[martel80]

I’m interested in opinions.

I’m a mixing/ mastering engineer currently on the road. I mostly work on Modern Urban pop music ( reggaeton, Hip-Hop, Dancehall)

I use Sonarwork as corrective EQ to get coherency trough out my devices.

I’m coming from Q701 and HD650 (that i left
Home ) and VSX that I also left home.

I currently brought my new NDH-30 (that help me do a rough job) and my Ananda Nano that help me make the last compression and EQ correction (I got them individually calibrated by somarwork before leaving).
love the last one. My first planar.

I have now 2k$ to invest in my next rig and I’m contemplating multiple options.

Some make more sense on a budget side of things because Sonarwork already offer a correction curve for them but others just seem to be on a league of their own when reading review( I’m taking that part with a grain of salt ).

Here’s what I’m looking for in order of importance (to me);
- relatively flat frequency response( so Sonarwork don’t denature the rendering when correction is applied )
-Micro details and instrument definition.
-depth
-natural width (not over cooked like my AKG for example).

I’m constantly reading about those now ;
-MM-500
-HEDDphone (one)
(Those two already have a correction profile in Sonarwork so a big plus in term of budget)

-HE1000v3 (se? Stealth?)
-Stax SR-007 MK2 (A?)
-Raal CA-1A

I was also interested in the Jade 2 system but regardless of the drama, they seem to lack too much bass for what I need to achieve.

Keep in mind that I don’t use my cans for enjoyment but for critical listening . In other words, I don’t listen to music with my cans but listen to my cans with the reference material I know in and out.

So I am not looking for a “ vibe” but for something aseptical, clinical, brutally honest even if it mean despicable. I want to know when it sound like trash and I need my devices to tell me in the most brutal way.

I don’t use tubes or anything that insert an extra layer of saturation in my DAC/HP amp. The point is to have the cleanest in and out.

With all of that said, some of my pick are really only based out of reading reviews and being curious ( stax and raal) so I’m very cautious as it might mean investing more then 2K$ but if it mean a huge gain in translation, I won’t blink an eye.

You will obviously understand that I’m not talking about doubling my budget to make it happen. But I’m flexible ( to an extent)

This leaves all the LCD-5 and shangri-la of this world completely out of the equation.

Hope someone can help me or talk me through my journey.

The last thing I want to do is spend a thousand dollars in an underpar set of cans (I was expecting a lot more from the NDH-30 for example and found myself just buying into what appear to me as an overhyped product. Not bad but not an end game set of cans).

Thanks for your help.

 

[pbui44]

Since you monitor those genres and bass is decently important to you, then look at the Sennheiser HD820 and even get a iFi Micro iDSD Finale to bring with you on trips:

https://www.headfoneshop.com/shop/p/sennheiser-hd-820-closed-back-reference-headphones

(Only use this link for the $349 USD offer)
https://www.adorama.com/ifimidsdf.html?sdtid=16941544&emailprice=t

Add a hard shell case to protect your HD820 and even add some foam where it is needed:

https://www.amazon.ca/Large-Sized-Headphones-Replacement-Protective-Compatible/dp/B00PDEZIPA/

https://executivestereo.com/products/copy-of-audeze-lcd-carbon-fiber-headband-leather

https://www.amazon.ca/Premium-Cosplay-Density-Projects-MEARCOOH/dp/B09T95JBF5/?th=1

Also, if you want a shorter and more durable 4.4mm cable to bring with you:

https://hartaudiocables.com/collect...lanced-headphone-cable?variant=43104999932125

(For use on mixers and other equipment that just have a unbalanced headphone output)
https://www.amazon.ca/Geekria-Balanced-Conversion-Aluminum-Yarn-Braided/dp/B08JM3F5WP/?th=1

Lastly, if you like the HD820 so much and just want to improve the comfort and durability over time, then get this real leather headband padding:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804156857801.html

Hope this all helps.

 

[martel80]

Since you monitor those genres and bass is decently important to you, then look at the Sennheiser HD820

Hope this all helps.

Thanks a lot for the detailed answer.

As much as I believe almost all of the characteristics of the 800 series could be the best fit for my needs, there’s one thing that seem to come back over and over that I could not work with and that is the over exaggerated soundstage just like my AKG have.

The issue here is that in this specific circumstances, I would be tempted to stuff more info in the stereo field then it can actually be inteligibly heard on an average device which in return would make my mixes congested.

Otherwise, I would have said spot on !

 

[dunring]

The Heddphone was too warm and way too heavy. The Arya Stealth is amazing. Whenever I switched to something else it's when you realize how great it is. They fixed the upper mid problem in the first one, and I wouldn't EQ the stealth version, they really got it right. Also the fit and finish is much better than any others, really feels sturdy.
Plan on 2 watts into 32 ohm to power them, or more for equalizing with a preamp reduction. Better than the Audivna or HE6SE.

 

[martel80]

The Heddphone was too warm and way too heavy. The Arya Stealth is amazing. Whenever I switched to something else it's when you realize how great it is. They fixed the upper mid problem in the first one, and I wouldn't EQ the stealth version, they really got it right. Also the fit and finish is much better than any others, really feels sturdy.
Plan on 2 watts into 32 ohm to power them, or more for equalizing with a preamp reduction. Better than the Audivna or HE6SE.

I have the Ananda Nano here and I agree, quite incredible headphones.

I didn’t know the HEDDphone were on the warm side. Thanks for pointing that out.

Also, I don’t work with uncorrected headphones. I need coherency between every device I use.

 

[martel80]

Anyone has experience with the Stax SR-007 MK2 (A?) or Raal CA-1A in a mix and master situation or can compare those two to the previously mentioned ?