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The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC

wilflare

Member
You should check out goodwill online auction they have some great speakers for cheap if you know what to look for and are willing to do little things like foam and or capacitor replacement. What's your budget anyway for the price of those LS50s you could buy The Super MMG which consists of two towers and a subwoofer.

There are also great Bookshelf speakers in the $500 range like the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 and JBL 530 or even towers like the Chane A5, EMP E55TI, or HTD Level Three.

As far as driving them goes im currently using a Behringer A500 and a NAD preamp together I only spent about $260 and the Behringer gas been able to drive just about anything. If you're really on a budget you can score great amplifiers from goodwill too - https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/43743774

Also if you're just gonna go the powered route I'd consider the JBL LSR308 over the A5

thanks for the recommendations! Goodwill won't work for me since I'm not in the US :(

I did consider the JBL LSR308 and the KEF X300A at some point.

it's meant to be an upgrade to my Acoustic Energy AegoM 2.1 system. (I use them as speakers for my PC).

tempted by the KEF LS50W for its sound quality and its wireless capability. But I can't afford to have them too big and not fit on my desk (yes the irony but oh well)
 
ah yes the A5+! my bad on the typo.
I can get the A5+ for a good price here and the point is to replace my buzzing AegoM (they are like 10+ year old)

so it's either I go for that or go for broke with the LS50. I was thinking of getting the passive LS50 but I doubt the Schiit Stack will be able to drive them well?

Well, let's see...

1.- Those Aego M (first time I heard about them so I can't comment on how good/bad they are) are small speakers but they include a subwoofer so I'm pretty sure the sound that comes from them is more than adecuate for near listening.

2.- The Audioengine A5+ don't have a subwoofer and although they are bigger than the Aego M, the sound that comes from them is a bit anemic (IMO), they lack the typical punch associated with bigger speakers or small speakers with a subwoofer. It's a soft sound, delicate. If you like that, go for it, otherwise look elsewhere or you'll end disappointed.

3.- I don't know exactly what do you mean by a Schiit stack, a MODI + MAGNI combo? If so, you need a set of self-powered speakers to go with those. If you want to buy some passive speakers (non-powered) like the "original" KEF LS50, then you'll need a power amplifier, and a good one cause the KEF are power hungry. From Schiit, the only two that will work for that are the Ragnarok or Vidar. Vidar is way more inexpensive than Ragnarok, but you'll need a pre-amp too.

4.- I think your best route would be to go for another 2.1 system designed to be used as PC desktop speakers. In that way you can use your PC or a Schiit inexpensive stack (like MODI+MAGNI).

5.- Where do you live and what is your budget? Do you already have a Schiit stack or something equivalent? With that info we can try to help you more.

Regards.
 

Blitzhex

Member
I've owned a Meze and liked it although I actually prefer the Emu Purpleheart for a small, closed back headphone that has great sound. The Meze is built far better and has better materials but (if you can find one - it was a Massdrop exclusive) the Emu Purpleheart is cheap, lightweight and sounds far better than its price would indicate.

PM3 never tried them but there advertise as a portable on-the-go headphone there's a Loaner Program on headfi to try out.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably pick up the emu purplehearts if they drop again just because they're cheap. As for the PM3, I've tried them at a store before and didn't really like anything about them. Sounded kinda boring to me with a lack of dynamics.

After doing a bunch of research on nice closed portables, I seem to have caught the t50rp bug somehow and now looking at ordering either the mayflower v.1 or talos t50rp mk3s. I guess closed portables can wait, lol.
 

wilflare

Member
Well, let's see...

1.- Those Aego M (first time I heard about them so I can't comment on how good/bad they are) are small speakers but they include a subwoofer so I'm pretty sure the sound that comes from them is more than adecuate for near listening.

2.- The Audioengine A5+ don't have a subwoofer and although they are bigger than the Aego M, the sound that comes from them is a bit anemic (IMO), they lack the typical punch associated with bigger speakers or small speakers with a subwoofer. It's a soft sound, delicate. If you like that, go for it, otherwise look elsewhere or you'll end disappointed.

