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>MID and HII-FI PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Open Backs: HD598, HD6xx, HD800, Focal Utopias, ZMF Atrium, LCD-X, STAX SR-L700, ETA Uli

Closed Backs: ZMF Ori 3.0, Sony MDR-Z1R, Dan Clark E3, Fostex TH900, LCD-XC

AMP: Schiit Jot3, NITSCH Pietus Maximus, JDS Labs Atom2, XDuoo TA-66, DSHA3F/N, Apos Gremlin

DAC: Schiit Mimir, Byggy, Gungnir 2, JDS Atom 2 DAC, Soekris dac1221, 1421, 2541, Apos Merlin

AMP/DAC combo: JDS Ele 4, Jot 3/PMax with Mesh cards, TA-ZH1ES (for Z1R/Sony only)

Portable: Fiio BTR15, BTR17, XDuoo XD-05 PLUS2

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>>107412992
>OPEN BACKS
HD598 - Almost everyone has owned a pair of these, or started here. Still the best entry-levels you'll find.

HD6xx - Anything from the 600s, drops, 650s, 660s - these are all good and everyone has a rite of passage here. Super EQ dependent, and great under different amps. Not the most comfortable though, made me want to use speakers for years. Can be modded (JAR600/6XX).

HD800 - TOTL reference for most, same comfort issues but almost unmatched sound (until recently). Scales absurdly well with gear or tuning. Most redditors run these through entry level stacks or cheap Chifi and absolutely don't get anything out of them. Also has a JAR mod.

Focal Utopias - Scale extremely well like the HD800s. The transient response is what separates these from HD800s and gives the Focals their own identity, also more comfortable. Pair this with a DSHA3F/N and you're in heaven, honestly. OG2020s more neutral, 2022s warmer and bit more bassier.

ZMF Atrium - Zach rules, love his tuning and builds. Low-ends are great for an open back, boutique as fuck though so pricy. Zach seems to have solved earpad science too, a lot of other brands are coming to him to manufacture theirs. ASR fags will screech at you for enjoying his stuff since it's nowhere close to Harman targets.

STAX SR-L700 - Electrostatics require ecosystem investment with specific amps, but outside of the sub-bass roll off these are amazing. Most audiofags claim sub-bass sucks anyway, so that shouldn't be too much of an issue. Fatigue-free and comfy for something so bright.

ETA Uli - new boutique coming out, has been getting rave reviews at recent CanJams in NY, SoCal and Dallas. Uses Alnico speaker tech, hence the giant can size, to improve sub-bass and lows in an open-back. Super comfortable, uses ZMF custom pads. Most people say this blows the HD800s out completely. 16 ohm impedance and extremely sensitive, meaning these will suck to drive properly for most systems.

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>>107412992
>CLOSED BACKS
ZMF Ori 3.0 - probably the TOTL bass cannon, with actual good tuning and comfort. Zach's magnum opus, came about when he was modding Fostex closed backs. Comfy as fuck.

Sony MDR-Z1R - super controversial, the bad reception was a big part of why Sony seem to have fucked off from the audiophile space. Most liquid bass out of everything, if you know Sony house sound then you know what I mean. Everything else needs insane tuning to be quality (10k treble peak murders people's ears). Probably the comfiest headphone on my list, next to the Ori and the Ulis. If you can match it with a TA-ZH1ES you're probably set for life. Gonna be expensive to self-repair though as Sony have unofficially discontinued these.

Dan Clark E3 - Better than DC Stealths for half the price. Best Harmon target closed back if that's your sound preference. Would recommend Stealths too but these are honestly much better value, easier to drive and genuinely sound better.

Fostex TH900 - Bass-can slammers. Better tuning than Z1Rs, but way less comfortable. Maybe the best entry-level to closed bass boys.

LCD-XC - Same sort of vibe as the Fostexs, just really depends on your brand loyalty and what's comfortable to you at this point.

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>>107412992
>AMPS/DACS
Atom2 Stack - pretty much your entry level stack combos. Atom2 is gonna run more transparent/flat/"""neutral""", but is built like a tank.

JDS Element 4 - Big improvements on the shortcomings of the pretty lackluster Ele series. You're paying for convenience, build quality and the best customer service here. They're building an ecosystem around their Core app here which gives you a 10-band PEQ with a preset database, sharable profiles, artificial soundstage sliders etc. Bit overpriced, but worth it as a simple plug-and-play if you're not going above 650s or equivalents.

Schiit Mimir - ESS DAC with newer technology, tuning digital pre-amp tech you can bluetooth. Has solved issues previous ESS DACs have with soundstaging.

Schiit Gungnir 2/Byggy - Most people will tell you DACs are all the same, that typically runs true. Jason from Schiit recently forced a bunch of redactions on posts about CanJam Socal this year when a SBAF poster started sharing stuff said in confidence on how they're experimenting with DAC technology to try and produce different sound results. If you've ever had either of these, you'll know they have characteristics you usually wouldn't expect from a DAC, more muscular and slam across the sound. Is that worth the price point for something a lot will tell you is magic in a solved system? For me after hearing them, yeah, but I wouldn't spend on them unless you can try them first. the Byggy is probably as far as anyone should go on DAC spending, beyond that its fugazi.

NITSCH Pietus Maximus - CEE TEE of Massdrop fame's baby. It's basically a pimped out Asgard using experimental Schiit tech Jason passed him. This thing rules, can be fitted with a Mesh or ESS dac to be a standalone. Sounds like wet/bloomy tube noise, but in a SS amp. Also drives planars extremely well. Covers 16 ohm range too, this is probably your 'afforadble' go to for low impedance stuff.

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>>107412992
>CONT. AMPS/DACS
Schiit Jot3 - big step up in Jot2 quality. If people are giving Topping an extra $150-$200 for SINAD increases they can't hear, then the Jot 3 is worth it. Same as the PMax, can be fitted with a mesh DAC to be a standalone.

DSHA3F/N - Balanced-only amp designed to power Focals, will work with anything though. This is your endgame if you're in the Focal club. Neutral sounding with a deep headstage, looks to enhance the Focal properties rather than add warmth. Doesn't compromise bass or slam like cheaper """neutral""" products. Another tube sound in a SS amp.

Apos Gremlin/Merlin stack - cute tube project a bunch of audiophiles and engineers took on. Balanced outputs only, IEM fags love this for their expensive 4.4s. Good competition in the entry-level space vs Atom2/Schiit stacks. Soft and smooth tube sound. Great for planars. Does have issues with the left tube LED and sometimes will get quiet and require a full reset at the power source.

XDuoo TA-66 - XDuoo are the Chifi GOATs imo, this thing rules. Layers and separates soundscape well in HD650s and HD800s. Good mid-bass but weak sub-bass, so you want to EQ 650s since the sub-bass is already suspect. Really good for high impedance headphones. Competes with big tube setups (EC, DNA) on soundstage.

Soekris DAC range - just super high quality shit. 1221's are dirt cheap for the quality of the build. If you're someone buying for features and don't believe in DAC sound, just grab this over whatever Topping you think is worth the price and enjoy it not breaking in a year.

Sony TA-ZH1ES - only use with Sony stuff (Z1R range and below), it's too weak to power even 600s well. Pretty much built to compliment Sony house sound, but sounds really fucking amazing. When you listen to DnB on a MDR-Z1R/ZH1ES combo you feel like you're in those y2k pictures you always see, great liquidity.

