DanG
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2001
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Audio&Me and I were lucky enough to be picked as volunteers for the Boston Headroom show last evening. To those of you volunteering in future shows: don't worry, it's really quite easy. Set-up and pack-up were both quite easy and painless. Since I wore a Headroom shirt and sat at the Etymotic table a lot of the time, I ended up helping a lot of people with the Eties and answering the questions that people didn't get to ask Tyll (who was all over the place, as usual).
Anyway, I'd heard most of this stuff before last year but in a louder room with more people and with worse digital sources. This year the high-end rack uses a BAT VK-D5SE ($4000 or $5000), while the all-Headroom-headphone-amp rack uses a Meridian 588 with the 24-bit DAC (is there even a 20-bit version of this one?). I didn't get a good listen to any Stax equipment this time, but rather concentrated on closer comparisons to which I had been looking forward. I'll list comparisons followed by my impressions from the meet.
Music used
I guess it's important to list this first, so you can keep in mind what I was using to get these results.
Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue
Gustav Mahler -- Symphony no.7
Beethoven string quartets (don't remember which ones, they're upstairs, I'm lazy)
Mozart string quintet in G minor
Thelonious Monk -- Live at the "It" Club
Etymotic ER-6
I had really been looking forward to these headphones. I have the ER-4S which sounds wonderful to my ears and which has great isolation. I was happy to find that the ER-6 is more comfortable than the ER-4S. But that's about where the compliments for these babies end.
Overall, I was very disappointed. Some people said they were close to the performance of the ER-4S, others made the more modest claim that they were an equal value to the ER-4S at the price of $129. I really couldn't confirm either of these findings.
I bought the ER-4S because they had great isolation. That's it -- that's the only reason I bought them, since it was the only way I would be able to listen to music on an airplane or a long and noisy bus ride (3-1/2 hours each way to and from college). It was an added bonus that the 4S easily matches the prowess of other headphones I've had -- excepting perhaps the Alessandro MS Pro.
The ER-6 provided almost zero isolation -- about the same as the V6, which some say provides enough isolation. Not for me -- it's not comparable to the ER-4S in any way. Furthermore, the sound was very much muffled (none of the crystal clear highs of the 4S), the bass sounded boomy (not precise and taut as with the 4S).
To be fair, I was expecting headphones that could possible rival the ER-4S after hearing all the hype from others. While the headphones didn't meet my expectations, they do cost just less than half as much as the 4S. The sound isn't bad -- when I say boomy bass, I mean compared to the 4S, not the V600. Maybe I could live with these headphones... but it ended up being a moot point for me, as I wouldn't have any reason to buy an extra pair of earbuds that don't really isolate all that much.
Cardas vs. Stefan AudioArt Equinox HD600 cables
I listened to both hooked up to the same Headroom Max, which was hooked up to the BAT VK-D5SE on the High-End rack. I think it would be fair to say I heard what Jude heard as opposed to those who contradicted his review. The Cardas seemed to have more-extended treble with a clearer perhaps shinier response (without glare, luckily), while the Stefan had slightly bloomier midrange but not as much frequency extension. My preferences coincided with the Cardas cable, and I'm happy that that's the one I bought. It costs 3/4 as much as the Stefan, too.
Headroom Max vs. Headroom Blockhead
I wanted to get a second listen to these two guys side-by-side since last year, while I listened to both, I didn't pay too much attention to the Max and never did a side-by-side. I got a chance this time, luckily, using the Cardas balanced cable on the Blockhead and the Cardas cable on the Max too.
Both are great amps but I found they had quite different sonic characteristics, despite both using the same circuit boards. The Max, as many have said, is a smooth amp whose only fault, I felt, was that it lacked some air in the top end and was perhaps a little (and I mean a little) dulled -- not as sweet as my Melos, for example.
The Blockhead was very neutral and precise. It had real bass authority and crystal-clear highs. However, it bordered on the analytical side. Tyll said at the meet his goal with his equipment is to pass along the signal unchanged. I think the Blockhead does this in terms, perhaps, of the notes played... but perhaps not the life instilled to them. I know Tyll might disagrees strongly with me here, but I find that I feel more of the music, the emotion, with the various tube amps, whether it's the Melos or the Cary 300SEI. Maybe it just needs the right CD player (Cary 306/200? Just a hint.
