If you are into this hobby for a few years now, I am sure that you have heard about equipment matching on lots of occasions. Between dacs and amps, between amps and speakers, etc.

And indeed, I have noticed a lot of situations when for example a pair of speakers sounded great with an amplifier and dull with another amplifier. In this situation it's mostly related to the needs of the speakers. One reason can be that some speakers might have impedance peaks/dips that need more current on some parts of the frequencies. Some people would now say that you need a stronger amplifier or an amplifier that can handler bigger current loads. Indeed, but more powerful doesn't necessarily mean better in all cases. It might solve your immediate problem related to dynamics, energy and even tonality, but maybe it won't be as transparent or clean as your less powerful amplifier that sounded wonderful with your previous speakers.

Besides the situation from above you can also get a mismatch between your DAC and your amplifier/pre. Now let's say that it could also be a miss-match in tonality, both being on the bright side for example, or both being on the warm side. I think this is still possible, but it seems that some of these situations are also generated by the impedance miss-match between your dac and your amplifier. Looking at the specs in general, you will see that there is no standard in dac impedance output or amp impedance input. Most companies have different philosophies / approaches to this matter.

This is where Burson comes in with the Cable Plus Pro which is actually an audio buffer that eliminates the impedance miss-match between your components. This is not a normal cable as it becomes an active component in your system.



Presentation and Specs
There are a few version of these cables that can be used in your system depending on your input/output needs.



This is what Burson claims the cable with do in your system if you have a missmatch:

Once the Cable+ is in place, sonic details once lost, will be fully reproduced to create a complete experience. Play familiar – very familiar – material, and you will hear the finest details fully resolved, while the fundamentals take on a new level of life and solidity. That “harsh digital sound” replaced by a wider and more three-dimensional soundstage.

Specs

Measurement Package Content
Input impedance: 250 KOhms 1 x Cable+ / PRO AUX to RCA / AUX to AUX /RCA to RCA
Frequency response: ± 1 dB 0 – 55Khz 1 x USB Power Cable
THD: <0.005% 1 x USB Power Supply
Output impedance 3 Ohm General
Signal to Noise Ratio >118dB at 6dB gain Weight: app. 200 (net)
Power Dissipation 5W (1VA USB Power) Cable Length: Appx 120cm / 47.2in

Tests & Listening Impressions
I have tested this cable in two sound systems:

• MSB Analog Dac9 (53 Ohms on RCA Output, 106 on XLR) , Audio GD Master 10 (47K @RCA, 94K @ XLR) , Martin Logan Impressions ESL-11A Speakers
• Chord Mojo(75 Ohms Output) , Indiana Line Puro 800 Amplifier (47 K ohms input), Piega Coax 30.2 Speakers

This cable is active and needs an usb connection for power. What I observed here is that the sound improved if I used a linear usb power supply, in this case Ifi Audio Micro USB 3.0.

In the first system I have noticed differences, but in it's case, all components are quite strong and even the interconnects I have are not bad at all. I am talking about a pair of Audioquest Sky which I manage to get at 25% of the original asking price. While overall, the Cable Pro infused a little more energy into the system, the clarity, extension & details were better on the sky. However, considering the price difference, I can tell you for sure that the differences were not that big and it didn't justify the price of the Sky compared to Cable Plus.

Now, in the second system, where the amplifier is not the best option for Piega Coax 30.2 and it shows it it's struggling, putting the cable plus between Chord Mojo and Indiana Line Puro 800 was more obvious, improving the dynamics & energy in the sound.

One thing to note in both cases is that with cable plus, the sound was louder at the same volume, so I had to lower the volume to match the db for tests. In the first seconds you might have the feeling that the energy & dynamics are much much better, however this might be because you didn't match the db in your tests.

Now, even after I matched the volumes, I still felt improvement in dynamics, energy & details. The description from below is for the second system.

Bass

The punch became stronger and and more engaging. Didn't notice any big changes in the depth department.

Midrange

The midrange seem to have more vibrant & detailed textures, being a little more forward and lively.

Treble

I have noticed a little more air in the scenes and this is also because of a more focused and detailed treble.

Soundstage

The soundstage expanded, showing more air and bigger width.

Details

With Cable Plus, the details were more apparent & vibrant. The guitar plucks and strings in general are more lively and seem to displace more air around them.

Energy, Dynamics & Prat

This is maybe the area that is the most obvious in terms of improvement. The sound overall had better prat, energy and macro dynamics.

Transients

What I noticed here is that the attack was stronger, but I haven't noticed big differences in the decay section.



Conclusion
While it didn't solve the problem of the amplifier in my second system, it sure improved the sound to a degree where I am not so anxious to change it. Is this cable worth it? Personally I was impressed by it.

If you test a lot of equipment, if you think that there is something wrong in your sound after a current amp/dac upgrade, or if you just think your sound might need some improvement in terms of tonality/energy, I definitely think the Cable Plus Pro deserves a chance and comes in handy to have in your house. It might not fix your problem if there is a mismatch between your amp and your speakers/headphones, but it definitely has a chance to fix the problem between your dac and your amp/pre-amp.

Pros

• Punchier and more energetic bass
• More vibrant and livelier midrange
• Better focused treble with more air
• Expanded and more airy soundstage
• More apparent details
• Better energy and macro dynamics
• More powerful transients

Cons

• It needs another usb cable for power
• You will get better sound with a linear usb power supply to power up the cable plus (fortunately I already had one with one free output)

 
This amplifier is a jaw breaker from my perspective. Ok, there are some areas where you can find better. It doesn't shine with very, very efficient IEMs, and of course it won't amplify HE6. 
 
However, if you will be using it with a moderate power requiring headphone, I think that it would be very hard to find a portable amplifier better than this... at any price. 
 
What I love about it the most is the effortless, natural sound signature it has, followed by an excellent bass, superb midrange,  *very* clean sound, spacious and holographic soundstage.
 
It also has good details and natural transient response. The sound signature is a little bit on the warm side. 
 
To get all from this amplifier, you should pair it with a good DAC. Will try it with Chord Mojo soon! 
 
Small Comparison to FiiO E12A
 
 
I won’t loose too much time on this comparison. Overall I ended up preferring the Aune B1 and not by a small margin. B1 sounds considerably more natural and organic. The sound is more dynamic and decompressed on B1 (E12A sounding a little flat/dry in comparison) , with better transparency and details.
 
The bass on B1 kicks ass compared to the one on E12A, the midrange is better textured and more detailed, while the treble is smoother and more detailed in the same time on Aune.
 
 
Pros

1. Excellent bass with wonderful extension, control and punch
2. Rich and detailed midrange
3. Smooth, detailed and sparkly treble
4. Excellent vocals
5. Very natural and clean sound
6. Very spacious and natural soundstage
7. Very good transients
8. Very good imaging and instrument separation
9. Excellent price for what it offers

Cons

1. The volume knob and switches are made of plastic
2. Position of the volume knob and gain switch are not very fortunate
3. Gets quite hot if you want to use it in your pockets. If it's winter this is a pro )

 
The tests were performed with   MSB Analog DAC  with Quad USB + custom lps ,  Audio Gd Master 9, Sennheiser HD800, Sennheiser HD800s, Audeze LCD-3.

Summary

Bass

I think that the bass is the best I’ve heard in any headphones until now. It has tremendous slam, control, detail and textures. On the right songs it managed to swipe the floor with my ears, metaphorically speaking of course, and I meant that in a positive way, of course.
 

Midrange

From my perspective these headphones are a wonderful masterpiece because of this region and how it manages to reproduce it.
I think that the feelings they managed to offer me surpass even the ones achieved with Sennheiser Orpheus at Canjam which were my reference in this section.
Even though LCD-4 lose some presence on the last part of the upper midrange, in my opinion,  they are the best headphones in the world in this area.
Every instrument is so lifelike, so well textured, so detailed that these headphones manage to paint the picture of the sound into my head.
Don’t get me started with the voices. I’m going to dedicate another paragraph just for them.
 

Treble

Ok, this might not be in the same league as with the bass and midrange section, but in my opinion the treble is quite smooth, natural and detailed, more so than on previous Audeze models.
It’s not as present as the other frequencies which didn’t bother me too much but I can see why a “treble head” would like more here.
I also find it very natural and pleasant overall and even though it’s a little recessed, it  doesn’t take away from the “life like”  experienceLCD-4 is capable of.
There’s no surprise here for me, LCD-4 kept the Audeze house sound, and even improved this section compared to the older models and not by a little.
Maybe some that expected a different sound signature would be disappointed, but I however am a fan of this type of sound and welcome it.
 

Vocals

The voices with LCD-4 are completely mesmerizing. Only Orpheus managed to impress me in a similar manner and I even think that LCD-4 might have surpassed them. I gave the headphones to my wife on a song from Lara Fabian and I’ve seen tears in her eyes in less than 10 seconds. It was a record! I’ve never seen her so emotionally impressed before and in such a short time.
She continued listening for more than 10 minutes with tears in her eyes all this time.
I understand her perfectly. The voices are flowing with incredible clarity, liveliness and textures directly into your soul. You can feel the singer’s breath, the emotion in his voice, leading to a very emotional and sometimes sensual and intimate experience.
 

Transients

The transient response is in my opinion excellent. The attack is strong and full of power, followed by very articulated, detailed, fast and natural decay. This leads to a  tactile and energetic listening experience.
I think that Audeze managed to achieve something very interesting here.
I’ve had some encounters with electrostatic headphones like 009, 007 and a stax 404 but also with very expensive electrostatic speakers, and I must say that LCD-4 reminds me of them when it comes to transient speed, but manages to keep the impact and slam of a good planar, which is quite amazing from my perspective.
 

Soundstage 

The soundstage might not be as tall or quite as wide as with HD800 but it’s very deep, very holographic and natural. On most songs I sincerely feel better integrated in the scene with LCD-4 than with HD800 which sometimes seems to unnaturally amplify the soundstage.
It’s easier to feel there with the spectators or the singers on the scene when I close my eyes with LCD-4 than with HD800.
 

Details

These headphones impressed me in this department as well. The details are quite amazing from the bass area and up to before the last part from the upper midrange and I think that they even manage to surpass HD800 on these parts of the frequency range on many occasions.
For example the guitar plucks have a more detailed extension on LCD-4 and you can also clearly hear the fingers touching the chords.  The voices are very well articulated and detailed, but you can also hear the singers touching their lips while singing, or the movement of the tongue in their mouth and their breath swooshing inside your ears.
There are also subtle cues in the scene, like someone moving at the back of the orchestra or the scene, a chair / instrument squeak, someone taking a breath, details that are subtle and very naturally reproduced so that it makes you be a part of the scene.

Tonality

The tonality another thing these headphones manages to amaze me with. Everything sounds so natural, so real life like that I often find myself closing my eyes and being transposed in time or teleported into the concert hall.
 

Imaging

These are the most technically advanced planars I’ve ever heard. The imaging is considerably better than the previous Audezeheadphones and they  come really close to HD800 in this regard which still hold the upper hand with clearer leading edges overall.
 

Transparency

These headphones are a opened window to the music. With HD800 it’s like watching a super resolution 4k or 8k screen, but with LCD-4 it’s like opening a real window and watching the scenery, no sign of grain whatsoever.

Conclusions

The conclusion is that I absolutely love these headphones as they offered me the most lifelike musical experience I’ve ever encountered until now and from my perspective this is what it’s all about.
 
I know, these headphones don’t come cheap at all. Are they worth it? Well, this is your decision, but I sure recommend you give them a try. For me, these are the best headphones I’ve ever heard and they might just be the best headphones in mass production at the moment.
 
Pros

1. Superb bass with excellent depth, control and detail
2. Excellent design and build quality
3. Best midrange I’ve ever heard
4. Smooth and natural treble with more detail than the older Audeze headphones
5. Haunting life-like voices
6. Excellent imaging
7. Excellent transient response with strong attack, articulated / detailed and fast but natural decay leading to a tactile & energetic sound presentation
8. Deep, holographic and natural soundstage
9. Excellent details
10. Excellent transparency
11. Very good dynamic range
12. Most natural tonality I’ve heard that combined with other features really creates a lifelike sound

Cons

1. Treble could be a little recessed for some
2. Needs serious amplification to really shine
3. The last part of the upper midrange is not as present as the rest
4. Few can afford it

The design and finish of these headphones are absolutely gorgeous and they're also very comfortable. 
 
Meze 99 Classics was an unexpected surprise. I didn't expect such performance from them especially in the areas that closed headphones don't usually excel. 
 
I’ve  rarely heard such soundstage and such openness in closed headphones. They can compete here with lots of opened headphones in my opinion. 
 
Let's make a summary with what impressed me the most:
 
Soundstage
 
I’ve  rarely heard such soundstage and such openness in closed headphones. They can compete in this area with lots of opened headphones in my opinion. This and some other things make them perfect for instrumental/classical music, but these headphones can be used with almost any musical genre.
 
Imaging and Instrument Separation
 
This is another section that impressed me very much. Every instrument is very well delimited showing very good imaging, instrument separation and layering. They handled crowded music passages with ease.
 
Transients
 
The transients are wonderful on Meze 99 Classics. The attack is explosive and the decay is fast but well extended. This leads to an energetic and tactile sound experience which I appreciate very much in the sound reproduction both in headphones and speakers!
 