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so /g/, why do (You) follow the word of Amir?
>claimed to be a Microsoft sound genius, was just middle management ordering around far more talented engineers
>fired from Microsoft by Bill Gates himself for fucking up so badly
>banned from science forums for failing, then modifying, ABX tests. Still claims he passed those ABX tests to this day.
>going deaf (admits he cant hear a sine higher than 16)
>shilled Harman because they gave him hi-fi to sell at his home audio business
>turned on Harman products after they stopped and Olive told ASR that Amir could never be a trained listener
>now shills Topping because they give him free samples and bought his APx555B for him
>believes if anyone enjoys anything outside of Harman targets, they are lying to themselves
>pushes SINAD as a single performance focus (more =/= better, it's about tuning) because his ears are so bad he can't enjoy music anymore
>still doesn't realise you can't hear SINAD differences past a point, and Chinese progress on higher numbers means nothing to anyone who listens to music
>deliberately fucks with testing on brands he dislikes to generate distortion, still can't seal headphones on EARS correctly
>shitskin

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Build headphones.

So my TV is starting make crackling noises even though I dont have my TV audio that loud. am I better off getting a soundbar or some decent speakers?

>>107413377
A pair of cheap bookshelf speakers is gonna sound way better than a similarly priced soundbar, but a soundbar is easier to set up.

>>107413377
If you run wireless headphones around your house, a cheap soundbar should be fine desu to brand match them. A mini bar is going to be substantially cheaper than speakers of the same quality typically.

>so for someone reviewing an amp, they should be using that amp to power at minimum one or two sets of dynamic and planar magnetic headphones, and speakers, and they should use some other amp to do the same to compare
I wasn't involved in that conversation but I have a question related to this. How are you supposed to even test different sound equipment? I can't keep a perfect memory of a song in my head. I tried listening to a small part of a song on different headphones but by the time I've unplugged one and plugged in another I can't prove to myself that I still know what the previous one actually sounded like. It feels like a complete guessing game if things are actually changing.

>>107413430
You use GRAS or other hardware to graph it out and get a picture of the raw frequency.
There are cheaper alternatives, but iirc GRAS is the cheapest industry standard tool so that is typically where people will default to.

are there any decent close backs that i can upgrade to from my a900xs for 500€ or less?

>>107413465
DCA Aeon2 the next logical step I'd say, but if you hate the Harmon target sound give it a miss.
Fostex TH610 another option but Fostex are bass cannon-tier.
Meze 99 might not be much of a jump, they require a fair bit of tuning too I think.

>>107412973
anyone here tried the dt 270 pro yet

>>107413465
Hifiklubben has Denon AH-D5200s and 7200s for €379 and €561 respectively.

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>>107413450
Are you talking about this? I checked their products they don't even have prices you have to ask them for a quote which means there is no point I'll just use whatever this is far beyond me.

>>107413528
if you're just doing personal testing, something like miniDSP EARS are more than fine. They're only like $200 iirc, just want to do a few reps on each test to make sure as they aren't as reliable as industry-level shit.

>>107413175
>>deliberately fucks with testing on brands he dislikes to generate distortion, still can't seal headphones on EARS correctly
seeing him have a clear meltdown over schiit stuff back in 2018 was hilarious
>starts review saying he hates how it looks
oh my science

>>107413557
He just doesn't review much of their stuff anymore now since people caught on to what he was doing. The Topping overlords couldn't have been happy.

I got the hyperx cloud alpha, did i do good?

>>107413842
Not bad if you need something with an integrated mic, and there's 3D print files online to replace parts that are likely to break.

>>107413842
one of the better ones fosho

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Guess the cans based on the EQ

>>107413465
There's the HD 620s, not sure if an upgrade though.

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Endgame

>>107413175
His review of the Magnepan LRS made it obvious that he was a spiteful low IQ scammer

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>>107414447
lol
lmao even

What's a comfortable and good sounding pair of headphones that looks very "normal" and won't catch anyone's attention if seen wearing

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>>107414748
If anyone gives you shit just give'em the horns.

>>107414531 mogs >>107414447 hard, don't think its a competition
>>107414484
I don't know enough about speakers to comment, but I'd say judging by the fact people are still posting in a six-year thread that Amir fucked something up with the review lmao.
>>107414748
Wireless for outdoor use, or inside. What setting are you using them for?

>>107414748
just get beats and eq it

>>107414781
Wired for inside music listening

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I'm looking for 2 things which i dont know if they exist:
1. Noise cancelling wired headphones with a mic. The earmuff kind, is it called over ear?
2. Noise cancelling wired earphones, 3.5mm or usbc. But not any design with the rubber bead things, they have to look/behave like picrel.
Why is everything wireless in a world where i crave the certainty of material.

>>107415025
Price range?

Anyone knows how the adam audio d3v compare to the listed speakers like the kali for normal listening?

>>107415144
Under $200 I guess?

>>107415185
DT990's or HD598/599

>>107415185
also if drop are still running the sale on 6XX, they're great too.

>>107412973
>"ribbon headphone"
So it's just an electrostat

>>107415316
pretty much, yeah. SR1a's sound amazing though - definitely try them on if you ever get an opportunity to listen in a store or event.

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reminder if anything is tuned to something other than Harman, it's incorrect and you aren't allowed to enjoy it

your enjoyment is just a placebo

Any good headphone yet?

>>107415353
ETA Uli, they got speaker tech into an open back to give it sustained sub bass that doesn't fall apart like most open-backs
head(amame) Pro is cool too: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/headamame/headamame-pro-glass-driver-headphones glass driver tech, apparently sounds like a better 650

>>107415369
Did they solve the baldness problem?

>>107415404
Nope, if you're an asian hypebeast fag who likes his hair you gotta go buy overpriced chifi IEMs and cables to keep your hair - sorry!

>>107415412
Damn.

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>>107415369
>they got speaker tech into an open back to give it sustained sub bass that doesn't fall apart like most open-backs
>the result
Lol just get planars.

>>107413052
Will the Atom 2 DAC work with my Schiit Magni 3 amp? I've forgotten everything about audio.

>>107415492
The Alnico speaker stuff is in the Uli, the head(amame) have the glass in them. I'm sorry you're illiterate.
>>107415495
They'll work fine yeah.

>>107415538
>They'll work fine yeah.
Thanks! My Topping D30's wall wort just cracked as I unplugged it. Audio still works but I think I want to look into something else. I hope the Atom 2 works well with optical.

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>>107415538
>The Alnico speaker stuff is in the Uli
>the result
Lol just get planars. The magnet is not why DDs suck bro. Planars could be using fridge magnets and still have better bass(would need an absurd amp though).

>>107415584
Topping QC is fucking trash, even down to the equipment with it - sorry you had to experience it.

