Recent content by Phronesis
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What are the best headphones on the market today?
No love for LCD-5?- Phronesis
- Post #9
- Forum: Headphones (full-size)
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What are the best headphones on the market today?
A few years ago, I bought an LCD-3, LCD-i4, Focal Clear, and Sennheiser HD800S. All are still very good. Back then, I compared the LCD-3 and LCD-4 and didn't think the LCD-4 was significantly better. I also compared the Clear and Utopia and slightly preferred the Clear (Utopia was a touch too...- Phronesis
- Thread
- Replies: 50
- Forum: Headphones (full-size)
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Focal Clear headphones
To my ears, the Clear sounds clear and accurate with energetic bass, whereas the Z1R sounds like junk with a poor frequency response and an illusion of clarity from overboosted spike in the highs (the problem is very apparent when listening to acoustic instruments like cymbals). I wouldn't pay...- Phronesis
- Post #7,462
- Forum: Headphones (full-size)
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Focal Clear headphones
I've had the Clear for a while now, and it still sounds great to me. But, despite my not using them too often (I rotate through multiple headphones) and being gentle with them, the connection for the short cable recently failed. Surprising to see that kind of failure from an expensive piece of...- Phronesis
- Post #7,454
- Forum: Headphones (full-size)
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Testing audiophile claims and myths
I agree that everything is (maybe) ultimately physical, but I don't think we can expect to model biological systems and minds effectively with the same types of models, especially quantitative models, which are used in physical science. The problem of free will is vexing, and my hypothesis is...- Phronesis
- Post #12,924
- Forum: Sound Science
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Testing audiophile claims and myths
All of our interactions with reality are through models. Depending on the situation, some models are judged to be better than others. No model is perfect, but some can be very good. Models in the physical sciences tend to be better than those in the social sciences with respect to predictive...- Phronesis
- Post #12,922
- Forum: Sound Science
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Testing audiophile claims and myths
For me, when the discussion goes in circles, it becomes uninteresting. It would be possible for the discussions to enter new territory if they were truly scientific, but the predominant agenda of Sound Science is to debunk audiophile myths rather than do science. That's not an unreasonable...- Phronesis
- Post #12,863
- Forum: Sound Science
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Testing audiophile claims and myths
I see that this thread came back to life. I only glanced at the recent posts. I doubt there's much to say and beyond what's already been said many times. People may need to agree to disagree. Here are the conclusions I came to after months of talking to you guys, doing my own tests, and...- Phronesis
- Post #12,852
- Forum: Sound Science
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Audeze LCD-3 Impressions Thread
Here's an interesting experiment I stumbled on. Play something that sounds great to you on the LCD-3. Now cover the outside of each earcup with each hand for about 10-20 secs. If you're like me, the sound will initially be horrendous, but will get somewhat better over time. Now take your...- Phronesis
- Post #5,496
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Meze EMPYREAN - the First Isodynamic Hybrid Array Headphone
I find that if I read a lot of opinions about gear, the body of opinions gives me an idea of what I might personally like. But it’s true that we have to take all opinions with a grain of salt, since they involve an element of subjective perception which can differ among people, differ within a...- Phronesis
- Post #3,718
- Forum: Headphones (full-size)
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Meze EMPYREAN - the First Isodynamic Hybrid Array Headphone
I'm subscribed, but haven't been reading the whole thread. Have enough people heard this headphone for us to say how, on average, it's perceived to compare with the LCD-3, LCD-4, HD800S, Clear, Utopia, etc.? Is it just another really good headphone, or does it stand out as something truly special?- Phronesis
- Post #3,630
- Forum: Headphones (full-size)
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Sennheiser HD800 S Impressions Thread (read first post for summary)
When I hear a recording which blows me away on sound quality with a particular headphone, I like to share. With the HD800S, try the album "Nine Firmaments" by Arne Jansen Trio. The sense of realism of the instruments is stunning.- Phronesis
- Post #4,572
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Focal Clear headphones
I wouldn't expect a 'reset' effect after not listening to a headphone for a while. The process of perceiving sound produced by a headphone involves 'learning', and that learning can be very long lasting or permanent. The learning can also continue after you stop listening to a headphone, as...- Phronesis
- Post #5,936
- Forum: Headphones (full-size)
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Focal Clear headphones
The bolded seems contradictory. You listened to the headphones, took some time away from them, and they sounded better when you returned to them. That's strong evidence that your ears/brain changed rather than the headphones physically burning in.- Phronesis
- Post #5,922
- Forum: Headphones (full-size)