).
Which did I prefer? Hm... let's put it this way -- I don't think I need to spend over $1k, let alone almost $2000 or more, when I've got what I need with my Melos already.
Audio&Me's Meta42, made by eric343
Here was a real treat of an amp... apparently costing just over $300, this little sucker provided sweet sound with decent bass. I mainly compared it to my Melos, which may be an unfair comparison, but the Meta was in a different league from the portable amps we had at my house. On my Marantz CD6000 OSE (using Senn HD600 w/ Cardas), compared to the Melos, highs weren't as extended or airy, the soundstage was a bit compressed, and while sweet, didn't have the the Melos' signature sweetness.
Hooked up to the Cary CD-303/200 (at Spearit Sound in Boston), though, it really came to life. Highs were better-extended and sweeter than before, bass was tighter, soundstage was wider and more realistic, and some life was brough back into the music. Then again, it was a different CD player. And I was really excited to get to hear it again -- it might be my next purchase if I decide to forget the $1500 budget limitation I had originally imposed on myself.
Jan Meier's Porta Corda vs. Headroom Total Airhead 4.5V vs. Headroom Airhead 4.5V
I listened to these two amps at home on my Sony D-EJ01 and through Etymotic ER-4S, using the same cheesy portable cable on both amps.
Nota bene: the TA was my "prize" for working the Boston stop of the tour and thus might not be run-in to its optimal level -- the same goes for the Airhead, Audio&Me's gift. I also used crossfeed with all three amps, and it's important to note that crossfeed on the PC is not of the same design as the Headroom version.
Airhead vs. TA -- These two amps sounded quite similar with the TA just ahead of the Airhead. The TA had slightly better treble extension (slightly) with slightly better headroom and soundstage. Overall, though, both amps seemed to have trouble driving the 4S and I couldn't help but feel that the sound was really compressed.
Comparing the TA and the Porta Corda, I thought that the Porta Corda drove the 4S with much more ease. Trebles were even further extended and sweeter, there was more air between notes and noise floor seemed a bit lower. I'll be selling my TA and keeping the Porta-Corda.
Anyway, I'd heard most of this stuff before last year but in a louder room with more people and with worse digital sources. This year the high-end rack uses a BAT VK-D5SE ($4000 or $5000), while the all-Headroom-headphone-amp rack uses a Meridian 588 with the 24-bit DAC (is there even a 20-bit version of this one?). I didn't get a good listen to any Stax equipment this time, but rather concentrated on closer comparisons to which I had been looking forward. I'll list comparisons followed by my impressions from the meet.
Music used
I guess it's important to list this first, so you can keep in mind what I was using to get these results.
Miles Davis -- Kind of Blue
Gustav Mahler -- Symphony no.7
Beethoven string quartets (don't remember which ones, they're upstairs, I'm lazy)
Mozart string quintet in G minor
Thelonious Monk -- Live at the "It" Club
Etymotic ER-6
I had really been looking forward to these headphones. I have the ER-4S which sounds wonderful to my ears and which has great isolation. I was happy to find that the ER-6 is more comfortable than the ER-4S. But that's about where the compliments for these babies end.
Overall, I was very disappointed. Some people said they were close to the performance of the ER-4S, others made the more modest claim that they were an equal value to the ER-4S at the price of $129. I really couldn't confirm either of these findings.
I bought the ER-4S because they had great isolation. That's it -- that's the only reason I bought them, since it was the only way I would be able to listen to music on an airplane or a long and noisy bus ride (3-1/2 hours each way to and from college). It was an added bonus that the 4S easily matches the prowess of other headphones I've had -- excepting perhaps the Alessandro MS Pro.
The ER-6 provided almost zero isolation -- about the same as the V6, which some say provides enough isolation. Not for me -- it's not comparable to the ER-4S in any way. Furthermore, the sound was very much muffled (none of the crystal clear highs of the 4S), the bass sounded boomy (not precise and taut as with the 4S).