Details
 
These headphones are quite analytical. I was surprised with the level of details they are capable of.  This was a major plus for listening to classical music. Combined with other strong points of the Meze 99, every instruments is vibrant and full of life.
 
Besides a small bass bump, I found these headphones to be quite neutral. 
 
The bass is fast, punchy and quite well extended showing very good sub bass as well. It might have a slight might bass hump somewhere but nothing to worry about. The sub bass might present some distortion that was noticeable on some songs but overall it wasn’t disturbing. Overall, I found the bass to be quite nice, engaging and to put meat (muscle because of the speed and punch)  on the bones of the songs.
 
The treble is sparkly and airy. Not harsh, but won't mask recording faults.
 
I think that Meze 99 Classics just became my favorite closed headphones at the moment. Actually let’s forget for a little while that they are closed and just say that they are wonderful headphones in general.
 
Besides the eye candy looks, good quality and very nice finish, they also offer an incredible sound quality which made me loose myself inside my music often offering me goose bumps along the way.

Decware Taboo MK III – Review

 

Hello everybody,
 
I’ve had this amplifier for more than 2 months now, and I was eager to write the review on it, so now it is time to unleash it on the internet.
 

 
All begun more than 8 months ago when a good friend of mine bought this amp. From that moment on, he was only taboo this…taboo that… with him. He was really fascinated with this amplifier. I knew that there must be something really good about it as I trusted his experience and tastes.
 
After a few months he decided to go full Stax, and I saw an opportunity to buy it from him, so here we are. I was really excited to hear it and have it on my desk after all the teasing he put me through during the last few months. This is my first tube amplifier and I thought it was time to get into this sector as I was really curious.
 
Well I must say that it is everything he said and praised. However, I have recently chosen LCD-X over LCD-3, and LCD-X is a lot more efficient than the flagship. This amp seems to be designed for power hungry headphones, especially  for Audeze LCD-2 & LCD-3.
 
 
With LCD-X, I experienced a low level hum on the left channel, something that many people would probably ignore, but a maniac like me could get frustrated by.
I am still trying to fix that with the adding of a new resistance on the output as Steve from Decware suggested. The first resistor seemed to make the hum quieter, but for now I didn’t manage to fix it completely.
 
Letting the hum aside this amplifier is wonderful and has a magical sound presentation.
 
 

Build Quality, Specs & Looks

Taboo has 3 different looks you can chose from :
 

 
I have the third version as I found it to be the best looking from the three. Even though I like the design very much, I have found some friends that made fun of it’s looks and other friends that liked it as much as I do. So, I think it is a love/hate situation. I am in the love section and I must say that I appreciate the looks and design of the unit.
 
You can find more about the unit here.
 

The Taboo is a single-ended pentode amplifier using the amazingly fast 9 pin output tubes from Russian Radar Video Display called the 6P15P-EV.  They have Gold Grids, plated pins, extra thick glass, and extra long life.  These tubes are incredibly neutral and extended giving you layers of micro-detail not often heard in bigger tubes… and their affordable.
Besides being able to drive two or more pair of headphones at the same time, the Taboo MKIII can also drive loudspeakers or loudspeakers and headphones at the same time.
 

Click to expand...

This is the power output based on the headphone’s impedance:
 

HEADPHONE IMPEDANCE - Power Output	POWER OUTPUT
4 ohms - 500 mw	500 mw
8 ohms - 1000 mw	1000 mw
16 ohms - 1200 mw	1200 mw
24 ohms - 1500 mw	1500 mw
32 ohms - 1600 mw	1600 mw
50 ohms - 1700 mw	1700 mw
75 ohms - 1700 mw	1700 mw
100 ohms - 1700 mw	1700 mw
150 ohms - 1700 mw	1700 mw
250 ohms - 1700 mw	1700 mw
300 ohms - 1700 mw	1700 mw
600 ohms - 1700 mw	1700 mw

Click to expand...

The build quality is quite nice.It also has good finish and feels sturdy.
 
Taboo also has two switches that activate two cross-feed types which decware named “Lucid Mode”  :
 

We’re certain nothing else can compare because we have developed one of the world‘s most esoterically simple yet powerfully natural cross-feed circuits for the Taboo called “LUCID MODE”.  This switchable feature is fundamental to the Taboo design dating back to it’s debut in 2004.  Our new Taboo MKIII has two switchable “LUCID MODES” that take things to a new level that you have to hear to believe.
 

Click to expand...

The “Old” Lucid Mode is a little softer compared to the new lucid mode, as it affects the sound in a smaller amount. I found  both to bring the upper midrange and the treble in front and to expand the soundstage. The old lucid mode can have a wider use as it is less aggressive and can be used on larger variety of songs. However, the new Lucid Mode can be very interesting too on some very good recordings, especially with classical music.
 
Decware also makes it easy for us to change tubes, as Taboo is a self biasing amplifier:
 

The amplifier is self biasing so you NEVER have to set or adjust the bias for the output tubes.  If you’ve ever owned an amplifier that you had to bias all the time you’ll completely appreciate this design. The meters show you the condition of your output tubes and how well they match.
 

Click to expand...

It is also easy to see if your tubes match, because it also has Bias Meters:
 

 BIAS METERS – Supplied for each output tube, the meters show how many milliampseach output tube draws.  A great indicator of the condition of the tubes and how well they match.
 

Click to expand...

They also say that the amplifier has ultra low noise and shouldn’t have any hum. Unfortunately, it does with efficient headphones.
 

ULTRA LOW NOISE – Less than 1 mv of noise and hum (usually 0.4mv). The benefit is ultra black backgrounds and inaudible hum on even the most efficient ear speakers.

Click to expand...

 
 

 

Listening Impressions

 
The tests have been done with Audeze LCD-X (mainly) with Toxic Silver Widow, Burson Conductor, Audiobyte Hydra-X, Sennheiser HD800, Focal Spirit Classic, Power Inspired AG500.
I have changed the stock tubes with the following : RCA 5Y3GT rectifier, 6P15P-ER Military Edition output tubes and Amperex 6922 Pinched Waist driver tube. I found this combo to bring better bass, transparency and speed.
 
Taboo is a balanced amplifier and I found it to excel on the balanced outputs while on the single ended outputs is just good. For example, I actually like Conductor more than the single ended outputs from MK3.
 
 
Mike Oldfield – Muse
You just know your gear  is good when you feel the need to close your eyes and just listen to the music, get lost into it, feel every instrument, note and play with it inside your head. This is exactly what happened with taboo on this song. Felt every pluck, played along with the guitars, jumped from layer to layer with ease and “left” the song with an airy and playful state.
 
ABBA – I have a dream
The first thing I felt was a better sense of space, as the sound seemed to be uncompressed. Everything was just flowing with ease and musicality. The guitars were sparkly, with very good extensions and space between them, the voices were more natural and had more body and presence.
 
Hugh Laurie – Battle of Jericho
The presentation was just incredible. The sound was  crystal clear and extended. The soundstage was huge, adding another sense of depth that I never knew LCD-X was capable of. The bass was very smooth and clean with good impact, body and extension. Hugh’s voice was clean and had a natural tonality. The extensions of the instruments were at another level, as they had a fuller life.
 
Coldplay – Sparks
Ok, I forgot I was writing the review while listening, as I got completely lost into the song. Taboo gave an incredibly transparent presentation with crystal clear sound, excellent instrument separation, layering, deep and clean bass and natural voices. The guitars were incredible, with excellent pluck attack and full body.
 
The Eagles – New Kid in Town
I keep getting lost into the music. The song gave me a feeling of effortless playing as everything came natural and just as it should be. The drums were excellent with very good impact, depth and clean as a whistle. The layering and soundstage is again incredible. Wait…what was I talking about..? Ah…ok…review..keep forgetting what I am doing with wonderful piece of gear.
 
Leonard Cohen – You know who I am
The fascinated journey into music continues as Taboo is just opening a clean window into the music. Never heard such transparency . Leonard’s voice was excellent, clean as a whistle, natural & wonderfully textured. The guitar was telling it’s own great story on a totally different layer with excellent extension and attack.
 
Vivaldi – Autumn, Allegro (La Caccia)
This amplifier never seizes to amaze me. The sound is incredibly natural and organic, but still fast and engaging. The soundstage is again incredible as the scene has an amazing width and depth and the layers have a lot of air between them. The instruments have a very good attack and lively extension without being lazy.
 
Beethoven – Bagatelle in A minor 
This song managed to bring up some wonderful memories from my childhood with Taboo as in the fith grade, we had this song as a call bell at school. The opening of the scene is just amazing. The piano notes are incredibly clean and have a natural tone. It’s been some time since  a song brought tears to my eyes, but this piece with taboo managed to do it with ease.

 

Summary

Bass
The bass on taboo is incredible as it is crystal clear, with excellent depth, body and punch. It’s not as controlled or fast as with Burson Conductor, but it is very fast for a tube amp and balanced, as it doesn’t invade into other frequencies.
 
Midrange
The midrange is excellent as the instruments have a life of their own, a full life that is, as they have an excellent extension and presence. The voices are very natural, with an excellently pleasant tonality and texture.
 
Treble
You would expect the treble to be recessed on a tube amplifier. Well, is is not the case with Taboo, as I found the treble to be very well extended and sparkly but still managing to be very smooth and natural to the ears.
 
Transparency
Taboo is a clean window to the music. I never heard such transparency in a headphone amplifier. I just get lost into my music with it.
 
Transients
The attack on taboo is very good as it has exploding power. The decays are quite fast for a tube amplifier, giving an energetic presentation. Between the attack and decay, the sound has a full life as the instruments have excellent extension.
 
Details 
Because of the wonderful instrument extension, taboo reveals some very interesting and nice details into the song.
 
Soundstage & Layering
Taboo is just amazing in this department. I found some qualities in LCD-X that I never knew were there. I found a new level of depth and width into the sound. The layers of the instruments and voices expanded by a large margin, like the sound uncompressed from a smaller room into a full blown concert hall.
 
Dynamics
I found that Taboo has excellent dynamics and every instrument had it’s own life in the scene, being able to tell it’s own story.
 
Neutrality
Despide the fact it is a tube amplifier, taboo manages to have a neutral presentation.
 

 

Conclusions

 
Taboo is one of those products that I will never forget in my journey. It really made me get deeper into my music and get emotionally involved. I just wanted to close my eyes and listen to the music, play with every note in my head, take a ride on every note like an emotional roller coaster, then get out of the cart with a playful and energetic state.
 
Even if I have the low level hum on the left channel with LCD-X due to it’s good efficiency, I still managed to love this amplifier and I think that this is the best amplifier I have ever tested until now.
However, If you are sensitive like I am, and have a sensitive headphone, that hum can be very annoying sometimes, especially at night when the environment is quiet, combined with pauses in music or silent passages.
 
Considering it is a tube amplifier, I expected a slower, warmer tonality, but Taboo managed to impress me with a neutral, transparent, energetic and fast sound presentation.
So Taboo is not your basic tube amplifier as it brings a lot of good stuff from the solid states!
 
Compared to Burson Conductor, it has  a larger soundstage, better instrument extension, deeper & cleaner bass, more natural tonality & better transparency. While, I ended preferring Taboo to Conductor, the Burson still has some good points as it is overall faster, with better control and more details on the treble and slightly on the upper midrange  ( however, taboo sounds more natural ). One other good thing about Conductor is that it is very versatile as it was good with almost every headphone I have given it, from in ears like IE800, to full blown headphones like Sennheiser HD800, Audezes, etc, and it is dead silent with all headphones.
 
I found it to be a good match with HD800 too, and even on single ended as I didn’t have a balanced cable for it when I ran the tests. Will come back with more details about how HD800 is on balanced outputs.
 
Taboo doesn’t have a gain selector at the moment and on more sensitive headphones it may present a low level hum. However, Steve said that the future units may have this new feature.
 
If it didn't have the hum, I would have given it 5 stars. I hope I get rid of it, so let's see the quality of Decware support and how they act on this.
 
Pros:

1. excellent transparency
2. excellent, clean bass with good depth, presence and punch
3. well extended midrange with very natural and clean voices
4. big soundstage with excellent depth , width and layering
5. very good transients with exploding attack, full sound life and quick decays for a tube amplifier
6. excellent instrument extension
7. well extended and natural treble
8. neutral & natural sound presentation
9. good build quality & looks
10. multiple outputs
11. the two lucid modes give you a nice diversity

Cons

1. doesn’t have a gain selector
2. low level hum with sensitive headphones even if advertised it wouldn’t have
3. has balanced outputs but not balanced inputs
4. single ended outputs not in the same class with the balanced outputs

Hello everybody,
 
I have been waiting for this for a while now. The first headphone from Focal, the Spirit One  impressed me very much with their unique sound.
 
From that moment on I was really curious to see what Focal will come up with next in the headphone department.
 
Well, the time has come, as I have both new models from Focal on my desk, the Focal Spirit Classic and Spirit Professional.
 

 
The review was dedicated mostly to the Focal Spirit Classic, and you can find it here.
 
I will extract the piece that was describing the Spirit Professional:
 
Both headphones come with a gold plated 3.5 to 6.35 jack, a 1.4 m detachable cable for phone usage that also includes a microphone and another 4 m detachable cable (spiral for Pro).
In terms of isolation both do a great job, Spirit Professional coming a little on top here as it has a better grip letting less sound getting in or out.
 
