[MorbidToaster]

Don't forget tube cables.
 
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And with tube microphones.

 

[NamelessPFG]

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Honestly, I have not heard of euphonic distortion. But then how does one know which is right, SS or tube? One has to hear the original before saying that that reproduction adds a euphonic distortion, that one does not.

 
If it helps any, the types saying that tubes usually add distortion are generally the objective "measurements and proper electrical engineering are what matter" sort. They're not looking at it on the perspective that it makes any recording sound "natural", but that it presents the recording exactly as it was recorded, with nothing added or removed. Anything that deviates from the recording's sound is distortion and to be avoided.
 
I can't say I've heard much music live, performed before my ears. Thus, I can't say for sure what sounds more "accurate" and what doesn't, especially with all the parts in a typical audio chain, source included. All I can say is that there are sound presentations I prefer and those I don't, and that's probably the case for everyone else too.

 

[MorbidToaster]

The easiest way to get an example of euphoric distortion is to listen to a tube amp with and without dampers. I've yet to hear an amp that it doesn't make a difference in. 
 
Some amps become too flat and boring, others will see improvements from dampers. IME of course.

 

[wuwhere]

Quote:

 
If it helps any, the types saying that tubes usually add distortion are generally the objective "measurements and proper electrical engineering are what matter" sort. They're not looking at it on the perspective that it makes any recording sound "natural", but that it presents the recording exactly as it was recorded, with nothing added or removed. Anything that deviates from the recording's sound is distortion and to be avoided.
 
I can't say I've heard much music live, performed before my ears. Thus, I can't say for sure what sounds more "accurate" and what doesn't, especially with all the parts in a typical audio chain, source included. All I can say is that there are sound presentations I prefer and those I don't, and that's probably the case for everyone else too.

 
The guys who invented vacuum tubes were electrical engineers too way before solid state,
even the guys from Bell Labs who discovered semiconductors and invented transistors that displaced vacuum tubes.
 
The even and odd harmonic distortions are just explanation to what is pleasant and not to our hearing.

 

[phaedrus43]

Quote:

I could happily live with my portable - ER4S/UE10Pro, TTVJ Portable hybrid, iBasso DB2, and iRiver iHP-120.
And home rig HE-6, Copland CTA 504, and Oppo 95.

 Hi All,
 
New member here. I used to own an iriver ihp-120. I currently use my smartphone as my source ( with pre-logitech UE Super.fi 5 for earside enjoyment). I am considering getting another iHP-120 if i can find a good price. I really liked the player when i bought it new. I am posting to see how it compares with today's top DAPs (s9, c4 pro, etc), or even mid-stream players (ipod classic/touch, smartphones).  Can any of you speak to it as a good quality source device? Would love to hear your thoughts.
 
Thanks,

J 

 

[pdiddypdler]

Quote:

 Hi All,
 
New member here. I used to own an iriver ihp-120. I currently use my smartphone as my source ( with pre-logitech UE Super.fi 5 for earside enjoyment). I am considering getting another iHP-120 if i can find a good price. I really liked the player when i bought it new. I am posting to see how it compares with today's top DAPs (s9, c4 pro, etc), or even mid-stream players (ipod classic/touch, smartphones).  Can any of you speak to it as a good quality source device? Would love to hear your thoughts.
 
Thanks,

J 

Probably best to ask in the portable source gear section. 

 
http://www.head-fi.org/f/15/portable-source-gear

 

[brat]

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Just curious... or are you guys only going to satisfied until you've gotten the Stax SR009?
...Because I've pretty much reached my pinnacle, the Alessandro MS-Pro's. They are definitely end-game for me!
Heaps of clarity and detail yet doesn't render My Bloody Valentine's 'Loveless' unlistenable.
All I need is a decent closed back headphone for when's it's way too noisy in the household (Probably going with the Beyerdynamic DT250)

I had found my nirvana twice: Cary 306 SACD==>KGSS==>SR-007mkII and now Weiss DAC202U==>Violectric HPA V200==>LCD-2 rev2 (or3?).
The first was replaced beacuse of... boredom. I needed some movement. It was nirvana but nirvana can be boring for the audiophile

 

[purk]

Quote:

 Hi All,
 
New member here. I used to own an iriver ihp-120. I currently use my smartphone as my source ( with pre-logitech UE Super.fi 5 for earside enjoyment). I am considering getting another iHP-120 if i can find a good price. I really liked the player when i bought it new. I am posting to see how it compares with today's top DAPs (s9, c4 pro, etc), or even mid-stream players (ipod classic/touch, smartphones).  Can any of you speak to it as a good quality source device? Would love to hear your thoughts.
 