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Reminder that despite ASR being a bastion of scientific 'objectivity', Amir:
>refuses to measure transient response, which can explain sound differences in amp/DACs
>will not post tests of two amps against the same headphone in controlled conditions, despite it being beneficial to his dogma
>considers anything not Harman tuned incorrect, and if you enjoy it then it's just a placebo effect
>will not listen to gear until he has measured it, automatically creating a bias
>writes walls of subjectivity praising the sound of Topping amps and DACs even though they should all be 'absolutely transparent'
>is going deaf (admittied he can't hear above 16 on a sinewave)
>continues to claim he has passed ABX double blind testing, despite being banned from every hard science forum for failing and then cheating on the testing they put him through
>refuses to accept the results of multiple Schiit blind tests indicating their DACs and amps do have sound differences because it doesn't fit his narrative
>still doesn't understand distortion can be used as a tool to upscale on higher end gear and create sound

>>107415831
>refuses to measure transient response, which can explain sound differences in amp/DACs
IR=FR.

>>107415629
I bought it in 2018 and it seemed okay but even back then the wall wort felt odd unplugging it. I never thought a wall wort will have issues, this one isn't even heavy for fucks sake, it's extremely light weight. Thanks anon, I'll upgrade next month maybe. I'll bookmark the Atom 2 now.

someone redpill me on stats, what equipment do I need with them?

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I got some cheap ass pair of sony SS-EC55S, a jbl sub, and a receiver from goodwill, but still waiting on some wire and clips to come in. Will this setup beat a shitty soundbar? or is that asking too much?

>>107416338
oops i mean rca sub, sorry im retarded

>>107416350
Probably not, but it wont sound bad so ur prolly gucci

>>107416338
>Will this setup beat a shitty soundbar?
brother, a fruitfly beating its wings to the beat of a techno song will beat a fucking soundbar.

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>>107414781
He measured a dipolar speaker as if it were a monopole and refused to admit it was even possible his measurements were invalid despite all the evidence. He didn't even mention the comb filtering / bass suck out inherent to dipoles because he doesn't understand basic acoustics.
The thread is still alive because Magnepan lovers are diehard fanatics and the LRS is very cheap for a (quasi)ribbon speaker (~$700 US).
I personally really like Magnepans because of their fast transients and low maintenance, but their directivity is abysmal unless you have got the big true ribbon tweeters (like 36" tall) and >750 W to throw into them per channel to move those panels. Then the price goes through the roof and the panels become enormous, which defeats the purpose of them being cheap and thin. If you want planars and are willing to spend, you as well just get electrostatics at that point. That is precisely what I did, by the way, and have QUAD ESL 57s and 63s. Going to build two open baffle 2x12" subs for them to handle everything below 100 Hz. Hoping one day to have the $20k to buy new 2812x or something but for now my relatively inexpensive electrostats are better than many other speakers I've heard no matter the cost.

>>107417784
Im suddenly fascinated by ribbon speaker autism icl, definitely want these if I can fit them in now. Thanks for the QRD and the ribbon lore!

>>107413430
>>107413528
Just buy a bunch of Apple dongles, now you can swap in seconds.
If you really want to measure headphones, you can do measurements on your own head for relatively cheap, look into Primo E258 mic. The downside is that it's obviously not comparable to other people's measurements and it might be hard to know what things should measure like, the upside is that it tells you what's going on on your actual head. If you want a measurement rig, look into Chinese GRAS KB501X pinna clone rigs on Aliexpress. They're much cheaper than the real deal and measure pretty close. They're also far superior to the miniDSP EARS which is miles off any industry standard and even has a non-pliable pinna out of hard plastic that can cause leakage where there would be none with anything resembling a real ear. At that point, you're probably better off hacking together some flat plate rig using the Primo EM258 mic already mentioned above.

Adx5000

>>107418957
Many people don't go back to box/cone speakers after listening to planars.
Like all speakers, there are compromises that must be made, but if you work around them then they are sublime for normal listening rooms (and volumes).
If you do want to hear it for yourself, you can get old used Magnepans for pretty cheap that have the tall true ribbon tweeter. If you're in the USA, then they most likely will still supply replacement parts in case anything goes wrong. Look for models with an "R" at the end (like 2.6R).
Electrostatics are superior, though, but they're not nearly as robust so I would not recommend getting used ones like I did unless you're aware of the future hassle and cost of repairs.
Keep in mind they are not very good at bass, either, unlike when used in headphones.
The best solution seems to be to use a dipolar open baffle subwoofer array to mix with the dipolar planar loudspeaker to get the proper in-room response.
Still, good planars set up and EQ'd properly can easily go down to 30-40 Hz with very tight bass (ie doesn't excite room modes due to dipolar radiation pattern), I listen to all kinds of music on mine.
I'd post measurements but I am still setting up and treating my new listening room so they are still a bit shit and I don't want to embarrass myself haha

>>107419486
By "good at bass" I mean they don't move a lot of air and interference with the front and rear walls causes severe comb filtering below 100 Hz
This can be mitigated, Linkwitz explained how thoroughly on his website

>>107419486
>very tight bass
nice euphemism for >nobass
>doesn't excite room modes due to dipolar radiation pattern
this isn't exactly true, read https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/visualizing-how-different-loudspeaker-lf-directivity-patterns-couple-to-room-modes.45518/

>>107419838
*doesn't excite as many
Not that it is superior to regular subwoofers, but better for mixing with dipolar speakers
>nobass
Yeah basically but like I said there are compromises and workarounds
There's no such thing as the perfect loudspeaker but IMO a point / line source electrostatic two-channel system with a well tuned subwoofer array for the bass approaches the ideal for me

>>107412992
Adding Edition XV's to this for the next edition

>>107419946
Will they break like the XS or is that the point where hifiman quality gets better?

>>107420045
people that I know who like they say the build quality and fit are generally a lot better than the XS. They're also more comfortable than 650s, which is a plus for me.

>>107417784
NFS scans the speaker from every direction, no need for a separate mode for dipoles. Only infinite baffle speakers are measured differently on it.

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>>107420059
that's just outward appearance, question is did they fix the driver failures (I very much doubt it)
also pic related, lmao

>>107420208
I must have misremembered something then. Only affects my impression of Amir which was inconsequential anyway.

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>>107420259
>muh curve

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>>107420059
Sounds good but I've looked at multiple reviews and they all complain about the headband and the way it fits saying it would be bad on larger heads which I have a massive one, don't think it's going to work for me.

>>107420546
yeah the only solution I've heard is that Carpa strap, so if it isn't gonna fix it entirely for some then gg.

What's you guys experience with room treatment? I'm looking into it and thinking about building my own with mineral wool as the prices are absurd. Also, for simple foams with at least 8 cm thickness also cost like 50 bucks crazy

How long do the pads last on the Hifiman Edition XS and Fiio FT1 pro?
I want to get a Sennheiser HD650 but I dread having to change the pads every month, so if there are more durable options out there I would prefer those.

>>107420945
Can't imagine more than a year, outside of like ZMF-quality pads expect to be changing most shits that frequently.

>>107420791
need to do it to fix my studio's acoustics before I even consider becoming a speakersfag, possibly making my fridge (which is in the hallway, otherwise I'd go crazy even though it's only 35dB) less distracting as an added bonus
I was thinking of velcro-ing blankets to certain doors/walls but that could well be stupid

>>107420645
Really frustrating, feels like every headphone has that one stupid thing that keeps it from being an easy choice.

>>107421109
Yeah unless you're buying boutique like STAX/ZMF/ETA you're just always playing a big pros and cons game, which you really shouldn't be once the price point pushes close to $1k. Even STAX is a can of worms with needed amps which run stats.

