like the slight (artificial) smoothness it offers to my otherwise detail slanted, more clinical cans.
Oh, also stay away from the super expensive uber premium cables, power supplies etc too, most/all don't offer diddly squat's worth of a difference. So long as you have half decent cabling, you're good to go.
This might have been true at one point in time,,, but in a world where Schiit exists, why would you want to get a DAC/AMP that can potentially clip?
zswordsman
Member
Is there really a big difference between the HD 598 and the HD 700s? I really like my 598s but I kinda want more now. I feel like the HD 800 would be overkill plus Id probably only have $400 for headphones which the 700 are at.
When I put my order through with JDS, he specifically asked me what cans I'd be using them with, so he could tweak it to be most effective at that impedance range. I can't say I've ever suffered any sort of clipping, or ever been close to short on power, even when I've used the gain (which I generally don't actually use or need to use). Bare in mind, this is them powering the Beyerdynamic T1's and HD800's.
On a side note, a quick Google shows lots of people have suffered clipping issues with Schiit products too. It's likely a case by case issue.
My personal fave cans are still my old Beyerdynamic T1's. I'd recommend them over all the others, and they're fairly cheap now too. I bought the T1 v2 and returned them as I still preferred my v1's, but it'll probably be a subjective thing.
My HD800's have a larger and wider soundatage than my T1's, and in specific (not all) scenarios, instrumental separation can be better on them too, but in terms of smoothness, imaging, dynamics and mid bass punch, I prefer the T1's. They're still my go to cans after so many years. They're simply a more enjoyable listening experience to all other cans I've tested or used, and strike the best balance between detailed and smooth that I've yet experienced. EQ in a tiny bit of sub bass presence (31hz), and you're good to go for anything. Comparatively, the HD800's are a touch too much on the analytical side, and some of the Audeze cans a little on the darker side. Next step is to test the new HD800S!
I haven't specifically compared a HD598 with a HD700, though I did used to own a 598 and now own the HD800's. The differences won't be Earth shattering (especially for the cost difference), but they will be noticeable. In terms of detail retrieval and soundstage, the T1/HD800/HD700 should/will improve things several ways. They'll sound a lot more accurate, revealing and dynamic, but where they may falter is in overall bass presence and impact (not quality).
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Awwww yeah my ciems are coming in.
But boy, it sure was a process. Not sure if I want to go through all that again.
But boy, it sure was a process. Not sure if I want to go through all that again.
LordAmused
Member
What does GAF think about Bose QC25?
I am looking for a nice pair of headphones for reading, working out and listening to music (obviously).
I tried the QC25 and the SoundLink II. Was impressed by the sound quality but not by the price...Any suggestions? Having a bluetooth headset would definitely be a plus.
I am looking for a nice pair of headphones for reading, working out and listening to music (obviously).
I tried the QC25 and the SoundLink II. Was impressed by the sound quality but not by the price...Any suggestions? Having a bluetooth headset would definitely be a plus.
They're a 150$ headphone with a 150$ noise cancelling system.
And that's awesome for me.
Sound-wise, you'll always be able to find better for the price. But considering comfort and noise cancelling, it's an incredible package.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
If you don't care about noise cancelling and want Bluetooth at a cheaper price I'd give the mee audio air fi af52 or matrix 2 a look.
If wired isn't a problem, definitely check out the AKG K545. You get that detailed AKG house sound, except this time with a decent amount of bass presence and impact. For the money I paid, they're really good. The only negative is they have a slight 8hz bump, but this can be EQ'd out. They're closed back, so you don't get a huge soundstage, but it's still pretty good, and at least you maintain privacy as a result. Also they have a mic for both Android and Apple devices.
Yeah if you absolutely need active noise canceling for things such as riding an airplane, train, or mowing the lawn then for sure the QC25 is gonna be one of your better options, but there are plenty of closed headphones that block out enough sound to be used on buses or in a room with someone and won't leak much unless you listen at high volumes.
zswordsman
Member
Dang, the T1's are definitely out of my price range. One day though, one day.
I'm still on the fence for HD700 though. I kinda want to upgrade but not sure if the difference is that much.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
I remember the hd700 getting somewhat mixed to negative reviews.
Maybe look at the he-400s for your price range.
Maybe look at the he-400s for your price range.
I wouldn't recommend getting the HD 700... it's got a really really piercing high around 6khz.
Maybe look around for a used HD800? With the hd800s coming out soon, there will be more on the second hand market.
