[Uncle00Jesse]

I've spent a pretty penny on all my head-fi gear over the past 1.5 years. But sitting here listening now to my setup, I'm pretty unhappy with it. I know I could always sell the stuff but thats a hassle and you end up taking a hit. Anyways, why is my setup so damn bright!?
 
flac/wav files/320kb spotify > coax bifrost > lyr > SA5000 / Hifiman HE-5
 
I know what you're going to say.. those are two of the brightest phones on the market. I'm an idiot for buying them since I am so sensitive to sibilance or icy sounding vocals. I hate those qualities so much I cant tell you. I really thought the lyr + tubes would be the answer, but everything just sounds so icy and slightly digital, although extremely dynamic and powerful. 
 
Where do I go from here? Do I ditch everything and start from scratch? Is there any way to salvage what I have. I have not tube rolled the lyr yet which I should, but I really need an extreme difference... the brightness is killing all the fun out of my head-fi experience. It's almost like I seek it out, and once I hear it in a song, its totally ruined for me.
 
Can I please get some suggestions on new phones/amp dac/additions etc. I suppose if I sold off most of what I have and got around 1000 for the sales, my budget would be a total of 2-2.5k starting from scratch. thanks

 

[GL1TCH3D]

I've spent a pretty penny on all my head-fi gear over the past 1.5 years. But sitting here listening now to my setup, I'm pretty unhappy with it. I know I could always sell the stuff but thats a hassle and you end up taking a hit. Anyways, why is my setup so damn bright!?

flac/wav files/320kb spotify > coax bifrost > lyr > SA5000 / Hifiman HE-5

I know what you're going to say.. those are two of the brightest phones on the market. I'm an idiot for buying them since I am so sensitive to sibilance or icy sounding vocals. I hate those qualities so much I cant tell you. I really thought the lyr + tubes would be the answer, but everything just sounds so icy and slightly digital, although extremely dynamic and powerful. 

Where do I go from here? Do I ditch everything and start from scratch? Is there any way to salvage what I have. I have not tube rolled the lyr yet which I should, but I really need an extreme difference... the brightness is killing all the fun out of my head-fi experience. It's almost like I seek it out, and once I hear it in a song, its totally ruined for me.

Can I please get some suggestions on new phones/amp dac/additions etc. I suppose if I sold off most of what I have and got around 1000 for the sales, my budget would be a total of 2-2.5k starting from scratch. thanks

The only one of those I've heard was the HE500.
Have you looked at mods for them though?
And from what I read about other tube amps, changing the tub can make a huge impact.
Again I've never used those pieces (except the HE-5 at a show but I don't remember it too well).

 

[Dyaems]

does it happen on all songs? maybe there is a problem with the recording? or try using losless files to see if it would help (maybe not)
 
for the he5.. i tend to get rid of the sibilance by using leather pads for it, I also use a steelseries siberia v2 pads for the he5(LE) and that toned down its brightness by a lot. using aftermarket cables (if you believe in them) works too. or maybe try a warmer-sounding tube for your lyr?
 
cant comment on the sa500 as i never owned one and the one i tried sounds so musical but it is using a different setup than you.
 
ipod > onkyo nds1 > fully modded (all caps replaced) adcom 20bit dac > diy class A mosfet amp (all high grade materials) > SA5000

 

[carlchip78]

The HD650 has a nice laid back sound that has the ability to take a lot of the 'edginess' off the sound. They're not too expensive second hand either. If it turns out that you like that sound signature, then you can think of consolidating your collection into an LCD2.
From my experience, all the tubes/DACs/ amps in the world aren't going to change a bright headphone into a darker headphone.

 

[paradoxper]

I would suggest rolling in some tubes, or try some eq'ing. If that's not your thing, look into the LCD-2.
It's a bit similar to the HE-500 with a more laid back presentation. 

 

[IcedTea]

I wish I had your set up lol 

 

[Graphicism]

It's the recording and there's no taming it with bright/revealing headphones no matter the source and/or amp. My solution was a rounded headphone like the D7000; still pretty good SQ but no sibilance. Bad recording or not everything sounds great.

 

[Uncle00Jesse]

thanks so much for the replies. i just put in an order for a pair of leather hifiman pads, so we'll see how that changes things. i dont know if i'm convinced the brightness is all due to the recording, seeing as though the same flac files on a sansa fuze with some triple fi 10s sound much warmer without a hint of sibilance or harshness. i'm just really mad that i can't even enjoy my expensive setup. i hate that feeling when you spent all that dough and once its in front of you, you think of the 100 other combinations you couldve came up with that would be better.
 
do i swing for an LCD-2 bamboo, sell off the HE-5 and a few mid-fi iems, and keep they bifrost/lyr? would a new source amp make my mind at ease? will that take me to the promise land? I'm reluctant to drop 400 on a HD650 if i'll just get the urge to upgrade after a few listens.

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

thanks so much for the replies. i just put in an order for a pair of leather hifiman pads, so we'll see how that changes things. i dont know if i'm convinced the brightness is all due to the recording, seeing as though the same flac files on a sansa fuze with some triple fi 10s sound much warmer without a hint of sibilance or harshness. i'm just really mad that i can't even enjoy my expensive setup. i hate that feeling when you spent all that dough and once its in front of you, you think of the 100 other combinations you couldve came up with that would be better.
 
do i swing for an LCD-2 bamboo, sell off the HE-5 and a few mid-fi iems, and keep they bifrost/lyr? would a new source amp make my mind at ease? will that take me to the promise land? I'm reluctant to drop 400 on a HD650 if i'll just get the urge to upgrade after a few listens.

That's exactly what you should figure out first. Is it the recording, gear, headphones. I recommended tubes to tame any unwanted sound.
Though no, it won't completely transform it. Treble peaks won't go away, etc.
 
I found the HE-5 bright, but not necessarily harsh or fatiguing. If this is the case for you then either a HD650 (inferior to both LCD-x and Hifiman)
would be a good choice. IMO, the clear choice is the LCD-2 for you.