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>>107420331
That's distortion, retard. You don't want treble distortion regardless of the frequency response. That distortion spike makes everything sound sharp. I've used the XS which has the resonance in that area and that's the source of its sharpness that EQ cannot fix.
>>107420945
Around 2 years. Sennie pads last around one year, maybe a little less.
>>107420996
It's more about the material than the manufacturer. Anything that's artificial leather will start to flake after around 2 years. Some higher quality ones like DCA's etc. might last 3 tops. Sheepskin pads meanwhile last 5 years if not more. All my Dekoni sheepskin pads I've ever bought are still good despite some being nearly 5 years old. Even chinkshit sheepskin pads I've bought on AliExpress are still good after 3 years. Therefore, materials. Don't trust pleather or velour to last a long time. Sheepskin and cloth both last much longer. Cloth usually fucks with the frequency response too much imo and sometimes it's hard to fix that with EQ.

>>107421663
Big word on sheepskin.
Sennheisers really have the most brutal pads out of them all though, turned my off my 650 fast seeing how quickly they collected shit.

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>>107421663
what's your over/under on these lasting longer than three years?

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Where is the lie?

>>107421744
replace "this is all i need" with "this sounds good"

>>107421684
>Big word on sheepskin.
My first choice when replacing pads on all my headphones is always sheepskin. Never had to change the pads after using those. Sometimes doesn't work too well with the frequency response of the cans but that's fixable.
>Sennheisers really have the most brutal pads out of them all though, turned my off my 650 fast seeing how quickly they collected shit.
It's like a sponge for dust and dirt, I fucking hate velour pads for this reason.
>>107421710
>bamboo silk
Never used these but probably similar to cloth so should last 3 years or more. Silk absorbs liquids fast but unless you're sweating lots daily these should last much longer than pleather or velour I'm guessing.

>>107421007
That won't do anything
You will want to know what you're doing before randomly putting treatment up in your room, otherwise you will most likely just waste money rather than improve the situation.
Also don't forget about diffusion being an important aspect of treatment, don't rely entirely on absorption.

>>107421744
Nobody needs or even knows about those overpriced shitcans. Replace them with portapros and you'll have a solid meme.

>>107421835
thanks for the tip

>>107421710
>>107421806
>bamboo silk
it's not silk, it's just tencel (lyocell) made from bamboo instead of eucalyptus pulp.
not that it's a bad thing, actually it is a very good fabric for bedding etc, but idk how it compares to real silk or microfiber velour in durability, especially for earpads.

>>107420945
>I want to get a Sennheiser HD650 but I dread having to change the pads every month
I just changed mine for the first time after almost 3 years (used daily for hours) and 2bqh I could've kept them for even longer.
Yes, they compress a bit and become shallower and sound becomes slightly darker ("veiled"), but it's not that big of a deal.
Unlike shitty pleather pads where disintegration leads to large changes in sound, not to mention the shreds of pleather getting everywhere.
Also I don't understand why people seem to automatically assume other headphones are less affected by pad aging when there's so very little data about it. For most headphones, there's no data at all, and when there's data, there was usually no attempt made at controlling or at least documenting possible variables (like, you know, the actual duration the headphone was worn).

>>107422003
I asked because I'm getting a pair when they ship in January, will update the bread when they arrive for sure.
Thanks to both of you for feedback, was more considering if I stock up on spares or just leave it for 3+ years.

>>107422023
This
I only changed the pads a few times
Didn't make much difference to me
I'm a speakerfag though and only use my headphones sparingly so don't really care if they're not perfect

>>107421744
I don't think grug has the knowledge or the means to seek out mdr z1r's.

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Are the Dekoni really worth twice the price? What is the difference?

>>107422405
Dekoni always measures the frequency response changes that happen after swapping to their earpads. You can see the relevant graphs on their site. Most other earpad manufacturers don't. Probably not much of a quality difference between them but the other one might ruin the sound. With Dekoni at least you always know how the pads affect the sound.

>>107422467
Would you recommend a sennheiser 6xx with those dekoni pads as a good starter headphone?

>>107422489
they're gonna be more comfortable than stock 6xx pads, that's for fucking sure

>>107422521
If I have really oily skin and sweat a lot are they going to fall apart?

>>107422538
just wipe them with a microfibre after every use, should be fine.

Are Planar headphones breaking just an inevitable thing because of the technology or is it more just cheap brands making them poorly?

>>107422683
Mostly Chifiman quality

>>107422774
What causes the drivers to die? Do they just rip from use? Is there any way to make them last longer like not using them at loud levels?

>>107422796
Again I think it's just Chifi quality, I haven't heard of issues being as bad in DCA, Abyss or Yamaha planars

>>107422683
See >>107422774. It's really just chinkfiman having terrible QC. Many people still use LCD-2s they bought at launch and that was over ten years ago
>>107422796
Either the membrane tearing or bad soldering. The second one can be fixed and I've seen some people fix their chinkfimans by soldering them properly because Hifiman apparently can't be assed to. If the membrane is torn there's not much you can do. If they're closed back avoid putting them on your head too fast as the sudden air pressure might tear the membrane. If they're open back nothing like that will happen and you'd have to drive them at 110+ dB for even a chance the membrane would tear and that's loud enough to cause physical pain. Just don't buy chinkfiman. Even FiiO and Moondrop have better QC.

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Hmmm I never know what to believe, every review of everything claims it's the best and worst at the same time.

>>107422932
there is always gonna be variance in batch quality and also how well people maintain their gear,, ultimately just need to pull the trigger on what you're comfortable with after research

So since jewtube reviewers and audiogrifters are scum of the earth retards who know fuckall and blatantly shill whatever bullshit to pay the bills, how the fuck am I supposed to pick what I should consoom?

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>>107423091
Wear these bad boys to the next frat party and you are going to get so much pussy Gingas Khan will be looking down on you with pride.

>>107423091
Drop a price range, needs, and preferences in music or headphone types.

>want to try audeze maxwell
>aren't sold anywhere
:/

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>try audeze maxwell
>channel imbalance and clipping

>>107423380
>have big head
>almost no headphones fit
>cry
I wonder if the audeze would have even fit me, I bet they wouldn't.

>>107423422
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7mTz2Z6XBc
time to fork out 2.5k buddy

>>107423422
Only LCD-2C/GX if you unbend the headband and shorten the strap. LCD 2-4 with fazor have less space inside the cups but can still be useable. Gaming models are the latest LCDs are too small.

>>107423155
curious about the 500 bucks or less and 1000 bucks or less ranges
listen to a bit of everything, rock/metal, hip-hop, jazz, classical
also would be used for gaming
feel like i want nice crisp imaging and a good soundstage, out-of-the-box sound signature isn't a huge sticking point cause 99% i'll EQ, so mostly care about what sort of details and soundscape the headphones are capable of
and comfort

>>107423629
definitely some sort of open back for soundstage:
- Hifiman Sundara
- Sennheiser 660
- Fiio FT3
- DT900 ProX

If you want to compromise soundstage a lil for crisper stuff at a bit of a higher price point, DCA Aeon 2 Noire's might be for you, they EQ really well too.

AMP/DAC wise you prolly won't need something more than an Atom2 stack, can go Topping DX5II if you wanna play it real cheap but their shelf life and customer support are both pretty bad.

