CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => Soapbox => Topic started by: RexAeterna on September 27, 2015, 02:33:01 PM
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It's been while since I wrote anything. But, lately I been having this feeling after I ventured back in pro audio stuff... After making a a random purchase that I thought would be my back up amp has quickly led me to what I have now. I always been into audiophile game so to say and has the appreciation of good sound and just loved music since I was younger. Now 27 I find myself prematurely sasified cause the system I built has left me very happy to the point I don't care anymore bout other crap.
After getting my big ugly Altecs and big ugly heavy JBL 4648 bass bin I never looked or cared for anything else. Even after auditioning 100k+ speakers I was left with feeling of meh and no desire of any of that stuff and thinking to myself that my old beat up system I put together that has seen band , studio, and theater abuse sound so much better and life like and all I use is hefty crown power amps as the horsepower(crown ce2000, crown xls 2500, crown xti 4002),crappy numark mixer as my driver and, beat up echo audiofire 2 interface I used for years that saw hell and back like my other stuff as my transport/source sound so clear and perfect compared to everything else I had experience with.
Yea some people would have different opinions and look at pro audio stuff differently and see my gear as not nice and, that's fine but, me personally find it's performance exceptional to the point that nothing else matters to me. Hard to explain and express, especially trying to type this on my crappy Kyocera phone but, like I believe this is end game with audio for me.
Even headphones I stopped bothering with after all the time and experiences I had. Only last purchase I ever plan on in the future is get a hd600/650 and call it a day. Speaker wise I probably just buy back up stuff for PA use and same for amps if ever needed but, for my home/audiophile use or whatever you call it, I think, definitely and positivity it's the end for me. But, will still try to share opinions,music and all that fun stuff of course. This feeling is weird, I know, but, it feels right...
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Haha the mere existence of this post and its apologetic subtone tell you a lot about the cultish nature of audiophilia
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Yea some people would have different opinions and look at pro audio stuff differently and see my gear as not nice and, that's fine but, me personally find it's performance exceptional to the point that nothing else matters to me. Hard to explain and express, especially trying to type this on my crappy Kyocera phone but, like I believe this is end game with audio for me.
Whatever works man! I paid quite a bit even at 1/4 MSRP for my Talon Firebirds, but like you, I've heard the $100K stuff, don't need it. Would I kick a Rockport, Tidal, or Venture out of bed? No. Am I going to actually pay for them? No. I definitely remain curious about new DAC developments, particularly what Schiit is up to next, but I really don't listen to digital at all anymore. For the time I have available to just sit and listen to my system, it's sure as hell not gonna be some shitty CD that's 0dBFS on every track with hard clipping all over the place because engineers don't do their jobs anymore. Digital music engineers left me 20 years ago, so I've left them.
The one area where I still consider doing upgrades is my turntable. My Ace Space 294 is very capable, particularly with the heavy kit and wave mechanic, but I can't deny the allure of a Hyperspace or Dais and Ace Anna. Otherwise I'm done.
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I'm not against upgrades. There are several things on my wish list, and a few on my if-I-was-rich list, but I am against turnover. When I buy something, it might turn out to be a stepping stone, but that is not the intention. The intention is that everything, especially the more expensive things, last, at least for the medium term, if not the long term.
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It's been while since I wrote anything. But, lately I been having this feeling after I ventured back in pro audio stuff... After making a a random purchase that I thought would be my back up amp has quickly led me to what I have now. I always been into audiophile game so to say and has the appreciation of good sound and just loved music since I was younger. Now 27 I find myself prematurely sasified cause the system I built has left me very happy to the point I don't care anymore bout other crap.