I find it very interesting that Focal launched 2 headphones that are quite different in their sound signature. The Classic doesn’t have too much of Spirit One’s signature but the Professional does,  and it sounds like a very good evolution from it, while Classic is a ramification in another direction.
 
The Pro version sounds more aggressive with faster transients and better attack.
 
The treble is more present on it, with more spark and better extension leading to a more opened sound as there is more air on top.
I feel that Classic has is fuller and deeper bass  while Pro has a stronger punch.
 
The male voices have a better presence and texture on Spirit Classic  while female voices are cleaner and crispier with the Spirit Professional.
Spirit Professional didn’t get the name for nothing, as it has better imaging and is better detailed.
 
On long listening sessions the Spirit Professional tends to get a little tiresome while with Classic I can listen for hours.
 

Conclusions

I always felt that Focal did a very good job with their first headphone and I expected their new products to be very good. I was not mistaken.
Both headphones are very good and I loved them both.
 
If I had to pick one, I think I would go with Spirit Classic as I love it’s refined and euphonic sound with deeper and fuller bass.
It has a smooth presentation reminding me of Sennheiser HD650 with added energy, extended treble and a full sound with a wonderful, deep and full bass that reminds me of LCD-2
 
On the other hand Spirit Professional has a more transparent and detailed sound with better imaging & treble extension.
 
Both headphones have excellent transients with exploding attack but more aggressive on Professional. Sometimes I feel like the instruments , especially drums and guitars are inside the headphone.
 
Pros:

1. Excellent, fast deep punchy bass with more impact than Classic but less body
2. Very detailed
3. Good transparency
4. Excellent transients with exploding attack and quick decays
5. Good clean female voices
6. Better imaging than Classic
7. More present treble with more spark and better extension
8. Bigger soundstage than both it’s brothers
9. Good build quality
10. Ergonomic cable
11. Good price for what it offers

Cons

1. Can get a little tiresome after a while

 
Both of them have worked their way up in the top of my closed headphones department.

I have been waiting for this for a while now. If you remember, I have been very impressed with Focal’s first headphone, the Spirit One .
 
From that moment on I was really curious to see what Focal will come up with next in the headphone department.
 
Well, the time has come, as I have both new models from Focal on my desk, the Focal Spirit Classic and Spirit Professional.
This review is dedicated to the first one, but at the end I am making a short comparison to Spirit Professional.
 
Both look very nice, but the Spirit Classic is something else. They have an extraordinary finish with a luxurious feel. The headband is softer, the ear cups are bigger & the clamping force is not so strong as with the spirit one, bringing the comfort to another level.
 

 
Both headphones come with a gold plated 3.5 to 6.35 jack, a 1.4 m detachable cable for phone usage that also includes a microphone and another 4 m detachable cable (spiral for Pro).
In terms of isolation both do a great job, Spirit Professional coming a little on top here as it has a better grip letting less sound getting in or out.
 

Listening Impressions

 
The tests have been done with Decware Taboo MK3, Focal Spirit One, Focal Spirit Classic, Focal Spirit Professional , Simaudio Moon 300D v2,  Burson Conductor, Audiobyte Hydra-X.
 
Amplification
 
While you could listen to them from a phone, I wouldn’t recommend it as both need more power than a normal phone can provide. FiiO E17 did a fine job with both of them, but they scaled pretty nice with Conductor and Taboo.
 

 
Mike Oldfield – Cochise
 
What I noticed immediately was that the soundstage was deeper and the sound was smoother. The bass has more weight and goes deeper than on the Spirit One. The treble was kind of sweet and very pleasant. Doesn’t have the same attack of Spirit One, but the sound is more refined and smooth  reminding me  of HD650.
 
Robbie Williams – Feel
 
I love the bass on the Classic. It is more detailed than on Spirit One. It also goes deeper and it’s fuller. The voice was is better textured on Classic and better extended.
 
Hugh Laurie – Six Cold Feet
 
Wow the drum is just amazing with the Classic. It really has an impressing impact showing a very strong and quality mid-bass. The sound was very pleasant and laid back. I could listen to them them for hours and hours. Again, the voice was more present  and better extended. I also loved the smooth presentation of the trumpets. Even if the plucks are more apparent on Spirit One, the extension of the chords is better with classic.
 
Coldplay – Sparks
 
Again the bass had a wonderful and sexy body. The guitar plucks have more attack and impact on the Spirit One, but the extension is better on the Classic. The bass on the Classic reminds me of LCD-2.
 
Infected Mushroom – Ration Shmatio
The bass on the Classic is amazing.  It knows how to hit hard and deep with excellent control and speed. Never heard a better bass in a closed headphone before.
 
Leonard Cohen – Here it is
 
I love the voices on the Classic. They have a better presence and texture. They are also better extended. Compared to it, the Spirit One leaves the impression of incomplete voices, which in the chorus were better layered and easy to distinguish.
 
Mozart – The Magic Flute – Overture
 
This headphone sounds quite good with classical music. It has a good soundstage for a closed headphone. The instruments don’t blend in the same layer as there is enough air between them.
 

Summary

 
Bass
The bass on Spirit Classic is awesome. It goes very deep, it has very good control, punch and speed. I never felt it bled into the mids like with Sennheiser Momentum for example. It gives a wonderful full sound that  reminds me of LCD-2.
 
Mids
The mids are very smooth and pleasant. The voices are well extended and are more present than with Focal Spirit One. I also think that the upper mids are better and don’t fade out like on it’s smaller brother. The instruments don’t have the same attack, but they have a better extension.
 
Treble
The treble doesn’t have the spark as on Spirit One, but I feel that it has better extension and is more balanced and linear.
 
Soundstage
The soundstage is bigger than on it’s little brother and I really think it is quite decent for a closed headphone.
 
Instrument Separation 
The instruments have enough air between them and don’t blend in the same layer. They are not as well contoured as on it’s brothers but it does a fine job
.
Smooth without being slow
It also has a smooth & sweet presentation that I could listen for hours, but this doesn’t make them slow headphones.
 
Fast transients with exploding attack

These headphones have excellent transients with exploding attack. Sometimes I feel like the instruments , especially drums and guitars are inside the headphone.

 
 

Focal Spirit Professional small comparison

 
I find it very interesting that Focal launched 2 headphones that are quite different in their sound signature. The Classic doesn’t have too much of Spirit One’s signature but the Professional does,  and it sounds like a very good evolution from it, while Classic is a ramification in another direction.
 
The Pro version sounds more aggressive with faster transients and better attack.
The treble is more present on it, with more spark and better extension leading to a more opened sound as there is more air on top.
I feel that Classic has is fuller and deeper bass  while Pro has a stronger punch.
 
The male voices have a better presence and texture on Spirit Classic  while female voices are cleaner and crispier with the Spirit Professional.
Spirit Professional didn’t get the name for nothing, as it has better imaging and is better detailed.
On long listening sessions the Spirit Professional tends to get a little tiresome while with Classic I can listen for hours.
 
 

 
Conclusions
 
I always felt that Focal did a very good job with their first headphone and I expected their new products to be very good. I was not mistaken.
Both headphones are very good and I loved them both.
 
If I had to pick one, I think I would go with Spirit Classic as I love it’s refined and euphonic sound with deeper and fuller bass.
It has a smooth presentation reminding me of Sennheiser HD650 with added energy, extended treble and a full sound with a wonderful, deep and full bass that reminds me of LCD-2
On the other hand Spirit Professional has a more transparent and detailed sound with better imaging & treble extension.
 
These headphones have excellent transients with exploding attack. Sometimes I feel like the instruments , especially drums and guitars are inside the headphone.
I love the Spirit Classic so much that I couldn’t resist and I bought a pair for myself!
 
Focal Spirit Classic
Pros:

1. Excellent, fast deep punchy bass
2. Excellent transients with exploding attack and quick decays
3. Smooth, detailed and very pleasant mids
4. Very good extended vocals with good texture and presence
5. Well extended and linear treble
6. Smooth without being slow
7. Good soundstage (quite bigger than Spirit One’s)
8. Excellent build quality and looks
9. Much more comfortable than Spirit One
10. Good price for what it offers

Cons

1. I think the cable is too long. What am I going to do with 4m? That cable is everywhere on my desk.

 
Focal Spirit Professional
 
Pros:

1. Excellent, fast deep punchy bass with more impact than Classic but less body
2. Very detailed
3. Good transparency
4. Excellent transients with exploding attack and quick decays
5. Good clean female voices
6. Better imaging than Classic
7. More present treble with more spark and better extension
8. Bigger soundstage than both it’s brothers
9. Good build quality
10. Ergonomic cable
11. Good price for what it offers

Cons

1. Can get a little tiresome after a while

 
Both of them have worked their way up in the top of my closed headphones department.

Audeze LCD-X Review

 

Hey guys,
 
You may know from what I have written before that I have been waiting for LCD-3 for a while now.
A few weeks ago, I managed to get my hands on pair of LCD-3 and I was really happy about it. At last, together with my HD800 I have the best of all the music genres.
 
I got it on Wednesday and Friday and I thought I would have some time at last to get acquainted to my new LCD-3. While driving home I heard my phone whistling that I have new mail. I looked at it and saw “New Audeze Lcd-X“. I smiled and thought a friend was trying to pull a prank on me.
 
When I got home I saw that it was no joke. Headfi had already a thread dedicated to LCD-X and a few guys describing their first impressions about it. My jaw was on the floor. I just bought LCD-3.
 
 

 
Ok…. I knew that in audio world it takes a few good years before a new flagship was due to appear.
Nobody knew the place the LCD-X was going to take on the market. Was it going to be better than the 3? Some people were already stating that LCD-X was better!?
 
 

 
 
I got a little depressed, as I just bought the LCD-3, but on the other hand I was happy as I really think that this industry needs faster progress. But what about my wallet? Well… I have been through this before. The first thing you are tempted to do is to enter a wallet defense  state, ignoring the possibility of the newer product being better than what you  have.
 
 
I like to think that I got to be more objective than that, so I got pass that state, and I focused on the possibility of listening to the new product and share my honest impressions.
I would like to thank Sankar, Mark and Audeze support on their fast responses, and the opportunity they gave me to listen and review the LCD-X.
 
 

 
I don’t know if you guys are aware of this, but one of the reasons I started the blog is because of Audeze LCD-2 and the impact those headphones and Audeze had on me. I absolutely fell in love with them  and had to write about it.
 
When I heard LCD3 for the first time, the wallet defense system activated as they didn’t seem to make a huge difference from LCD-2 to my ears. Meanwhile I have discovered HD800 which made me understand better the dynamics, micro-dynamics, transients, details, layering, etc. After that , I understood the value brought by LCD-3 and heard the big difference between the two from a more educated perspective.
 
Audeze will always have a special place in my heart as they really got me much deeper into this hobby. I just love how they can can take you from your life and make you enter the euphonic world of music. Who is Audeze? If you ask a old audiophile, he would probably evade the answer as he doesn’t know much about it. I love what Audeze did in such short time! When did they start? A few years ago. What did they do? Well, the answer is simple: a lot, in a very short time:

1. They became one of the most spoken brands on headfi
2. Produced world class products that compete with the best headphones in the world and companies that have decades of experience behind them
3. Didn’t stop R&D as they are continuously trying to improve their products and bring the best on the market and did a good job from my perspective

 
Considering the above, I was very, very anxious to hear their new products, Audeze LCD-X and XC, and I chose to put my efforts into the X as I like open headphones much more than closed ones, so here we are.
 
I have seen a lot of very happy and psyched opinions on headfi about LCD-X , some users saying that the LCD-X are even better than LCD-3. I have tried to keep my hype to the minimum and hold my thoughts on LCD-X until they reach a mature state.
 
 
However, I now understand the general hype on headfi. LCD-X, while still not better than LCD-3, it brings some very exciting stuff over it to the table. They sound different, and different in a good way, presenting the opportunity to attract new fans, fans that would appreciate them more than LCD-3, while others would still prefer LCD-3. I am not going to compare them to LCD-2 as the Xare quite better from all points of view.
 
LCD-X has new technology called Fazor which gives an efficiency of 96 dB/ 1 mW compared to LCD-3 that has 91 dB/ 1 mW. LCD-X also has a smaller impedance of 22 ohms. This makes them much easier to drive and my FIIO E17 proved that.

The Fazor part prevents the delays from the sound that is produced by the positioning of the magnets in front of the membrane,  creating an uniform sound-wave leading to better instrument separation and imaging because of fewer distortions leading to better imaging and instrument separation.
 
Looks & Build Quality
 
I was counting the days to hear these babies. When they reached my home, I barely stopped myself from tearing the package apart, to get to them faster. The packaging is the same as with LCD-2 coming in the same sturdy travel case. The headphones look very nice and have a very good build quality.
 
Audeze replaced the wood with metal this time, but the they still have style and very good finishes. Even if they may be a little heavy for some, they have almost the same comfort as LCD-3 from my perspective. LCD-3 has 548 g and LCD-X has 600.
 
If you liked the looks on the older models, I am sure you will like and enjoy the new looks of LCD-X.
Actually they feel even more sturdy than the previous models. You don’t have to worry about the wood and the wood care any longer.
You may already think that we had talked enough and didn’t get to what it really matters, the sound. So let’s get down to business.
 

 
Sound Impressions
 
You know the drill. We will get through some impressions one some songs and then conclude impressions on portions of sound and overall.
The tests have been done with Burson Conductor,Audiobyte Hydra usb interface, PowerInspired AG500, Audeze LCD3, Sennheiser HD800, Audeze LCD-X,  Chord Usb Silver plus, FiiO E17 .
 