>>107422683
Those small Fostex planars are known for being fucking tanks, so it's not just inherent to the driver tech.

>Motu M2
why is it so fucking expensive
focusrite scarlett 2i2 has such bad headphone interface

>>107423787
>can go Topping DX5II if you wanna play it real cheap
>same price as atom 2 stack bundle
i don't understand

>>107423864
They assume topping will just explode within a year. They don't have any hard evidence for it but someone in a reddit review said that so they take it as gospel.

>>107423886
so cheap as in build quality/qc?
confused by "you can buy this for X dollars, or you can go cheap and buy this other thing for the same price"

>>107423886
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/sequential-damage.19003/
after this shit, you really need to consider that Topping qc and it's customer service are dodgy at fuck at minimum. This wasn't the first time Topping products have done this either, fast breakdowns track up to the DX5II.
>>107423864
People have had Atoms forever with no issues, and those that do have said JDS customer service is easy to deal with and often repair out of warranty with no charge. Contrast that with John Yang, who tries to tell you it wasn't Topping's fault and too bad 90% of the time. There's a reason Topping shit is only covered for a year, vs Schiit/JDS with 3-5 years and still having great service out of that window.

>>107423955
https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/topping-l30-xploding-and-taking-headphones-out.10422/
also this

I see a lot of reviews saying that the Sennhesier headphones below the 800's are bad for gaming because of a "lack of soundstage & imaging". What does that actually mean and is it true? What if I don't play fps games but just immersive stuff like rpg's. Would a 500/600 series sennheiser still be bad?

>>107423993
598s were the gamerbro headphones for years and those were fine, people who write shit like this are just applying soundstage critiques of music to 1:1 gaming.
They're gonna be fine for the gaming you're gonna do. Serious FPS gamers use cheap as fuck IEMs at LAN events, it really makes little difference. Just pick cans that are comfortable as fuck for long gaming sessions so you don't hate yourself within a hour.

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>>107423629
>500 bucks
DCA Aeon RT Open/Closed. Don't get 2 or 2 Noire as those measure worse in every way. The upside is they're foldable.
HD490 Pro
HE400SE is probably the cheapest way you can get top tier audio but the build quality is SHIT
Sundara is also pretty good but expect a good chance of dying drivers
Aune AR5000 - the pinnacle of DD headphones under 1000 bucks but the build quality isn't great since I've seen many complain about the plastic hinges
FiiO FT1 Pro - better alternative to Sundara/Edition XS
HD600 - classic and very well built but falls in performance compared to some newer models
>1000 bucks
DCA Noire X.
Audeze LCD-2 or GX but you have to EQ them since the stock tuning is SHIT and they're also heavy.
Moondrop Para 2 but you'll be dealing with Moondrop QC which is only barely better than Hifiman
Stax SRS-X1000 - if you want electrostats. Better bass response than Lambdas and this combo comes with a decent energizer.
These are just off the top of my head. Generally just look for something with no distortion and good enough build quality. Make sure the FR doesn't have any big drops like the OG LCD-X had because that means EQ will be difficult. Imo just get 490, Aeons or HE400SE and be done with it. Don't fall for snake oil retards like Abyss.
As for the Dac/AMP just pick whatever is transparent and doesn't cause any distortion. So anything that's not using tubes or R2R chips. That's all, really.
>>107423993
Retardation shared by other retards. That "lack" is because of the FR. Just EQ them.
>Would a 500/600 series sennheiser still be bad?
No. Unless you like loads of bass then yes but that's not related to your question.

>>107423993
The Sennheiser headphones that are known for decent soundstage are within the current HD 5xx lineup due to its chassis design. I would say that the HD560s is the current best for soundstage in that series, due to its good detail.

>>107424085
>Just EQ them
How do you EQ more soundstage and Imaging?

>>107424139
you don't, lmao

>>107424085
Wording Stax, just stayed away because hip hop was on the music prio and some people say stats are too bright for them. But they have insane aura to match the performance

any good interfaces yet? i'm on scarlett 2i2 gen3 + USB amp/dac and the latency is not ideal
i play guitar

>>107424085
>just get 490
Could you explain a little more why you recommend these over other Sennheisers? Would you still recommend them if they would be primarily used for non fps gaming?

>>107424139
>soundstage
Increase the upper mids and treble. Boosting near 10k in particular improves the airiness. HPs that have deficient treble sound "hollow" which makes the soundstage feel smaller.
>imaging
That's usually due to angled drivers but deficient treble will make the perceived imaging seem worse.
>>107424169
>some people say stats are too bright for them
Most stats are tuned to be very bright, yeah. That anon said he doesn't mind EQ'ing so that's an issue that can be fixed. And that particular Stax has a decent bass response than can also be boosted more unlike the Lambda which need such a huge boost they'll distort.
>>107424185
>Could you explain a little more why you recommend these over other Sennheisers?
Far lower distortion than HD6X0 models and better build quality than 5X0 models so you're getting the best of both worlds.
>Would you still recommend them if they would be primarily used for non fps gaming?
Yes but do EQ them. Lack of bass might make them seem brighter than they really are.

>>107424185
Sir the HD490 Pro is literally a Sennheiser. I don't know why someone would recommend it instead of the HD560s but maybe that anon is more insightful than me.

>>107424236
>I don't know why someone would recommend it instead of the HD560s
HD560s have little bumps inside the earcups, makes them uncomfortable for people with big ears. And I dislike the plastic build. HD490 Pro are both built better and also more comfortable. They boast lower distortion as well. Any tuning flaws can be fixed with EQ.

>>107424185
unless you care about latency it literally doesn't matter what the usecase is
490 pro is supposed to be more comfortable, sounds similar to 560s honestly and it's like 1/3 of the price in yurop
that being said i recommend hd6xx which is about $250 imported

>>107424261
Fair, although said bump inside the earcups is a deliberate design decision to, in theory, improve that perception of "soundstage".
>built better
There's also the HD 550 that apparently everyone forgot about it that is built better and uses the same chassis design.

>>107424329
> said bump inside the earcups is a deliberate design decision to, in theory, improve that perception of "soundstage".
They sound wider than HD6X0 phones so if that's the case it probably worked. Couldn't stand using them for long periods because of those things, though.
>There's also the HD 550 that apparently everyone forgot about
I did forget about it kek. But seems a little overpriced. If the chassis is at all similar then I'd expect the plastic to creak like the 560s did.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/schiit-happened-the-story-of-the-worlds-most-improbable-start-up.701900/page-14193#post-18932778
entry level schiit stacks are back

>>107412973
>mom wants some bluetooth headphones for xmas
>cant find any good audio communities that know their shit price/performance wise
>mom says shes fine with wired but im not trying to give her my bluetooth dac
>tell her ill get her the best bluetooth headphones in her budget
>end up getting the sony xm5
>material feels ok, kind of cheap and feels like these are meant to be replaced in a few years
>sound is ok, not the best thing ive ever heard but moderate bass and clear vocals
>bit muddy in the midrange a-la sennheiser hd600s except the veil doesn't feel so god awful
>you can tell you're missing a lot of the sound in the treble range like they're tuned for mid-low range

>>107424428
>But seems a little overpriced
It is in the sense that the sound is 90% of the HD 560s for almost double the price. See https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/brands-s-se/hd550/ .
>If the chassis is at all similar then I'd expect the plastic to creak like the 560s did.
it might be better, I'm not sure to be honest. While it's true the 560s chassis creaks (mine does too), I don't believe it's related to the chassis design itself, because my old and dead HD 558 does not and it is, paradoxically given MSRP, better built than my current HD 560s. I was pretty disappointed with the build quality of the 560s when compared to the 558, but at least almost 4 years in it didn't break or anything.