3.- I don't know exactly what do you mean by a Schiit stack, a MODI + MAGNI combo? If so, you need a set of self-powered speakers to go with those. If you want to buy some passive speakers (non-powered) like the "original" KEF LS50, then you'll need a power amplifier, and a good one cause the KEF are power hungry. From Schiit, the only two that will work for that are the Ragnarok or Vidar. Vidar is way more inexpensive than Ragnarok, but you'll need a pre-amp too.

4.- I think your best route would be to go for another 2.1 system designed to be used as PC desktop speakers. In that way you can use your PC or a Schiit inexpensive stack (like MODI+MAGNI).

5.- Where do you live and what is your budget? Do you already have a Schiit stack or something equivalent? With that info we can try to help you more.

Regards.

1. yea AegoM is still pretty good but there's a buzzing in the right sat that I can't get rid of :( and my Fidelio X1 sounds better than it (paired with my Audinst HUD-MX1)

2. hmm that's a bummer. I did consider the A5+ for quite a while (did consider the HD6 at one point too but bleh)

3. I was thinking of upgrading my Audinst HUD-MX1 to a Modi multibit + Magni 3. More specifically, I'll upgrade to the Magni 3 first and hope for a Modi Multibit with Gen5 USB. And yea, I figured I'll need a Ragnarok... but a Ragnarok + the LS50 Passive would end up very near the cost of LS50 Wireless

4. I'm still looking around! I think one that keeps coming up is the JBL LSR305/308

5. I'm in Singapore. I don't have a Schiit Stack (yet) but a Headphone DAC/AMP (Audinst HUD-mx1). Budget is either a relatively conservative US$360 (if I'm going with something like the A5+, a sidegrade of sorts) or going all out US$2300 (for something like the LS50... I mean this will last me for like another 10 years I hope... and its feature set and sound quality seem like something that I'll use for a good while)

most of my collection is in FLAC but I've been tuning in more to streaming services. still waiting for Spotify to provide Hi-Fi streaming... been trying out TIDAL (ah the irony lol)
 
1. yea AegoM is still pretty good but there's a buzzing in the right sat that I can't get rid of :( and my Fidelio X1 sounds better than it (paired with my Audinst HUD-MX1)

2. hmm that's a bummer. I did consider the A5+ for quite a while (did consider the HD6 at one point too but bleh)

3. I was thinking of upgrading my Audinst HUD-MX1 to a Modi multibit + Magni 3. More specifically, I'll upgrade to the Magni 3 first and hope for a Modi Multibit with Gen5 USB. And yea, I figured I'll need a Ragnarok... but a Ragnarok + the LS50 Passive would end up very near the cost of LS50 Wireless

4. I'm still looking around! I think one that keeps coming up is the JBL LSR305/308

5. I'm in Singapore. I don't have a Schiit Stack (yet) but a Headphone DAC/AMP (Audinst HUD-mx1). Budget is either a relatively conservative US$360 (if I'm going with something like the A5+, a sidegrade of sorts) or going all out US$2300 (for something like the LS50... I mean this will last me for like another 10 years I hope... and its feature set and sound quality seem like something that I'll use for a good while)

most of my collection is in FLAC but I've been tuning in more to streaming services. still waiting for Spotify to provide Hi-Fi streaming... been trying out TIDAL (ah the irony lol)

For the pricier option, another alternative would be:

Magni 3 (USD99)
Vidar (USD699)
KEF LS50 (USD1300 /pair)
TOTAL: USD2098.-

On the cheaper side:

Magni 3 (USD99)
JBL LSR308 (USD500 / pair)
JBL LSR310S (USD399) <-- subwoofer to be able to get all the necessary punch.
TOTAL: USD998.-

I was looking at a youtube video comparison between the Audioengine A5+ & the JBL LSR305, and I remembered another aspect of the Audioengine that I disliked: lack of detail in the higher register, like there is a piece of cloth on front of the tweeter that "mutes" the sound (in the video, the JBL doesn't suffer of that at all).

With the more expensive option you'll have a system that will last you forever, with a premium sound (High End, I'd say). The cheaper one is not at the same level, of course, but still fantastic.

