A poll about headphone model differences
Aug 4, 2011 at 9:43 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 13

DavidMahler

Headphoneus Supremus
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Sometimes when headphone companies add a variation to their pre-existing model they don't always change the model name.  Most recently, the Audeze LCD-2 (one of my favorite headphones) which has a few variations in cosmetics and most recently in sound signature.
 
How do you feel about this?
 
Do you prefer:

A) The story of the R10s and K1000s - The company releases 2 or more different variations of the same headphone using the exact same model name.
 
PROs: When the headphone is no longer in production, but has garnered a reputation above all others, the 2 or more variations make the legacy all the more compelling and mysterious.  This kind of occurrence can often lead to great debates and discussion among enthusiasts and collectors in the know.
 
CONs: It may lead you to wanting to try both models or worse, buying one or even two and not being entirely sure which it is that you own until extensive research is done.
 
 
B) The story of the Omega 2s - The company releases 2 or more very similar, but different models using the same umbrella name and then differentiate the variations with MKI and MKII
 
PROs: It is easy to know which headphone you are listening to/buying.  It is fun to debate and compare the 2 variations while understanding their similarities, but acknowledging their differences.
 
CONs: It may annoy some who bought the original to find out that there's a new/improved version.  Conversely it may annoy some who bought the new/improved version to find out later that there was an earlier version that is generally preferred over the one which they bought.
 
C) The Story of the HD6xx - The company releases 2 or more very similar headphones with a different model number which clearly show them to be related

PROs: It is extremely easy to differentiate the two headphones.  You may enjoy owning both because the model name difference adds to the understanding that the headphones are different models entirely.
 
CONs: The models are not all that different, in fact in the case of the HD600/650, they are less different than the bass light R10 and bass heavy or even the two Omega 2s.  It may frustrate some that the two models are not too different but very differently priced.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aug 4, 2011 at 10:13 AM Post #2 of 13
I had to voice this
 
Frankly, I find B and C to be complicated
 
The numbering system, the upgrading and the further improvements.
It's always seemed to me that they throw a product out into the market and just wait to see what happens.
 
If something comes up, wait a season to put out a extra digit. HD555 --> HD558
Or if there is a problem or you see an improvement, add a version number to it
 
 
I enjoy the R10 story, because you got two choices that were well polished and well defined. Bass light and Bass heavy
Simple and you have a choice of the R10 with those two options, or another headphone. Not a whole list of check and balances that might bring up contradictions. 
 
Aug 4, 2011 at 10:35 AM Post #3 of 13


Quote:
I had to voice this
 
Frankly, I find B and C to be complicated
 
The numbering system, the upgrading and the further improvements.
It's always seemed to me that they throw a product out into the market and just wait to see what happens.
 
If something comes up, wait a season to put out a extra digit. HD555 --> HD558
Or if there is a problem or you see an improvement, add a version number to it
 
 
I enjoy the R10 story, because you got two choices that were well polished and well defined. Bass light and Bass heavy
Simple and you have a choice of the R10 with those two options, or another headphone. Not a whole list of check and balances that might bring up contradictions. 


I voted for the R10 too because I like the mysteriousness of it, but also.... why not just release two different models R10 (the original)
 
and something else like R11 (bass heavy)
 
which is kinda like the JH13/JH16
 
or HD600 / HD650
 
 
Aug 4, 2011 at 10:35 AM Post #4 of 13
i find, when something is numbered with mk1,mk2 or as A states "bass heavy, bass light", it makes a feeling of one being "Better" than the other.  ie.  i have the mk1, but the mk2 came out. i rather have that now. 
i dont like bass light, i want the bass heavy version.  
 
but the way senn does it, keeps a bigger fan base in both versions.  they are separate headphones.  they have separate following and there really isnt a feeling of one being better than the other. different strokes for different folks.  
 
the way audeze did it isnt ideal in my opinion.  i would have waited a little longer before releasing a version that is a sonic upgrade.  and now the r1 becomes pretty much obsolete like the stepdance 1 vs 2stepdance.  
 
my opinion.
 
Aug 4, 2011 at 11:49 AM Post #5 of 13
Having never been interested in any of the listed cans other than the R10, which I owned for over a year many years ago, I would love to get my hands on another one and listen to it with my setup I have now, which is far better than what I had when I owned the R10.
 