 
Hugh Laurie – Unchain My Heart
Wow…the voice…is just awesome. It  has a lot more presence  than LCD-3. The sound seemed like it opened up from the 3. All the upper mids & treble were more in front  and I am saying that in a good way.The trumpet was just amazing as it had excellent texture, feel and presence, the piano was clearer and crispier. The drums were faster and had more impact.
 
ACDC- The Razors Edge – Thunderstruck
Does Audeze know how to rock? You know it does! But does the new model stand up as the older brothers? Hell yes! It is still anAudeze headphone! I feel that LCD-X has a better and neutral balance than the older siblings. However it seems to be faster, with more bass impact and better PRAT . All the sound is binding together in a very good harmony. I cannot say that the mids are recessed, that the bass needs something more or the treble is too bright or not present. No…it is just as it should be. The voice was always between the instruments, playing through them, without getting lost between them as it had very good texture, feel and presence.
 
Bon Jovi – Wanted Dead or Alive
Again, the first impression was that the sound opened. There was a lot of air on top. The voice was again much more present than on LCD-3. The treble was more forward, pleasant and detailed without being bright. The drums were fast and with good impact.
 
Silent Strike – Keys For Silent Doors
This song has amazing bass and sub bass. Is this still an Audeze headphone? Yes, of course, it still has the house signature. However, the bass was not as meaty, as LCD-3, but it had more impact and still went very deep. The sound seemed faster and  the bass more controlled with a better punch.  Again, it gave more air on top than LCD-3. Some details on upper mids and treble are more obvious on LCD-X.
 
Coldplay – Spies 
You just get lost in the music. The transparency is amazing. The voice and whole sound is so clean, so clear. The guitars, drums and voice were amazing in this song.
 
Infected Mushrooms –  Becoming Insane
I liked the bass on LCD-3 more on this song as it had more body and the guitars from the beginning had more texture and extension, but LCD-X did a very good job as well as it had a faster in your face sound and better PRAT with better instrument separation and imaging. The bass didn’t had so much body but it was faster and had  more punch.
 
Leonard Cohen – Banjo
I just love the voices with LCD-X. They have a whole new presence than with LCD-3. All the upper mids and treble are more forward , not recessed as with the 3,  making you rediscover your music. The voice integrates a lot better throughout the instruments and the song with LCD-X.  The guitars had better extension with LCD-3 but the instrument separation was better with LCD-X.
 
Johan Sebastian Bach – Sonata in C Major – Allegro
It has been one of the rare moments when the  treble fascinated me. LCD-X has an amazing treble. It is more forward and better integrated balance wise in the song adding air on top. The flute was amazing and it played effortless throughout the song.  I have never heard such clean and transparent treble with no sign of sibilance or brightness.
 
Westminster Choir – Festival Te Deum
I think this song slapped me back to reality. I thought that LCD-3 had a wider soundstage at first, due to a more laid back sound, but  knowing the size of the cathedral I can now say that LCD-X has better soundstage than the elder brother. The height of the soundstage and the voice separation are amazing with it. The chorus is a pleasure to listen to and it fills the scene with an incredible presence and transparency.
 
Summary
 
Bass
This is still an Audeze headphone. It has amazing bass. It seems to be faster than the LCD-3, with more impact but less body. I love both presentations, and I didn’t decide yet which one is better as both are different and very good.
 
Mids
Even though LCD-X doesn’t have all the magic LCD-3 has in the mids, they have better clarity and the upper mids are more present and more enjoyable with LCD-X. When I said magic I was referring to the instrument extension for example which is better with LCD-3. For example the guitar chords have a fuller life.
 
Treble
The treble here is very interesting and because of LCD-X, I started to be fascinated about it as it is more forward and present, giving a more balanced presentation to the sound. You cannot say about LCD-X that they are dark headphones like it’s brothers.  It gives the music a sense of clarity and air on top. It is also very transparent and clean.
 
Voices
I just love  voices with LCD-X and I consider this to be a very strong point for them. LCD-X brings the voices in front or actually they don’t put them in the back and they are not lost between the instruments like sometimes with LCD-3. After LCD-X, I found myself wanting to turn up the volume with LCD-3 to reach the same presence with the voices.  LCD-X make the voices sound with amazing clarity.
 
Openness
I have chosen this word very carefully.  Initially I was fooled by the more laid back sound of LCD-3 and considered it to have bigger soundstage than LCD-X.  However LCD-X is more opened than LCD-3 with more air on top and better positioning. The height of the soundstage is amazing and in some ways the sound opens up  even after HD800, the X having a taller soundstage.
 
Imaging & Instrument separation
 
Having faster transients, the instrument separation is very good. At first I thought LCD-3 has better instrument separation because of the more laid back sound and better instrument extension. However LCD-X betters the 3 here because the instruments are better contoured and their position are easier to pick because of this. The more I listened, the more I was astonished by the performance of LCD-X in this department.
 
Clarity & Transparency
 
The sound is very transparent and very clear on the whole spectrum. I feel that this is a very strong point of LCD-X and it really managed to impress me with it. The headphones become a window to the music.
 
Details
 
The X packs a lot of details in the whole audio spectrum, so the resolution is very good. LCD-3 has the upper hand here overall but not by much as the details are more apparent with LCD-X on the upper mids and treble .
 
Transients
 
I find the transients in LCD-X to be faster than LCD-3. The attack has more impact and the decays are faster. I love this about LCD-X. It gives more energy and PRAT to the music.
 
Neutrality
 
LCD-X seems to be more neutral and more natural than LCD-3 and LCD-2. However it still has the magic and fun Audeze headphones have.
 
Easy to drive
 
I have tried the LCD-X with both my Samsung Galaxy S4 and FiiO E17 and they performed very, very well compared to LCD-3.
 
Compared to LCD-3
 
Is this the new Audeze flagship? This is hard to decide, as both have very strong points, and I am sure there will be people preferring one before the other. However, the more I listen to LCD-X, the more I like it and it makes it very hard for me to decide between the two. I may find myself leaning in favor of LCD-X after a few more days or worse…I may love both, and that is not good for the wallet.
I have said several times that LCD-X has more air on top.
 
The height of the soundstage  is incredible and makes the sound open even after HD800 in some regards.  Sometimes I felt that LCD-3 had a little more depth in the soundstage but I think that was because of the more recessed mids and treble, because of the longer decays and better instrument extension on LCD-3. And I do think that sometimes, on some songs LCD-3 can sound a little more spacious because of those aspects.
 
However, the instrument separation and imaging are amazing with LCD-X and are a step up over it’s older brother.
Also I find that the X has better transparency and clarity making the headphone a clean window to the music.
It is hard to decide between the bass from LCD-X and LCD-3. LCD-3 has more body, more weight and LCD-X has more impact and it is faster. I love both in this aspect  but I find myself mostly preferring the meaty, more extended bass of  LCD-3.
 
I feel that LCD-3 has better resolution overall, especially until the upper mids and treble, where the sound is more present in LCD-X and the details more apparent. With lcd-3 the instruments seem to have better extension living a fuller life. 
However, the attack is more powerful on the X and the decays faster, leading to better transients and more energetic sound. So if the sound is composed by attack, extension and decay, the attack and decay are better on the X while the extension is a little better on LCD-3.
 
LCD-3 has a warmer, fuller, more organic and refined sound with better instrument extension which gives the magic to the sound while LCD-X brings some other very strong points discussed in the next section and still manages to keep the Audeze house sound.
 
Conclusions
 
Audeze really did some magic here from my perspective. They made the sound more neutral, very balanced overall, keeping the house signature, not loosing too much from the euphony and making them suitable for every music genre out there.
 
I found it sometimes hard to decide which of the two models I like more, but the more I listen to LCD-X the more I love it and I feel that it is technically superior to LCD-3.
I very much like the direction Audeze is heading with these new headphones and technology and I keep wondering if this is only a beginning of a new line of products.
LCD-X is proof that Audeze listens to it’s customers and respects their opinions. I feel like X marks the spot, in the essential places the fans said that LCD-3 could be improved.
 
I am torn apart between LCD-3 and LCD-X but I know something for sure: I could live happily with either of them. Even if at the moment I am inclined more and more to the X … I  still love LCD-3 though. I’ve struggled for days to make a clear decision between the two and I couldn’t. Even if LCD-X retains the house signature, I bet some will want both as they can be complementary headphones.
My wallet ran away from home again…
 
Pros:

1. Fast bass with good punch & depth
2. Very good details
3. Excellent transients
4. Excellent instrument separation & Imaging
5. Very opened sound and very good soundstage with amazing height
6. Very good and clean treble, present with good texture without being bright
7. Excellent voices
8. Very engaging PRAT
9. Love the mids and the presence on the upper mids
10. Excellent transparency
11. Very good dynamics
12. Easy to drive
13. Good build quality and looks

Cons:

1. I tried to find some cons but I couldn’t. However, some may consider them a little heavy.

 
 
Check out the Part Two of the review ( vs Sennheiser HD800 ) 
 

 
 
Check out the Part Two of the review ( vs Sennheiser HD800 ) 

The Extinct Denon D7000

Posted on August 4, 2013by HeadMania
Hey guys,

I’ve been waiting for a long time for an opportunity to listen to the famous D7000 and I am really happy I have a few days with it.

In one of my visits to Jack-Fi, I found a pair of forgotten Denon D7000 there, as they are specialized in speaker systems mostly. After 3 weeks I’ve been there again and found them in the same place and same position. So it was clear they would part with them easily for a few days 

I like its’ overall looks, but it feels a little cheap compared to other headphones at that price. They are very light weighted and very comfortable though.



One thing that popped into my attention was the fact that the cable is not detachable, and at the price was selling, I don’t find that ok.



Sound Impressions

The first time I have listened to them I liked them very much. They have an interestingwow factor because of their fun and engaging tonality.

Bass

The bass is very present in these cans, especially the mid bass. However the bass lacks some punch and is a little loose. Overall I like the bass presentation, but sometimes there is too much bass leaking into the mids.

Mids

Some of the instruments are a little in the background but still enjoyable. However, the mids bring the vocals forward. I just love listening to Leonard  Cohen, Frank Sinatraor Lana Del Ray on D7000.

Treble

I’ve heard people complaining the D7000 is bright. I found the treble quite on the smooth side, even recessed on some ocasions.

Fun Tonality

I like the  fun tonality of the D7000 a lot. It has a meaty & full sound.

Transparency & Openness

What I felt was missing is clarity,  transparency & openness in the sound that made me putHD800 on, just to take a “breath of fresh clear air”.

Transient response & decay

I find that the transient response is not that impact-full as I would like. The decay is a little slow in my opinion. I feel this could be a little improved with a good silver cable.

Imaging

The positioning of the instruments is not so clear, the sound being somehow congested, instruments tend to blend in on the same layer.



Conclusion

Overall the sound of the D7000 is very engaging, energetic and fun. They are absolutely brilliant with rock.

I also love both male & female vocals with it.

So in the end loved to listen to rock, electronic music, vocals, pop and even some jazz with it.

Even-though they have a lot of cons, I think they are my favorite closed cans now for the music genres above.

I am quite sad Denon discontinued them. I am very curious how D7100 stands near it.

Pros:

1. full bodied tonality
2. energetic & fun
3. excellent with vocals
4. good build quality
5. very comfortable

Cons:

1. loose bass
2. congested
3. lacks transparency and clarity
4. poor imaging and instrument separation
5. the cable is not detachable

FiiO X3 – Review

Posted on October 15, 2013by HeadMania
Hey guys,

I have stressed for some time now on what phone I would get that has decent sound. At first I got the Galaxy S1 that had a Wolfson Dac and combined with Voodoo Sound I got decent playback.

Recently I got a Galaxy S4 knowing it has a Wolfson Dac too but I didn’t notice the European version didn’t have it, and I don’t like the sound on it.

I didn’t want to go for an Ipod or something similar because It didn’t find them to sound better than my S1 (which i kept just for music).

However, recently FiiO released their first portable player, the FiiO X3 which would solve all of my problems in this regard and at a decent price.



When I looked at the specs I saw some interesting things:

1. X3 can play APE, Flac, Alac, Wma, Wav and the usual lossy formats like MP3,OGG  & WMA files and at 192k/24Bit .
2. It has 10 hours playback time
3. It has the Wolfson WM8740 Dac Chip which I like a lot because of how it performs inFiiO E17
4. Same hardware equalizer for bass & treble as in E17
5. Multiple Outputs like USB 2.0, Line Out, Coaxial Out, Headphone out, which means that you can also use it just as transport to another DAC, which is very nice. I also heard that FiiO plans a firmware upgrade to make the X3 a USB Dac too, which would be absolutely awesome.
6. Has support for 65GB Micro SD Card

From distance, the build quality seems as sturdy as the other FiiO products, but when you take it in your hand you realize it has thinner materials, not so resistant as those fromFiiO E12 or E17.

X3 has an easy to use menu and you can’t do anything else on it aside listening to music, that being the main focus of the unit. The screen is also there for the same purpose and nothing more.

Sound Impressions

Let’s get down to business, shall we?



I have done the tests with Focal Spirit One, Mikros 90 , Audeze LCD3, Sennheiser HD800, & FiiO E12 .