You just need to ask yourself what do you really want, cause so far I think you're a bit confused given the two alternatives you were originally contemplating. I mean... to put side by side the A5+ & the LS50W is like saying "I want a new car, I'm trying to decide between a Toyota or a Ferrari", there is a world of difference there, you know?

Regards.

PS: Schiit USB Gen5 only applies to Bifrost, Gungnir & Yggdrasil. The card itself is way too big to make it fit inside a Modi. If you want to get Modi Multibit and at the same time to get the most out of an USB source, then get EITR.
 

SugarDave

Member
Apologies about the off-topic question but this was the closest thing I could find to a general audio thread, and it's just a quick one and done question I'd really appreciate the answer to.

Is there any point in having optical cables running from each of my consoles to my soundbar, or will a single cable between the soundbar and TV suffice? Is there a difference in the sound output if it's not coming directly from the console?
 

matmanx1

Member
Apologies about the off-topic question but this was the closest thing I could find to a general audio thread, and it's just a quick one and done question I'd really appreciate the answer to.

Is there any point in having optical cables running from each of my consoles to my soundbar, or will a single cable between the soundbar and TV suffice? Is there a difference in the sound output if it's not coming directly from the console?

If you are using HDMI to connect your consoles to your TV and then using optical to run out to the soundbar then you are probably doing it right. As long as your TV isnt doing something strange to the audio signal going to the soundbar (like taking the full 5.1 or 7.1 signal from HDMI and turning it into a stereo only signal) then you shouldn't need a bunch of separate connections.

With a proper receiver you can run HDMI to the receiver from each of your consoles and then one HDMI out to your TV and you get the best sound and best picture. With the soundbar I don't know if that is an option.
 

NotSelf

Member
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably pick up the emu purplehearts if they drop again just because they're cheap. As for the PM3, I've tried them at a store before and didn't really like anything about them. Sounded kinda boring to me with a lack of dynamics.

After doing a bunch of research on nice closed portables, I seem to have caught the t50rp bug somehow and now looking at ordering either the mayflower v.1 or talos t50rp mk3s. I guess closed portables can wait, lol.

Yeah they sound great I had the mk2 which I modded myself just could never get the bass quite right it always felt lacking. I'll be trying a modded mk2 from massdrop next month hopefully it will be a much better mod then my efforts.

Have you looked at ZMF headphones? I always wanted to try them with wooden ear cups there just a bit out of my price range.
 

Blitzhex

Member
Yeah they sound great I had the mk2 which I modded myself just could never get the bass quite right it always felt lacking. I'll be trying a modded mk2 from massdrop next month hopefully it will be a much better mod then my efforts.

Have you looked at ZMF headphones? I always wanted to try them with wooden ear cups there just a bit out of my price range.

ZMF headphones are too high priced for t50rp mods imo. It's like paying x3 the price of a toyota yaris for fender flares and some bolt-ons.

I've got the thx00 anyway, which compete directly with some zmf phones and are cheaper. Something like the $250 mayflower mk3 mods are an easier pill to swallow because its a $60 mod /w $35 pads and fix all the shortcomings of the mk3.

Regret not picking up the mad dogs when they were on EOL clearance though.
 
So, today's Schiit release is an EQ in a Magni chassis size.

Colour me unimpressed, only cause I couldn't care less about EQ.

XM7TEWQ.jpg
 

Chittagong

Gold Member
So, today's Schiit release is an EQ in a Magni chassis size.

Colour me unimpressed, only cause I couldn't care less about EQ.

XM7TEWQ.jpg

Well, this has been teased for ages. Something about hitting the perfect C note. Entirely outside my interest areas, but will enjoy reading the chapter. How would this even combine with Yggy and Rag?

Flush three has to be vinyl player, right?
 
Well, this has been teased for ages. Something about hitting the perfect C note. Entirely outside my interest areas, but will enjoy reading the chapter. How would this even combine with Yggy and Rag?

Flush three has to be vinyl player, right?

This new product is not Project Manhattan, which is indeed related to the C note you mention.

