Ultrasone HFI780 ALO Mod

[slwiser]

Originally Posted by Rickio

I can only wonder what the Jena cable sounds like hehehe but the vampire cable really is cool.

Your headphone sounds just right for you as well so don't sweat it.

[Rickio]

Originally Posted by pfillion

I have finally received my ALO-780s yesterday Even if they are not burned at the moment, they are really really good, probably the best headphones that I've heard so far with the Grado RS-1

They have simply nailed all the albums that I have tried with them so far, from Pink Floyd to Dimmu Borgir or from Porcupine Tree to Opeth !

These headphones will surely become the best friend of Prog Rock & Metal in general

I'll let you know more of my impressions later..

Cheers

And they will only get better with burn in!

Yeah these are totally great for rock and I been hearing a lot of electronic lately as well and it sounds totally great!

[Morph201]

Do you think they would sound decent with 'acoustic' type performances, (well more or less jazz, classical)?

[slwiser]

Originally Posted by Morph201

Do you think they would sound decent with 'acoustic' type performances, (well more or less jazz, classical)?

I listen to a lot of jazz, instrumental, oriental and classical music and I think the ALO-780 does these very well.

[slwiser]

Originally Posted by Rickio

I just got my vampire cable 780 alo mod and right off the start it sounds better to me then my stock version, which I kept! to compare hehehe

With no burn in the shrillness in the upper end is tamed and it's smoother. So now I will burn it in but I am already happy with it, so anything better is like way cool to me!

Does your Vampire cable look much different from the Jenna cable in the picture? Is so is different could you provide a picture of you headphone?

Thanks, here are pictures on mind where I am using them:

[Jaw007]

Originally Posted by slwiser

Does your Vampire cable look much different from the Jenna cable in the picture? Is so is different could you provide a picture of you headphone?

Thanks

The pictures of mine are Vampire wire.

[kool bubba ice]

Originally Posted by pfillion

I have finally received my ALO-780s yesterday Even if they are not burned at the moment, they are really really good, probably the best headphones that I've heard so far with the Grado RS-1

They have simply nailed all the albums that I have tried with them so far, from Pink Floyd to Dimmu Borgir or from Porcupine Tree to Opeth ! Nothing can't stop them !

These headphones will surely become the best friend of Prog Rock & Metal in general

I'll let you know more of my impressions later..

Cheers

How much for the balanced version?

[slwiser]

The only different would be in the connector end. They are now four wired to each driver so the right connector would be simple to implement. The only problem is if Ken has a balanced amp or not to test the results to verify proper operation.

[Rickio]

Originally Posted by slwiser

Does your Vampire cable look much different from the Jenna cable in the picture? Is so is different could you provide a picture of you headphone?

mine look about the same, here is a snapshot.

[pfillion]

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice

How much for the balanced version?

$475 with the shipping included

[slwiser]

Your Vampire cable in the long run may be easier to live with. The Jenna 18g wire is a bit heavier and a little stiffer I would think. Thanks for the image.

Update since there have been no other posts since I posted the above.

After having the ALO modified HFI-780 with Jenna 18 g cables over the weekend I am really enjoying the music these are giving me. Very smooth, precise and detailed at the same time. This is one re-cable job/modification worth having. Your mileage may vary with either the Jenna cable or the Vampire but either one I am sure adds something to this headphone with Ken's modifications added to the mix.

Thanks Ken

Second update:

Here is my setup at my Easy Chair: Squeezebox 3 ---> Lavry DA10---> Yamamoto HA-02---> ALO-HFI-780J there is a ALO Auricap iMod docking station just behind the headphones. The Yamamoto HA-02 has a two input switch. I really am enjoying the sound of this setup. BTW, my stock HFI-780 was well broken in before sending it off for the modifications.

[wfranklin]

Just got my new ALO 780's in today's mail. After a brief listen (much sibilance, wooly bass) decided to let 'em burn in the rest of today and overnight before I try 'em out again.

[mrarroyo]

Originally Posted by slwiser

Your Vampire cable in the long run may be easier to live with. The Jenna 18g wire is a bit heavier and a little stiffer I would think. Thanks for the image.

Update since there have been no other posts since I posted the above.

After having the ALO modified HFI-780 with Jenna 18 g cables over the weekend I am really enjoying the music these are giving me. Very smooth, precise and detailed at the same time. This is one re-cable job/modification worth having. Your mileage may vary with either the Jenna cable or the Vampire but either one I am sure adds something to this headphone with Ken's modifications added to the mix.

Thanks Ken

Second update:

Here is my setup at my Easy Chair: Squeezebox 3 ---> Lavry DA10---> Yamamoto HA-02---> ALO-HFI-780J there is a ALO Auricap iMod docking station just behind the headphones. The Yamamoto HA-02 has a two input switch. I really am enjoying the sound of this setup. BTW, my stock HFI-780 was well broken in before sending it off for the modifications.

