Have any of you found your holy grail? - Page 4

Well, I really liked my IE8's until I got the TF10s. I like the TFs a lot but they are not perfect either. I thought I had found the Holy Grail but I was so wrong. 

 

Seriously tho, love the IE8s with Supreme Pro Cable and the SA43s 

Sorry, had to... 

 

I thought it was the shure 535; then I thought it was the TF10. If I had money to burn, I'd give the JH 13 or 16s a spin.

 

But right now, I'll stick with my new TF10s. Probably upgrade the cable and see how that works out.

Lol.
 

 

My SE535's for sure with upgraded DHC Symbiote Cryo cable. Im sure this is the holiest (for me) in portable IEM's, until i get customs.

My Vsonic GR07. I really like its sound signature, and I've heard most flagship IEMs already. I will still look at future vsonic models though because I also like their lower models. I guess I've found the "house sound" that I like.

For some reason..I like my CK10s A LOT. Even more so than my EX1000 and MTPCs.

Dr. Dre wasn't shot 9 times.  These cans are approved for the streets.

 

 

 

 

IEMS: TF10. I can't really see myself upgrading for a while.

 

Headphones are a completely different story...I'm barely at the tip of the iceberg with SR60s and K240Ms. And don't get me started on amps! 

May I recommend PiccoloNamek's equalizing tutorial

http://www.head-fi.org/t/413900/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-a-tutorial

 

I had the same problem until I smoothed out the treble frequency response of my headphones.

 

If that still doesn't work this will

www.head-fi.org/t/563120/multiband-compressor-just-the-thing-to-tame-bad-recordings-overbright-phones

Yes, found my grail, RE272.

Supplemented with DT1350 which are among the most general use headphones, for rare situations where IEMs are unwieldy or no bass correction is available.

My RE 272 have been modded a tiny bit with Comply T for filter foam and removal of the cloth filters. Poor old GR07 can't even compete with them in the best possible setup.

 

I'm also considering converting RE 272 into a custom, but I'm a bit torn. Modifying dynamic driver IEMs is pretty hard and they could ruin it.. Also I'm growing attached to those RE 272.

 

By the way, compressors are evil. The only useful dynamic processing is an expander for really bad recordings. Noise can't be removed without damaging it even further - and neutral headphones are extremely hard to push so far as to sound muddled. Heck, in case of RE272 (modded; unmodded have some weaknesses) I think it's virtually impossible.

You might think it‘s silly to fight the poison of compression with more compression, but the crucial difference is the type of compressor (multiband, aka *de-esser for good reason), and the intent and settings in using it. In “mastering“ the intent is to make everything as loud as possible. That‘s why sibilance (which should be soft) often becomes loud in compressed recordings. But this creates unnatural short peaks in the treble region that are recognizable and to some extent fixable with the multiband compressor.

Anyway my problem was that long listening was fatiguing and I had to turn the volume ever lower to accommodate the hissy treble. Evening out the treble response (rather than just turning all the treble down) has done wonders in making music enjoyable louder for longer (not exactly LOUD). The multiband compressor has done further wonders for me in this same area, by lowering the peak treble volume I listen to at a given listening level and overall frequency response without making everything sound dull in an indiscrimimate toning down of the treble.

I definately had a love hate relationship with treble. I‘m too sensitive to it, but music doesn't come alive without it. My problem is solved now and I don't care what anybody says about it! Like somebody said in the dynamic vs BA thread, the real truth in audio is there no universal truth

I'm done with customs. The UERM's (once I got them refit to not make my ears bleed (literally)) are exactly what I was looking for. Bass is bottomless, but not bumped in quantity. Mids are realistic and really surprise me sometimes. Highs are are effortlessly clean. Soundstage is amorphous adapting to the recording. Cavernous with classical music, intimate with jazz. I use these as my only headphones, only at home, so I put about 10 hours on them a day. Love them. The headphones themselves are perfectly capable of being as good as any other headphone I've tried (overall), but I need to work on the rest of my rig first.

Still got to experiment with amps (mostly waiting for the O2 desktop), but I'm pretty happy with my WA6. Source is where I think the majority of my gains are left to be had. The Bifrost was a huge upgrade from my DACMagic, but I think there's still a long way to go. Going to try the Statement Schiit first, and if that doesn't do it for me, we'll see where I go from there.