[DigitalFreak]

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I can see myself acting like that too. Mostly in regards to the fabled AT AD(A)1000/2000(X). The design is what pulled me towards them at first, the AD700 being the first I saw like it. Then I knew that the the models I mentioned hardly got sold outside Japan, with the AD2000 briefly there in the US. But as it is, it's mighty expensive and my environment is not conducive for open cans like the AD1000/2000. Makes me sad, really. I can aim to get the A1000X/2000X but it has the same problem: expensive.

The best way to do it is to find someone in Japan to act as a proxy. The problem is finding someone whose 100% trustworthy. Originally when I started my K2 sp search I tried messaging j-phonic asking if they would make an exception to the rule of no out of country buyers if I could maybe arrange a group buy on head-fi. They replied saying they were greatly flattered but they just couldn't do it.

 

[jgray91]

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I can see myself acting like that too. Mostly in regards to the fabled AT AD(A)1000/2000(X). The design is what pulled me towards them at first, the AD700 being the first I saw like it. Then I knew that the the models I mentioned hardly got sold outside Japan, with the AD2000 briefly there in the US. But as it is, it's mighty expensive and my environment is not conducive for open cans like the AD1000/2000. Makes me sad, really. I can aim to get the A1000X/2000X but it has the same problem: expensive.

The best way to do it is to find someone in Japan to act as a proxy. The problem is finding someone whose 100% trustworthy. Originally when I started my K2 sp search I tried messaging j-phonic asking if they would make an exception to the rule of no out of country buyers if I could maybe arrange a group buy on head-fi. They replied saying they were greatly flattered but they just couldn't do it.

That or using a forwarding service. Meh, I still have a long way to go until I get to that point though. 
 
Did they say why they can't do out-of-country order anymore?

 

[MuppetFace]

The Edition 9 is really a nice headphone in my humble opinion. Assuming you're looking for what it offers, and assuming you can find one being sold at a reasonable price by someone who isn't trying to gouge you. The latter point seems unfortunately common with regard to this headphone, however.
 
It's sound signature is similar to the Signature Pro and Edition 8, and as far as I know the drivers used in these three headphones are similar if not the same. The Signature Pro occupies a middle ground of sorts, with the most neutral FR to be found in an Ultrasone flagship. The Edition 8 on the other hand has a more exaggerated top end, whereas the Edition 9 has a more exaggerated bottom end. To overly simplify things:
 
Signature Pro + moar treble = Edition 8
Signature Pro + moar bass = Edition 9
 
I'm really hard-pressed to think of a nicer, fully sealed flagship headphone that is truly for bassheads.
 
Sadly my pair arrived with much of the gold lettering peeling off and reeking of cigarette smoke, despite claims from the seller that it was absolutely mint. Consequently I'm thinking of picking up a mintier pair, since I really do enjoy their sound.

 

[ardgedee]

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Sadly my pair arrived with much of the gold lettering peeling off and reeking of cigarette smoke, despite claims from the seller that it was absolutely mint. Consequently I'm thinking of picking up a mintier pair, since I really do enjoy their sound.

 
If only that guy had smoked menthols...
 
Some really interesting custom IEMs in the for-sale section lately. UERM, UE18, JH 13, CX8... Several opportunities to get a top-tier IEM for about $800-900 after reshelling costs.

 

[PhoenixClaw]

I also became curious about the K2 after reading joker's and ClieOS' reviews on it. It sounded like the perfect GR07 upgrade - I've been searching far and wide in the universal IEM world (thanks to Jaben and Stereo being located here and allowing extensive auditioning) but nothing really seems like the next step above the GR07. The SE535's sounded weird to me, while the W4 sounded a bit off and not exactly right, despite being technically more detailed and such. 
 
This search has led me to the ASG-1 which I have been following closely, but since I can't audition it, I simply can't bring myself to "bite the bullet" because of my restricted budget. A whole lot of issues would pop up if I were to try and resell it, if ever I didn't like it.
 
All the best in your search DF, hopefully I'll be able to find one too.

 

[MuppetFace]

Yeah, lots of interesting stuff in the sales forum lately. The Stax SR-Omega is still there, which is kind of surprising, and then another Orpheus HE90 just popped up this morning.
 
Aside from the Edition 9, I'm eyeing a HeAudio 1.2B that was just listed too...

 

[cooperpwc]

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If anyone has a recommendation for leather care products that would work well on headphone pads / headbands, please let me know.

 
Just be careful about not using the wrong product. Some time back, I used a leather product on my Beyer DT880 headband that had a sealing effect. As a result the leather no longer breathed and it rendered the headphones unusable until I ordered a new headband from Germany.
 