Massive Attack – Inertia Creeps

The first thing I observed was the good PRAT. The drums had a good impact and tactility. The instruments also popped into attention very easy and made a good impression.

Johny Cash – The Man Comes Around

I love the FiiO sound signature. The guitars chords and the voice are right there with you playing with your eardrum.  The plucks tickle your ears and the voice is very warm and engaging. It really hit on my soft spot.

Rachmaninov – Symphonic Dances 

Considering the sound signature of FiiO, I was pleasantly surprise by the performance with this classical masterpiece. The instruments had a very good presence, feel & tactility, especially the lower notes ones. The flutes and similar instruments were more mellow and not so well detailed but very pleasant to the ears, flowing with delicacy and caressing your ears.  Some may prefer a more neutral sound, but I found the x3 having an airy presentation also with a decent soundstage making it very suitable for classical music as well.

Tracy Chapman – Speak the Word

Again, I was very impressed with FiiO. The guitars & drums are just awesome. They have a very good tactility and detail, they just make me dance. Also the voice has a very good tonality and texture.

Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit

You would think that the X3 would be excellent with rock considering it’s sound signature. Well you cannot be more right. I just cannot stop from headbanging here. The PRAT is amazing and the drums and electric guitars just charge you with energy.



On the fence

Bass

The bass has a very good depth being slightly elevated (the mid-bass ) but very fun to listen to. It has a very good punch and feel overall, making the drums very engaging!

Midrange

The bass and mid-range is what I love about the X3. It is a little elevated as well making the instruments like guitars, cellos, voices very engaging, tactile and pleasant.

Treble

The treble is a little recessed and has no sign of brightness. Many people could prefer more extended treble but X3‘s treble is mellow and very pleasant to the ears.

Transients

I love the attack and the tactility it gives to the instruments. You can feel the guitars and drums like they are near you. The decay is a little slower than the attack giving it a little tubey feel.

Detailed

The sound has very good definition and detail, in both micro and macro departments.

Excellent PRAT

I cannot stop listening to it. The x3 is very engaging and can rock your world. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself acting like this on the street while listening to it.

Conclusions



Am I going to recommend FiiO X3? What? You didn’t buy one yet  ?

Of course I recommend it. The X3  is just awesome.

At this price the X3 is a steal. I loved it with all the headphones I tested it with, even withHD800 with which made a very good pair sound wise – good bass, engaging and warm sound with no sibilance or brightness.

I even liked the LCD3 with it, though not as much as HD800 which was a better match.

Even though I would recommend the X3 paired with the E12 with LCD3 & HD800, it did a decent job by itself.

So you can take your HD800 from your desktop rig and listen to it in your bedroom for a few hours without a problem.

I seriously don’t see any competitor to the X3 in this price range except maybe IBasso DX50 which I haven’t heard yet.

Pros

1. bass with good punch and depth
2. detailed in both micro/macro departments
3. excellent prat, good dynamics and energy
4. very good attack that gives tactility to the instruments
5. voices sound very natural and well textured
6. very good price

Cons

1. the build quality is below E12 and E17  material wise
2. some may consider the lack of neutrality a con, but in this case it is my kind of coloration 
   

Can’t wait to hear the upcoming FiiO X5.

Share this:

1.  

FiiO E12 Mont Blanc – Review

Posted on October 14, 2013by HeadMania
Hey guys,

I had my eyes on FiiO E12 for a long time now, since I’ve seen the little fellow at Sandu’splace. I remember I tried it with LCD-2 at that time and it could drive them quite nicely.

That was amazing coming from that little black box.



After that, I looked up the specs and was pleasantly surprised to see that the output power is > 880 mW @ 32 Ohms, which is pretty impressive coming from a portable amplifier powered by battery and at that size ( 124 x 65.5 x 14.5 mm )



E12 uses OPA1611 and LME49600 OPAMP combination. The OPA1611 serves as amplifier and LME49600 plays the role of currency outputting.

It also has ALPS potentiometer and is powered by a clean battery so it can achieve low level of distortion.

While looking at it, I saw a gain selector (0 , 16 db), crossfeed and bass boost.

Hmm, crossfeed, I have first tried a hardware level implementation of crossfeed at my first headphone amplifier the Meier Audio Corda Cantate 2.

This article is explains in detail  what crossfeed does.

The short version from wikipedia is this:

Crossfeed is the process of blending the left and right channels of a stereo audio recording. It is generally used to reduce the extreme channel separation often featured in early stereo recordings (e.g., where instruments are panned entirely on one side or the other), or to make audio played through headphones sound more natural, as when listening to a pair of external speakers.

Click to expand...

I have felt improvements with this on, only with old recordings, like ACDC – The Razors Edge. However, overall, the crossfeed takes away from the impact/attack and details.

Some may prefer to leave it on as it is less tiring.

The bass boost is quite nice and it is felt especially with the sub bass. This is useful with headphones that lack some body or for bass heads.

The build quality of the unit is quite appealing. It is made of aluminium and has a very nice design.



 

The E12 is bigger than the E10 or E17 but still is in portable range as it is similar toSamsung Galaxy S1‘s size, smaller than Galaxy S4.



Sound performance

So it looks very nice, has nice build quality and nice specs, but how does it sound?

I have done the tests with Burson Conductor as DAC, Audeze LCD-3, Sennheiser HD800, Focal Spirit One and Mikros 90.

Massive Attack – Angel

This song has some really nice sub-bass and E12 got it just right. The sound was engaging and the bass had weight and decent control. It really got me toe tapping.

Enya – The Celts

The background was black and you could actually call it blackground 

 . Fiio didn’t lie about the distortion as the sound is very clean. Enya’s voice was clean and relaxing as it should.

Michael Jackson – Wanna be starting something

The PRAT was decent and the overall song was toe tapping. Michael’s voice seemed natural and without any coloration added. Because of the black background the instrument separation was quite good and the instruments were detailed and standed out.

Michael Oldfield – Cochise

The sound was spacious and the guitars from the beginning tickled my ears.The chord’s extensions were good and when the electric guitar kicked in the sound became very engaging. I would have liked a little more weight to the sound. Oh wait…I have the bass boost.  That solved my problem. The added weight was a little unnatural but it was ok overall, but to be fair my ears wouldn’t resist with bass boost on for a long period of time.

Infected Mushroom – None of this is Real

This guy is a great amplifier but this is where I felt the LCD3 and HD800 needed more. However it drove them at a decent level. They needed more for depth, punch and imaging.

On the fence:

Details

The sound was detailed and the instruments tickled your ears on many occasions.

Neutrality

It seemed to me that the E12 didn’t add any warm signature /coloration as the E17 andE10 did.

Airy Sound

The sound has a good soundstage, with a black background that leads to good instrument separation.

Conclusions



The FiiO E12 is a great piece of gear that deserves all your attention if you are looking for portability.

It can drive all of the power hungry iems / ciems or portable headphones out there. It can also drive the Audeze LCD3 and Sennheiser HD800 to a decent level.

I don’t think it has competition at it’s price & performance.

So FiiO strikes again with another excellent product that has no competition at that price. I like what FiiO does very much. They studied the market and filled what was missing, and did an awesome job with that.

Pros:

1. excellent price for what it offers
2. good build quality and design
3. nice features
4. airy sound with good instrument separation
5. detailed sound
6. good PRAT

As for cons, at that price I cannot find any.

I am really happy that AVstore became an official FiiO dealer and we have access to them in Romania.

Creek OBH-21 Review

Posted on September 19, 2013by HeadMania
Hey guys,

This little guy brought some memories back when I’ve seen it on one of jack’s shelves.

A few years ago when I got into this hobby, I was looking for an headphone amplifier for my newly bought Sennheiser HD595. This was one of the choices I had at that moment, as it was one of the few headphone amplifiers sold at that moment in Romania.

I decided to go with a Corda Cantate 2 instead.

However I have always been curious of what it is capable of.

Well let’s see how it stands.



The amplifier looks quite nice and has a good build quality.

In the front it has 2 headphone inputs and a volume control.

In the back it has 2 rca inputs and 2 rca outputs.

It also features a 24v  power supply.

You can find the full specs here.



The test have been done with Burson Conductor as DAC, Audiobyte Hydra-X as usb interface,  Sennheiser HD800 &  PowerInspired AG500.

Let’s get to the sound of Creek.

Zdob si Zdub – Ciobanul vrea sa se desparta de oi

The song really caught my attention. The bass had a good punch, it was well controlled and had nice extension. The sound was opened, detailed & relaxed but with good PRAT. The drums had a very good impact and the whistle a decent extension and spatial presence.

Michal Jackson – Man in the mirror

Michael’s voice was very personal and had a good texture. The synergy with HD800 is amazing on such a small amp. No harsh sound at all. The treble is well extended but without being harsh. Again the PRAT and bass impact was very good.

Massive Attack – Teardrop

The OBH-21 really impressed me with the bass. It has a really nice punch and transient response. The sound has weight on HD800 and that is extremely important for me. I just loved the voice on creek. It had a very good tonality, very natural and intimate.

Enya – The Celts

Ok, I observed that I love the voices on the little creek. It was only fair to test it with one of my favorite female singers.  It was as I expected. Her voice had a good presence with good tonality. The layering & soundstage were quite decent. One thing I observed is that the sound had a little grain in it compared to Conductor….but the comparison is not fair.

Coldplay – Don’t Panic

Creek strikes again. The guitars were really nice tickling the ears with their very present plucking. The voice again had a very pleasant tonality and texture.

Leonard Cohen – Here it is

The voices are a treat on creek obh-21.  They are not as well extend as on Conductor (again not fair comparison), however they have a very warm and pleasant tonality with decent texture.

The Fellowship of the Ring – Concerning Hobbits 

The cello at the beginning has a good weight and tactility. The sound is relaxed, opened and yet detailed overall very pleasant to listen to. The mids were present, had a sweet tonality and were quite detailed.

On the fence:

Bass

The bass on the Creek OBH-21 is quite impressive. It has a very good punch  & extension.

Mids

The mids are sweet and quite detailed entangling themselves in a very balanced way with the lows and with the extended but not harsh at all treble.

Treble

The treble has a decent extension without being harsh.

Transient response

It is full of energy, has a good PRAT,  and has a very good transient response. The drums, guitars plucks and similar sounds are very nice with the obh-21.

Voices

I loved how the voices were reproduced by the Creek. They had a very warm, pleasant and intimate tonality with a good texture and presence.

Energy

This little guy is on steroids as it really makes me dance while listening to music.



Conclusions

I am glad I had the chance to listen to it, as it brings a lot in it’s small package. To be sincere, I wasn’t expecting this much from it, so I can say it surprised me a little.

One other thing I didn’t expect is the fact that it has a very good synergy with HD800, having a good prat, good bass, detailed mids, well extended treble without being bright .

I have also tested Audeze LCD2 a little with it. It was quite nice, but it felt a little under powered for it.

It is very good at it’s price and would make an excellent first amp or for a “portable” sound system for the workplace.

One thing I forgot to mention is the fact that OBH-21 is out of production and a newer model has taken it’s place.

Pros

1. bass with good punch and extension
2. detailed sweet mids
3. well extended but not harsh treble
4. good transient response
5. good PRAT and energetic sound
6. good voice reproduction

Cons

1. at this price I cannot find any cons

The Sexy Martin Logan Mikros 90

Posted on August 4, 2013by HeadMania
Hey guys,

When I have seen these headphones for the first time they got my attention with their looks.  They have a very nice design and a stylish and sturdy build quality. They are intended to be a fashion headphones, that is for sure, and I’ll be damned if I have seen a better looking headphone. They really blow the competition out of the water with the looks, feel and style.



They are almost completely covered in leather. The headband has a very strong & thick metal body. The cable is detachable and even if it has volume control on it, it still is a very good cable. Why am i telling you this? Because the cable from Focal Spirit One can be used with the Mikros. After using the cable from Spirit One, I have realized that the stock cable from Mikros bring more detail, better transient response, and open the sound more.



While admiring the looks, I realized they are Martin Logans! Now it really got my attention. I really respect and admire this company for the excellent speakers they make.  When I first heard their entry level electrostatic speakers, the Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL, they really blew me away. I have never heard such sound-stage, level of details, transparency, transient response, etc in a speaker system, especially at that price.



These headphones are on ear and you must be attentive with this as if you don’t set them well on the head, you won’t get a good seal and it will affect the sound ( bass & body the most).

From what I have seen, the cups set on the ears with an angle, so I think these are meant to be like that, as angled drivers usually offer more sound-stage and a better stereo image.

Some people may find the clamping force a little too strong, but I think it gets looser in time.

The package comes with a nice portable storage box that I think is also made of leather, the detachable cable and with a 3.5 to 6.3 adaptor.

Sound Impressions

The first listening impression was somehow weird and a little disappointing, as I felt they lack body & bass. After a few minutes of changing some songs it started to get to me. They really have some interesting features that make them stand out of the crowd.

Treble

This is one of the strongest points of these headphones. The treble is crystal clear and very well extended & detailed without being harsh or sibilant. I never heard such quality treble in an closed headphones yet. It is amazing!

Mids

The mids are quite good. The voices are clear & transparent but lack some body. The guitars and other similar instruments have a very good impact and presence.