After getting my big ugly Altecs and big ugly heavy JBL 4648 bass bin I never looked or cared for anything else. Even after auditioning 100k+ speakers I was left with feeling of meh and no desire of any of that stuff and thinking to myself that my old beat up system I put together that has seen band , studio, and theater abuse sound so much better and life like and all I use is hefty crown power amps as the horsepower(crown ce2000, crown xls 2500, crown xti 4002),crappy numark mixer as my driver and, beat up echo audiofire 2 interface I used for years that saw hell and back like my other stuff as my transport/source sound so clear and perfect compared to everything else I had experience with.
Yea some people would have different opinions and look at pro audio stuff differently and see my gear as not nice and, that's fine but, me personally find it's performance exceptional to the point that nothing else matters to me. Hard to explain and express, especially trying to type this on my crappy Kyocera phone but, like I believe this is end game with audio for me.
Even headphones I stopped bothering with after all the time and experiences I had. Only last purchase I ever plan on in the future is get a hd600/650 and call it a day. Speaker wise I probably just buy back up stuff for PA use and same for amps if ever needed but, for my home/audiophile use or whatever you call it, I think, definitely and positivity it's the end for me. But, will still try to share opinions,music and all that fun stuff of course. This feeling is weird, I know, but, it feels right...
I agree with you. The thing that connects the people here is the shared love of music and the shared experience of finding bliss, however temporary that bliss may be.
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Rex. I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your posts and great sense of humor on Changstar. I have missed your presence on the site. I am a bit older than you at 59, but have been into the audio thing since about 16.
I have hit the "end game" more than once. ESS, JBL's, Pioneer's, DBX's. If anyone remembers Drew Kaplin. Then Infinity Prelude MTS surround (stay away, the midrange drivers are defective and US division refuses to acknowledge but UK replaced the drivers out of warranty) Quads and now Dunlavy. Amps. 1970's Marantz was the one that got me hooked on speakers. Then Carver's. And surround sound receivers. So many. Then tubes. BAT-VK60 and a BAT pre. Wadia source. It goes on.
My point is, if you have found the end game that makes you happy with your music just stop and enjoy. I'm am very happy for you. No sarcasm here. I'm still looking for the end game. Go listen to the music!
And I really hope you are on the new site. You would bring a nice positive attitude to the discussion.
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It's been while since I wrote anything. But, lately I been having this feeling...
Snip
This is a common enough pattern, that many go thru.
And it does work, for a while.
Until...
When you least expect it, you hear some system that just sings to you, and the embers flare up, like they just got gas dumped on them...
Try not to let this newly emblazoned passion take over.
Your wallet will thank you. popcorn
JJ
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Having retired this year, I know what it feels like to start to accept what you actually have got now and appreciate it's good qualities rather than hanker after every new thing that's come out. It is actually quite reassuring and beneficial to get your ears trained into your head phone properly and not keep wanting something else all of the time. It also saves an awful lot of money.
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Having retired this year, I know what it feels like to start to accept what you actually have got now and appreciate it's good qualities rather than hanker after every new thing that's come out. It is actually quite reassuring and beneficial to get your ears trained into your head phone properly and not keep wanting something else all of the time. It also saves an awful lot of money.
I should have kept the HD250 II Linears. You Brits taught me a that some audio gems are like Sphongle.
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Rex. I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your posts and great sense of humor on Changstar. I have missed your presence on the site. I am a bit older than you at 59, but have been into the audio thing since about 16.
I have hit the "end game" more than once. ESS, JBL's, Pioneer's, DBX's. If anyone remembers Drew Kaplin. Then Infinity Prelude MTS surround (stay away, the midrange drivers are defective and US division refuses to acknowledge but UK replaced the drivers out of warranty) Quads and now Dunlavy. Amps. 1970's Marantz was the one that got me hooked on speakers. Then Carver's. And surround sound receivers. So many. Then tubes. BAT-VK60 and a BAT pre. Wadia source. It goes on.
My point is, if you have found the end game that makes you happy with your music just stop and enjoy. I'm am very happy for you. No sarcasm here. I'm still looking for the end game. Go listen to the music!
And I really hope you are on the new site. You would bring a nice positive attitude to the discussion.