(My dome is admittedly a tad shiny but I do not think that it would be comfortable for anyone.)

 

[driver 8]

That Grado HP-2 is tempting.

 

[a_recording]

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I also became curious about the K2 after reading joker's and ClieOS' reviews on it. It sounded like the perfect GR07 upgrade - I've been searching far and wide in the universal IEM world (thanks to Jaben and Stereo being located here and allowing extensive auditioning) but nothing really seems like the next step above the GR07. The SE535's sounded weird to me, while the W4 sounded a bit off and not exactly right, despite being technically more detailed and such. 
 
This search has led me to the ASG-1 which I have been following closely, but since I can't audition it, I simply can't bring myself to "bite the bullet" because of my restricted budget. A whole lot of issues would pop up if I were to try and resell it, if ever I didn't like it.
 
All the best in your search DF, hopefully I'll be able to find one too.

 
Phoenix, I've been able to compare the GR07 and the ASG Rev 1.2 side by side and I would strongly advise you not to think of the ASG as a direct upgrade. The ASG sounds very dark in comparison to the GR07 and I was not convinced that the spatial positioning was all that natural. I would strongly recommend sticking with your guns and not making a blind purchase if you are looking for a GR07 replacement! :0
 
I would consider the EX1000 closer to being a direct upgrade, but again the EX1000 has a stronger treble tilt and has its issues with portable use in terms of fit and isolation. (The EX800 / MDR-7550 would probably be more directly comparable in sound to the 07). I can't comment on the K2 sadly.
 
Truth be told the GR07 is what I regard as basically the best all round package I've encountered on my Head-Fi journey so far. It's not the IEM I use the most any more, since getting the EX1000 and XBA-4, but it would be my first recommendation (based on my own experience) to anyone looking for a good set of IEMs, no matter the price bracket. My only real complaint about them: the ear guides are annoyingly fussy to me!

 

[PhoenixClaw]

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Phoenix, I've been able to compare the GR07 and the ASG Rev 1.2 side by side and I would strongly advise you not to think of the ASG as a direct upgrade. The ASG sounds very dark in comparison to the GR07 and I was not convinced that the spatial positioning was all that natural. I would strongly recommend sticking with your guns and not making a blind purchase if you are looking for a GR07 replacement! :0
 
I would consider the EX1000 closer to being a direct upgrade, but again the EX1000 has a stronger treble tilt and has its issues with portable use in terms of fit and isolation. (The EX800 / MDR-7550 would probably be more directly comparable in sound to the 07). I can't comment on the K2 sadly.
 
Truth be told the GR07 is what I regard as basically the best all round package I've encountered on my Head-Fi journey so far. It's not the IEM I use the most any more, since getting the EX1000 and XBA-4, but it would be my first recommendation (based on my own experience) to anyone looking for a good set of IEMs, no matter the price bracket. My only real complaint about them: the ear guides are annoyingly fussy to me!

 
I agree - after going through so many I can't help but simply look forward to Vsonic's upcoming GR08 and GR09. Nothing else on the market (that I've heard) quite outclasses it in what it does. To be honest, most of the other IEMs to me have the same sound quality, just different sound signatures. I just happened to like the GR07's the most. When I first started out, I was hoping the UM3X would be "it". Sadly, I didn't like it in the end. 
 
I will have to try out the EX1000 again. Last time I auditioned it, I think I didn't get a good seal because of the shape so the sound I heard wasn't what it was supposed to be. I'm quite worried about the cables though. It seems like the weakest point of the IEM.

 

[MuppetFace]

And while I'm talking [mostly to myself] about Ultrasones, I may as well mentioned that it's rather annoying to see people speaking poorly of the Signature Pro when they haven't even heard it. The "Ultrasone sucks" meme is alive and well.
 
Especially since the Signature Pro is pretty much the best fully isolating headphone on the market in my opinion.

 

[PhoenixClaw]

Given my limited space and therefore inability to have a desktop rig I haven't exactly tried out many headphones, and no ultrasones at all. I do want to try one though, maybe the HFI780 and PRO900. I do not know where exactly to try out the signature pro here, and even if I do get the chance they're waaaaaaaay up there in terms of price. When I was reading threads from before, I thought most of the complaints were due to the S-logic technology which supposedly screws up the sound. 
 
That said, I began my journey with a humble ATH-M50 (which I still have) and acquired a DT1350, which I really like but haven't gotten much listening time lately because I don't really like them for metal.

