[MuppetFace]

Quote:

Flagship anything is all well and good, but I think it's high time the developed tech trickle down to more reasonable prices. I mean, that's what almost all other tech industries happen to do.

That's exactly what's happening in the IEM sector. $100 today will buy you a hell of a lot more in-ear than several years ago.
 
As for fullsized headphones... honestly, there's not much "tech" to even trickle down. Vintage orthos from the 70s and early 80s for instance are just as advanced---if not moreso---than a lot of stuff being made today. Actually, if you look at the drivers Fostex used (and even uses on their modern T50RPs), they're way more intricate and advanced than the stuff HiFiMan is currently using in their big orthos!
 
I can think of a few genuine examples of recent innovation for fullsized headphones. The HD800's driver is one big one: a ton of R&D went into it. Audez'e has also done some impressive stuff with their drivers, though their implementation (esp. on the LCD-3) hasn't been that great. Also some interesting driver materials: biocellulose for Fostex and Sony, and also whatever the heck the Qualia drivers are made out of (crushed seashells and cherubim tears?). Then there's the Heil-type driver implementation of piezoelectric film used on the TakeT, though a lot of that tech is from the 70s and can be found on rather inexpensive stuff. Similarly the new Float QA is basically a polished version of the original Float.
 
My point is that when it comes to a lot of fullsized headphones these days---even flagships---it's not so much actual technology as it is implementation. I mean, electrostats aren't terribly complicated in principle; DIYers can and have produced some rather impressive results just from materials they obtained at hardware stores. One of the best 'stats ever was something a random dude in China made out of his house. What makes Stax so special is the level of care and refinement they bring to the table: they assemble their headphones in environmentally controlled rooms using surgically precise techniques, utilizing decades of experience.
 
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My guess with the Abyss is that although some people claim to have listened to it, I think it's unlikely that they experienced its fullest potential.

 
That may very well be the case, though it's pretty much the fault of JPS since they're the ones choosing the equipment to provide for the public demos. It's always a head scratcher when a manufacturer decides to showcase their gear in setups that don't do it justice.
I don't remember what they used in the past, but this time around for the NY Audio Show they'll be pairing the Abyss with the Liquid Gold. I think that amp will be more than enough to let the Abyss' true potential show.

 

[DigitalFreak]

On the way to work this morning I cut through the local downtown mall and couldn't help but stop to quickly snap this pic. Sooooo cute

 

[jgray91]

That's exactly what's happening in the IEM sector. $100 today will buy you a hell of a lot more in-ear than several years ago.

As for fullsized headphones... honestly, there's not much "tech" to even trickle down. Vintage orthos from the 70s and early 80s for instance are just as advanced---if not moreso---than a lot of stuff being made today. Actually, if you look at the drivers Fostex used (and even uses on their modern T50RPs), they're way more intricate and advanced than the stuff HiFiMan is currently using in their big orthos!

I can think of a few genuine examples of recent innovation for fullsized headphones. The HD800's driver is one big one: a ton of R&D went into it. Audez'e has also done some impressive stuff with their drivers, though their implementation (esp. on the LCD-3) hasn't been that great. Also some interesting driver materials: biocellulose for Fostex and Sony, and also whatever the heck the Qualia drivers are made out of (crushed seashells and cherubim tears?). Then there's the Heil-type driver implementation of piezoelectric film used on the TakeT, though a lot of that tech is from the 70s and can be found on rather inexpensive stuff. Similarly the new Float QA is basically a polished version of the original Float.

My point is that when it comes to a lot of fullsized headphones these days---even flagships---it's not so much actual technology as it is implementation. I mean, electrostats aren't terribly complicated in principle; DIYers can and have produced some rather impressive results just from materials they obtained at hardware stores. One of the best 'stats ever was something a random dude in China made out of his house. What makes Stax so special is the level of care and refinement they bring to the table: they assemble their headphones in environmentally controlled rooms using surgically precise techniques, utilizing decades of experience.

All damn good points, can't really argue from my side.
------------------------------------
More animedom sharing:

[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1jp0Dxa9tQ[/VIDEO]

This is less awesome without context of when this was played in the series. I could outline a "imagine this" scene, but then I would spoil the plot for MF. :\

Also remember this?



which is based on this:


well the anime aired, and it is yet another ******* awesome adaptation!!!1111en2o1eoi-2e

 

[Achmedisdead]

Quote:

On the way to work this morning I cut through the local downtown mall and couldn't help but stop to quickly snap this pic. Sooooo cute

Looks like you found
 
 

 

[jazzerdave]

Quote:

 It did sound really good.  Just not as good as the SR-009.  I did find it better sounding than the LCD-3 and TH900.  If I had tons of funds, I'd probably buy one and replace the entire headband with something other than a giant Vice-Grip (and probably be very happy with it).