Bass

Ok this may seem one of their weakest points at first glance. The first thing you will notice at your first listen is the lack of body. However, if you give them a chance you will notice it has a very good punch and the bass is very well controlled & extended . After burn in the bass kicks in.I am sure there will be people to consider the bass to be too shy but I like it. On some songs I enjoy the fast, controlled , well extended  & punchy bass.

Details

The details were very nice especially on the higher mids and treble.

Transient response

This is another thing that really drew my attention. The plucking of the guitar, the percussion, hand claps, etc were very impressive.  The decay is natural and not lazy at all. I just love how the piano, guitars, violins sound on these babies.

Transparency

Never expected this level of transparency from a portable headphone, but the music really gets the hold of you and letting aside the strong clamping force, you forget about the headphones.

Instrument separation & sound-stage

If you look at the headphones you wouldn’t think they will have a wide sound-stage, especially with their size and the fact that they are closed, but they sound very open and clean to my surprise. The instruments are very well separated  and placed into space.

Conclusions

The Mikros is a very interesting pair of headphones and managed to impress me on many levels. They are good for instrumental music, classical,  jazz & vocals, even though these genres could use some bass presence too sometimes.

One other thing you should remember, is that they don’t like poor recordings.

I, however enjoy listening to  some house music & electronic , like ATB, Armin van Buuren, Infected Mushroom, etc on them too, but not as much as with other headphones like spirit one, d7000, amperior, momentum , etc.

Don't forget to let them break in for at least 20h, as they really open up, even the bass starts to get better.

Martin Logan bring an interesting new approach and style to the market with these headphones.

So if you care for the looks, crisp & detailed treble, transparency and are not into heavy bass, but still punchy and tight bass, give them a listen.

I tested them with Burson Conductor, Galaxy S4, Fiio E17.

Loved them from the S4 and E17. These headphones really grew on me. I am starting to think of buying one myself.

E17 and the Mikros 90 are a very good combo, as fiio really adds bass presence. I found myself listening to rock in this combo and enjoying it

Because of this combo and their very transparent and clear sound I give them 4.5 stars. 

Pros

1. excellent treble
2. good transient response
3. nicely detailed on higher mids and treble
4. good instrument separation & stereo image
5. transparency
6. excellent build quality & very good looks
7. decent isolation
8. portable
9. storage box

Cons

1. lacks body & bass presence
2. hard to get a good seal sometimes

 

Hey guys,

I’ve been waiting for a few months now to write this review. The first time I have seen that  Naim will release a headphone dac/amp/preamplifier combo I was really really intrigued and curious.

I’ve been bothering the guys from Jack for over 2 months now: “Did it come? Did it come?”

Well finally it came, and here it is on the review bench, and I must say it looks just awesome!

The build quality and the design really impressed me. I don’t care for the looks too much but with this one I really loved it.



The enclosure is thick and the main part is made from one piece making it rock solid.

It has a green led screen that goes very well with the green Naim logo, especially at night.



This unit is the first headphone dac/amp I have reviewd that has a remote control. At first i didn’t gave it much importance but I got used to it now. If you use it as pre-amplifier/dac with speakers it really comes in handy.

Also you can pause the songs or get to the next/previous song with the remote (it worked great with foobar). When I have 2 virtual machines opened and 2 active remote desktop connections, i don’t interrupt my work just to go to foobar and change the song, I just press the next on the remote. That is pretty awesome from my point of view 

I have read a lot of great things about it, so I expected something special from this box.

One thing that stood out was the fact that it uses the technology from Audiophilleo forasync USB. I have heard some very good words about AP2, and I have recently tested the Audiobyte Hydra which showed me what a good USB interface can do with your system.

Jan 8 2013: Audiophilleo’s best-in-class integrated graphical user interface and USB interface technology is licensed by NAIM for the just-released DAC-V1.

Click to expand...

Naim explains more about Async USB here.

I think more audio companies should follow Naim’s example here, as this was a very good move.

Hope that Burson realizes the Tenor is not so good and start using something else in the future.

The volume control system is a modified version of the circuit from SuperUniti which seems to use an good, expensive analog domain electronic switches.

The DAC section is similar to ND5XS and SuperUniti.

So, yes I had a lot of expectations from it.

When I first listened to it, I have observed immediately that the usb input is quite clean and nice but the sound did not impress me beyond that. It was harsh, no enegergy, no impact and lacked dynamics. This saddened me but I knew that some audio gear really need a good burn in period, so I put it in the oven.

After 20h it was a little better but still not good enough. I was starting to wonder about this   awesome looking black box .

Waited some more and did not touch it until it reached 50h. Well things got better. Some of the harshness was gone, the sound was clearer, fuller.

I still thought it can do more, so after more burn in it reached 100h+.

Oh yeah…this is what I am talking about.  This was a really stubborn little person.

I still think it needs some additional burn in but the sound now was quite awesome.



Now lets get to how it sounds.

The tests have been done with Audeze LCD2, Sennheiser HD800, Focal Spirit One,Chord Power Chord, Chord USB Silver PLUS, Audiobyte Hydra, Burson Conductor.

Coldplay: Parachutes –  High Speed

The sound was very airy, clean & relaxed. The guitars tickled my ears . The sound was continuous and poured musically. I felt the superior USB input.  I really liked the natural tone and texture of the voice.

Silent Strike – Asian Paper Circus & Without Warning

The soundstage was quite deep the instruments had a full life in that depth. Really loved how the instruments were disappearing and reappearing in that depth. The sound had details but not pushed to your face, the were a little in the back letting the sound to flow smoothly. The piano notes in the back had a really nice extension without any distortions.

Hanz Zimmer : The Dark Knight Rises – Mind if I cut in?

You know how I was really really impressed on this song with Conductor + Hydra? Well, the experience came close to that in some ways. The piano had clean & precise notes. The sound-stage was again very good, the instruments had good layering and positioning.

Andre Rieu: Dreaming – Air (J.S. Bach)

I really love classical music on Naim DAC V1.  It is very airy with a good soundstage, good instrument separation and a very smooth and musical presentation . The sound really flows directly to your heart sometimes with it.

Leonard Cohen: The Future – Light as The Breeze

Leonard is my reference in voice reproduction and the Dac V1 did quite well on this subject. The voice was warm, visceral and quite natural. The voices behind, in the chorus were very well layered and completed Leonards voice in a way that the song gave me goose bumps. The instruments played smoothly making way throughout the scene and the voices.

AC/DC BallBreaker – The Furor ; Boogie Man

Does DAC-V1 know how to rock? Well It can, it is a natural born rocker. These song really impressed me with the it. The guitars had a very good extension and body. The PRAT was very good, and the drums had a lot of impact. I got stuck here. The presentation was so good I am going to say this is one of the best rock presentation I have heard. I just loved it. Some really had banging happened here while listening to these songs.

Infected Mushrooms –  Wanted To & Poquito Mas

After burn in it really turns out that the DAC-V1 is not bass shy at all. The more time I spend with it, the more I like it better. The bass had a very good impact especially withHD800.  The bass could use a little more extension and more control.



Conclusions

 

The amplification from DAC-V1 hasn’t got too much power as the demanding LCD2started clipping at 85% . Up until 85% you get enough volume but lacks a little control. I still enjoyed LCD2 with it though. The menu from the V1 has a feature that enables you to set a volume limitation, so you could avoid clipping with this to hide it .

With HD800 it was better. I could feel they were driven better than LCD2 were.

I am sure some of you are asking yourself how is it compared to Conductor.

Conductor has a better amplification, more controlled and articulate sound with better dynamics, larger soundstage, more details, bigger impact and bass…

However the presentation from DAC-V1 is different and still very enjoyable. It has the specific smooth round sound of Naim.  It has  musicality combined with energy but still being smooth.

You can listen to it for hours without getting tired.  The usb input from Naim is clearly superior from the one in Conductor, offering a cleaner sound out of the box and that made me enjoy some of the songs in the tests more than with Conductor.

The sound is detailed but the details are a little in the back letting the sound flow smoothly.

Considering the fact that it has audiophielleo technology inside, I was curious to test it against the Hydra. I am not sure if the DAC-V1 has the full AP2 inside of it but in my tests the Hydra was clearly better than the USB input from the V1.

Pros

1. good USB interface inside that offers clean sound
2. a nice combination between smoothness, energy & musicality
3. good sound-stage and airy sound
4. very good build quality and very good design
5. good instrument separation and positioning
6. remote control

Cons

1. could use more power at the amplification
2. a little too pricey

These said, I really like this new product from Naim and their approach in designing it.

by HeadMania

 

Hey guys,

I have re-auditioned the Audeze LCD3 and I have been very impressed.

I had to get the HD800 to really understand the LCD3 . First time I have heard it, it impressed me, but I did not think it to be that much above LCD2. 

In the last month with HD800 and LCD2 I found myself listening a little more to the sennheisers. LCD2 seemed to lack in dynamics, details and soundstage compared to  HD800.

Darku was kind enough again to lend me his LCD3 for a week. I must say these days my impressions of LCD3 had completely changed from the first time I have listened to them.

It has exactly what I found to be lacking in LCD2.



They feel more refined than the LCD2. Also they are more comfortable. Their pads are softer, the zebra wood gives them a nice look and feel and they fit better on the head.



Let’s get to what is really important: the sound.

Here are my impressions on a few songs:

(The tests have been made with the Burson Conductor and the Toxic Silver Widowcable)

Leonard Cohen – Dress Rehearsal Rag

The first thing that popped out was the change of tonality and the soundstage. LCD3 seem more neutral to me. The sound really opened up to a level you cannot find the music to be congested any more. Leonards’ voice has an excellent texture and body. The guitars were much more apparent on LCD3 and had a tactile feeling on them.

 Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon – Time

Again the soundstage was considerable wider. The positioning of the bells was better on LCD3 and they had more sparkle. The drums from the beginning had again a tactile feel on LCD3. You can feel the music with it.

ABBA, Mamma Mia Slipping Through My Fingers

I just loved this song on LCD3. All blended in with great musicality. The voice was brilliant and had wonderful texture and presence. The chorus and instruments behind had a very well placed position. The sound was so better layered and you could hear all the voices in the chorus distinctively. Excellent round sound. It was so good it gave me goosebumps.



Dire Straits, Brother In Arms – Ride Across The River

Wow, the dynamics are absolutely awesome on LCD3. You can really enjoy music on lower volumes because of this. And the bass…so deep, so well controlled so full & detailed …. mesmerizing. Somewhere on a back, a guitar told magical story that makes you weep of joy, while all the instruments around it make you feel there.

Franz Schubert -Piano Trio No. 1 in B flat Major D898 – Andante un poco mosso

The instruments are excellently put into space and have a lot air between them. You can hear every one of them and each with different intensity and feel. The instruments have great extension and a very important tactile feeling.

Infected Mushrooms, Army of Mushrooms – Wanted to

The bass is absolutely incredible. I think this is the best bass I have ever heard in a headphone and there is no doubt about it. It has an incredible body, goes incredible low and is very detailed! The sound is very well rounded, not too much of anything keeping a very good balance.



Conclusions

Is it better than LCD2? It definitely is. It will be hard going back to it knowing what these new babies can do.

You can feel that the LCD3‘s drivers are more thin and are faster.

The dynamics are one of the most important thing they bring over LCD2. You can hear the full extension of the instruments now. Every sound has a fuller life . You can hear it born and you can hear it disappearing in the dark.

The soundstage is considerably wider than LCD2, the instruments are better separated and have more air between them.

The bass  is more detailed and refined than LCD2 and is the best bass I have heard in a headphone till date.

They are more neutral and the treble is more defined than with LCD2.

There are somethings that I like about LCD2 as well. The lower midrange and bass have a little more impact. Also the sound has a nice warmer color on them. The voices are a little fuller.

You will ask yourself if they are better than Sennheiser HD800. I, for one love them both and don’t consider one to be better than the other. They sound very different and both are excellent in their own way.

Even after LCD3 when you put HD800 on your head, the sound opens a lot.

HD800 is still more detailed, has a wider soundstage , better positioning and instrument separation.

However, LCD3 has a fuller sound with the best bass I have ever heard,  a creamy, tactile sound and great musicality.

Pros:

1. Excellent dynamics
2. King of the bass
3. Good soundstage
4. Detailed, yet very smooth and musical
5. Tactile feel of sound
6. Multi layered sound
7. Very good imaging

Cons

1. Very expensive
2. I do not own one  )

 

 

Hey guys,

I have seen this little box recently and it intrigued me a lot. It has an impressive build quality.



It has a very thick aluminum case and it feels like a tank can get over it and wouldn’t hurt it.

Ok…Now I am curios..would it hurt it? Why am I thinking of this?

Because of this crazy video:

Hmm…All i need now is a tank… Does anybody knows a guy…with a tank?

I managed to get a test unit and while I had a good feeling about this small box, it still managed to surprise me.



Let’s get to business shall we? For testing, I have used Sennheiser HD800, Focal Spirit One, Audeze LCD2,  Fiio E17 and Burson Conductor.

Here are my impressions on some songs:

Pink Floyd – Time

The treble is really detailed and sparkly at the beginning. The bells were nicely separated and had a very present ring. The presentation was detailed and I just loved the drums coming from every direction which you can easily pinpoint. The voice was natural and had a nice texture.

Sons de la frontera - Al jardin de la alegria

This was a nice surprise. The sound was airy, articulate, controlled & detailed. Loved how the guitar strings snapped with full extension as they were right near me. During the test I liked the sound presentation so much as I listened to 4-5 other songs from that album.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) Angry And Dead Man Alive

Wow…I just loved this song…I really got caught in the moment. I don’t know about you but I just love articulate sound and this combo, rPac+Spirit One, was just awesome. The guitars gave me goosebumps. The drums…had a very very good impact and round full sound.