 
Aug 4, 2011 at 11:57 AM Post #6 of 13
[size=10pt]I always operate under this rule no exceptions:[/size]
 
[size=10pt]If there are different components that drastically make the "new" product different from the "old product the Part Number should change.  [/size]
 
[size=10pt]The revision should change if there are no audible differences heard or measured, but the company had to change vendors due to demand or price.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]Keeping the part numbers different makes it extremely easy to differentiate which one has the other components making it easy for the consumer to identify and for customer service to actually work on.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]Nothing annoys me more when a significant change is made or even a modification to an existing product and the company decides to keep the part number exactly the same.[/size]
 
Aug 5, 2011 at 1:08 PM Post #8 of 13
I prefer things to go mk1 mk2 /version 1 version 2 etc. 
keeping the same name for different products is just stupid and when you change the model number you end up running out of numbers,example, sennheiser HD555->558 only next number is 559 at which point 560 makes it seem to be on another class (580s are a lot different to 555, 560 would make it sound like a less refined 580 more than a refined 555) otherwise the number needs another digit, at which point you've went from the 559 to the ...HD5590? now it's sounding like a **** graphics card! 
 
for me it's extra bits at the end of the series name all the way, whether it be v2 mk2 or pro/premium/whatever else beyerdynamic uses
 
Aug 5, 2011 at 2:07 PM Post #9 of 13
What a great thread. I voted story C, because I didn't realize the differences in the two Senns may actually be less than the differences in the R10s and O2s. I still like all the stories. I heard one variant of the R10s, basslight, and since had no interest in the R10s. I heard the mk1 version of the O2 and immediately purchased a whole rig for it. Could it be that I heard the wrong version of the R10 and could have loved the bass heavy version instead? I doubt it but still makes you wonder how the bass-heavy (or should it be called bass-neutral?) R10s sound.
 
Aug 5, 2011 at 2:41 PM Post #10 of 13


Quote:
What a great thread. I voted story C, because I didn't realize the differences in the two Senns may actually be less than the differences in the R10s and O2s. I still like all the stories. I heard one variant of the R10s, basslight, and since had no interest in the R10s. I heard the mk1 version of the O2 and immediately purchased a whole rig for it. Could it be that I heard the wrong version of the R10 and could have loved the bass heavy version instead? I doubt it but still makes you wonder how the bass-heavy (or should it be called bass-neutral?) R10s sound.

Thanks!
 
Honestly, the bass light and bass heavy R10s are so unalike that it's baffling.  The sound sig share tremendous similarities and yet I would say they are very different overviews of sound.  The bass heavy has a LOT more bass and mid bass.  The bass heavy also has a bit more treble air.  Back to back the bass heavy sounds more impressive a on a lot more systems I've tried, and I've even call the bass heavy the greatest headphone ever made.
 
The bass light is a mid range display of awe.  It doesn't totally lack bass but it's extremely subdued in this region by comparison to the bass heavy.  It also is not quite as bright.  For acoustic music and classical......this headphone is extremely beautiful and real sounding.  I do notice on every bass light R10 I've tried some resonances in the midrange that come across as slightly peakish and unnatural.  No matter how much those things bother me, the bass light R10 I feel is the headphone which stands alone as an extremely unique headphone which handles acoustic instruments in a way which no other that I've heard can.....I'm hoping the SR009 can, the Orpheus can handle acoustic instruments almost as well, but I've yet to hear them on an HEv90 or Aristaeus so I want to reserve my final judgment for this. 
 
I do think the bass light R10 is an extremely underwhelming headphone on first listen and I think the bass heavy R10 is a jaw dropping first listen experience.  At least that's how it was for me.
 
If I could only have one - bass heavy, but I like the bass light almost as much and I do not consider them the same headphone whatsoever.
 
I would love to hear the Qualias one day:)
 
 
 
Aug 5, 2011 at 4:12 PM Post #11 of 13


Quote:
Thanks!
 
Honestly, the bass light and bass heavy R10s are so unalike that it's baffling.  The sound sig share tremendous similarities and yet I would say they are very different overviews of sound.  The bass heavy has a LOT more bass and mid bass.  The bass heavy also has a bit more treble air.  Back to back the bass heavy sounds more impressive a on a lot more systems I've tried, and I've even call the bass heavy the greatest headphone ever made.
 
