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Author Topic: The All Purpose Advice Thread  (Read 139949 times)

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riker1384

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #330 on: January 07, 2014, 01:02:47 AM »

I have a pair of HD580 which are my best cans. I read that you can put HD650 drivers in them so I was thinking of buying a pair of those to see if I like them better. I'm wondering, how close will this come to the HD650 sound? How much is the sound affected by the housing?

Has anyone done measurements, or subjective comparisons to compare the HD580 and HD600 which have the same driver and different frames? Would switching to HD6000 or HD650 grilles improve anything noticeably?

Also, I was wondering if someone could recommend some good, comfortable closed cans that aren't expensive. Preferably with good sensitivity & flattish impedance so they work well without an amp. Right now I'm using Bose Around-Ear 2 for that which don't sound great, but they're very comfortable. I haven't found any closed cans I'm happy with. Either they sound bad, or they're uncomfortable, or they don't have much isolation in which case I may as well use open phones.
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Lumos

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #331 on: January 07, 2014, 01:14:41 PM »

I have a pair of HD580 which are my best cans. I read that you can put HD650 drivers in them so I was thinking of buying a pair of those to see if I like them better. I'm wondering, how close will this come to the HD650 sound? How much is the sound affected by the housing?

Has anyone done measurements, or subjective comparisons to compare the HD580 and HD600 which have the same driver and different frames? Would switching to HD6000 or HD650 grilles improve anything noticeably?

Also, I was wondering if someone could recommend some good, comfortable closed cans that aren't expensive. Preferably with good sensitivity & flattish impedance so they work well without an amp. Right now I'm using Bose Around-Ear 2 for that which don't sound great, but they're very comfortable. I haven't found any closed cans I'm happy with. Either they sound bad, or they're uncomfortable, or they don't have much isolation in which case I may as well use open phones.

From memory HD650 drivers costs 44$ you have to call them, (Sennheiser USA) buy grills also 10$ around if I am not mistaken or buy HD600 grills if cheaper.

Regarding sound: it depends how old is your 580 in another words which driver it has: black or silver. I can not comment how 650 compares 580 in sound quality, never listened 580.

Only grills and pads affect sound, not headband parts. 
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iRo

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #332 on: January 11, 2014, 11:24:47 AM »

Any recommendations for full-size headphones? I wanna move from IEMs, looking into both open/closed phones. I want something with relatively large soundstage and good imagining, decent bass response.

I was thinking again about HD800 (ya, i'm serious), but not sure the way i'm gonna use them will warrant their purchase (everyday use as main headphones, both casual and critical listening).
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MattTCG

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #333 on: January 13, 2014, 01:08:54 AM »

How do you find the MA900 compares to the MD3.2? My main problem is pain on the top of my head. The fatigue on my neck and such doesn't come until much later.

Very different headphones. In fact, these would make a good set of complementary hp's. The ma900 is wonderfully open and spacious....fantastically comfy...a touch warm with the treble rolled off a smidge. The MD is somewhat heavy, albeit comfy still, very neutral with impressive linear bass. One open dynamic drive and one closed planar.
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munch

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #334 on: January 13, 2014, 03:38:00 AM »

Any recommendations for full-size headphones? I wanna move from IEMs, looking into both open/closed phones. I want something with relatively large soundstage and good imagining, decent bass response.

I was thinking again about HD800 (ya, i'm serious), but not sure the way i'm gonna use them will warrant their purchase (everyday use as main headphones, both casual and critical listening).

well these definitely do image well, but in their stock form I find them a bit too finicky to do well for long-term everyday listening... treble is a bit peaky.
is there any way you could listen to these with the amplifier you are planning to use them with?

there's of course the Anax mod but I recall them slightly limiting the soundstage, though still very impressive. and not sure when the newest version will be out.
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shipsupt

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #335 on: January 13, 2014, 10:48:07 AM »

Any recommendations for full-size headphones? I wanna move from IEMs, looking into both open/closed phones. I want something with relatively large soundstage and good imagining, decent bass response.

I was thinking again about HD800 (ya, i'm serious), but not sure the way i'm gonna use them will warrant their purchase (everyday use as main headphones, both casual and critical listening).

Munch is right.  We need to know a little more about your set up to make some recommendations.  HD-800 is going to want a well set up rig, back to front.  That's not say it can't be a great long listen headphone if you are able to stay near that well set up rig. Are you going to set up a system around the headphone, or buy stuff to go with it?


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

iRo

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #336 on: January 13, 2014, 01:30:46 PM »

well these definitely do image well, but in their stock form I find them a bit too finicky to do well for long-term everyday listening... treble is a bit peaky.
is there any way you could listen to these with the amplifier you are planning to use them with?

there's of course the Anax mod but I recall them slightly limiting the soundstage, though still very impressive. and not sure when the newest version will be out.

Nope, not even slightest possibility of that. There's only one local retailer that carries it and i'm pretty sure they don't have demos. Other than that and online stores or importing it there are no ways to get my hands on it.

Munch is right.  We need to know a little more about your set up to make some recommendations.  HD-800 is going to want a well set up rig, back to front.  That's not say it can't be a great long listen headphone if you are able to stay near that well set up rig. Are you going to set up a system around the headphone, or buy stuff to go with it?

At the moment the whole set up is just plans - i don't have anything desktop related, only portable stuff (IEMs, amp/DAC). I'd buy the stuff to go with it, but not sure how much of investment it's gonna be. If it's gonna be about 1-1.5k on top of headphones, i'm not sure i can supply that for the rig.

I'm open to your suggestions guys. Maybe i should settle on some other open/closed/portable headphones, until i can fund the full desktop rig. I just wanna move from IEMs, everything i tried in this realm so far left me unsatisfied i guess. I liked some stuff, but always fell i wanted something "better" or different? Idk.
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munch

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #337 on: January 13, 2014, 04:08:09 PM »

for desktop rig that images/soundstages well, go for something open.
which ones that would be... hard to say! I find HD800 and STAX to be the kings of that.
but STAX are uhh... there are so many models and none of the rectangular ones really do bass all that well IME... and amping costs a fortune generally.

I think I'll just let someone else take over from here! HD800 is a great start but it will probably cost you a ton of munneh on top of the headphones.
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thegunner100

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #338 on: January 13, 2014, 06:50:01 PM »

Well the anax 2.0 mod makes the hd800s bearable for long term listening even with the gungnir imo. I'd say start with the Vali and that will leave you lots of money for picking out a dac. The $500 emotiva dc-1 is a good deal, and the uber bifrost w/ usb gen 2 is $510. The dc-1 comes fairly close to the gungnir's performance based on my experiences and is a little more polite sounding.

If you buy a used pair of hd800s, that will leave you with even more money for dacs as well. A good sounding hd800 doesn't need to cost more than the headphone itself.
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CEE TEE

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Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread
« Reply #339 on: January 13, 2014, 09:50:12 PM »

I've actually put together my own line-up for use with HD600 & HD800 to see for myself how much difference between amps and what I could live with if I downsize. Current non-portable amps I own: Magni, Vali, Bottlehead Crack, EC Zana Deux, EC BA.

For Value Sennheiser Rigs I like:
Gamma2/ODAC > Vali > used HD800 (Anax Mod) = ~$1250
Gamma2/ODAC > Crack > Used HD6X0 = ~$800 
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