CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

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Author Topic: CHANGSTAR 2014 CANADA DAY (JULY 1) HIGH-END BUYING GUIDE  (Read 7861 times)

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shipsupt

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Re: CHANGSTAR 2014 CANADA DAY (JULY 1) HIGH-END BUYING GUIDE
« Reply #30 on: July 05, 2014, 09:12:14 AM »

Oh no, did Lawton replace the cups with inferior ones?

Doesn't look like it in this case. His basic mods don't require changing cups.

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Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

Armaegis

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Re: CHANGSTAR 2014 CANADA DAY (JULY 1) HIGH-END BUYING GUIDE
« Reply #31 on: July 05, 2014, 06:20:24 PM »

Heh, well I meant if you literally threw a whole bunch of headphones in a box and shook violently, the DT48 would probably be the survivor. The amperior probably second, or perhaps the Aiaiai TMA.

I know, I gotcha bro.  ;)

It's okay, ESP950, lifetime warranty.  :)p1

On that note, Skullcandy has lifetime warranty as well  :)p8
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Do you think there may be an acoustic leak from the jack hole? ~Tyll Hertsens

Not sure if I like stuffing one hole or both holes. Tending toward one hole since both holes seems kinda ghey ~Purrin

OJneg

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Re: CHANGSTAR 2014 CANADA DAY (JULY 1) HIGH-END BUYING GUIDE
« Reply #32 on: July 05, 2014, 08:10:05 PM »

Here's my own take on the list so far. Just so this buying guide can have more than one voice. Feel free to copy/paste or use me for a box quote. Or ignore me completely.

HD800:
It's effin' bright, no way around it. For reference, I find stock HD800 unacceptable on many rigs. Like Marv said, it seems to need mods and speshal toobs and speshal DACs and all sorts of voodoo to sound good. But once you're there, there's nothing quite like it. Incredibly articulate and incredibly immediate. Great imaging and sense of space. Take the prerequisites for what you will.

Fostex TH-900
Too bassy for me.

LCD-X
If the TH900 gets 3 pirates, the LCDX should too (IMO). It's way more accurate and more complete. Still a poor value in the scope of things.

JPS Labs Abyss AB-1266
I think this one should be conditional on mods and speshal matching too. When I heard a stock Abyss I thought it was mediocre, which in turn makes it an absolute sh1t value in the scope of things. This is driven by the Woo Audio monoblock thingy, so if that thing is shitty and was twisting my impressions let me know. I don't have a reference on how the Woo performs. But in earnest, I can say I preferred the HD650 that was sitting next to the Abyss. Yes, I'm someone who takes neutral tone over technicalities any and every day of the week. Bite me.

With regard to Marv's Abyss on Marv's system, it's excellent. The Abyss is the only headphones that literally moves bass toward you like a good speaker system. Most headphones couple the bass to your head and it doesn't sound right. Tonal balance is great but maybe not quite there in terms of absolute accuracy (I felt HD600 or even modded HD800 were more tonally accurate on Marv's system). Another thing that wasn't mentioned was that the Abyss has great air. Fairly close to the HD800 even  p:/. Ok, well maybe not quite there, but when you listen side-by-side you don't feel like you're missing much. It's still going to have a lot of space and resolve differences upstream incredibly well. So yeah, it's good.

STAX SR-009
Agree 1000% on condition

LCD-2
I'm probably in the minority here but I think the LCD-2 is an excellent headphone. Perhaps even worthy of 4 stars if we consider value. It's the cheapest headphone that'll get you the "technicalities" that high-end headphones can offer. Bass can deliver big time, high SPL with low distortion! Mids are lush but very detailed and very well placed. Treble has a smooth presentation even if it is still shelved in an absolute sense. It's not sucked out and wonky like other laid-back headphones can be.

Yes it is laid back and yes I realize that makes me a hypocrite for what I just said about the Abyss. But for a lot of overcooked recordings it's perfect. Lets you crank it up without having your ears offended. Some will be offended by the Audeze tonal balance I guess, but I think anyone who wants to get into the high-end should consider it. It's better than being stuck with a face-tweeter.

