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Best headphone for X-fi Forte headphone amp - Page 2

post #16 of 23
4/8/11 at 8:38am

Bit matched output in audio creation mode bypasses the x-fi chip I believe.. it is the best quality I've found for music (and most none-EAX games).  Give it a try it.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by krisno View Post

I had the X-fi Titanium HD for a short period. That card played games perfectly well(without cmss3d) in audio creation mode.... but no, i am using the Entertainment mode at the moment. I dont really know if theres any difference? Atleast not if using foobar and WSASPI output?


 

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post #17 of 23
4/9/11 at 4:10am

Let me rephrase that... Use BIT-MATCHED playback in AUDIO CREATION MODE. There is a difference, and should be able to hear it (depending on your source recordings).

 

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post #18 of 23
4/9/11 at 7:49am
Thread Starter 

its really incredible that you are happy with the HD600 on the Forte amp, also LCD-2. I think the HD 600 was really harsh sounding in the top without the amp. But maybe because dac/opamp is not good enough.

 

The best combo I have heard regarding many things I have tried (I have tried my AKG's with so many combos you cant imagine).... I think its the Matrix m stage with AD797 opamp, and Senn HD 600..... that amp, headphone combo is very hard to beat. Musical. Detailed. Alive. Organic... all this without the muffled sound of tubes.

 

 

Yes...... Audio creation mode also works in games, but if I use audio creation mode with bit controlled, do I still have controll over the software volume control? I think it works nicly in OpenAL games too?

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post #19 of 23
4/16/11 at 2:27pm
Thread Starter 

You guys tried the AKG K 701 on the forte amp?

 

 

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post #20 of 23
4/18/11 at 8:39am

I don't have a pair of HD600s, but I tried my HD650s on my stock M-stage and my Auzentech Forte and I thought the sound straight out of the Forte was far superior to the M-stage.  Through the M-stage the sound had a veil to it.  Like there was an extra layer of foam covering the driver.  When I plugged straight into the Forte everything cleared right up.  The highs were nice and crisp, the bass was deep and the mids were great.

 

I have yet to tinker with the M-stage gain settings to see if that would help (currently running at 10db).  For right now though I am very happy with the sound of the HD650s through the Forte. 

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post #21 of 23
4/18/11 at 12:02pm
Thread Starter 

Crazy...... on the forte the hd600 is really small soundstage, its dark, its very sharp in the treble, and its muffled..... on the m-stage it all clears, even if i use opa2134(stock), opa627 or ad797an. I settled on the ad797an in the end for the senn hd 600.

 

But I agree, teh forte is a little more "in your face" I guess..... maybe.

 

The forte is really bright in general. I try the Forte with AKG K 701 and its really bright combo. But , even though most people dont belive this, the senn hd 600 is alot harder to amp than AKG K 701. AKG K 701 sounds nice on a lot of amps. 

 

K

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post #22 of 23
4/18/11 at 1:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by krisno View Post

Crazy...... on the forte the hd600 is really small soundstage, its dark, its very sharp in the treble, and its muffled..... on the m-stage it all clears, even if i use opa2134(stock), opa627 or ad797an. I settled on the ad797an in the end for the senn hd 600.

 

But I agree, teh forte is a little more "in your face" I guess..... maybe.

 

The forte is really bright in general. I try the Forte with AKG K 701 and its really bright combo. But , even though most people dont belive this, the senn hd 600 is alot harder to amp than AKG K 701. AKG K 701 sounds nice on a lot of amps. 

 

K


I don't know... HD600 sounded pretty darned good out of my Minibox-E+ portable amp when I had that 'phone.  The speed, clarity, detail, openness and smoothness, it was all so nice.  That makes me feel it isn't terribly hard to amp.  Not just any amp will do, though.  Straight out of my ipod or amped with a Fiio E5, even my cheap little Soundmagic PL30 earphones could walk all over it in sound.

It would be nice to try them again out of my M-Stage.

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post #23 of 23
4/21/11 at 1:04am
Thread Starter 

You should get some nice opamp in the m-stage....... try AD797, sennheiser 600 and a good CD player, not computer as source. You are in for a treat....

 

Hmm, i tried some days with the AKG K 701 on the Forte, amped by the card, using LT1361 opamp. Its very bright, and amp is not powerful enough. So I use a Senn PC 131 headset. Det soundstage is narrow, and very little top-end. AKG has nice soundstage... I want the width of soundstage in akg combined with organic dark sound of the sennheisers..

 

So guys, WHIch headphones, maybe even with a MIC, atleast maybe with a VOLUME control, do you recommend for the Forte amp? You see, how can I Get a volume control for headphones without using software. I play games etc....

 

Audio technica ADH-M50, though without mic and volume control, is it any good? ......... 

 

K

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