Thanks,

J 

I still have the iHP 120 & 140.  PM if you are interested.  However, I would look into newer DAPs such as Sony Walkman players with "S-master Pro MX" digital amplifier technology.  These players(A, Z, and F series) offer much better sound via headphones out than any iPod or the Cowon players that I've tried.  The old iRiver has a warmer but also looser sound than most iPod, but the mentioned walkman players are capable of explosive dynamics with pretty neutral sounding signature.  I personally own the the A867 & Z1070 and couldn't be more happy with them.

 

[burnspbesq]

[quote name="MorbidToaster" url="/t/622743/anyone-found-their-headphone-nirvana-yet/45#post_8628266"euphoric distortion[/quote]

Freud might have something to say about that particular typo.

 

[pcf]

All I know is that I am happy with I have for music listening. Anything I get from this point onward will be mainly for curiosity reasons- wanting to hear what certain headphones sound like.

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

All I know is that I am happy with I have for music listening. Anything I get from this point onward will be mainly for curiosity reasons- wanting to hear what certain headphones sound like.

 
As long as that doesnt end with 'finding out what its like to live in my car' ....... 

 

[pcf]

Quote:

 
As long as that doesnt end with 'finding out what its like to live in my car' ....... 

It can happen. I know an elderly gentleman who doesn't even own a car, living alone in a tiny flat and owns a $50,000 speaker system. 

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

It can happen. I know an elderly gentleman who doesn't even own a car, living alone in a tiny flat and owns a $50,000 speaker system. 

 
Sounds like a man with his priorities sorted. And no-one to nag him about said priorities,  

 

[DefQon]

For electronic music, nothing touches my Sony MDR CD950 > Fiio E7 (high gain, eq either 1 or 2) > Crystal Piccolino IC > Source, absolute punchy and tight bass and fast sounding for a half vintage too. For the same genre if I wanted a bit of air and comfort and tad bit of speed for faster electronic music my Sr-Lambda Pro's > SR7 adapter > either my modded VK2100 or my modded Meixing Mini EL84 tube amp does a great job while having similar sounding qualities to the Sony. Both these combo's best my HD800, LCD2 rev.1, FA-011, HD600, MDR CD850/3000 in regards to this genre.
 
For classical/jazz, my HD800's Anaxilus felt modded (following Tyll's recommended thickness) > 4-pin XLR Balanced Crystal Piccolino cable > Beta 22 (2 channel passive ground WIP mod to 3 channel active ground and new enclosure) > Ross Martin DAC > optical out > Creative X-Fi Fatality Pro in my desktop/Audio Request Nitro Pro music server. I tend to swap between my Lambda's and my HD800's when it comes to certain classical waltz.
 
For all the other genres with vocal's, LCD2 rev.1 internally Crystal Piccolino'd > 4-pin XLR Balanced Crystal Piccolino cable > Little Dot MK VI+ (various tube rolling) > Balanced to my Ross Martin DAC > optical out  > Creative X-Fi Fatality Pro in my desktop/Audio Request Nitro Pro music server (Honestly I hate swapping out cables every now and then depending on my mood of what I want to listen to).
 
For Metal/Rap/All rounder genre's, HD600's/FA-011's/FA-003w > Few balanced and single ended pure silver and Canare cable's > modded Chazz II/Bottlehead Crack(in transit)/Darkvoice 336 SE (various tube rolling) > few sources as mentioned above.
 
Portable 'end-game' is none existent for me atm, but I'm quite satisfied with my ES5/IE8/IE7 > GSP Voyager > Rockboxed 60GB Gigabeat
 
 
I'm deciding now whether I need another DAC for one of the above listening 'stations' as I have two digital out sources my desktop and my Audio Request music server.
 
As for can/amp, upgrades I don't think I will for the time being or many many years to come, I will be curious as to what new and future headphone's will sound like such as the LCD4's, HD900/1000 (or the new Sennheiser electrostat coming out) etc. Might end up getting a Dana Zeux or WA22 if I move back to my HP rig's after I find my end-game speaker setup. 

 

[DefQon]

Wow come to think of it, I may have to try the SR-009 with either a KGSS or BHSE sometime soon, since I listen to rather similar music to MorbidToaster (BT? 

) and since his impressions with the 009 was rather positive, I really am itching to try it myself.