The bass light is a mid range display of awe.  It doesn't totally lack bass but it's extremely subdued in this region by comparison to the bass heavy.  It also is not quite as bright.  For acoustic music and classical......this headphone is extremely beautiful and real sounding.  I do notice on every bass light R10 I've tried some resonances in the midrange that come across as slightly peakish and unnatural.  No matter how much those things bother me, the bass light R10 I feel is the headphone which stands alone as an extremely unique headphone which handles acoustic instruments in a way which no other that I've heard can.....I'm hoping the SR009 can, the Orpheus can handle acoustic instruments almost as well, but I've yet to hear them on an HEv90 or Aristaeus so I want to reserve my final judgment for this. 
 
I do think the bass light R10 is an extremely underwhelming headphone on first listen and I think the bass heavy R10 is a jaw dropping first listen experience.  At least that's how it was for me.
 
If I could only have one - bass heavy, but I like the bass light almost as much and I do not consider them the same headphone whatsoever.
 
I would love to hear the Qualias one day:)
 
 


Thanks for the comparison David. So it seems the bass heavy R10 is a more V-shape sound than the bass light since you say the bass light R10 is also less bright? I found the bass light R10 still too bright, so I suppose the R10 isn't for me. Also, since I definitely preferred the O2 mk1s even on acoustic pieces. Did you eventually get to compare the two Omega 2s? Are the differences that big? As in bigger than the difference between the Senn's HD6XX series? From what I read here, it seems the O2 mk2 is also more of a V-shape sound than the mk1s.
 
Thanks again for the comparison.
 
Aug 5, 2011 at 4:23 PM Post #12 of 13


Quote:
Thanks for the comparison David. So it seems the bass heavy R10 is a more V-shape sound than the bass light since you say the bass light R10 is also less bright? I found the bass light R10 still too bright, so I suppose the R10 isn't for me. Also, since I definitely preferred the O2 mk1s even on acoustic pieces. Did you eventually get to compare the two Omega 2s? Are the differences that big? As in bigger than the difference between the Senn's HD6XX series? From what I read here, it seems the O2 mk2 is also more of a V-shape sound than the mk1s.
 
Thanks again for the comparison.

I don't think you would necessarily prefer the O2 MK1 over the bass heavy R10.  It is not brighter than the bass light R10, but it has more treble extension.  I don't know how to make sense of a statement like that, but I can say because the bass is more present it gives off the illusion that the treble is less, but in fact it has more treble and you tell specifically when listening for certain types of airy overtones.
 
I happen to own the two Omegas.  They aren't THAT different but they are different.  They are less different than the HD600 and HD650 to me.  The O2 MKi is overall my preferred choice, but I enjoy rock more with the O2 MKii because I like a warmer, more rolled off sound for rock.  I also prefer the 650s over the 600s for rock.  While the mid bass seems raised on the MKii, I actually think the O2MKi extends lower. 
 
I should take a nice photo one day of my system.   I built a shelf to carry the whole thing lol....it looks totally ridiculous. :D
 
I am waiting for the SR009 and Aristaeus to do a final revision of the headphones which I've heard.  I expect it to be done sometime very soon, and it should include over 100 headphones. 
 
 
 
Aug 5, 2011 at 9:36 PM Post #13 of 13


Quote:
I don't think you would necessarily prefer the O2 MK1 over the bass heavy R10.  It is not brighter than the bass light R10, but it has more treble extension.  I don't know how to make sense of a statement like that, but I can say because the bass is more present it gives off the illusion that the treble is less, but in fact it has more treble and you tell specifically when listening for certain types of airy overtones.
 
I happen to own the two Omegas.  They aren't THAT different but they are different.  They are less different than the HD600 and HD650 to me.  The O2 MKi is overall my preferred choice, but I enjoy rock more with the O2 MKii because I like a warmer, more rolled off sound for rock.  I also prefer the 650s over the 600s for rock.  While the mid bass seems raised on the MKii, I actually think the O2MKi extends lower. 
 
I should take a nice photo one day of my system.   I built a shelf to carry the whole thing lol....it looks totally ridiculous. :D
 
I am waiting for the SR009 and Aristaeus to do a final revision of the headphones which I've heard.  I expect it to be done sometime very soon, and it should include over 100 headphones. 
 
 


Ohhh... I get it. I had the same experience with the Audio Technica W11R and W11JPN. I enjoyed both, but they still sounded fairly similar. Do you think the R10 would have been as legendary if only the bass-light version was ever made? It seems the bass heavy sound is what made the R10 famous.
 
You're getting an SR009 and Aristaeus?!
eek.gif
You should definitely get a pic
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