Thanks. Thing is after I got my altecs off my friend after hearing them at his place when I went drop off an amp to him to have, I went listen to them cause fascination with old school pro altec lansing stuff..I became amazed. Never heard such midrange clarity and transparency so, I asked him how much. He was selling them for over 1.5k on Craigslist but, gave them to me for couple hundred cause even though we barely knew each other he liked me and honestly that I always had. Also his wife told him they were ugly so be wanted to get rid of them quick. They were used for schools,theaters, and bands and he got them off a band and then fixed them up,redid crossovers completely and added better upgraded original altec 921-8a woofers. He had them completely rehauled for me. But, after I got them home and booked them up to my 400wpc crown I was amazed and blown away and that's very hard for me to be especially how I had a dislike for horns period from other horn speakers I had experience with from big pioneers ,evs, and klipsch LA scalas..but, those 511b horns are something special and seem altec lansing got them right.
They also resolve extremely well for speakers from late 60's to mid 70's and let you know what you're feeding them. Lot people like tubes but, the altecs also love clean high power for some reason. Hook them up to my crown xti 4002 which is 650wpc@8ohms/dual/stereo and they even better/cleaner but, I keep them hooked up for now on my xls 2500 which is exceptional and enjoyable to me.
The jbl 4648-8a bass bin,while some not consider a subwoofer(even though it has very good and usable response down to 30hz easily with zero eq), I love them cause they litterly never die...seriously... They don't. I tried sholving 2400w from my crown into them for good hour and half with nothing but, bass heavy music and they never crapped out,got hot, or burned up on me..they still cease to impress and amaze me on how good they perform, have very low distortion and resolves oddly well with different amps/sources..I just keep them home with my altecs and have them crossover at 35hz using linkwitz-riley 48db/octave low pass filter. Have parametric eq with 20hz/6db+, 21hz/6db+, 22hz/6db+, 23hz/6db+, 24hz/6db+, 25hz/3db+, 26hz/3db+, 27hz/3db+, 28hz/3db+ to compensate its natural roll off. Yea seems lot but, I have the fire power to compensate in needed double output continuous power.
This bass bin can shake some serious foundations with good torque behind them. The 4648-8a was ripped from a theater from some hipster kid I met and was used during his college days for parties lol. I got them for basically next to nothing and probably best dual 15's I ever used so far. Jbl still makes the 2226 woofers but, they're extremely expensive if you buy brand new and the 4648 bass bin is over 1k per bass bin but, I assume shipping be outrageous due to it being 150lb subwoofer.
Well, anyhoo, the altec lansing+jbl combo I made has made me happy to point wanting anything else. I haven't found anything yet so far to give me that fuzzy feeling like the altecs. It has everything I would expect from full range system. Yea my altecs people say they have bad drop between 10khz-16khz roll off with the compression drivers but, it's gental and preferred for my taste and its dispersion capabilities for height, depth and width has been amazing.
I will definitely still be around and be as special than ever haha. I will also still share music and state my opinion and spread info since even though I'm done with my system doesn't mean I won't be exposed to other audio stuff. Always played music and always around gear so my opinion/talk bout audio never ceases. Besides who else be around to remind people bout ancient aliens and my little pony, or how uber ghey mr. Speakers still is(seriously. He loves tentacles up his bun-hole and his favorite show is as the world turns).
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I should have kept the HD250 II Linears. You Brits taught me a that some audio gems are like Sphongle.
One of my favourite bands. Now you have me wondering who you are in real life!!! You obviously know me.....
I still have an hd250II here. In fact, I have WAY too many headphones here. Some I bought myself and others from work. No I've retired, they're just mine for pleasure. ;)
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Now you have me wondering who you are in real life!!! You obviously know me.....
I met DF in real life ....
DF knows you from the good ol' RG days.