>>107424494
XM5s have the worse build quality out of all the Sony wireless shit, I'm so sorry anon. Their EQ app is apparently good, though.

>>107424494
Should have bought the Momentum 4 for 200 USD during the black friday sale. Call me a senny shill but for that price and assuming you truly need/want wireless with ANC, it's the best bang for your buck by far.

>>107424514
ya for my mom these will probably be fine shes gentle on her gear
for me ive got fuckin 7506 just cause i know im gonna trash them lol
>>107424548
ya i used to have some momentums back in the day, they were decent but she wanted pink

not super impressed by this sound ive got them at max volume and it just makes everything sound like a bloated mess
vocal clarity is good tho thats probably what my mom needs most

songs im using for sound test if ur interested
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAuuVY__KQ0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8HssSNUcK0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcXDpnMkw_s

>>107424583
yeah they'll def be fine for normies, my mum's been rocking old Bose wireless cans for years now and doesn't mind

>>107424708
ya honestly she wont appreciate these for what they are shes the kinda boomer that thinks my speakers must be good cause they get really loud lol

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>>107424708
Wireless Bose with the DSP on actually has pretty good tuning unlike Sony slop. Shame it distorts heavily over 94 dB.

>>107424755
>over 94 dB.
I will never understand this, how loud are you guys listening to music for
>over 94 dB
to be a problem? Is everyone here really raping your ear canals by blasting out music at maximum volume or close to?

>>107424794
This is a problem because
1. movies have huge peaks at certain points so a momentary rise to 94dB SPL isn't unusual and
2. If you want to EQ(that Bose has a hole in the upper treble for example) to fix something then any sort of distortion limits how much you can boost a certain frequency. If something doesn't distort at 104 dB then you can boost some frequency by even 10dB without any fear of distortion. Distortion at 114dB doesn't matter much and that's only really in these tests to compare how well some HPs take being pushed to the absolute limit.

>>107424794
google what dBA is and stop being a dumbass

Would the Sennheiser HD 560S be an upgrade from my Audio Techica ATH-M50's?

>>107425436
yeah

>>107424261
I'm a big eared individual and the 490 pro was way more uncomfortable for me than the 560s because of the potruding L/R markings inside the ear cups

>>107425436
Very different type of headphones but most would say yes.

someone should ingest all they headphone FR curves they can find into an AI and solve audio once and for all
the people must know what the BEST headphones are
LET THE DATA SPEAK

>>107425662
shut up sharur

>>107425540
Aren't both of them neutral monitor headphones? I've mostly considered switching for the sake of my ears not overheating and waxing while still being able to listen and produce music. I will say out of the box these MH50's do peak uncomfortably high and piercingly if I use them with a sound card.

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follow the techs

>>107425662
Anon reading lots of numbers at once and plotting averages is the opposite of what AI should be used for.

>>107412973
I bought a $200 wireless sony and shit works beatifully, clear sound and no peeling parts two years after, stop wasting money on memes.

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>>107425745
>wireless sony
>clear sound

>>107425745
you need to make this more believable

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Here you go guys.
Time to update the OP with the objectively correct selection of gear.

forgot to check, I wonder if Fostex headphones were on sale this year
TH919 intrigues me but I'd pay $2000 tops for it

>>107425927
>XM6
lol, lmao even. And I'm a Sony fanboy with my Z5s and Z1R love.
>Bose QC
Probably is the better ANC from what I've heard, sure
>Arya
Never bought into this meme
>LCD-2
Solid, if we're doing a planar in the general its probably that
>560S
Sure, pass
>AirPods ANC
Sure, can put it with the Bose QC for a wireless section.
>Drop/grell OAE1
No shot most newfags coming in here would like these
>XM5
even worse than the XM6, the hinges on these niggers break in 30 seconds
>Fiio K11 R2R
Fine for cheapshit, slightly better than Topping.
>iFi NEO DAC/Amp
never used this
>JDS Ele 4
can sell this to a noob and they probably won't need anything more, sure
>Topping
Enjoy it breaking in a year, lol
>CSB G8
Never used one
>Fosi
Never used it
>K17
At this point stop buying Chifi and buy good Schiit

Honestly, not as egregious as I thought, until:
>D90/A90 with HD800s
It's just pulling suggestions off ASR now lmfao
>JDS
>Warm
It's like the most neutral thing next to chinkshit.

>>107425979
I'd be surprised if they want more than 2k for it, so it'll probably be in your range I'd guess.

>>107425745
>no peeling parts two years after
it's not a matter of if it will peel, it's a matter of when, all pleather pads will eventually go to shit
having genuine oem pads available for purchase is a far bigger selling point, which your snoy bluezooz ewaste doesn't have
the moment your pads crumble you'll either have to throw them in the garbage or get some chinkshit pads which will ruin the anc and that (little) sound quality they had.

>>107426017
thomann wants a whopping €3.545 for it
US prices will likely be similar due to tariffs but I could be wrong

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Someone mentioned in a previous thread that a reason I might not be hearing a sound improvement was because I had the wrong quality setting. Is this what they are talking about? It defaulted to 32bit 48000Hz. Should I raise it higher than that? What is a good number?

>>107426301
It's fine, you're not going to hear a difference due to higher sample rate than 48kHz. 48kHz is already capable of reproducing the entire human hearing range.

>>107426311
what if i am a dog like cmon

>>107426301
higher than 48 khz will (in theory) actually DECREASE sound quality (by an imperceptable amount).
see: https://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html
you don't need more than 48 khz/24 bit.
going for 32 bit at least won't decrease quality like >48 khz would, but won't help either, you're just adding 0.0001% of cpu usage for no gain.

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it appears the harman target gives me anxiety
not the fact that it exists, but rather the sound signature itself

>>107425927
objectively correct*
*according to posts on reddit

>>107426563
i'm not low iq nor autistic so this doesnt affect me but harman is just averaged HRTF and chances are you don't fall within that range

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>>107426631
ok here is best measured FR under a grand

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>>107426673
no price limitations

>>107426696
>>107426673
it doesnt reference data it just references text off some websites you immaculate cretin

>>107426673
>Any Beyer
>Any Audeze
>neutral
Kek. Where is it pulling this data from, fucking Head-fi or just plebbit posts?
>frequency response measured to extend very wide
Holy shit I'm fucking dying. Amazing stuff.

>>107426696
AI is useful for plenty of things but probably not headphone recommendations because brands that invest into marketing more will likely be overrepresented in the dataset
if you're going to use it, it's probably smarter to have it help you figure out preferences in FR

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>>107426721
lcd-5 is very neutral it's just the shitty normalization and bass scoop that make it score less but the methodology is dogshit

>>107426752
A treble spike makes these more bright than neutral if anything. And that boosted midrange doesn't look neutral either. Stax tunes their upper midrange similarly and it makes female vocals sound shrill.