To be fair, I was expecting headphones that could possible rival the ER-4S after hearing all the hype from others. While the headphones didn't meet my expectations, they do cost just less than half as much as the 4S. The sound isn't bad -- when I say boomy bass, I mean compared to the 4S, not the V600. Maybe I could live with these headphones... but it ended up being a moot point for me, as I wouldn't have any reason to buy an extra pair of earbuds that don't really isolate all that much.
Cardas vs. Stefan AudioArt Equinox HD600 cables
I listened to both hooked up to the same Headroom Max, which was hooked up to the BAT VK-D5SE on the High-End rack. I think it would be fair to say I heard what Jude heard as opposed to those who contradicted his review. The Cardas seemed to have more-extended treble with a clearer perhaps shinier response (without glare, luckily), while the Stefan had slightly bloomier midrange but not as much frequency extension. My preferences coincided with the Cardas cable, and I'm happy that that's the one I bought. It costs 3/4 as much as the Stefan, too.
Headroom Max vs. Headroom Blockhead
I wanted to get a second listen to these two guys side-by-side since last year, while I listened to both, I didn't pay too much attention to the Max and never did a side-by-side. I got a chance this time, luckily, using the Cardas balanced cable on the Blockhead and the Cardas cable on the Max too.
Both are great amps but I found they had quite different sonic characteristics, despite both using the same circuit boards. The Max, as many have said, is a smooth amp whose only fault, I felt, was that it lacked some air in the top end and was perhaps a little (and I mean a little) dulled -- not as sweet as my Melos, for example.
The Blockhead was very neutral and precise. It had real bass authority and crystal-clear highs. However, it bordered on the analytical side. Tyll said at the meet his goal with his equipment is to pass along the signal unchanged. I think the Blockhead does this in terms, perhaps, of the notes played... but perhaps not the life instilled to them. I know Tyll might disagrees strongly with me here, but I find that I feel more of the music, the emotion, with the various tube amps, whether it's the Melos or the Cary 300SEI. Maybe it just needs the right CD player (Cary 306/200? Just a hint.
Which did I prefer? Hm... let's put it this way -- I don't think I need to spend over $1k, let alone almost $2000 or more, when I've got what I need with my Melos already.
Audio&Me's Meta42, made by eric343
Here was a real treat of an amp... apparently costing just over $300, this little sucker provided sweet sound with decent bass. I mainly compared it to my Melos, which may be an unfair comparison, but the Meta was in a different league from the portable amps we had at my house. On my Marantz CD6000 OSE (using Senn HD600 w/ Cardas), compared to the Melos, highs weren't as extended or airy, the soundstage was a bit compressed, and while sweet, didn't have the the Melos' signature sweetness.
Hooked up to the Cary CD-303/200 (at Spearit Sound in Boston), though, it really came to life. Highs were better-extended and sweeter than before, bass was tighter, soundstage was wider and more realistic, and some life was brough back into the music. Then again, it was a different CD player. And I was really excited to get to hear it again -- it might be my next purchase if I decide to forget the $1500 budget limitation I had originally imposed on myself.
Jan Meier's Porta Corda vs. Headroom Total Airhead 4.5V vs. Headroom Airhead 4.5V
I listened to these two amps at home on my Sony D-EJ01 and through Etymotic ER-4S, using the same cheesy portable cable on both amps.
Nota bene: the TA was my "prize" for working the Boston stop of the tour and thus might not be run-in to its optimal level -- the same goes for the Airhead, Audio&Me's gift. I also used crossfeed with all three amps, and it's important to note that crossfeed on the PC is not of the same design as the Headroom version.
Airhead vs. TA -- These two amps sounded quite similar with the TA just ahead of the Airhead. The TA had slightly better treble extension (slightly) with slightly better headroom and soundstage. Overall, though, both amps seemed to have trouble driving the 4S and I couldn't help but feel that the sound was really compressed.
Comparing the TA and the Porta Corda, I thought that the Porta Corda drove the 4S with much more ease. Trebles were even further extended and sweeter, there was more air between notes and noise floor seemed a bit lower. I'll be selling my TA and keeping the Porta-Corda.