AFAIK, three new products were going to be unveiled during these weeks,so far:

Product N°1: Magni 3.
Product N°2: Loki Mini (this new EQ).
Product N°3: Project Manhattan, also called The Gadget, which will be under USD200 and in a Bifrost chassis size. This is the DSP that will change the pitch to "correct" the tuning from A=432 Hz to C=256 Hz. Also, Mike already said this is the entry level product (they are working on another one, more advanced, more expensive and most probably in a bigger chassis, like Gungnir or Yggdrasil).

Maybe they'll unveil the turntable too, but I'm not sure about that.

Magni 3 is a great surprise, Loki does nothing for me, since I love neutral systems and also hate to even think about changing the EQ for every new track/album. The turntable is also of zero interest to me (high quality flac is all I need).

The concept of Manhattan Project in the other hand, sounds extremely interesting. I can't wait for more "unbiased" opinions once it's released.
 

wilflare

Member
For the pricier option, another alternative would be:

Magni 3 (USD99)
Vidar (USD699)
KEF LS50 (USD1300 /pair)
TOTAL: USD2098.-

On the cheaper side:

Magni 3 (USD99)
JBL LSR308 (USD500 / pair)
JBL LSR310S (USD399) <-- subwoofer to be able to get all the necessary punch.
TOTAL: USD998.-

I was looking at a youtube video comparison between the Audioengine A5+ & the JBL LSR305, and I remembered another aspect of the Audioengine that I disliked: lack of detail in the higher register, like there is a piece of cloth on front of the tweeter that "mutes" the sound (in the video, the JBL doesn't suffer of that at all).

With the more expensive option you'll have a system that will last you forever, with a premium sound (High End, I'd say). The cheaper one is not at the same level, of course, but still fantastic.

You just need to ask yourself what do you really want, cause so far I think you're a bit confused given the two alternatives you were originally contemplating. I mean... to put side by side the A5+ & the LS50W is like saying "I want a new car, I'm trying to decide between a Toyota or a Ferrari", there is a world of difference there, you know?

Regards.

PS: Schiit USB Gen5 only applies to Bifrost, Gungnir & Yggdrasil. The card itself is way too big to make it fit inside a Modi. If you want to get Modi Multibit and at the same time to get the most out of an USB source, then get EITR.

thanks! hahaha the comparison bit on Toyota and Ferrari got me cracking

haha honestly, I think I'll be happy with the Toyota but the Ferrari is really the dream.

Would you not recommend the LS50W though?
 
ZMF headphones are too high priced for t50rp mods imo. It's like paying x3 the price of a toyota yaris for fender flares and some bolt-ons.

I've got the thx00 anyway, which compete directly with some zmf phones and are cheaper. Something like the $250 mayflower mk3 mods are an easier pill to swallow because its a $60 mod /w $35 pads and fix all the shortcomings of the mk3.

Regret not picking up the mad dogs when they were on EOL clearance though.

The higher end t50 ZMF headphones (Blackwood and Ori) outresolve most other planars costing twice as much. Best practice is to buy when they are on sale or used though.

At this point though, might as well save up for an Atticus or Eikon if you want a new ZMF.
 

Chittagong

Gold Member
This new product is not Project Manhattan, which is indeed related to the C note you mention.

AFAIK, three new products were going to be unveiled during these weeks,so far:

Product N°1: Magni 3.
Product N°2: Loki Mini (this new EQ).
Product N°3: Project Manhattan, also called The Gadget, which will be under USD200 and in a Bifrost chassis size. This is the DSP that will change the pitch to "correct" the tuning from A=432 Hz to C=256 Hz. Also, Mike already said this is the entry level product (they are working on another one, more advanced, more expensive and most probably in a bigger chassis, like Gungnir or Yggdrasil).

Maybe they'll unveil the turntable too, but I'm not sure about that.

Magni 3 is a great surprise, Loki does nothing for me, since I love neutral systems and also hate to even think about changing the EQ for every new track/album. The turntable is also of zero interest to me (high quality flac is all I need).

The concept of Manhattan Project in the other hand, sounds extremely interesting. I can't wait for more "unbiased" opinions once it's released.

