[pataburd]

After listening to the Mikros 90 with their stock cable, I thought that the cable did a very respectable job.  It seems to be a little thicker and maybe a tad bit warmer in the midrange/midbass than the ET-4, and is not as microphonic, but the stock cable lacks the resolution, extension and 3-dimensionality of the Pipeline, IMHO.

 

[doctorjazz]

Can't get the Pipeline to fit, (almost ruined the headphones), I saw a Youtube video review once of the Mikros, talked about a cable that would work, have to search for it.

 

[pataburd]

You could either sand or shave the barrel of the input to fit the MLs.  I've seen a Belkin cable with a slim input plug, but it is not their "PureAV" cable--which I think would be the better of the two (Belkins).  Am tempted to have one made from UPOCC silver and/or copper.  I think I could spend a nice long time enjoying the Mikros 90.  : )

 

[PredatorZ]

I have been living with my Sennheiser Amperior's for about 5 days now, with probably just shy of 100 hours of listening / burn in time. I really like them, they are everything people have been saying. My initial impression right out of the box was that the bass was a bit bloated, the treble was very smooth, but a bit recessed with a silky mid range, reproducing acoustic music very nicely. The bass tightened up pretty quickly, in less than 4 hours they had a much tighter more defined bass. Comparing the bass to the Mikros 90, the Amperior does an excellent job, but just does not go as deep as the Martin Logan's. A perfect example of a song the Amperior's  just couldn't resolve the lowest notes, Pantera's   "Becoming" on Far Beyond Driven, at about 1:01 (also at 2:02 and 2:36 aprox )there is a deep thump from the drums, on the amperior, it is detectible, if you are looking for it, kind of like a tap on wet card board, just not satisfying. The ML's just go at least another octave lower, it is so clear the me now how important and satisfying it is to have the lower octaves better represented by these little gems. The music has a fuller rounder more enjoyable pace that the lower registers so wonderfully provide a foundation for.
   I still really like the Amperior's , they have been upgraded in status as my work set of head phones, as they are very comfy with the dual headbands, and flip up speaker so talking to a co worker isnt a pain, as I can leave them on my head. They are also a bit more comfortable hanging around my neck. A big plus for me is the short cord, I wear my iPod/predator in my breast pocket of my lab coat, it just reaches perfectly with a 6 inch extension, so no messing with coiling up a cord. The ML's do a better job at isolation, mainly I think it is the almost suction like seal you can get with the leather on your ears, the amperiors velour is very nice, but I bet it bleeds dB's a bit.

 

[PredatorZ]

Can't get the Pipeline to fit, (almost ruined the headphones), I saw a Youtube video review once of the Mikros, talked about a cable that would work, have to search for it.

When I picked up pipeline, I also purchased AUVIO® 3-Ft. 1/8" Stereo Audio Cable, it has the really small ends, I have them plugged into my ML's  right now, sounds pretty good, I've been jumping between the pipelines and the Auvio on my test songs, what really jumps out is how lively and more dynamic the pipelines are, the auvios have little or no air around instruments. It's clear the pipeline has a more refined unrestricted presentation.  The auvio is superior to the stock cable, but not by much, and leaves a lot to be desired compared to the Pipelines. I plan on getting some toxic cables made, well worth the investment, and usable with other headphones too. I used 2 tracks when comparing cables, ZZ Tops "Just Got Back From Baby's" & Keith Jarrett Standards Trio "Scrapple From The Apple" , both excellent recordings.

 

[pataburd]

PZ,
That's good to hear.
A check plus for the Pipelines.
Another vote of confidence for the Mikros 90 up against the heavy hitters!

 

[doctorjazz]

Can't get the Pipeline to fit, (almost ruined the headphones), I saw a Youtube video review once of the Mikros, talked about a cable that would work, have to search for it.

When I picked up pipeline, I also purchased AUVIO® 3-Ft. 1/8" Stereo Audio Cable, it has the really small ends, I have them plugged into my ML's  right now, sounds pretty good, I've been jumping between the pipelines and the Auvio on my test songs, what really jumps out is how lively and more dynamic the pipelines are, the auvios have little or no air around instruments. It's clear the pipeline has a more refined unrestricted presentation.  The auvio is superior to the stock cable, but not by much, and leaves a lot to be desired compared to the Pipelines. I plan on getting some toxic cables made, well worth the investment, and usable with other headphones too. I used 2 tracks when comparing cables, ZZ Tops "Just Got Back From Baby's" & Keith Jarrett Standards Trio "Scrapple From The Apple" , both excellent recordings.

Don'tknow ZZTop that well, song here and there, love the Standards trio, though

 

[PredatorZ]

Here is a list of songs I have been using to evaluate headphones, its a pretty mixed bags of tunes.
 