Leonard Cohen – The Traitor

Again loved the guitars. rPac goes very well with the articulate nature of the Focal Spirit One. Leonard’s voice seemed natural and present as it should be throughout the song.

Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing

Really nice PRAT. Really toe tapping! I really feel that the separation of instruments is quite good in this small package. The sound articulate as always and the bass was fast and with good extension.

Infected Mushroom – Army of Mushrooms  - Wanted To

The PRAT was awesome. I really love the well extended bass with the rPac. The sound was fast, energetic and really engaging.

Amandine Beyer & Gli Ingogniti – The Four Seasons -  L autunno Allegro

The sound was quite open and dynamic.  On this piece, however I realized the background wasn’t quite black. I changed the stock usb cable with a Chord Usb Silver Plus and the problem was solved. The difference was quite noticeable.



Comparison to Fiio E17

Given the price point you would ask yourself how it would compare to FIIO E17.

These units are pretty close but there are some differences between them and it may be a matter of choice after all.

Sound wise

The rPac had a more detailed sound with better decay, the sound was more articulated & better rounded at both ends, with better instrument separation, better bass extension and more energetic.

E17 has a warmer presentation & a cleaner sound than the rPac and that is mainly because the E17 runs on battery while the arcam is powered by the USB. I have tried a better cable with rPac and it really improves the sound.

Sound wise, I prefer the rPac to E17.

Amplification

I have tried Sennheiser HD800  with both units. rPac was maxed out for normal listening, while the E17 had more until reaching maximum, so it seemed like e17 had more juice. However I felt that the control was quite better on the rPac, and it did reach a good normal listening volume. So rPac quite impressed me with this. I ended up listening to a whole bunch of songs with the pretentious HD800 & the arcam unit (never expected this…wow) .  There I was…minding my own business when the rPac surprised me as hell with this.



Build quality

The e17 is almost half the size of the rPac.

Both have a very sturdy aluminium case, but the rPac really looks impenetrable.

While the E17 has a usb input, SPDIF In, aux out & headphones out, the rPac has only the USB In, headphones out and RCA out.

The E17 has a nice menu while the rPac has only volume buttons on it having a rather spartan but pleasant design .

While you can use Fiio separately as amplifier and as dac, the rPac could be used just an external dac with other devices.

Also the E17 has a battery than can become really handy in some situations, and also contributes to a cleaner sound.



Conclusions

I really loved this little box and I recommend it with ease to anybody who wants portable sound. Don’t forget that it really benefits from a good USB cable.

Pros:

1. Excellent build quality 
2. Good amplification and DAC with good instrument separation, wide soundstage, articulated & detailed sound, excellent PRAT, good decay, well extended & punchy bass, nicely overall rounded sound, sparkly but not bright treble
3. rca out

Cons:

1. no battery
2. can’t be used just as amp (only as dac)
3. has only volume buttons with no screen or menu (i don’t find this upsetting but there might be people that would)

 

by HeadMania

Hey guys,

The last time  I listened to HD800 impressed me so much that I had to buy a pair for myself:



Since then, the HD800 have grown on me even more. These headphones are absolutely spectacular on the right gear, in my case the Burson Conductor .

These headphones deserve  post of their own. I almost feel responsible doing this, as I feel that I haven’t done them justice in my first post and I have to make up for it.

Lets take this from the start.

In my opinion they look quite nice and I really enjoy their futuristic design.
Every time I put them on I feel like this:

How I actually look like:


However, they seem really fragile to me. I have touched the silver grill by mistake and left a print there. My hands were clean, but still managed to do that. I couldn’t remove it so it is still there and it bugs me . Audeze LCD2 feel like a tank compared the senns.

I liked the stock cable from HD800. The build quality seems to be very good and it looks nicer than the usual stock cable ( LCD2 for example ). One thing I don’t like about it: the splitter seems to be made from cheap plastic and the cables that go from the splitter to the cups don’t look like high quality to me. Actually, I know a friend that had some problems with that portion of the cable, meaning that in time it opened up. This seemed to have happened to more owners.



I feel I really must be extra careful and treat them with more care. Don’t put them  directly on your desk as the paint may chip off. I always put them on something more cushy and not directly on a hard surface.



On the comfort side, I don’t think I have ever wore a more comfortable headphone. I really forget they are on my head after a while.

So let’s get to the most important part, the sound. So many things to say and so few words to express all I would like to say about these headphones.

I will tell you my impressions on a few songs.

ACDC – You Shook Me All Night Long

The first thing that struck me was the bass and the guitars. The bass is not at all shy. It is very present with a  very nice punch and tightness. Of course the sound was multi layered and very airy. The PRAT was awesome and toe tapping. One thing I had to do while listening to the song was to lower the volume as the treble got a little too tiresome.  The fact that I lowered the volume was not quite a bad move as I really got to enjoy the song like this with no problems. Yeah you heard me, I like rock on HD800. It is a little bright sometimes but lowering the volume solved the problem. It was quite ok as I can really enjoy music at even lower volumes with HD800 .

Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon – Time

Damn… The bells at the beginning were absolutely awesome. Every bell was so clear and so well defined in its place. The sounds came from all directions and you could easily concentrate on each and get it’s original location. The sound was pouring effortless and the dynamics were incredible. The soundstage is exceptional and you forget you are listening to headphones.

Infected Mushrooms – IM The Supervisor – Noon

Dat bass… Yes you heard me… Who said HD800 hasn’t got bass, clearly didn’t hear it on proper setup. The bass is so punchy, so deep and so damn fast. The PRAT on this song was awesome. The instruments were very detailed, excellent placed in space and very present throughout the song. The sound came effortless and HD800 handled it with extreme ease.

Tristania – Illumination (symphonic gothic metal)

One word. Excellent! The bass is superb. It really hits you with force and real impact. It is so punchy and so present. The sound was very opened and all the instruments were so well separated and well placed. The sound is multi-layered and not one instrument blended in with another. The voice could use a more natural tone but overall I really loved the song on HD800.

Andre Rieu (Dreaming) – Air (J.S. Bach)

The sound-stage is amazing. The sound is so opened that if you close your eyes you forget you are listening to headphones and that you are at home. You can see yourself in the concert hall, you can see the orchestra and pinpoint every instrument there. The details are amazing and the dynamics are the best I have ever heard in a headphone.

Leonard Cohen – The Traitor

The instruments in the beginning of the song are awesome. The details really tickle your ears. Again the instrument separation is absolutely beautiful. There is so much air between the instruments. You can hear everything and you can easily concentrate on the furthest instrument and still hear it clearly. The voice is quite nicely reproduced and has an excellent texture. It is not as natural as on LCD2, but the reproduction was still awesome.

Conclusions

These headphones are the best headphones I have heard to date.   The soundstage and openess of the sound is exemplary on them. I sometimes really forget I am listening to headphones.  The sound is so multi-layered that on the the most crowded songs I have listened to, never did I found, not even once, that two instruments blended in the same layer.

The imaging and sound positioning is excellent and you can really pinpoint the location of any sound with great ease.

They truly are detail monsters. The get all out of that recording. I expected to be annoyed by lower resolution files, but I enjoyed them greatly even on some mp3s I had listened to. Sometimes I got scared, as I thought some sounds came from my room and I was preparing for battle if any intruder had broken in my secret audiophile lair:

Ok, the bass…These headphones DO NOT lack bass! I repeat…they DO NOT lack any bass! Their bass is awesome, actually. It goes very very deep, it is very punchy, very fast and knows how to jam.

The mids are top notch too. The instruments and voices have a wonderfully detailed texture.

The voices are well reproduced but they could use more body and a more natural tone.

I did not find the HD800 to be bright headphones. They are very neutral to me. The times I thought them to be bright I realized the song was at fault being a bright recording. When something was bright on HD800 was even bright on LCD2. Be careful as  there are many bright recordings out there. So the treble is very very well defined  and is very sparkly when it is needed to. Unfortunately the sound is a slight sibilant but usually when it got too sibilant it was the recordings fault as well.

The dynamics & micro-dynamics on these headphones are excellent . I can really listen to lower volumes with HD800 and still be fully satisfied.

I have used it on some movies as well. They excelled here as well. In crowded open spaces you really feel that you are in that place. It is quite incredible.

I am going to give you a little advice: Don’t use them on a HD horror movie if you have heart problems!

Hello guys,

I have been reading about the IE800 for some time now. I heard people saying it is a mini HD800. That intrigued me, as I love the HD800.

I usually hate IEMs for their congested and bassy sound. I also hate sticking something inside my ears, but was curious about Sennheisers' new addition.

It seems I am a lucky man,  as last week soundnews.ro asked me if I can write a review for them on their site.

Of course I accepted as I love their website. DarKu writes there and I have used it as a reference for many ears. In my opinion, It is the best romanian website about audio. It was an honor and an opportunity I couldn't refuse, so here I am, listening to IE800.

These headphones look quite nice. The cable has a good build quality and a nice sturdy feel.  The jack is with a 90 degrees angle so you can easily use a portable device in the pocket with them.

IE800 comes with a nice package that contains another 4 pairs of ear-buds of different sizes. What I love about them is that every ear-bud has an additional protective grill, keeping the unwanted stuff away from the driver that also has another protective grill.

The carry case it comes with is very elegant with a leather like material, well build and could easily fit in a pocket.

Also the comfort is quite nice. They have 2 vents. One is for the sound as they are opened in-ears and the second one is to vent the air between the earbud and your eardrum, so the pressure goes away.

Yes...but the sound..how is it?

The first time I put these headphones in my ears my jaw dropped on the floor. These babies are absolutely amazing. They don't have the typical IEM sound at all.

The first thing I observed is the soundstage, which was huge for a pair of in-ears.

It is quite weird. I felt like the sound is coming from inside my skull. I actually started with classical music and I felt like my head became a big, large scene with the orchestra inside it. I could not believe my ears. I instantly loved the classical music on these headphones.

The sound just hypnotized me, as I just stood still while listening to them. It is stunning.

I will start to explain some of my experiences with it on some songs:

Andre Rieu - Morning (Classical; Peer Gynt Suite) (E.Grieg)

The details are amazing and you can hear every instrument and every note. The dynamics, and micro-dynamics are on the same level, making you a part of the scene and making you feel the music in every part of your body.

Every instrument is well placed into space and easy to separate from the other. The treble is well defined with amazing details but still on the smooth side. The mids are very present and give the instruments a very good extension and a full body.

Pink Floyd - Time

The bells and ringing at the beginning of the song was really enjoyable. The treble had the necessary sparkle and detail but wasn't too hot. The sound was very opened for IEMS.  The IE800 surprises me everytime and I forget i listen to IEMs or even closed headphones. The sound is multi-layered with very good instrument separation, amazing details and very well balanced throughout the spectrum.

ACDC - Beating Around the Bush

The voice was very well textured and quite natural . The instruments did not blend in in one layer as with the other IEMS. These headphones know how to rock having a very good PRAT and energetic sound.

Infected Mushroom - Drum n' Bassa

I usually hate the bass on IEMS as it feels unnatural with too much pressure on the eardrum. Well until now the IE800 did not fit the  normal in-year standards and It was time to see if the bass really is better than with others.

Well...IE800 impressed me again. The bass is deep, punchy and tight, but not invading other parts of the spectrum. The PRAT was excellent and the overall experience toe-tapping.

Leonard Cohen - Be for Real

You know that this is my ultimate way of testing the  voice reproduction,  and I must say that Leonard's voice sounded very natural, well textured and had a very nice presence. I was not like Audeze LCD2 but it captured the essence of his voice.

I have listened to many other songs, but I will not add more impressions on songs as I have already stated the most important facts about IE800's characteristics and I would repeat myself.

Conclusions

These are without doubt the best IEMs I have ever listened to. I really think Sennheiser nailed it with IE800, and nailed it good.  As I said before, I usually don't like the usual sound of in ear headphones, but sennheiser somehow made it in a way that while listening to it, I forget they are in this category.

For their type, I think their openness is amazing. Also the sound is not at all congested, it is actually multi-layered, with very good instrument separation and good spatial positioning.

The details on them are quite stunning. This combined with very good dynamics  really give you goosebumps.

The mids are very good and all the instruments and voices have a good, natural and well textured presentation.

Also the bass is not at all typical to IEMS. It is well extended, punchy and tight and doesn't get over other frequencies.

The treble is very detailed and sparkly but not bright.

Overall the sound is very balanced throughout the spectrum and they were good with every genre I gave them.

I really thought of finding some cons to these headphones but other than the price I couldn't find anything.

And all of this can fit your pocket. They work very well with phones and other mobile devices but they benefit from some amplification and a good DAC . You can have high end sound with you, everywhere you go. For someone who is always traveling, these babies are perfect.

Hello guys,

I remember the day I wrote my first question on this forum. The first response contained "Welcome and sorry for your wallet."