Ha, I think you are right. The C correction device seemed to be more software related and more of a Mike (DAC) project than the Loki Mini which is clearly a Jason (amp design) project. It recall it had to do with some PhD joining them, she supposedly had the idea of an algorithm. Whether it’s the Manhattan project, I’m not sure - whether she has been with Schiit as long as they have spoken about Manhattan.

I’m with you on neutral - all my speakers are Genelec monitors, DACs Yggy and Bifrost MB, hell even my headphones HE-1000s, while not HD800 transparent, are still pretty neutral.

So probably no turntable yet - although turns out they have already revealed it (called Sol), and this is “pretty much what you are going to get” according to Jason:

https://vimeo.com/227702819
 

matmanx1

Member
I have no interest in the Loki but I am very interested in Project Manhattan. I'm glad Schiit is taking a risk with the Loki but I am really happy with the way my setup sounds and the thought of adjusting nobs for each song that comes up (I listen to a wide variety of music and tend to hit the "random" button on my Tidal library a lot) gives me chills.

Bring on Project Manhattan!
 
Isn't schiit working on a turntable product?

Yes, as Chittagong pointed out, it's called Sol:

I4kPqtb.jpg


It recall it had to do with some PhD joining them, she supposedly had the idea of an algorithm. Whether it’s the Manhattan project, I’m not sure - whether she has been with Schiit as long as they have spoken about Manhattan.

That PhD is called Ivanka Somethingrussian.

As far as I know it's not like she had an idea of an algorithm, but it was Mike's algorithm which was more than anything "just" the concept itself, so he needed somebody with the mathematical/programming skills needed to transform that idea into reality.

I think she has been with Schiit for a year or so, and I also remember she took Mike's concept and improved it, so she has been very valuable for the the project.

I’m with you on neutral - all my speakers are Genelec monitors, DACs Yggy and Bifrost MB, hell even my headphones HE-1000s, while not HD800 transparent, are still pretty neutral.

We are in the same wavelength. I also own Genelec speakers, the M030 to be precise I just can't see myself trying anything else in the future, i.e. if my M030 die some day, for sure I'll be buying other pair of Genelecs.

So probably no turntable yet - although turns out they have already revealed it (called Sol), and this is “pretty much what you are going to get” according to Jason:

https://vimeo.com/227702819

Yep. I've forgotten about the name. As I said, Jason mentioned 3 new products, and since 2 already were unveiled, the third one HAS to be MP cause in the description he mentions it's a new product based in a completely new idea, so obviously nobody uses that description for a new turntable, no matter how great it is :p

thanks! hahaha the comparison bit on Toyota and Ferrari got me cracking

:)

haha honestly, I think I'll be happy with the Toyota but the Ferrari is really the dream.

Oh I know, the idea of being able to assemble the "ultimate" Hi-Fi system is extremely tempting, always.

Would you not recommend the LS50W though?

As I said I own the passive version of those KEF. They sound amazing, but are rather inefficient speakers, which means you need a powerful amp in order to make them shine.

I've only read a bit about the LS50W and as far as I can tell, they are great. My "problem" with them is related to the concept itself:

1.- I don't like "wireless" speakers. I always will choose cable over wireless cause wireless is prone to transmission drama, whereas cable is just flawless.

2.- What if -in the future- you decide to change the speakers? you'll have to look for another active pair, otherwise you'll be forced to buy a power amp.

That's why -in my opinion- the best route for a proper Hi-Fi system is to go with a configuration like the one where I suggest using a Schiit Vidar. Vidar packs so much power that can handle 99% of speakers in the market. That way, you can go with the LS50 (passive) and if in the future you want to upgrade to a pair of floor standing speakers, Vidar still will work perfect with them.

Active speakers are awesome for when you have no space (since the amps are inside the speakers enclosure) or for near listening application, where you don't need an insane amount of power. In fact, as I mentioned above, I own a pair of Genelec M030 and I use them as desktop speakers (I work from home) and I couldn't be more happier with their performance.

Regards.
 