Very nice setup! I would love to have a Yammy and/or the Behringer. Maybe you can adopt me.

[slwiser]

Originally Posted by mrarroyo

Very nice setup! I would love to have a Yammy and/or the Behringer. Maybe you can adopt me.

Just think I have two setups almost the same.

A few thoughts on a comparison between the ALO-HFI-780J (Jena 18g wire) and my UE9. I have to say that I feel unqualified to make comparisons when things are so close but there are differences and somehow I will attempt to articulate some of them.

1. The ALO-HFI-780J would be considered slightly warmer just a bit less precise while the UE9 would be more detailed with a slightly wider soundstage.

2. It is almost like what you hear when you go from a good source to a great source in having a little bit less jitter. The difference is there but very difficult to exactly quantify.

3. I can listen to my Yamamoto HA-02 and use the Lavry DA10 headamp with the other headphone. The Lavry tends to be more detailed less warm than the Yamamoto. When I do this this almost makes them equal in sound quality and profile but still not quite the same. But a wider soundstage comes from the Yamamoto with either headphone. It is just a much better amp than the Lavry headamp with either of these headphones.

4. It is very much like the difference between the ALO Auricap Doc and the ALO Vcap Dock maybe a little more pronounced with the headphones. While both are great, the UE9 is just a little better all around than the ALO-HFI-780J while costing a significant amount more.

5. One more poor analogy. They sound like paternal twins but not identical twins.

All in all if you enjoy the sound of the UE9 and can afford it get it. Otherwise the alternative is really right there in front of us with the ALO-HFI-780J (Jenna 18g wire) or it's little brother the ALO-HFI-780V (Vampire 22g wire). They do sound very much alike except for the minor differences that I have noted. Both are very satisfying for me to listen too.

Just make sure that you have the patience to burn-in either of these because up to 500 hours of burn-in is frustration itself.

[Jalo]

Originally Posted by slwiser

Just think I have two setups almost the same.

A few thoughts on a comparison between the ALO-HFI-780J (Jena 18g wire) and my UE9. I have to say that I feel unqualified to make comparisons when things are so close but there are differences and somehow I will attempt to articulate some of them.

1. The ALO-HFI-780J would be considered slightly warmer just a bit less precise while the UE9 would be more detailed with a slightly wider soundstage.

2. It is almost like what you hear when you go from a good source to a great source in having a little bit less jitter. The difference is there but very difficult to exactly quantify.

3. I can listen to my Yamamoto HA-02 and use the Lavry DA10 headamp with the other headphone. The Lavry tends to be more detailed less warm than the Yamamoto. When I do this this almost makes them equal in sound quality and profile but still not quite the same. But a wider soundstage comes from the Yamamoto with either headphone. It is just a much better amp than the Lavry headamp with either of these headphones.

4. It is very much like the difference between the ALO Auricap Doc and the ALO Vcap Dock maybe a little more pronounced with the headphones. While both are great, the UE9 is just a little better all around than the ALO-HFI-780J while costing a significant amount more.

5. One more poor analogy. They sound like paternal twins but not identical twins.

All in all if you enjoy the sound of the UE9 and can afford it get it. Otherwise the alternative is really right there in front of us with the ALO-HFI-780J (Jenna 18g wire) or it's little brother the ALO-HFI-780V (Vampire 22g wire). They do sound very much alike except for the minor differences that I have noted. Both are very satisfying for me to listen too.

Just make sure that you have the patience to burn-in either of these because up to 500 hours of burn-in is frustration itself.

Thank you, slwiser, I've been waiting for feedback like this. I will be getting my alo-780j in a day or so, but I have three questions for you.

1. Given what we know about what the 18g Jena Lab can do to the 780, are you tempted to recable the UE9 with JL cable and try to squeeze that last bit of performance out of the UE9? Ken told me that the gain from stock to Jena Lab is about the same for the 780 as well as the ue9. If it is true, that is no laughing matter as the changes is quite significant for the 780 from stock to JL 18g. I cannot imagine adding that much improvement to the already excellent ue9, that will be awesome. But then again, Ken is the only one that has a pair of alo-ue9 and very few people has listened to it to be able to comment on it.

2, I thought the burn in time with the alo-780 is alot less than the stock cable, something like 70 to 100 hours is the equivalent of 300 hours of the stock cable according the headphoneaddict. When you say 500 hours of burn in time, are you referring to the stock cable?

3, What do you think about Skylab's comment about the so so performance of the alo-780?

4. Since you have both the UE9 and the alo-780, and assuming that a person is able to afford the ue9, do you believe the difference im sq between the two is worth the cost difference?

Again thanks so much for the input.