[donunus]

I just read that the headamp on the dac1 is no contest compared to the gs1s. Now just really looking for a greatest dac under 500 bucks.

 

[donunus]

last bump before I give this thread a rest. Would a lavry do these cans justice using it's built in amp?

 

[donunus]

A question about the ad2000s transparency and high frequency response... Will it sound airier and more open on top with a dac upgrade? I wonder if imodding my ipod will do some wonders to its sound also

 

[donunus]

Now that i've put a lot of hours on these cans, I'm starting to get annoyed by the AT coloration. There is enough bass... maybe a little too much midbass. The mids are not articulate enough and I need more highs around 14khz or so and up. They are still the most exciting cans I've had for rock in terms of impact but hmm the mids are starting to bother me. I am probably gonna end up selling these or trade them for maybe 2 used cans like a sr225/k701 combo or whatever works so that I can find the sound that will nourish my audio craving. hmmm maybe a recabled k701 for trade since I hear those have more top end highs??? or is the k701 high frequency more around the 10khz area. Now I'm confused as to what will satisfy me.

 

[Towert7]

Sadly, It does often take a long time to come to grips with a certain headphone. I see that you have taken about a month, which is a good amount of time to get familiar with their sonic sig. Sorry to hear that in the end they are not to your liking.

I notice that you have not had the Senn HD650. Give them a shot, they are the most conservative of the mid-fi headphones. Should be a nice contrast to your AT 2000's.

 

[Rickio]

Way at the beginning I thought you had bought the Dennon D2000, my bad hehehe

Would you consider that can now? I was intrigued as well with your AT can but now I think I would go for the W5000 if and when I ever get the urge, for now the D2000 are really pleasing me.

 

[nickchen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif Now that i've put a lot of hours on these cans, I'm starting to get annoyed by the AT coloration. I am probably gonna end up selling these or trade them for maybe 2 used cans like a sr225/k701 combo or whatever works

Pooh

Wouldn't recommend the SR225, that would be a downgrade IMO (a 110% MS1 with less highs). The MS2, on the other hand, can easely compete with the AD2K and does not have such a mids coloration. It is even more energetic.

Wouldn't choose a DT880/K701/HD650 either, as you want a rockin' fon and these (almost) don't rock at all.

 

[donunus]

Looks like I'm back at one of my original plans to get either the ms2, ad2k, hd650, or k701. AD2k has been tried, now for the rest... Anyway, I feel like I should add 50 hours to the burn in to see if my ad2ks have really settled because my old cans also had ups and down periods during burn in. I'm going to have access to some hd650s soon. Curious how that sounds with the owners hornet and my headfive from an imod vs standard ipod. Since I have noticed that frequency response graphs are very closely related to how I hear the sound of headphones, I am very interested in the hd650s since they look like the most extended cans on the highs from headrooms graphs. It seems to have the most sound coming from the 14khz region which I'm missing from the ad2ks anyway. Ryumatsubas site also reflects this high frequency dip
ad2000

hd650

and just for a comparison to see if the hd650 has been measured the same by 2 different sources

 

[donunus]

The frequency graphs above explain why the ad2ks upper mids seem hot. The rapid decrease in frequencies after 12 khz makes the lower treble and upper mids more focused while the hd650s dip in the highs are more gradual all the way to the top which make people describe them as sounding dark but extended. I want to hear the hd650s myself if this is so and if it also does justice to my rock music

 

[donunus]

Ive been scrambling around different sources and ive noticed that the headfive really destroys the ad2ks immediacy. I think I believe in ASR that these cans need the supposedly bright "wire with gain" sound of the gilmore amps. They sound better with the ipods and my laptops headphone jacks than line out to headfive. The headfive seems to add haze to the mids and muddles and boosts the bass a little which bothers me quite a bit aaargh. If it were not for my 595s that synergize well with it, I would sell the headfive right away. I don't think I will be selling these though cause I see a big difference with sources and the lavry might be the next thing to buy. If It fails there, then ms2i or k701 land I go.

 

[nickchen]

Don't put too much attention on these graphs. According to these, a RS1 and a PX100 also should sound quite similar...

 

[bizkid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif The frequency graphs above explain why the ad2ks upper mids seem hot. The rapid decrease in frequencies after 12 khz makes the lower treble and upper mids more focused while the hd650s dip in the highs are more gradual all the way to the top which make people describe them as sounding dark but extended. I want to hear the hd650s myself if this is so and if it also does justice to my rock music

Been there, done that, DONT. The HD650 is NO rocker. Yes it will sound good but it just lacks the energy, drive and just isnt very involving for rock music.
After all i've gone through i would conclude there's just no perfect headphone for rock. Best were the L3000 with a bit of EQ to make it more lively & edgy in upper mids. Still that leaves alot to be desired compared to speakers.

I've heard no headphone to date which can convince the glassy crunchy upper mids and highs of a classic (non-mastervolume) overdriven guitar tube amp (i play through one everyday).
If you listen to metal oder "modern" rock that doesnt matter as much, amps used there mainly rely on preamp gain for distortion and stay as clean as possible in the poweramp section. These are easier to record and playback imho.

 

[nickchen]

Double post

 

[donunus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickchen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Don't put too much attention on these graphs. According to these, a RS1 and a PX100 also should sound quite similar...

That is weird though... I've tried to ignore the graphs but they just happen to correlate with all the headphones I've heard so far. Ex. I hear the peak that bothers me in the dt990s highs and I heard the sound of the k240s which sounded just like its graph in the highs too. The lows are not totally accurate tonally compared to the graphs probably because the bass depends more on the transient speed to sound like it measures. I haven't heard the rs1s and they probably have a different transient response to the slow px100s which of course are on a very far price bracket. If one is fast and one is very slow, then the frequency response graphs might not matter anymore, especially for lower frequencies. Could it be because sounds with a bigger wavelength need more speed to get to the ear/mic at the same time as the highs??? Maybe why speed is a factor that contributes to the accuracy of the graphs vs what we hear??? hmm just a theory that I seem to have noticed in reality.

 

[Towert7]

Freq. Respon graphs give you nothing but the sound LEVEL. They in no way tell you how that sound will......... well......... sound.

I have the Grado HF-1 and the Senn HD650. I'll be honest with you, I don't like a harsh sound for my music, and I end up listening to the HD650 for most of my rock music. There are times when I need a bit more intamicy, and that's when I'll switch over the the HF-1, but I listen about 95% of the time to the HD650. You owe it to yourself to try them for an extended period (a month), not just listening to them at audio meets.