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
Anyone of you regulars with a compatible X00/E-MU/Fostex want to try out the Dekoni Elite Velour pads? I'm interested in someone else's opinion of them.

I'd mail them to you of course.
 

Mandelbo

Member
Heeey headphone-gaf,

So the left earpiece of the AKG-Y45BTs I got about 9 months ago randomly stopped working within the last half hour. They were given to me as a gift and I don't know the order number so I don't think returning them to AKG is an option - so I've gotta get some new ones :p

Ideally I want something of a similar form factor to the Y45BTs, since I wear them around campus because they're lightweight and very portable, but I also want it to be fairly rugged so it doesn't break after a few months. I don't really want to have to pay more than £100 for them - since I just listen to stuff on my phone with them it doesn't really matter if the sound quality isn't studio grade or anything. I never really used the Bluetooth connection on my old headphones either and it just seems to inflate the cost, so I don't care about that either.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm in the UK btw.
 

NotSelf

Member
Heeey headphone-gaf,

So the left earpiece of the AKG-Y45BTs I got about 9 months ago randomly stopped working within the last half hour. They were given to me as a gift and I don't know the order number so I don't think returning them to AKG is an option - so I've gotta get some new ones :p

Ideally I want something of a similar form factor to the Y45BTs, since I wear them around campus because they're lightweight and very portable, but I also want it to be fairly rugged so it doesn't break after a few months. I don't really want to have to pay more than £100 for them - since I just listen to stuff on my phone with them it doesn't really matter if the sound quality isn't studio grade or anything. I never really used the Bluetooth connection on my old headphones either and it just seems to inflate the cost, so I don't care about that either.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm in the UK btw.


Urbanite the Momentum is a bit more but both are on ear headphones I never owned them just did a bit of research when I was looking for something on the go.

I've owned both of these ATH-M40x I had over 3 MDR7506 over 20 years never had one fail on me.
 
as someone who's used fidelio x2s for a while, how would the fostex tr50 mk3 compare? i've been interested in them and the price seems about right for what i can afford atm
 

Blitzhex

Member
I'm looking at some more closed portables right now. Tried the MSR7s, tried the b&o h8 with wires, the store didnt have h6 on display and tried the mdr-1abt with wire.
The h8 was so bloomy it was stupid, but probably the best in comfort and build quality imo.
MSR7s sorta had forward vocals and the MDR-1a just sound like a nice full sound, but I only heard it for a minute.

I can get all of them for around the same price in Singapore, give or take 30 usd, the mdr-1as are the most expensive out of the bunch. The h6 2nd gen are on sale for 220 usd converted.

Kinda torn, but I'd love to pick up the h6 if anyone can confirm it doesn't have bloomy bass like the the h8 I heard did.

Edit: https://marco.org/headphones-closed-portable found this and it confirms it, h8 are trash and h6 2nd gen are supposed to be way better. He hasn't tested the mdr-1as though.
 
Even brighter, faster decay when it comes to bass response

i see. i guess i just wasn't as happy with my x2s as i'd hoped with my time with them, and at the price i paid. i get the feeling what i was connecting them to (soundblaster z) held them back, but as i'm using them with a boompro mic, that felt like the easiest solution above the onboard setup.

even so, it felt like my akg k7xx had more.. clarity..? on the same setup, but there was definitely a lack of bass punch. i don't need tons of bass, but it felt absent. however with the x2s sometimes it feels like the bass overtakes some of the clarity in the rest of the sound. i'm not an expert or anything, so i dunno if i'm even explaining this right at all. D:

if something with a sound like the k7xx but with a tad more bass exists, i'd be interested i think. i suppose i could try a modmic, and then later on use an actual amp for my headphones, if that'd help? i feel so lost ;~;
 

Bloodember

Member
I'm really enjoying my Jontunheim. Now id like to get a pair of headphones with a balanced plug that's on the Jontunheim. I like my headphones neutral, they can have vocals a little forward. I seem to can't find any balanced headphones, what do you all recommend?
 

K.Jack

Knowledge is power, guard it well
I feel like I'm the only one perfectly fine with the E-MU's pads lmao.

