CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => Headphone Measurements => Topic started by: ultrabike on March 05, 2015, 06:58:50 AM
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OJ dropped these ones out along with the Alpha Primes. Packaging here is minimalist and practical but well protected with foam, all of which I really like. No patent pending markings, dwarf runes, or "LFF-was-here" TM stuffs. Pretty much the only obvious aesthetic differences relative to the stock T50RP from which these came from are the leather red headband and the speshul cup pads. The Alpha Prime Dogs definitively look more expensive with their 3D printed synthetic TH900 like cups with Very-Bass (TM).
Comfort wise these are quite nice. sufficient space inside the cups for my ears.
Listening to "Dreamboat Annie" through these is fairly relaxing. The cans put forth warmth and eloquence. No severe issues with strings that come out in my face. However, I do sense a little bit of distance in the mids relative my HD600s which are more forward. Not as open sounding.
Moving on to "Mariposa Traicionera" from Mana (live) things get a lot more lively. Bass becomes a little more prominent but does not get in the way. Next is Daft Punk's "Get Lucky". Warmth and bass does not disappoint. These cans definitively have ballz! There is some hollow coloration perhaps due to relative mids recession, but articulation does not get affected by this.
Overall, I feel these live up to their reputation as a warm and very pleasant set of cans! Definitively not shit.
Measurements:
Frequency Response
(http://www.changstar.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2176.0;attach=8886;image)
Distortion Right
(http://www.changstar.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2176.0;attach=8888;image)
Distortion Left
(http://www.changstar.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2176.0;attach=8890;image)
CSD Right
(http://www.changstar.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2176.0;attach=8892;image)
CSD Left
(http://www.changstar.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2176.0;attach=8894;image)
Note good matching between left and right driver. Right driver is also primo distortion wise.
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Thanks I was curious about these and will never have a chance to measure those myself.
Interestingly your plots differ from Hans's.
I too get a 15-20 dB dip at 3-4kHz when measuring T50RP's, yet when using in ear mics the 3-4kHz dip is almost gone (as in Hans's measurements)
This substantial difference only happens in a similar extend with the T50RP's.
It is much less with other headphones.
Strangely enough when you 'compensate' the whole dip with EQ it doesn't sound 'correct'
I only get correct sound when partially corrected when compared to a 'reference'
A dip in that area is more pleasurable than a peak in that area.
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I think that ear mics in general will get a boost in the 2-5 kHz area depending on the ear shape. Some folks compensate for this using different approaches.
A dip in that area is more pleasurable as a peak in that area.
I believe so too.
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That's more or less how I hear it. To my ears the "slant" is ever so slight; these are still more natural and linear than 90% of headphones out there. A very competent tuning. And these headphones are also very technically capable. A lot of "darker" or "slanted" headphones seem to have compressed dynamics but not these. Macro and micro-dynamics are there, swings hard, able to follow those transient peaks without sounding slow or muddied. Like ultra mentioned, these are less forward than the HD600 but I felt these had a very nice deep stage for a closed back. I felt the same way about the Paradox actually....probably the biggest, deepest stage I've heard in a closed back.
Hats off to Luis. :)p7 I'll need to buy a pair of these eventually
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OJneg, did you drive them with your Torpedo?
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Yes, with a 6dBV source on the low-Z tap. Certain tubes might not be able to drive it well. I might prefer a good solid-state with the Slants, didn't try to A/B it though. They're reasonably sensitive.
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A great pairing with the Slants is the SWA Klone I have. The Wyrd > Ciunas > TransDAC > Klone > Slants rig is my work setup (it gets more use than my home setup)
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I want to get a pair again. But thats when I can afford it. College isn't being nice to me.
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For a quick and easy reference, here was my first set of Slant impressions and measurements: http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,1812.msg48839.html#msg48839 (http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,1812.msg48839.html#msg48839)
Keep in mind that was last year, with the older mic, so new results are going to look a bit different.
So, I got my hands on another pair of Slants to test out.
Generally I think the Slants sound pretty good. Based on memory, I'm not hearing too much variation between the two pairs I've heard. Relatively smooth, a bit thick and bassy (think a bit wooly and not so much tons of slam and a "big" sound). Soundstage is good for a closed headphone. Surprisingly fast and resolving at times. There is a bit of etch and roughness to the treble on this pair, but it's slight and controlled so that it never becomes too fatiguing. The stock PM-2 had a similar etch, and despite it having more rolled-off treble than the Slants, it was more annoying. Perhaps not my ideal tone, but these do sound good.
Only had time to do one quick measurement take of the left channel. Given this comes from Luis, I expect consistent performance and good channel matching, so I don't expect a "full" set of measurements will look a whole lot different. Look, ma, no midrange distortion garbage! I think that etch I heard is that treble peak, but A) it's less offensive than it sounds...really not bothersome, just brings out more detail in that area and B) the bass helps mask it a bit. If the bass emphasis was pushed down lower and the treble was smoothed a bit, these would be perfect for me.
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Has there been any talk about whether Luis will mod the MkIII?
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Dunno. But contrary to what Dan seems to be implying, there are rumors about the MkIII not being that different from the current T50rp in the first place.
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Dunno. But contrary to what Dan seems to be implying, there are rumors about the MkIII not being that different from the current T50rp in the first place.
Excellent, thanks! May have to pick up a Starving Student Slant MKIII in the future.