[plakat]

I’ve been reading the rest of the composer’s thread, I don’t think is a good purchase at $2700.
That big-thick-glued foam is really a turn down.
Also the fact that the dampening is too close to your ears that it actually touches them, will make it uncomfortable, my guess is that they had to put them as close as possible to your ears to have that “good low end” it’s being hyped for; all of this at the cost of soundstage and comfort. Probably AA rushed its launch, ironically, the same story as the K812. Just makes me think it’s overpriced, it could be a good chose for some people but not for me.

Now, as far as the HEDDPHONE 2, I’ve read that it really depends on the amplification you use. Also you can EQ it, if you still not satisfied with its bass response. I honestly don’t mind making a changes in the FR with some EQ. As long as it doesn’t need a lot of extra tuning, I’m okay.


Cheers!

Regarding that piece of foam I was totally wrong, it serves a completely other purpose than I thought. I don’t know wether they want to talk about that publicly, so I won’t. Let’s just say it now looks like a valid engineering decision to me.

Depth is not actually a problem since it’s a wedge, I.e. more room/depth at the back. Personally the Composer is *very* comfortable for me, but that’s something everybody has to decide for themselves of course.

I think it would be a good idea if you listened yourself before deciding. That thread got quite… emotional, as you already said, and it lost on informational value.

I already mentioned that the Heddphone is not for me. I’d never buy a headphone to EQ it… it’s much simpler to look for a model that satisfies me as is. I won’t have the kind of EQ I’d deem acceptable on every source/chain I’d want to use, so even if I’d accept design flaws at that price, it would simply not be practical for me. So no, I by far prefer the Composer which actually *has* deep bass extension. But that’s just me maybe…

 

[canchet]

Regarding that piece of foam I was totally wrong, it serves a completely other purpose than I thought. I don’t know wether they want to talk about that publicly, so I won’t. Let’s just say it now looks like a valid engineering decision to me.

Depth is not actually a problem since it’s a wedge, I.e. more room/depth at the back. Personally the Composer is *very* comfortable for me, but that’s something everybody has to decide for themselves of course.

I think it would be a good idea if you listened yourself before deciding. That thread got quite… emotional, as you already said, and it lost on informational value.

I already mentioned that the Heddphone is not for me. I’d never buy a headphone to EQ it… it’s much simpler to look for a model that satisfies me as is. I won’t have the kind of EQ I’d deem acceptable on every source/chain I’d want to use, so even if I’d accept design flaws at that price, it would simply not be practical for me. So no, I by far prefer the Composer which actually *has* deep bass extension. But that’s just me maybe…

The purpose of dampening is to store energy. That big chunk of foam can and will store a lot of energy wich it can be released and give you those good transients or sense of "speed" plus the added linearity on the low end and potentially reduce some peaks in the high en of the spectrum. The composer still has some high peaks in the 3k and 5K region.
But still, at the end of the day, that foam will deteriorate, and it is not going to be an easy task to change it, as opposed to how easy it was with basically any of the PRO series from AKG.
I mean, tools such Altair Engineering can work with AI, or to mention a more powerful optimization tool such as HEEDS, AA could had come with a better solution. I think that for the asking price they should have done a better design.

I wish I could listen to them, but where I live there are zero stores to try headphones. All my purchases have been blind, which is less than ideal.

I read that the Heddphone 2 is more of a tool for professional audio engineers, and not so much for listening to music. But of course you could like that signature or you simply couldn't.

I mean, each to their own, but by the definition of the word "perfect" there is never going to be a perfect headphone.
I think EQ-ing and using crossfied are both allieds instead of enemies.

Cheers!

 

[plakat]

The purpose of dampening is to store energy. That big chunk of foam can and will store a lot of energy wich it can be released and give you those good transients or sense of "speed" plus the added linearity on the low end and potentially reduce some peaks in the high en of the spectrum. The composer still has some high peaks in the 3k and 5K region.
But still, at the end of the day, that foam will deteriorate, and it is not going to be an easy task to change it, as opposed to how easy it was with basically any of the PRO series from AKG.
I mean, tools such Altair Engineering can work with AI, or to mention a more powerful optimization tool such as HEEDS, AA could had come with a better solution. I think that for the asking price they should have done a better design.

I wish I could listen to them, but where I live there are zero stores to try headphones. All my purchases have been blind, which is less than ideal.

I read that the Heddphone 2 is more of a tool for professional audio engineers, and not so much for listening to music. But of course you could like that signature or you simply couldn't.

I mean, each to their own, but by the definition of the word "perfect" there is never going to be a perfect headphone.
I think EQ-ing and using crossfied are both allieds instead of enemies.

Cheers!

As I said, that foam is not about correcting the driver. Maybe AA will explain their design publicly at some point -- nor not. I don't know.

Have you ever seen Fight Club? One of my favorite films I have to admit... there's this one statement:
"On a long enough timeline the survival rate for everyone drops to zero."
The same holds true for components of headphones, esp. foam but also many driver diaphragms etc. Wear is more of a problem on contact surfaces like the pads, but eventually the foam parts will loose their structure. For some time replacement parts will be available, or maybe substitutes. It would be interesting to hear a Composer without that foam...
Glueing it into place was due to the perceived need for exact placement as I understand.

Not being able to hear for yourself without purchasing is a high risk at that price, yes. I can understand that you want to be as sure as possible that its the right choice. Unfortunately I can't help you with that...

I don't see a good studio headphone as incompatible with listening to music though. There are some rather specialized tools (like Austrian Audios Hi-X55, which has a bit of a weird focus on upper mids, useful for studio work they told me), but normally mastering headphones tend to be rather neutral and quite capable. Monitoring is another thing, that might have a focus not that usable for just listening.