 
I fixed a bit of that for myself.  I do sometimes use price as a basis for comparison, and it can be pretty meaningless.
 

 
Originally Posted by MuppetFace /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 

Spoiler: Good%20points%20collapsed%20for%20space%20conservation.

 
That's exactly what's happening in the IEM sector. $100 today will buy you a hell of a lot more in-ear than several years ago.
 
As for fullsized headphones... honestly, there's not much "tech" to even trickle down. Vintage orthos from the 70s and early 80s for instance are just as advanced---if not moreso---than a lot of stuff being made today. Actually, if you look at the drivers Fostex used (and even uses on their modern T50RPs), they're way more intricate and advanced than the stuff HiFiMan is currently using in their big orthos!
 
I can think of a few genuine examples of recent innovation for fullsized headphones. The HD800's driver is one big one: a ton of R&D went into it. Audez'e has also done some impressive stuff with their drivers, though their implementation (esp. on the LCD-3) hasn't been that great. Also some interesting driver materials: biocellulose for Fostex and Sony, and also whatever the heck the Qualia drivers are made out of (crushed seashells and cherubim tears?). Then there's the Heil-type driver implementation of piezoelectric film used on the TakeT, though a lot of that tech is from the 70s and can be found on rather inexpensive stuff. Similarly the new Float QA is basically a polished version of the original Float.
 
My point is that when it comes to a lot of fullsized headphones these days---even flagships---it's not so much actual technology as it is implementation. I mean, electrostats aren't terribly complicated in principle; DIYers can and have produced some rather impressive results just from materials they obtained at hardware stores. One of the best 'stats ever was something a random dude in China made out of his house. What makes Stax so special is the level of care and refinement they bring to the table: they assemble their headphones in environmentally controlled rooms using surgically precise techniques, utilizing decades of experience.
 

 
That may very well be the case, though it's pretty much the fault of JPS since they're the ones choosing the equipment to provide for the public demos. It's always a head scratcher when a manufacturer decides to showcase their gear in setups that don't do it justice.
I don't remember what they used in the past, but this time around for the NY Audio Show they'll be pairing the Abyss with the Liquid Gold. I think that amp will be more than enough to let the Abyss' true potential show.

 
That should definitely be enough.  At RMAF/CanJam they were showing it with the Liquid Fire.  The pair they had on display in the big room for CanJam was using a stock Liquid Fire while the station upstairs in one of the suites was using a modified LF that I believe produced a little more power.  It definitely sounded better upstairs, but the room was also about as quiet any I've seen at a show/convention.  It was probably quieter than my normal listening conditions at my house (there was no music playing on the stereo, and there was a very hushed conversation in the next room). 

 

[warrenpchi]

Quote:

On the way to work this morning I cut through the local downtown mall and couldn't help but stop to quickly snap this pic. Sooooo cute

 
LOL, they're selling the same sweater that the bears are wearing over yonder in the background (well, almost the same sweater).

 

[Tangster]

Dunno if any of you read much sci-fi, but I remembered reading a few novels with a very good female lead way back when I was little child bordering on puberty but never found the rest of the series in the local library(small enough that I had finished the entire sci-fi and fantasy section in couple years) Lo and behold, a google search later gives me a list of possible books and authors who write space opera with female leads(decent ones as opposed to the badly written dude who happens to have a vagina). 
 
The books? The Serrano Legacy series(7 novels) by Elizabeth Moon. I just grabbed them all of amazon for my tablet and will now proceed to settle in for a good long read.

 

[C.C.S.]

Quote:

Cyclamen have the problem of sounding like an eldritch daemon-spawn summoning ritual, but disregarding that, the non-summoning ritual part I really like. I've only sampled songs from Senjyu, hopefully I can find an album that I can like without feeling like some elder god's minion(s) is trying to invade my sanity. On the other hand, really loving Withyouathome's .​.​.​and the Moon Still Shines Quietly. It sounds so soothingly fatalistic.