ALO Studio Six
I don't think it deserves only one pirate really. Unless we're looking at it purely from a value perspective. In which case any 5k amp is a poor value  p:/.

At least it's not an overly warm tube amp. I heard it as having an expansive stage while maintaining solid bass. Kind of a wet/ reverby tube sound I guess. I agree that stuff like the 445 or Stratus is more worthy of co nsideration.
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Hroðulf

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Re: CHANGSTAR 2014 CANADA DAY (JULY 1) HIGH-END BUYING GUIDE
« Reply #33 on: July 05, 2014, 08:51:13 PM »

What about the LFF's offerings like the Paradox?
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zerodeefex

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Re: CHANGSTAR 2014 CANADA DAY (JULY 1) HIGH-END BUYING GUIDE
« Reply #34 on: July 05, 2014, 09:22:38 PM »

I was about to recommend the Paradox Slant. The little bit of extra bass and wider soundstage over the original Paradox make them my favorite closed cans. None of the weird mids suck-out of the TH900 that has to be EQed out.

Alternatively, for you pirates looking for something more "fun" with a tinge more warmth, the Enigma is awesome. I enjoy owning both.
« Last Edit: July 05, 2014, 09:37:39 PM by zerodeefex »
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Eric_C

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Re: CHANGSTAR 2014 CANADA DAY (JULY 1) HIGH-END BUYING GUIDE
« Reply #35 on: July 06, 2014, 04:46:51 AM »

OJ: YES someone who feels that way about the HD800. I've really tried to like it but haven't been wowed by any audition; find it way too bright.
Was also blown away  LCD 2.
Now I'm super curious what you think of Paradox, Enigma and HE-560!
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Hands

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Re: CHANGSTAR 2014 CANADA DAY (JULY 1) HIGH-END BUYING GUIDE
« Reply #36 on: July 06, 2014, 04:57:52 AM »

IIRC, Marv tends to shy away from talking much about LFF's products due to them being close friends. I doubt you'd get many folks saying the products aren't highly recommended.
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Hroðulf

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Re: CHANGSTAR 2014 CANADA DAY (JULY 1) HIGH-END BUYING GUIDE
« Reply #37 on: July 06, 2014, 08:21:16 AM »

DISCLAIMER: Not close friends with Luis or Marv. Paid for my own gear.

The Paradox is awesomesauce. Maybe a tad dark, but one of the more neutral sounding headphones that doesn't assault you ears. Not terribly hungry for power and an easy load, so many reasonably powered amps will take care of it. One of the less closed sounding closed headphones. Comfort is off the charts due to suspension headband and earpads as soft as schoolgirl's thighs.

Now I thought I could mal-use my able bodied spermwhale status and shill for another thing I discovered.

Sjostrom amps! Finally someone took headphone amp DIY into 21st century. The QRV-08 made me realize that I don't need giant class A watt sucking space heaters to get extremely good sound. Trounces KG Dynalo, sits happily beside Beta22 and other titans of old. No heat, small size, feasible to never turn off due to about 15W power consumption. The only caveat might be bass which is extremely clean, but some might crave for a harder punch.
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If it keeps on ringin', levee's goin' to break..

Marvey

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Re: CHANGSTAR 2014 CANADA DAY (JULY 1) HIGH-END BUYING GUIDE
« Reply #38 on: July 07, 2014, 05:10:35 PM »

I think I got a few great offers on the TH-900 via pm. Sorry for not responding to everyone sooner, but I think I will have to pass. I'm allocating funds to various speaker projects at the moment.
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Deep Funk

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Re: CHANGSTAR 2014 CANADA DAY (JULY 1) HIGH-END BUYING GUIDE
« Reply #39 on: July 08, 2014, 06:59:33 PM »

As the expression "limp dick" is now accepted for reviewer idiom, is there also an emoticon for it in the making?

Also, as "limp dick" can be used to describe "meh", is there an opposite expression for this word which would be suitable? Think of "eargasmic", "erection inducing" or simply "hubba hubba hubba" to quote the great Johnny Bravo.

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