HD800 has a ski-slope of like 10dB from 4khz to 6khz so it's just as bright as the HD700. The difference is that the HD800 is objectively one of the best headphones in the world in terms of raw performance. The only thing that the HD800 is let down by is the frequency response.
Unlike the Beyerdynamic though, this issue is correctable. Sennheiser isn't some scrub company and all of their "high end" sets will sound pretty much exactly the same regardless of sample.
So the good news here is that well documented mods for the HD800 will work 100% of the time. You can pretty much get 99% of the HD800S by shoving a trimmed Shute Olive foam IEM tip into the hole and using cork instead of foam with the original Anax mod detailed by Tyll on Inner Fidelity. Not real hard if you're able to use scissors and a hobby knife.
Same goes for the HD700. You can solve most of the problems by modifying the earpads. But the HD700 is still a pretty terrible buy because it's just not good.
Unlike the Beyerdynamic though, this issue is correctable. Sennheiser isn't some scrub company and all of their "high end" sets will sound pretty much exactly the same regardless of sample.
So the good news here is that well documented mods for the HD800 will work 100% of the time. You can pretty much get 99% of the HD800S by shoving a trimmed Shute Olive foam IEM tip into the hole and using cork instead of foam with the original Anax mod detailed by Tyll on Inner Fidelity. Not real hard if you're able to use scissors and a hobby knife.
Same goes for the HD700. You can solve most of the problems by modifying the earpads. But the HD700 is still a pretty terrible buy because it's just not good.
zswordsman
Member
Are they better than the 700/598? I'm pretty new to this so all I've used so far is sennheiser but I'm open to anything.
That'll be interesting, maybe they'll get cheap once the 800S comes out, maybe not.
I guess that explains why the HD700 have like a $600 discount since not a lot of people like them as much. Lol here and in headfi they say the HD700 are bad but in the Amazon reviews they give it good scores, I guess it's just them trying to justify their investment.
I don't think my little amp could power the HD800 though, I mainly use a Hi-res Walkman with an E12.
SolarMystic
Member
The hd700 can be pretty easily fixed with EQ and/or mods. If you ok doing such things than it could be a solid choice for some people.
Most just either go for a 600 or 650 at that point though.
I've just discovered this thread. Always been an audiophile and finally decided to invest a small fortune on the Sennheiser combo HD800 with the HDVD800 amp/dac. I am loving it so far. I love listening OSTs whether it be movies or games.
It's also amazing when playing video games or watching blu-ray movies.
The only downside now is I find itunes AAC doesn't give justice to this setup and All of my music are from itunes.
I recently just changed the cables to balanced cables as well.
It's also amazing when playing video games or watching blu-ray movies.
The only downside now is I find itunes AAC doesn't give justice to this setup and All of my music are from itunes.
I recently just changed the cables to balanced cables as well.
I've just discovered this thread. Always been an audiophile and finally decided to invest a small fortune on the Sennheiser combo HD800 with the HDVD800 amp/dac. I am loving it so far. I love listening OSTs whether it be movies or games.
It's also amazing when playing video games or watching blu-ray movies.
The only downside now is I find itunes AAC doesn't give justice to this setup and All of my music are from itunes.
I recently just changed the cables to balanced cables as well.
Nice. Awesome set up you have. Surprised you didn't wait on more impressions and availability on the new HD800S though.
Thanks! I was contemplating the HD800S as well but there was an offer where the combo for HDVD800 and HD800 was ~NZD700 cheaper than buying the separately so I went for it.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Pretty sure you can mod the original 800 to be like the 800s anyway
Also it seems like the mee audio pinnacle p1 seems to be the new hotness.
Also it seems like the mee audio pinnacle p1 seems to be the new hotness.
SolarMystic
Member
They can easily be found for $500 new, which is half the price they were at launch. Not sure how long it took to get there though.
Which is remarkable in itself considering Sennheiser headphones barely move in price at all. The HD800 is still a similar price since day 1.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Wait, really? I thought I've seen them on a significant discount for awhile now.
SolarMystic
Member
Yea, sennheiser headphones are always on sale. For example, the $500 hd650 is on sale for around $300 multiple times a year while the $1500 hd800 can be had for closer to $1000-1200.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Yeah been talking to SGS about it. It's a very good phone. Technically brilliant IMO. There's a bit of quirkiness in the midrange at about 1-2 kHz (recession) that I'm struggling with, but I'm gonna roll some tips to see if I can't iron that out.