I did not understand for the moment what that was supposed to mean. The question was about what headphone amplifier I should get. I was thinking on a no more than 200EUR budget. Well needless to say, in a few days I bought a Corda Cantate 2 with over 400 EUR.
And so...it begun. After getting an amplifier i considered my hd595 weren't in my cantates' league. I begun the search for new headphones. And so I met DarKu who offered me a deal i could not refuse : HD650 with Zu Mobius Cable.
Then i bought a Xonar Essence ST, then a Grado Rs2i, a Burson HA-160DS, a PS Audio Duet Power Conditioner, power cables, wireworld starlight usb cable, etc

Darku was the first true audiofile I met. He had years of experience with a lot of headphones and headphones audio gear.
We became friends and he guided me from that point on to my audio nirvana .

I loved my HD650 + Zu Mobius Cable+Burson ha-160ds combo.

Because of Darku and http://www.avstore.ro/ , i had some oppurtunities to hear a lot of refference class headphones, but none impressed me so much as to give away the HD650. Many headphones were better in many aspects, but the overall sound signature did not appeal to me. I was pretty sure, that if i buy other headphones, i will surely keep the HD650.
Meantime Darku got an LCD2 to pair with his HD800 and Burson HA-160D.

He had the courtesy to loan me both headphones for a week.

The LCD2 blew me away. The mids were so lush and full, the bass so well defined and tight, the highs were warm. I fell in love. I could not get them off my head. It was 3 am. I was very tired. I was saying to myself "one more song...one more song". I fell asleep on my chair in front of the computer with the headphones on the head, listening to music.
No other headphones achieved that level of performance with my ears.
After a few days with lcd2, when i put the hd650 on my head, they sounded like a toy ) .
Before "meeting" the lcd2 i always thought that when i upgrade my hd650 to a better pair, i was absolutely sure i would keep the hd650. The lcd-2 was the only pair of headphones that made me sell them and not look back.

LCD-2 brought life to music. I listened to some Nightwish songs that i did not recognize from the sound. It was like they were different songs.

The classical music made me feel on the stage, each instrument teasing me and vibrating into my skin giving me goose bumps.

From that point on, my mind was set on these headphones.

The next week DarKu lent me the HD800. Those headphones were very impressive too. They have an incredible level of detail, sound-stage and airiness. They were so fast, i could feel my ears moving from the air displaced )
But i could not listen to all my music with pleasure. The emotion was not there as it was with LCD-2. Nightwish and other rock type sounded terrible on hd800 compared to lcd-2. In my opinion the LCD2 won the contest easily for listening to music.

After almost one year later, i was prepared to buy one. I have sold all my headphones and waited for avstore.ro to become a authorized dealer. The wait was hard, considering i have sold both my headphones. I have contacted the Audeze support to get an update on the dealer status. Until then i thought Audezes' support was not so good. My opinion changed dramatically in the next weeks. They explained the situation and we started talking. I have related my first impression on their product. They liked my words and they gave me a gift for that (a Liquid Stranger CD, Earpads, an Audeze key ring and 2 pencils). I was amazed with their gift and gesture. I thank them again for that.
The wait was a little longer than I planned, but it was worth it. I got my brand new pair of LCD2 Bamboo 

They are absolutely great. Have you ever listened to Leonard Cohen on LCD2?
If not, please do! His amazing voice is extraordinarily reproduced by these headphones.
I was listening to a violin in a classical opera and I suddenly for the first time in my life got an urge to start playing the violin. I was already seeing myself with the violin hold down with my chin and playing it frenetically . I really thought for a minute of getting a payed class or something...

I am sure many of you guys received a lot of friends and tried to share the joy, and many of your friends did not get the best of the sound quality, saying he does not hear the differences or he will never give that sort of money on headphones.
I got that a lot with my former headphones. I ended up explaining to them it is not something to get immediately, that your ears refine in time, your brain adjusts to the sound, etc ...

Well....with lcd2 i did not have to explain myself any-longer 

I can tell you that these headphones really impressed a lot of people in my circle 

My father also likes music, especially classical music. In college every time he had money he bought a vinyl. We have over 200 now. He sat down and i let him listen for over 15 minutes alone in the room. When i returned he had tears in his eyes. He found a fine interpretation of Bach sonata 3, and on these headphones, the music became very emotional.

My mother, whom is not into these kind of things and never understood this passion and the sums of money paid for it ), was really impressed with these headphones. After she listened she begun to understand my passion, which is a major thing coming from my mother.


I have a friend that just begun to work at the national opera in Bucharest.
He has an extraordinary voice. He has sang and recorded the Tosca opera .
I gave his father to listen his interpretation on the headphones.
He was astonished, listening with his eyes closed just like my father.
He said that he liked it better on the headphones than real life.
I have convinced my wife to listen Leonard Cohen (one of her favourite artists) with lcd2. She started singing along, and then it was hard to remove the headphones off her head ). WIth my previous headphones she walked away after the first song.
I have managed to record her listening and singing in the same time, without her seing me at first, because it was dark in the room for a better listening experience 

Here first reaction:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UIeoE8amHI

When she left, she dedicated Abbas' "Thank you for the music" song to me, as I take my hat off to Audeze and dedicate it to them:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aev5vyMOzjc


This w/e I also had a friend come for a little audiophile get-together and we listened to a lot of headphones that day. Needless to say, he started to get the money to buy LCD2 )

This picture was taken before LCD2 rocked his world :


So thank you for a great product Audeze, and thank you Avstore for becoming first authorised Audeze dealer in Romania.
I also thank you DarKu for the guidance and for introducing me the LCD2  , and for being a good friend!

And do not forget Burson ha-160ds. It is a great pair for lcd2.
I can't wait to listen to their new Conductor which would be an even better pair, considering the fact that it has a similar amplifier to Soloist.

Happy listening,

Dan

P.S. These headphones are an audiophile trap. This is the most efficient chain I have seen until now. It chains the audiophile to the computer or audio rig starting the moment he puts them on. Be careful, it works on normal people too, and normal people may become audiophiles.

Another friend that was thrown back with his feet up by the lcd2s:

 

Well, a few months ago, I was very happy with my combo ( Burson HA-160DS and LCD2). I thought this will be it for a loong time… Who was I kidding??

One day Sandu (Darku) contacts me very happy saying that he has received the newBurson Conductor to write a review for soundnews.ro . He already had the Burson Soloist for a review and considered it to be an excellent product, and he expected a lot from the new all in one product from Burson .

It took a while to hear from him again…he disappeared for a while…and i thought it to become suspicious. One day he contacts me again and invites me to his place to hear the new product. I asked him to tell me his impressions first. He said that I will hear it myself and it wouldn’t be productive to tell me anything before.

Something was fishy in Denmark…actually in Bucharest…

I then suspected an ambush with my wallet as the target. This could not happen. I just bought a 1000 Eur (1337 USD) headphones. Yeah….1337 USD. That’s right!! In Europe, all products from USA are more expensive. Usually the price goes from x $ to x EUR . My wallet was recuperating from the last hit he took.

So I went there armed with a lot of skepticism and no wish to buy anything whatsoever!!!

In my head…: “In fact…how good could it be? From a step forward all in audio is overpriced and does not justify the costs! I bet it’s just a small small small difference!”

Well, these thoughts were rushing through my head while driving to Sandu.

I got there and after we talked a little he showed me the Conductor . It was looking great. Even greater than my Ha-160DS and the HA-160D. The built quality and looks were better! I then observed a thing that I love. It had gain settings (low,medium, high). At last!!! I really missed that on HA-160DS. I think it was one of the reasons it did not go well with my former Grado RS2i.

He invited me to stay in the chair (TRAP: My future wallet was screaming … “Don’t do it…don’t do it!! It is an ambush!“)  .

I sat down, put the LCD2 on and started listening:

I got through all the five stages of grief
1. Denial –  > This can’t be…It is just psycho-acoustics…must listen more…
2. Anger . -> NOO…NOT AGAIN. The Money from my wallet SHALL NOT PASS


3. Bargaining (with myself) … If i sell the Burson Ha-160ds with 761$ and get a small loan…and my wife does not catch me…I can get one….
4. Depression.  -> This will never work…I cannot buy one… But…but..the sound..the quality


5. Acceptance.

My wallet did not stand a chance… The ambush was too good… I just sat…listened…in a still position…not moving for a few minutes…

The difference between my HA-160DS and the Conductor were that amazing.  It was like the first time I heard the lcd2 (at full potential).

I then talked to Sandu and he had the same impressions as I did, being happy that I confirmed his findings.

He wanted to buy one too….we were both..like:

When I got off from Sandu, I needed to talk with someone about the amazing experience, so i called my other  audiophile friend, Traian (citraian), who also bought a new LCD2 a few weeks after he has listened to mine.

I told him about my experience and the fact that it was like it was the first time i have truly heard the lcd2. I forgot that he also recently bought a new Asus Xonar Essence One and he was happy with it. He was  like:

this

“****** you man! I just bought my new stuff…leave me alone!” I heard his wallet scream through the phone.

In the meantime I got lucky and found a good friend that wanted the HA-160DS and a friend that was coming back from USA. It was the perfect match. So in 2 weeks I got my new Conductor.

I learned that this piece of gear needs a lot of break in! At first it was bright …even with the lcd2. After 100h it finally broke in to the sound I was waiting for.

Now for the sound impressions compared to the HA-160DS.

The sound-stage was a lot wider, the details were amazing (I found a lot of sounds I did not hear before in my favorite songs), the instrument separation …incredible …. I could concentrate on each instrument so easy…

The bass and lower mid-range were incredible! The extension of the bass is amazing. It goes so deep…so fast…so controlled. I am sure you can get more impact with other amplifiers, but the quality…oh the quality…

The sound is so transparent…It is like a window through the music. You no longer listen to music….you get into the music…you play a part into it.

I was listening to Carlos Heredia – Gypsy Flamenco (3000kbps and 96000HZ) one night at a late hour. The details are incredible. I just love the mids and the impact every guitar stroke has. The vocals are amazing…The sound-stage sounds so natural. Well…because it was late and I was insisting on listening…i fell asleep during one of the songs from that album. I dreamed I  was in a gypsy camp sleeping near a tent on a blanket while some happy gypsy group was playing guitar and singing near a camp fire…It felt so real…



The Song de la Frontera – Cal album made me love the combo even more. The mid-range and details are incredible.  Also the sound-stage is very natural and doesn’t cage you.

Infected Mushroom – Vicious Delicious-Becoming Insane -> well the title is not far from the truth. The bass is amazing. It is very punchy, fast, and controlled.

Jean Michel Jarre – Teo & Tea -> Partners in Crime 1 -> The instrument separation is amazing. The sound is  multi-layered and is very airy.

I love Leonard Cohen. He has an unique voice and his lyrics show that he was a poet before being a singer.

Leonard Cohen – The Traitor & Be for Real & Teacher  -> The instruments tickled my ears. I get goose bumps from those songs. The sound is flowing so nicely..so musically..so liquid…in a natural harmony. His voice sounds amazing on lcd2 andconductor. I could feel it in all my body.  

Loreena McKennit – The gates of Istanbul -> The sound stage on this one is incredible. The voice is very natural and very musical. The sound flows liquid with all the details in it.

Gorillaz – Double Bass->  I was mesmerized from the bass on this one. The extension is just incredible. The control and tightness are like an iron grip not letting any mistake through…

Any soundtrack LOTR and The Hobbit  sounds incredible.

I would stay here all night telling you about other songs, as I have rediscovered all my favorite tracks with Conductor and LCD2, but I would start to repeat myself if I already didn’t.

One more thing. While listening to some classical music, I heard a car passing by the building, a subtle but strong motor (a diesel I think). In one other day during the same song I hear the same car… The third time…I realized it was in the song. I heard a car passing near the concert hall the play was recorded. With Conductor, It was the first time I heard it. I gave the song to Sandu, which confirmed my findings…it was in the song.

The Conductor is a jewel in my opinion.

I also listened to a HD800  on it, but not for long. My short impressions was that it was amuch better match with the Conductor that with the HA-160DS or the 160D. Itrounded the highs, it gave it musicality, increased the bass on it, very very nice soundstage ( a lot wider than on DS). I even liked listening to some ACDC on it….first time to like a rock song on HD800.

To sum up, it the Conductor offers extraordinary performance. The sinergy is excellent with lcd2 and many others from what I have seen

1. I have even tried some  Triple Fi IEMs  briefly on low gain settings and loved them
2. AKG K550 fits very well with it
3. HD800 as well (but still have to listen more on this combo to make more impressions)
4. A brief session with LCD3 made me think it is a great combo with it too

It has a very liquid and musical sound presentation. It is very very detailed but in the same time it keeps the musicality and keeps out from the bright zone, this being a hard to achieve balance.

The separation of instruments is great and you can easily concentrate on each of the instruments you like .

The bass and lower mid-range is magical. It concentrates on quality not impact, but it does not lack impact. It controls the bass with an iron hand (as Sandu said in his review) and the extension of the bass is very good .

This product was a perfect all in one for me. The amplifier is very good and the DAC is in the same league. I do not agree with headfonias’ review on Conductor where it says it is somehow lacking. The Conductor stands out of the crowd as a dac too.

I have listened to conductor near to M2Tech Vaughan and I must say that amplifier wise I preferred the Conductor and Dac wise, the differences were minor.

However, I did found Conductor a flaw: It has a buggy USB connection.

 

On rare occasions the conductor freezes and I have to restart it (power it down, get the usb cable out, put it back in after a few seconds and then power it on again). Sometimes it also gets some clicks/noise on the channel, but very rare and only happened when I used conductor as a default playback devince in windows and also listened to asio in foobar.