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Oooh... kind of wish you started this thread in the new place because the topic deserves a longer life than the few remaining days left here. Please redirect me if you did create one at SBAF.
I think most of us here can relate. WRT the hardware, one of my favorite sayings has always been: "You can get to the point of diminishing returns quickly in this hobby - quite a few start out there." (-Uncle Erik) It seems almost common knowledge at this point that in the headphone world, something like HD600/650 + Schiit Magni/Modi (or even O2/DAC) is 95% 'there'. I also think that many people (self included) are in it for the toys and we shouldn't be too ashamed to admit it- as long as you do admit it. Attempting to go too far beyond the HD600/650 might be viewed as irrational by some; which means that even though you might say "I've had enough" at this point, there's a very good chance that you'll be back. Personally, I've sort of hit that top end of the interest curve and I'm less inclined to buy new things. And it's not a bad place to be. But I'll always keep one eye open to see what's out there and be eager to try things out if it's convenient. Anyway, enjoy the rest of life and music- we'll be here when you come back. ;-)
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One of my favourite bands. Now you have me wondering who you are in real life!!! You obviously know me.....
I still have an hd250II here. In fact, I have WAY too many headphones here. Some I bought myself and others from work. No I've retired, they're just mine for pleasure. ;)
I was Funk1969 on Rock-Grotto. I learnt a lot there.
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I was part of admin there, and boy, did I learn a lot. I feel that there's a similar thing going on here too unfortunately.
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I was part of admin there, and boy, did I learn a lot. I feel that there's a similar thing going on here too unfortunately.
Maybe so. There is enough transparency so it is clear what is next. A new website is present and certain things will not happen again.
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I'm not leaving or anything if that's what some people think. I just pretty much found my forte or so to say that I can live with rest of my life finally so to say. I know there is better and still will audition stuff when I can but, for buying stuff, I'm pretty done. After getting my altecs it has pretty much nailed the coffin for trying to achieve ultimate bliss in fidelity.
I love amps lot still and still will probably look into that stuff..but, for purchasing, only way I need an upgrade is for power requirement reasons but I think my current upgrade to my crown xti 4002 providing reasonable output of 2400w@8ohms mono and 3200w@4ohms mono is all I need for now and it works well under stressful and sagging power line conditions. The switch mode power supply design is well done enough to work adequate on sagging power voltages and still maintain full output. I'm also sucker for old school use of t03 outputs( that's why I went with crown again) and it has plentiful of them under the hood so, I'm good for now. It also provides good clean sound and I like the band manager features so, my time of amps has dwindled and have everything I need.
I still will look at stuff here and there and will enjoy it. Just stuff been same for me lately so been bored with it.
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rexaeterna ever think about trying a passive preamp? I upgraded to a nice power amp with passive pre and it made a big quality difference
edit: passive pre with stepped attenuator I mean, not pot
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rexaeterna ever think about trying a passive preamp? I upgraded to a nice power amp with passive pre and it made a big quality difference
edit: passive pre with stepped attenuator I mean, not pot
Haven't tried that yet but, maybe in near future. I was thinking of them before but, the amount of voltage headroom at the inputs(especially very weak sources) can sometimes be annoying and I use tons of multiple sources at once all the time at home, especially since my g/f is the big gamer and movie watcher so, my mixer becomes extremely useful. It's 9v max rms output is handy driving very weak sources and multiple/linked amps(I use 2 dedicated amps for different subs).
I will look into it though. I still play with audio stuff. Just things like speaker upgrades and amps I'm pretty settled for home. My redone altecs does everything I need it to do. Next goal is to actively try bi-amping them but, while I have the amps and crossovers I'll still wait cause I really don't feel like ripping out the big crossover box( it's like built-in external crossover box) and I like the sound of them. I also have more then enough amplifier headroom to make up any losses in the crossover to ensure better coherent phase response.
I will take your suggestion of course and try it out in near future. I just haven't bothered reviewing everything I experienced with in the past and now much...