 

[eke2k6]

Phoenix, I've been able to compare the GR07 and the ASG Rev 1.2 side by side and I would strongly advise you not to think of the ASG as a direct upgrade. The ASG sounds very dark in comparison to the GR07 and I was not convinced that the spatial positioning was all that natural. I would strongly recommend sticking with your guns and not making a blind purchase if you are looking for a GR07 replacement! :0

I would consider the EX1000 closer to being a direct upgrade, but again the EX1000 has a stronger treble tilt and has its issues with portable use in terms of fit and isolation. (The EX800 / MDR-7550 would probably be more directly comparable in sound to the 07). I can't comment on the K2 sadly.

Truth be told the GR07 is what I regard as basically the best all round package I've encountered on my Head-Fi journey so far. It's not the IEM I use the most any more, since getting the EX1000 and XBA-4, but it would be my first recommendation (based on my own experience) to anyone looking for a good set of IEMs, no matter the price bracket. My only real complaint about them: the ear guides are annoyingly fussy to me!

This is true. I feel compelled to use the treble boost on mine.

 

[maverickronin]

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And while I'm talking [mostly to myself] about Ultrasones, I may as well mentioned that it's rather annoying to see people speaking poorly of the Signature Pro when they haven't even heard it. The "Ultrasone sucks" meme is alive and well.
 
Especially since the Signature Pro is pretty much the best fully isolating headphone on the market in my opinion.

 
I think the most charitable thing you could say about Ultrasonnes is that they have an unusual house sound.  It's polarizing and pretty consistent across the line so I think it's unfortunate but inevitable that some people not just discount future models ahead of time but bash them without hearing them or even seeing any data on them.
 
I had an HFI-780 for a brief time and I think it might really have been the worst headphone I'd ever heard at any price.  It made everything sound like it was recorded in a parallel universe where all instruments and vocal cords where made out of sheet metal and instruments already made of metal were played by throwing them down stairwells.  I don't doubt that the Sig Pro is at least better than that but given my tastes and the fact that there are certain things I just can't stand (things that Ultrasonne seems to specialize in if the measurements of their other 'phones that I've seen are correct) I express extreme skepticism.  Measurements aren't perfect, but if you know what you don't like they're very good for ruling things out.  Deciding between two different 'phones that you think you'll like is much more difficult.
 
I want to hold out hope for them and honestly I'd love to be proven wrong about the Sig Pro but it doesn't seem too likely.  A lot of the problems I have with them are more than just simple frequency response and I'm not sure it can be fixed without designing a new driver from scratch.  You don't seem too bothered by the kind of time domain stuff that I can't stand but do you think that it has less driver ringing than other 'Sonnes?
 
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Given my limited space and therefore inability to have a desktop rig I haven't exactly tried out many headphones, and no ultrasones at all. I do want to try one though, maybe the HFI780 and PRO900. I do not know where exactly to try out the signature pro here, and even if I do get the chance they're waaaaaaaay up there in terms of price. When I was reading threads from before, I thought most of the complaints were due to the S-logic technology which supposedly screws up the sound. 
 
That said, I began my journey with a humble ATH-M50 (which I still have) and acquired a DT1350, which I really like but haven't gotten much listening time lately because I don't really like them for metal.

 
IMO it's not the S-Logic thing.  I'm not really sure it actually does all that much.  See above for my opinion on the HFI780.  IMO the M50 is far and away superior.  I think the HFI780 might have a bit larger soundstage but that's really their only advantage.  Even if I did like it I'd advise you not to buy an Ultrasonne blind because they're pretty polarizing.
 
There is a small but loyal group of people who enjoy 'Sonnes for metal so they might be worth investigating, especially if you like an "aggressive" sound, but even though that's my primary genre I couldn't stand the 780 and have no clue what they hear in them..

 

[jgray91]

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And while I'm talking [mostly to myself] about Ultrasones, I may as well mentioned that it's rather annoying to see people speaking poorly of the Signature Pro when they haven't even heard it. The "Ultrasone sucks" meme is alive and well.
 
Especially since the Signature Pro is pretty much the best fully isolating headphone on the market in my opinion.

 
The lack of a nearby headphone store here in Moscow hasa made me wonder what's the hullabaloo about Ultrasones. Of course the lack of availability of Grado/Aless. didn't stop me to just buy it outright, but since I already have a closed 'phones (which most of the <$200 'Sones are closed) I didn't jump on it.
 
It would be interesting to check on Jaben when I get back home to see if they have any for audition. how demanding, power-wise are they? I'd assume very, as it goes up 'Sone's tier.