No, I'm very fine with the stock pads as well.

I only bought the Dekoni pads for experimentation.
I'm really enjoying my Jontunheim. Now id like to get a pair of headphones with a balanced plug that's on the Jontunheim. I like my headphones neutral, they can have vocals a little forward. I seem to can't find any balanced headphones, what do you all recommend?

Do your current headphones (what are they?) have a detachable cable? If they do you can just buy a balanced cable with the 4-pin XLR connection.

I'm eventually going to buy balanced cable myself, to use with my Teak and the Jot.
 

Bloodember

Member
No, I'm very fine with the stock pads as well.

I only bought the Dekoni pads for experimentation.

Do your current headphones (what are they?) have a detachable cable? If they do you can just buy a balanced cable with the 4-pin XLR connection.

I'm eventually going to buy balanced cable myself, to use with my Teak and the Jot.
I have a pair of Shure SRH1840 and aiaiai TMA-2. I don't think I can get a balanced cable for either.
 

Chittagong

Gold Member
I'm really enjoying my Jontunheim. Now id like to get a pair of headphones with a balanced plug that's on the Jontunheim. I like my headphones neutral, they can have vocals a little forward. I seem to can't find any balanced headphones, what do you all recommend?

HD800S?
 

Nephix

Member
Is there anyone else in here that owns a pair of MDR-Z7s?
Haven't really heard much about them before but saw them on sale so I thought why the hell not.

And holy wow do they sound amazing, especially compared to the HD 650s I have been using for a couple of years before these. Listening to music is actually fun now.
With that said I'll still be keeping the 650s for other purposes where more vocal clarity is needed but for everything else these are amazing.

Been recommended everything from expensive Beyers to even more expensive planar headphones before but these are the best sounding headphones I've had by far.
 

matmanx1

Member
I'm really enjoying my Jontunheim. Now id like to get a pair of headphones with a balanced plug that's on the Jontunheim. I like my headphones neutral, they can have vocals a little forward. I seem to can't find any balanced headphones, what do you all recommend?

The best recommendation would be to find a good headphone with a removable cable and then buy your own balanced cable for it. I've used Dyson Audio a couple of times (for my HE-400S and my Emu Teak) and he does good work and a 6ft cable is less than $50 shipped, which is reasonable in my book.
 

Spider from Mars

tap that thorax
Friends, my JVC HA-S680s have passed on :(

Is there another pair of closed headphones that I should look into for use in public that bridge the divide between price and quality as well as these beauties did?
 

HiResDes

Member
Friends, my JVC HA-S680s have passed on :(

Is there another pair of closed headphones that I should look into for use in public that bridge the divide between price and quality as well as these beauties did?
Creative Aurvana Live or the walnut version E-Mu Walnut if those are within budget.


I've also heard surprisingly good things about the 1More MK801
 

Whide

Member
Hey guys, I was wondering if I should get the Sennheiser 589 or 599, the 599 I can get from a store but since 589 seems to be discontinued I can only buy it used. So which one is a better headphone?
 

HiResDes

Member
Hey guys, I was wondering if I should get the Sennheiser 589 or 599, the 599 I can get from a store but since 589 seems to be discontinued I can only buy it used. So which one is a better headphone?

Do you mean the 598? The 599 is pretty much just an updated version of the 598, differences are rather negligible.
 

Bloodember

Member
The best recommendation would be to find a good headphone with a removable cable and then buy your own balanced cable for it. I've used Dyson Audio a couple of times (for my HE-400S and my Emu Teak) and he does good work and a 6ft cable is less than $50 shipped, which is reasonable in my book.

What do you recommend? I mostly listen to rock, metal, pop, and older country. Budget is $350, I'd go to $500 if it is awesome, but that is my max budget. As I said before I like neutral or with vocals forward a little bit.


$1700, ah no. There's no way in hell I'd pay that much for headphones. I guess I should have mentioned my budget. See above.
 

HiResDes

Member
You should have gotten in on either the HIFIMAN HE4XX or Sennheiser HD6XX. I'd recommend the HE-560 though if you're willing to go that high
 
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