 
Bachman Turner Overdrive - Blue Collar
Bachman Turner Overdrive - Not Fragile
Holst - The Planets op.32 - Berliner Philharmoniker - Herbert von Karajan - Mercury, the Winged Messenger
Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Down The Highway
Deadsoul Tribe - A Murder Of Crows - Crows On The Wire
Dire Straits - Money For Nothing
Earl Klugh - Finger Paintings (MFSL UDCD 549) - Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow (Baretta's Theme)
John Lee Hooker - The Healer (MFSL UDCD 567) - The Healer & That's Alright
Keith Jarrett Standards Trio - Yesterdays - Scrapple From The Apple
Muddy Waters - Folk Singer (MFSL UDCD 593) - Long Distance & My Captain
Pantera - Far Beyond Driven - Becoming & Good Friends And A Bottle Of Pills
Patricia Barber - Cafe Blue (MFSL UDSACD 2002) - Ode To Billy Joe
Patricia Barber - Verse (MFSL UDSACD 2027) - Pieces 
Oregon - Beyond Words (SACD 252) - Leather Cats
Pinetop Perkins & Hubert Sumlin - Legends - Got My Mojo Working , The Sky is Crying & Come Back Baby
Ray Brown - Super Bass - Brown Funk
Sade - Diamond Life - Why Can't We Live Together
Saint-Saens - Stanislaw Skrowaczewski - Minnesota Orchestra - Danse Macabre
Steve Winwood - Back In The High Life (MFSL UDCD 611) - The Finer Things
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - In Step - Riviera Paradise
Supertramp - Crime Of The Century (MFSL UDCD 505) - Bloody Well Right
The Police - Every Breath You Take: The Singles - Spirits In The Material World & Wrapped Around Your Finger
The Police - Synchronicity (MFSL UDCD 511) - Tea In The Sahara & Murder By Numbers
The Rolling Stones - Aftermath  (SACD) - Under My Thumb
ZZ Top - ZZ Top's First Album - Neighbor, Neighbor, Certified Blues & Just Got Back From Baby's

 

[pataburd]

Blue Collar.  One of my all-time favorite BTO songs.  Some of the finest Wah Wah Pedal work in the Classic Rock genre.  (I am also thinking about Jimi Hendrix's fine solo from his version of "All Along the Watchtower".)

 

[diaBoliQu3]

For Martin Logan and Amperior, which one you favor the most? Is ML really bass lack?

 

[doctorjazz]

For Martin Logan and Amperior, which one you favor the most? Is ML really bass lack?

Hi-no one has been here in a while, so I was surprised to find a post. When I did this, months ago, I would have definitely have answered the Amperiors are better in the bass department. The ML's seem to continue breaking in for months, though, and have improved. I also replaced the stock cable, awaiting a better replacement any day, the bass is better. My off the cuff impression is that the Amperiors still have more bass, but the bass on ML is very high quality-very finicky, though, the slightest variation in the way you wear them can cause the bass to be lost, like bad fit on an in ear monitor. I'll pull them both out, though, and listen again after months of being involved in other headphones, and update later or tomorrow.

 

[pataburd]

  For Martin Logan and Amperior, which one you favor the most? Is ML really bass lack?

That is probably the single biggest MISNOMER about the Mikros 90 that ever had the misfortune of gaining traction on the Head-Fi forums.
Visit the Mikros 90 thread and read firsthand accounts of actual users' experience with the ML's bass.
"Lacking bass" could not be further from the truth.

 

[doctorjazz]

Don't feel they are lacking in bass, have quite a good, realistic bass response. Very dependent on positioning, source equipment, cables, a kazillion hours of burn in. I still feel the Amperiors have a more "fun", engaging bass, though a quick listen a short while ago gives the ML more realistic bass, bigger/more open sound stage, better silence between instruments. Comfort/ease of use goes to Amperiors, and, just putting them on and not doing the audiophile checklist thing, they are a blast to listen to.If I listen to an iPod Touch, the Amperior is less source sensitive, seems from my short listen using one, and likely to sound better than the ML on some material. ML is definitely more "high end", though, scales up, reveals poor sources...good overall, can be a negative in some situations.

 

[diaBoliQu3]

Thanks... Thinking to grab one from newegg but some bad review like material etc pull me back. So maybe stick with my Amperior. Well, maybe ML 90 is indeed a bass lack headphone, when compared to bassy oriented headphone. Just like when people said HD 600 lack of bass, I think HD 600 is the best bass I ever heard. So hard to find something portable with HD 600 level. Amperior sound warmer, and the bass have less impact than HD 600. But two different thing, unfair to do A/B comparison.

 

[doctorjazz]

Thanks... Thinking to grab one from newegg but some bad review like material etc pull me back. So maybe stick with my Amperior. Well, maybe ML 90 is indeed a bass lack headphone, when compared to bassy oriented headphone. Just like when people said HD 600 lack of bass, I think HD 600 is the best bass I ever heard. So hard to find something portable with HD 600 level. Amperior sound warmer, and the bass have less impact than HD 600. But two different thing, unfair to do A/B comparison.

Amperior is definitely warmer than Mikros, not as open, not as wide stage, bass is there on Mikros, seems to be an individual thing, maybe head shapes, some people feel it is perfect, some look for ways to increase. Amperior is definitely a fun, great sounding headphone, though, probably safer, but if you fall into the group that takes to Mikros, that would sound better. One of these things, individuals take to them differently, too bad can't go somewhere and audition. Can't go wrong with Amperior IMO!