>>107426775
>And that boosted midrange doesn't look neutral either
you are a literal monkey i even typed out to you why is it like that now look at this >>107426763 and think for a nanosecond why does it look linear while the other one doesnt

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>>107426763
>>107426788
Okay nevermind, I get what you mean now. Relative to the rest of the FR the midrange is neutral. I apologize for my retardation. Still, that drop >5k is pretty bad. Such an expensive model shouldn't do that.

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I was following a guide I was given to setup EQ. I got equalizer APO and Peace GUI and when I set it up I accidentally changed something and now it sounds very different. How do I get back to the default non EQ'd sound so I have a baseline to judge from?

>>107426945
Either set all gain values to 0 or just turn off the EQ with the green button in the upper right.

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>>107426970
What is the difference between these two? Is there one that is considered better?

>>107427026
The regular one, that first one, is better. The AutoEQ one is an auto generated preset based on oratory's measurements. The first one is an EQ profile handmade by oratory who is a sound engineer. You should only use autoEQ either if there's no handmade presets or you want to tune to a different target. But for that purpose you can even generate your own EQ profile on autoeq.app and import it into Peace.

>>107427052
Once I set an EQ can I close the peace program or do I need to keep it open while I'm using my headphones?

>>107427152
You can close it. The preset gets applied as an effect. As long as you don't remove that effect in the windows audio settings you have nothing to worry about. You can also set peace to work in the background and minimize when you close the window but there's no reason to do that. But it's a good idea to check if the preset effect didn't get wiped after a bigger Windows update. For that you can just run the eqapo installer in the eqapo folder and check if it's still installed on a particular audio source. But I remember that happening only once to me across multiple updates so it's not that big of a deal.

>>107427208
Wow music sounds a lot more "alive" after doing that EQ change. Maybe this wasn't all for nothing after all. Have only been able to test the Edition XS on a few songs so far but it sounds so much better than when I first tried it. Looking forward to trying the others and hearing the difference.

>>107415044
>Noise cancelling wired earphones, 3.5mm
technically impossible, you'd still need to power the anc electronics through usb-c or a battery of some sort (like the old crappy sony zx110nc did), all that the 3.5" cable carries is a ridiculously weak audio signal (less than 2 mW usually).
>Noise cancelling wired earphones, usbc
considering that usb-c could carry both power and audio, this would make way too much sense, of course the jews won't ever make this happen, all anc headphones on the market have a battery (rarely replaceable).

>>107427310
Glad you like it, anon. EQ is the true redpill to getting the most out of any headphone.

did I fuck up not getting speakers with optional bluetooth input? or is this actually a good thing?

I was thinking it would be nice for all of my devices to play on my speakers without a hassle

>>107427460
You can just get a DAC with bluetooth and use that to achieve the same thing. At least that way it's an external solution so there's less components and failure points in the speakers themselves.

>>107427532
what about a bluetooth reciever with ldac support?

>>107427579
Would be fine as well. Achieves the same thing in the end anyway.

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Normie questions: How do you guys even get the chance to test these outrageous headphones before buying? Or do direct comparisons? Do you buy only based on hype and reviews? Do you return a lot?

Also are there any good wireless headphones with noise cancellation or is bose the only contendor

>>107427362
>the jews won't ever make this happen
I knew it.
Right, well what's in the range of bluetooth noise cancelling earphones that wont ever get lost or fall out? All of them look like bad designs and not my picrel design, and with no strap or way to keep them where i know they are when i want them out of my ears.

>>107421663
Too bad it's hard to find pads that are the same thickness as my stock ATH-R70 pads. Last time I tried aftermarket pads they were too thick and the headphones were uncomfortable. I'll try sheepskin pads if I get new headphones.

>>107427638
>How do you guys even get the chance to test these outrageous headphones before buying? Or do direct comparisons?
Either try them at an audio store or buy a few and return the ones you don't like. Most stores that deal in hifi audio will let you audition anything as long as you let them know beforehand. You can also check the frequency response and compare that way but that doesn't account for comfort and fit.
>Also are there any good wireless headphones with noise cancellation or is bose the only contendor
Sennheiser Momentum 4, HDB 630, Focal Bathys if you have money to burn. Also Airpods Max, I guess, but that one doesn't support the best codecs. Edifier S3/S5 are pretty good for wireless cans but those don't have ANC.

>>107427925
Not that anon but I've always worried about going to shops like that. What if someone that tried them had lice? Am I unreasonable for being worried?

>>107427925
>>107427961
Where do you even find shops like that? The only thing I know of in my city is Guitar Center and I'm pretty sure they have jack all.

>>107427638
One of the big audio review youtubers runs a store near me so he'll just let you try anything as long as you give him a call ahead of time, lucked out there

>>107427961
Most shops of that kind that I know of clean the headphones pretty thoroughly between uses so that's not really a concern I have. Some probably don't so that's not that unreasonable of a fear.
>>107427965
A lot of shops that sell audio equipment have hifi headphones in stock. It's not every single one, of course. The one closest to me is like a 1.5 hour drive away. There are some that are closer but those only have the common stuff in stock so Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser. If you want to try some very specific models though you're probably out of luck. Only one (1) store in my entire fucking country has DCA stuff in stock. Sucks since I enjoy his headphones the most.

>>107428046
>clean the headphones pretty thoroughly between uses
That's good to hear! I'll have to go to one of these shops someday. I'm pretty sure they're the same distance from me that they are from you. ~1.5-2 hours one way.

do we still believe that all DACs sound the same

>>107428731
Only if you post on ASR or reddit and are coping about not being able to afford more than a $100 Topping DAC

>>107428741
is this true?
let me warn you that I'm extremely gullible

Bose Ultra gen 2s got me thinking desu

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>>107428793
The issue and conflict about DAC sound is ultimately driven by the narrative Amir pushes that everything must be absolutely transparent, and that distortion is failure rather than creativity.
Schiit's perspective has always been distortion and other quirks within amps and DACs, combined with the distortion already present in headphones and IEMs, can generate unique listening experiences which can upscale depending on the quality of the headphones.
The science isn't so much that DACs can't change sound, its whether you believe everything should be tuned to a Harman curve and generate that sound transparently or not.
Amir has been financially incentivised to push Harman research for years (he sold their luxury products at his home sound system business, and is taking Topping shill money currently), while Marv is obviously extremely close with the Schiit guys. Whatever you decide really comes down to understanding the bias on both sides, looking at the testing (which Schiit does more of these days) and your own listening experiences.

>>107428731
They don't. But ideally DACs shouldn't affect the sound at all. They should be distortion free and have a completely flat(clean) response. Anything else you can just add with EQ. I really don't get people who spend $1500 on some particular amp or dac just to introduce distortion into their audio chain.

>>107428818
there is literally no reason to intentionally add distortion or otherwise color your audio signal

>hmm this painting is good
>but let me try this blur lens
>and let me add noise
>and rescale this image very badly
>omg it looks so much nicer!!!
adding distortion to music, what a fucking joke

>>107428853
what is upscaling with headphone components for $500

>>107428880
EQing isn't "distortion" unless you're using analog.
Digital means you can use fourier transforms to modify the signal.

