[Ahzari]

Quote:

I picked the HD800 for Electronic music over the LCD 2s due to their detail and sound stage. I really think Electronic music (especially BT and Ambient (and Future Garage) music in general) shines with good sound staging. 
 
 
Agreed.
 

doesn't electronic also benefit from excellent bass? the HD800s just don't have the kick even with a excellent tube amp they are lacking - I think the TH900s are the best for electronic among the flagships (LCD3 included).

 

[MorbidToaster]

009 was my pick any day. Another ballgame though.
 
While some Electronic music does benefit from great bass (Ambient music really doesn't as much as say DnB or Dubsteo), the HD800 definitely has great bass. I didn't really find it lacking. The TH900 is definitely more fun, but I'd still take the HD800 over it for stuff like (my favorite album of last year) BT's Morceau Subrosa. The positional cues are some of the best I've ever heard and I've never heard a closed can that can do it justice like the HD800 can...or better yet, good speakers. 
 
Quote:

doesn't electronic also benefit from excellent bass? the HD800s just don't have the kick even with a excellent tube amp they are lacking - I think the TH900s are the best for electronic among the flagships (LCD3 included).

 

[Magick Man]

I actually prefer the TH900 + BA for blues, really.

 

[Asr]

Quote:

I'd say both headphones are great for all genres and that the HD800 probably has the edge in prat due to it being the faster and cleaner headphone. People enjoy the HD800 with rock and electronica (like me and Morbidtoaster) and people with TH900 enjoy them with classical and jazz.

 
You think the HD800 is faster-sounding than the TH900?

 
I don't know who you're speaking for with "people", but that definitely excludes me. When I owned the HD800, I could never enjoy it for either rock or electronica in general (only ambient electronica, which is a fraction of all the electronica that I own). And though I do enjoy classical & jazz on the TH900, those aren't exactly my first choices of genres on it personally - my choices would be metal and electronica.

 

[mrtim6]

Morbidtoaster - you mentioned earlier the Leben cs300xs & TH900 were not a good match due to their sound signatures - could you explain some more - I tend to agree that they are not a superb pairing I couldn't figure why? (aside from the hum my Leban makes)

Thanks

 

[MuppetFace]

Can't speak for morbidtoaster, but to me the Leben is on the tubey side of the spectrum. The TH900 is a very meticulously balanced transducer, teetering on the edge of excess for me at times. It's like a tower of blocks threatening to tip over at any time (but generally doesn't) if that makes sense.
 
Pairing it with something upstream that has its own very distinct coloration can upset that balance. The Leben pushes it over the edge: it becomes swollen, slower. IMHO the TH900 is best paired with an amp that is on the faster and more transparent side of things. With the ZDSE, there's just the faintest hint of euphony to add a flourish; I find it accentuates what's already there, basically buttressing the TH900.

 

[songmic]

Can't speak for morbidtoaster, but to me the Leben is on the tubey side of the spectrum. The TH900 is a very meticulously balanced transducer, teetering on the edge of excess for me at times. It's like a tower of blocks threatening to tip over at any time (but generally doesn't) if that makes sense.

Pairing it with something upstream that has its own very distinct coloration can upset that balance. The Leben pushes it over the edge: it becomes swollen, slower. IMHO the TH900 is best paired with an amp that is on the faster and more transparent side of things. With the ZDSE, there's just the faintest hint of euphony to add a flourish; I find it accentuates what's already there, basically buttressing the TH900.

At first, I thought the TH900 was not so picky about amping, and I was both right and wrong.

It has a high sensitivity of 100 dB/mW, so it can be driven by virtually anything including an iPod, whereas less efficient orthos need more pack n' punch of power.

However, having less demand for power alone doesn't necessarily make it an easy headphone to drive, or as I should put it, a headphone that sounds right with all amps. There are subliminal aspects that are often overlooked, such as balancing the sound signature. With a headphone like the TH900, I found that while many amps sounded good, it was rather difficult to find an amp that could truly "wow" me. Plus, the low impedance of the TH900 (25 ohms) render many vacuum tube amps poor choices, unless they have a very low output impedance like the Zana Deux SE.

 

[Maxvla]

You think the HD800 is faster-sounding than the TH900? :rolleyes:

I don't know who you're speaking for with "people", but that definitely excludes me. When I owned the HD800, I could never enjoy it for either rock or electronica in general (only ambient electronica, which is a fraction of all the electronica that I own). And though I do enjoy classical & jazz on the TH900, those aren't exactly my first choices of genres on it personally - my choices would be metal and electronica.

I not only think it, there are measurements to back up my thinking. Roll your eyes elsewhere.

As far as genre, certainly there are preferences for genres on headphones, but people (like you) say they can't enjoy a certain genre on a certain headphone (that you like otherwise) and I think that's false. I think acoustic and orchestral is the forte of the HD800 as well, but that doesn't make me rip them off my head in disgust the instant a rock song begins playing.

 

[MorbidToaster]

The Leben is highly colored (in a very pleasant way) and the TH900 isn't exactly neutral. 
 
Add in the hum and syrup from the Leben and I'd imagine it's not that great. If I implied I'd heard it before I apologize. I thought I made it clear I was speculating. I will however be hearing the combo come March. Maybe before then if I can get the Austinute who owns them over here sooner.
 
 
Quote:

Morbidtoaster - you mentioned earlier the Leben cs300xs & TH900 were not a good match due to their sound signatures - could you explain some more - I tend to agree that they are not a superb pairing I couldn't figure why? (aside from the hum my Leban makes)

Thanks

 

[Hubert481]

Maxvla, where did you get these charts and is there any link for correct reading/interpreting these charts? - Thank you?

 

[bmichels]

I actually prefer the TH900 + BA for blues, really.

Does'n this invite you to re-wire the TH-900 Balanced ? Has someone tried ?

 

[BournePerfect]

Agreed that the HD800s are 'faster' than the TH900-and quite possibly the AD2K. It just doesn't seem that way at times, imo, because of the huge soundstage that makes the music seem distant. It's just easier to discern a transducer's speed from the 'stage', rather than the back of an airplane hangar.
 
-Daniel

 

[Maxvla]

Maxvla, where did you get these charts and is there any link for correct reading/interpreting these charts? - Thank you?

These were previously posted in this thread and the HD800 thread. (Purrin's measurements)

This is a sound that is turned off, and the measurement is what is left active in the headphone after the sound has ended. The faster decay (less visible) the better. Not only is the HD800 faster in decay, it is a cleaner decay as well.

 

[Hubert481]

Thank you Maxvla!

 

[mrtim6]

Thanks Muppet Face, Songmic and Morbid Toaster for your input, I'll try & avoid the hum & surup LOL - liked the metaphor