 
I got Memories, Voices by Cyclamen and I don't think it sounds all that bad. I'll admit to not having listened to Senjyu. I'm impressed that Hayato Imanishi did Senjyu as a solo project, though, if a couple of sources I've read are accurate. As for Withyouathome, I purchased Our Lives Are All Very Forgettable Events In The Universe. Very long-winded title. Awesome music, though. I'm pretty quickly becoming a fan of this guy and his bands. They do some really cool things.

 

[lee730]

Quote:

 
Yeah, I've heard from most people who heard it that it sounds good but to their mind doesn't justify its price. Your assessment is actually one of the more generous ones: others have compared it to the HE-500, which is below $1000.
 
That being said, most of these impressions have been under very poor conditions (meets or crowded malls) and with decent but not fantastic gear. Also factor in the short audition time (minutes) and poor fit most people seem to be getting... and yeah. Interestingly enough, someone I trust who has spent more time with it than most people and on a very good amp says it's actually extremely good. So I'm genuinely curious: just how good can it sound under better conditions? Can it even come close to the SR-009?
 

---

 
This raises another interesting point, one I've touched on a lot before but haven't brought up recently: whether headphones are "worth" it. To be perfectly honest, I think most headphones out there are probably overpriced (especially when you consider dealer cuts and distribution). Yet I've never really been one to assign exact monetary value to the way things sound. It just strikes me as odd. Not to get all Zeno here, but consider these two cases:
 
Say one attributes a price of $2000 to something. Or even a range of $2000-2500. Fair enough, but what about $2000.01? Or $2000-2500.01? Does adding a single cent suddenly invalidate the assessment? Most would probably balk and so of course not. But then what about a dollar? Two dollars? You can see where I'm going with this. At what point do you assign a cut off, at what point is it absolutely no longer worth it?
 
The other approach is comparative. One can say "well X headphone sounds good, so if Y headphone sounds as good as X, it should be worth the cost of X." Yet one runs into the same problem, only now with X headphone instead of Y.
 

---

 
I'm not trying to be contentious, just sort of thinking out loud. More and more I've come to realize that a lot of the stuff that goes on in this hobby---from the reasons behind peoples' posts to the actual purchasing of gear---has very little to do with sound. I'm not saying it's mutually exclusive: people still use this stuff to enjoy audio. However the drive behind consumption, the "journey" people go on about so much, is seldom about that. It's the little object 'a.' And that's fine, so long as people can sort of see the patterns going on with it. Really it just makes trying to determine value all the more nebulous tho.

 
I find the best time to listen to gear it late at night when everyone is sleeping. It's so funny how big of an impact that has for me in terms of music enjoyment. I can listen at lower volumes and still be satiated and can actually focus on the music instead of consciously/subconsciously focusing on the distractions.

 

[333jeffery]

Tangster, you should try the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. Great sci-fi novels, especially if you like military sci-fi. Honor is a wonderful character, and her supporting cast is very good, too.

 

[DigitalFreak]

Everyone feel free to grab a meme. It should come in handy on these boards
 

 

 

[jgray91]

I got Memories, Voices by Cyclamen and I don't think it sounds all that bad. I'll admit to not having listened to Senjyu. I'm impressed that Hayato Imanishi did Senjyu as a solo project, though, if a couple of sources I've read are accurate. As for Withyouathome, I purchased Our Lives Are All Very Forgettable Events In The Universe. Very long-winded title. Awesome music, though. I'm pretty quickly becoming a fan of this guy and his bands. They do some really cool things.

Will check those out later.

 

[MrViolin]

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WOT, no drummers.  OOPS, sorry, I forgot...... drummers are not musicians...................

^too good
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Unless you were going to see DSO concerts in the 1930's, I'll assume you missed him.  Yes, he passed away, but he'd be 101 this year (made it to 97); it's not like he didn't live a nice long life.  His wife is my only remaining grandparent, and she turned 100 in September.  And yes, the violins are indeed in Texas.

so 4 years back he was still rollin? O dang... so he was born near the end of the 19th or early 20th century... into what would soon become the golden age of violinists. Did he retire and become an instructor? Looks like I was decades too late :/

 

[driver 8]

Quote:

Everyone feel free to grab a meme. It should come in handy on these boards
 

 

 
Iuno, just messing with stuff in my Pictures folder...
 

 

[MrViolin]

Quote:

 
Iuno, just messing with stuff in my Pictures folder...
 

zelda <3