>>107428960
was referring to >>107428818

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imagine getting into the hobby and this is your first point of contact, telling you nothing else matters but the opinions of a deaf jeet

>>107428979
he has a point tho, tube amps add distortion but it's still way less than the distortion of a headphone
most of the change from using a tube amp is the high oi

>>107428979
He's right though. If the measurements are good then you won't notice a difference (for listening)

>>107428979
This guy speaks with authority in every thread, but is genuinely clueless:
>JDS Atoms powering 800s (lol, lmao even)
>has blindly followed Amir in threads where Amir has fucked up measurements, still claiming Amir is the only correct one.

>>107428988
>>107428990
Robbo alts detected

>>107428988
>>107428990
his reason is 'because Amir measured it well', not because of either reason you both mentioned.

is this what 'science' fags really think?

>>107429033
If a reputable source posts objective measurements and those measurements show distortion below the limit of human audibility, then what's the problem?

>>107428979
>have this as the first point of contact
>don't waste over $50 on an amp
The horror.

>>107429033
it's about amps that measure good, doesn't matter where it's taken from
trust me, i prefer the sovlfvl reviews of l7 much better, but it's hard to refer to anyone else except asr when its the only consistent source of measurements

>>107429022
>>JDS Atoms powering 800s (lol, lmao even)
>>has blindly followed Amir in threads where Amir has fucked up measurements, still claiming Amir is the only correct one.
I love the idea of someone buying hd 800 of all headphones and then refusing to spend money on an amp, some of these people are just tourists. If they didn't have asr nigger forum they would just sell all their gear the second the larp was over, i cant imagine how miserable life would be as one of these niggers. Every single headphone has to be eq'd to harmon and you can't say it sounds like shit because your entire world view of audio would crash immediately. Why can't people just have fun and use things they actually enjoy instead of larping as a scientist because they parrot some sand nigger?
God it's like people forgot hobbies are meant to be fun

>>107429022
Even apple dongle is enough for hd800. An amp won't solve its problems, EQ will.

A few days ago I used my dac/amp and turning it up to 60 sounded good and pushing it to 70 and beyond felt too loud. Today 70 sounds normal and depending on the song I was able to push it all the way to max at 99 and it wasn't painful. The only thing that changed was I used an EQ setting. Can that have an impact on how loud it can get in general? I don't need it to get louder but if I wanted to how could I?

>>107429159
most eq presets pre amp down the volume by like -7db, loads of songs also have different replaygains if you havn't configured them to your local library
>I don't need it to get louder but if I wanted to how could I?
turn off your eq program

>>107429126
Imagine wasting time sifting through bad gear when you could just get good gear and enjoy music. Especially when sound quality is literally free and you could just focus on getting something comfortable and convenient.

>>107428741
NTA but after dealing with the Topping D30 since 2018 I don't want to try any of their products ever again. USB has issues but I use optical. In recent years sometimes my PC won't detect my DAC via optical and I have to swap to USB which has its own issues like clicking. I ruled out it being my PC by testing it on others. Cleaning the optical cable didn't work, a new cable didn't work, nothing. How long are DACs supposed to last anyway? I use mine daily and turn it and my amp off when I'm done.
>>107415538
>They'll work fine yeah.
Thanks again, I ended up ordering one.

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>>107429045
>jeet on the Chifi payroll
>reliable
lol

>>107429219
But I was told topping gear wouldn't last a year and you got 7 out of it. That's a pretty long time for any sort of technology.

>>107429241
anon, you do see the flaw in this logic don't you?

>>107429139
EQ fags got gaslit into thinking Harman is the only way to enjoy music, despite this not being the intention of music producers OR headphone makers. You're just apeing the taste of an Indian who has gone deaf (by his own admission) from years of Harman treble levels.

>>107429262
No, listening to nobass treble ear rape at ear rape volume is not a valid way to enjoy music and there's nothing you can say that can convince me otherwise.

>>107429310
nobody except Crinacle thinks nobass is good saar.

>>107429310
yeah taking an already power hungry headphone, using it with a dongle, then pre amping -8db will fix it and have it sound lovely
why would anyone buy the 800 of any headphone if your going to do that?

>>107429329
Not power hungry by any metric. Stop listening at 100+dB.

>>107429339
oh my science

>>107429321
Every openback owner that doesn't EQ blocks your path.

>>107429329
>HD800
>power hungry
You might be retarded, anon. HD800s barely requires more power than HD600. Indeed, even a dongle will drive them, to say nothing of desktop amplifiers.

>>107429354
if you're EQing shit like Utopias idek what to tell you, you may as well stick to 6xx or Chinkfimans
EQ is pooroid cope over the fact you got conned by a shitskin into think you can only hear music one way, and the sunken cost mentally is too much to step back from

I don't EQ my R70x, is that a problem?

An audiophile will look at a 105dB/V headphone and tell you with a straight face that it needs an amp.

>>107429407
No, enjoy what you like.

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>>107429365
And here's the needed power output to illustrate my point. And that's for 110 dB! That amount of power is nothing. Literally nothing.
>>107429388
There's literally not a single headphone in the world that doesn't benefit from EQ. And nobody says you have to EQ to Harman. EQ to whatever target you want or make your own. Only about ~50% of people prefer harman anyway. Some headphones, like a lot of Audeze are basically unlistenable without EQ and Audeze EXPECTS YOU to EQ, they have an app just for that with built in presets.
>>107429416
Nothing will cure stupidity, I'm afraid. People like these are why Abyss still has customers and why sound engineers will assume you're retarded if you call yourself an audiophile.
>>107429407
No. If they sound good to you then that's enough.

>>107429407
According to >>107429321 either you're Crinacle or you think it sounds bad.

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>>107429439
>And nobody says you have to EQ to Harman. EQ to whatever target you want or make your own.
Sorry, if you don't enjoy the Harman curve you're under a placebo effect and your ears are lying to you.

>>107429439
what calculator is this, it's nice

>>107429462
Here: https://www.headphonesty.com/headphone-power-calculator/

>>107429388
The advantages of hd800 are the comfort, channel balance and low acoustic impedance. Utopias are pretty comfortable too but not as good. If you bought any headphone for "sound quality" I'm truly sorry.

>>107429528
>paying $2000 more just for comfort
this is what shitskins really believe

>>107429543
Chump change if you aren't a turd worlder.

>>107429552
only poors and shitskins believe in the Harman EQ meme though, sir

>>107429421
>>107429439
Okay, thanks!
>>107429443
I don't know who that is but I once tried voicemeeter or something similar and lowered bass to zero and it sounded shit.

I swear speakers with tweeters are not possible to EQ properly

>>107430615
>speakers with tweeters
As opposed to?

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>>107429572
Yeah look how poor and brown the creator of Harman target is.

>>107430739
You know he considers Amir a subhuman for his takes, right anon? He outright told Amir in front of his forum cult that he could never pass as a trained listener by any metric.
It's why Amir refuses to participate in any ABX testing and keeps appealing to authority to Olive, even though Olive thinks Amir is a subhuman.

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are these still the undisputed king at this form factor?

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>>107412973
Should i get these

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>>107426752
>>107426763
Are you deaf and blind? Besides the obvious lack in bass, there's still a big hole in treble (-5dB compared to HD6XX, LMAO). Yes, it's nothing EQ couldn't fix, but then you can get basically the same result for 10x less money. Also the carbon headband will snap within a year and they charge $200 for a replacement.

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>>107432011