In case of buying blind correcting after the fact using EQ is understandable. I have the luxury of having a well-stocked local shop as well as the generous EU return regulatory for online purchases, so that's much easier for me.

Hope you find the right one for your purpose -- let us know!

 

[canchet]

As I said, that foam is not about correcting the driver. Maybe AA will explain their design publicly at some point -- nor not. I don't know.

Have you ever seen Fight Club? One of my favorite films I have to admit... there's this one statement:
"On a long enough timeline the survival rate for everyone drops to zero."
The same holds true for components of headphones, esp. foam but also many driver diaphragms etc. Wear is more of a problem on contact surfaces like the pads, but eventually the foam parts will loose their structure. For some time replacement parts will be available, or maybe substitutes. It would be interesting to hear a Composer without that foam...
Glueing it into place was due to the perceived need for exact placement as I understand.

Not being able to hear for yourself without purchasing is a high risk at that price, yes. I can understand that you want to be as sure as possible that its the right choice. Unfortunately I can't help you with that...

I don't see a good studio headphone as incompatible with listening to music though. There are some rather specialized tools (like Austrian Audios Hi-X55, which has a bit of a weird focus on upper mids, useful for studio work they told me), but normally mastering headphones tend to be rather neutral and quite capable. Monitoring is another thing, that might have a focus not that usable for just listening.

In case of buying blind correcting after the fact using EQ is understandable. I have the luxury of having a well-stocked local shop as well as the generous EU return regulatory for online purchases, so that's much easier for me.

Hope you find the right one for your purpose -- let us know!

If you have accurate information from AA about this foam not being used for correcting the FR, I might have to hold on my final decision. I hope Nomax gives us more insight about that one.

Ufffff, the Fight Club is such a terrific movie. You can learn a lot of things from that movie. For sure, I know where you´re coming from with that statement, I get it.
But in my short experience in life I´ve learned not to buy something thinking in the future is going to get correct or improved. I come from the bicycle industry, I´ve had a lot of dissapointments there too. LOL.

It sucks I can not try any headphones, I now have a big collection of AKGs which I don´t even listen to as they do not put anything on the table for me. I only use my moded K872 and K240DF.

You lucky you live in EU jejeje

I will let you know if I get a Heddphone 2, Composer or K812 and keep you posted.


Cheers!

 

[plakat]

@canchet just got word that that foam piece in front of the Composer driver will be available as a spare part at dealers. So at least it’s not a round trip to service.

 

[Rob80b]

Stepping out my usual zone when it comes to EM genres with the K872, this new discovery sounds mighty fine.
https://tidal.com/browse/album/298769872


Usually it's the older Electronic music.
https://tidal.com/browse/album/298769872

 

[Rob80b]

Regarding that piece of foam I was totally wrong, it serves a completely other purpose than I thought. I don’t know wether they want to talk about that publicly, so I won’t.

Ah...but now you have to, the cat's out of the bag.

 

[Rob80b]

https://listen.tidal.com/album/335887945

 

[musicday]

I haven't heard the K812 but I liked the K702 for the price. Is the 812 that much better including a wider soundstage and more micro details? I may give them a try.

 

[Rob80b]

I haven't heard the K812 but I liked the K702 for the price

Then you may indeed like the K812, at the time they were AKG's "price no object" and are still being issued.
Like many AKGs they're not focused on musicality if that is what one is after but more a finely tooled instrument for hearing sound.
Personally I like the matter of fact presentation and have a tendency to avoid equipment that romanticizes the recording.
Yes there are more clearly defined micro details, not necessarily a wider sound stage but the depth and layering is superior, IMHO even better that the HD800/S.
The K812 and the K872, more than any other phones I've encountered, always bring me closer, as I've mentioned a few times, to like listening to a live feed in the studio, just more of a precision instrument than that of the K700 series.....but for a price.

 

[John Buchanan]

Then you may indeed like the K812, at the time they were AKG's "price no object" and are still being issued.
Like many AKGs they're not focused on musicality if that is what one is after but more a finely tooled instrument for hearing sound.
Personally I like the matter of fact presentation and have a tendency to avoid equipment that romanticizes the recording.
Yes there are more clearly defined micro details, not necessarily a wider sound stage but the depth and layering is superior, IMHO even better that the HD800/S.
The K812 and the K872, more than any other phones I've encountered, always bring me closer, as I've mentioned a few times, to like listening to a live feed in the studio, just more of a precision instrument than that of the K700 series.....but for a price.

That price is far cheaper now from Amazon! The K812 is an amazing headphone.

 

[Rob80b]

The K812 is an amazing headphone.

Same goes for my K872s which I've been using exclusively lately.

 

[John Buchanan]

Same goes for my K872s which I've been using exclusively lately.

If you can be bothered, Rob, try the Oratory1990 EQ for the K872. You may love it (or not). It certainly works wonders on the K812 and the Mysphere 3.2

 

[Rob80b]

Rob, try the Oratory1990 EQ for the K872.

Hi John….thanks ….both my headphone stations just have just dedicated hardware sources and an amp, so no EQ possible.
Thing about EQ though, no matter how one looks at it, it's altering, changing the original signal, waveforms, that are fed to the amp then headphones which remain untouched, so I figure I might as well get accustomed to how the headphones reproduce sound and be happy.

 

[Rob80b]

After almost a 30 year hiatus thought I'd share my recent work in progress, a new Electronic Music workstation. Can almost get everything on one desk instead of a whole room. And just as the AKG K240DF were my monitoring tool over 40 years ago the K872 are today.