Hi all, I suffered an acoustic trauma last year which gave me tinnitus, and am bothered by the possibility of my headphones blasting music in my ears by accident. I know this is not an entirely rationale thing to worry about, but I think it would help me recover from this event to have an amp...

Hindemith Organ Sonatas telarc 417-159-2 - Peter Hurford. Sonata #1. The last few seconds always clips for me. I am pretty sure it is a problem with tidal's file, but I thought I would check if anyone is able to reproduce this cleanly. This is of particular interest to me because according to a...

I need feedback on a possible method of estimating loudness of headphones. My goal is to make estimating volume levels doable for anyone with access to headphones which can be equalized to a given target. The methodology is basically to create two tones with the following generator, one at 30...

I remember reading somewhere an explanation of why it is that certain distortion products are considered more natural sounding than other kinds. It was either that even-order, or asymptotically descending products approximate the way sound moves in air. It wasn't just that lower hz and...

I have an HD800 S. For argument's sake, let's imagine that I want to drive that thing at ridiculously loud volumes. Say, maximum of high power mode of an IDSD micro BL: https://ifi-audio.com/products/micro-idsd-bl/ That would mean that it can give off a continuous power output of about 332...

I understand that second order distortion might cause a bass note to sound a bit warmer and fuller/less precise, but what does the isolated harmonic distortion product, of, say, a upright bass note sound like? Does it sound like the bass itself, without the fundamental, or just like a haze at...

When looking at FR response, I find it difficult to estimate how much of the total energy of a headphone a given band (e.g. 7-10 khz) represents. For example, the SR009 and LCD3's FR's look fairly similar overall, when in fact one is rolled off a bit on top, and the other is a bit bright...

If all of the electrical power was converted into sound energy, how would that headphone measure, efficiency-wise (assuming a reasonable but arbitrary distance from ears)?

What is the smallest fully balanced system that can be obtained? My dignity/pride is affronted by the thought of a having a VCR-sized thing on the table.

What is the smallest fully balanced system that can be obtained?

I would like balanced output (or maybe between DAC/amp? is that more important?), but not necessary. Just a well rounded, well respected piece of engineering. So far the Cavalli Liquid Carbon and Cayin iha-6 have caught my eye. What else is there that has been tested and approved by those in...

Such as this one? Not trolling just curious.

I've read in a few places that high impedance headphones require more voltage for a given SPL. I've also read that proper damping is important for driver control. Are these related? Maybe if I understood what damping was on a physical/mechanistic level, rather than conceptual (ratio of output...

I've noticed that of the handful of high end headphones I've heard, only planar magnetic phones have a smoothness that sounds "liquid". What is the cause of this? Is it increased bass energy? I also noticed that for live orchestral music in a concert hall, I get a similar sensation towards the...

I ordered a Sennheiser HD800 on Friday for $819. It was described as follows:   Used - Very good Cosmetic Imperfection less than 1/4" by 1/4" on top or sides of item Packaging may be damaged.   It arrived today, and I am pleased with the condition. The packaging was slightly damaged, with...

I think I would say it was too bright and analytical at least for the first few minutes...

Looking for something that has synergy with subtle guitar tracks and nuanced vocals, like Anne Briggs and Nick Drake. I like the HD800 but there are other contenders too, like the T1 maybe? What else?

I've been using a 400i, and while i love it, I've always felt that it is a little dark for Nick Drake's delicate voice. In fact I feel that my bright gaming headset captures the emotion of the music better. Is anyone else a superfan? What HPs do you think have the best synergy with Nick's music...

People often speak of fatigue as something that is cumulative, that it takes minutes or hours for a strident headphone to become fatiguing. This suggests that there is a complex psychological time interaction between the equipment and the brain. The time limitations of blind tests have been...

Using a computer as a source, I would like to be able to switch between these two sources quickly, while using the idsd micro as a DAC and fulla as an amp. How does one accomplish either of these things? What additional cables are needed?

Right now I am using the 400i with a schiit fulla and I would like to upgrade but do so in such a way that when I upgrade to a HD800 eventually I won't need to immediately replace my amp. Does anyone have any recommendations for something that can do a decent job of both high and low impedance...

The  400i was my first audiophile grade headset, and i really enjoy them. At some point, I may choose to get another pair so my 400i is less lonely :) I would look for something that is a nice contrast to the 400i. What I like about the 400i is the realism, detail, smoothness, speed, and...

I've been hearing something in the beginning flute section of this song, particularly when it hits the higher notes that sounds like clicking. It is only audible at rather high volume. At first I thought it was an amplification problem when I was listening with my  HE 400i's but then I tried...

Basically what the title says. I ask because a few studies have shown marginal differences between lossless and 320 kbps mp3 and lossless, for example this one where only engineers were able to hear the difference, and only slightly better than guessing then:  ...

I've been comparing various digital services. I know that Itunes is in aac and Amazon mp3 is, well, mp3.  Even Tidal's lowest option seems to me to have a warmer, more neutral sound and better instrument separation, and sounds more like a FLAC file than the much higher bit rates itunes and...