[YtseJamer]

Even the LCD-2F are MUCH better than the HE-560! 
 
Jeez I now have tinnitus issues because of the fu&?%$ HE-560.  

 

 

[crixnet]

@Music Alchemist The same goes for me. All I know is that the EL-8 sounded more cohesive on less resolving DACs. Yes, the soundstage was narrower, but the bass was also more present, with more slam.
 
On my main rig, the soundstage was much wider but the bass was leaner and the mids and trebles were dominant. For whatever reasons, the more resolving dac/amp seemed to thin the sound quality as it added air and soundstage.
 
There is also the issue of some grain in the trebles on some songs. That has nothing to do with the above, but it did enter into my decision to sell my cans.

 

[DavidA]

   
That's not a technical, mathematical explanation concerning why it would sound better on a portable device than a desktop amp, though.

Based on the output impedance of 30 ohms and efficiency of 102db/1mW you can conclude that these are fairly efficient headphones (design parameters) which are similar to my V-Moda XS, 28.5 ohm / 105db/1mW.  The XS does not scale with better amps because it was designed to be used with iphones/galaxy's/droid's and DAP's electronics which don't have much output voltage/current so using a high powered amp like my Lyr2 doesn't improve the sound since they are already being used at their optimal design parameters.

 

[money4me247]

My impression was very similar. I gave up on the 560 after just a few mins. Sounded dull and lifeless compared to the X. X's timbre quality was intoxicating. Can't agree with your classical music example though - even with classical I want to feel the dynamics and emotion!

a few minutes is rly not enough time to judge a pair of headphones. your brain generally prefers the sound signature that you are more familiar with.

that being said, we all have our own preferences and different ideal sound signatures. i just had a very different experience after owning both of them and doing extensive direct comparisons & i wld recommend giving a new pair of headphones at least a week to get used to the new sound sig and to be able to critically listen for their sonic performance.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  You'd need to ask somebody a bit more audio science inclined for that. It isn't a purely electromagnetic explanation, and it involves the resonance and acoustics and engineering subtleties of Audeze's decisions with regards to this headphones. I have no answer to you, only what I heard.

 
Yeah, it's fine. I was just hoping an expert would pop in and explain what could be going on. It just seems so odd to me, because with all the headphones I've used, they never sounded worse on a desktop system than a portable one. And, if I recall, at least a few people already reported that they liked the EL-8's sound better on their desktop system.
 

  Even the LCD-2F are MUCH better than the HE-560! 
 
Jeez I now have tinnitus issues because of the fu&?%$ HE-560.  

 

 
People keep mentioning the HE-560 to me and I'm like, "I don't plan on ever buying that headphone."
 

  @Music Alchemist The same goes for me. All I know is that the EL-8 sounded more cohesive on less resolving DACs. Yes, the soundstage was narrower, but the bass was also more present, with more slam.
 
On my main rig, the soundstage was much wider but the bass was leaner and the mids and trebles were dominant. For whatever reasons, the more resolving dac/amp seemed to thin the sound quality as it added air and soundstage.
 
There is also the issue of some grain in the trebles on some songs. That has nothing to do with the above, but it did enter into my decision to sell my cans.

 
So you don't feel this is an issue of it more accurately reproducing the recording? Instead, it seems more likely that it's just a "doesn't pair well with certain components" issue?
 

  Based on the output impedance of 30 ohms and efficiency of 102db/1mW you can conclude that these are fairly efficient headphones (design parameters) which are similar to my V-Moda XS, 28.5 ohm / 105db/1mW.  The XS does not scale with better amps because it was designed to be used with iphones/galaxy's/droid's and DAP's electronics which don't have much output voltage/current so using a high powered amp like my Lyr2 doesn't improve the sound since they are already being used at their optimal design parameters.

 
Not scaling with amplification and sounding worse with amplification are two separate things.

 

[lamode]

 
Low output impedance amps are designed for high impedance headphones!

 

 

[Tribbs]

 
I think the main reason is that the design parameters that Audeze used was for a easily driven portable that the masses can use with their iphone/galaxy/droid/etc and feel like they got a really great sound headphone (large market share demographics).  I don't think these were to be in the same class as LCD line or as kapanak and crixnet stated above they are for a different market segment.

That's not a technical, mathematical explanation concerning why it would sound better on a portable device than a desktop amp, though.

Too low amp output impedance.
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/musings-headphone-amplifier-output-impedance

 

[lamode]

@crixnet the lcdx is quite a bit heavier than the el8 & can get uncomfy. i wld recommend trying a child seat belt wrap (such as the diono one on amazon) or the modded leather strap by headfier lobh if u run into any comfort issues. hope u like em!

 
Or tie a bunch of helium balloons to the top of your phones.

 

[YtseJamer]

  People keep mentioning the HE-560 to me and I'm like, "I don't plan on ever buying that headphone."

 
Don't buy them if you don't want to destroy your ears...

 

[Music Alchemist]

Too low amp output impedance.
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/musings-headphone-amplifier-output-impedance

 
Bookmarked. ...but too long to read right now.
 
What is it about having low output impedance that would make a 30 ohm headphone sound worse on it? I've used low impedance headphones on low output impedance amps with no problems. In fact, I thought having too high output impedance was what you were supposed to look out for.
 

  Don't buy them if you don't want to destroy your ears...

 
Except one of my reasons for ignoring the HE-560 is because I want the HD 800. My best Head-Fi friend is an HD 800 freak and always tells me how it's more neutral than anything else, and I really trust him, especially since he's heard most high-end headphones. But more often, I see comments about the HD 800 being bright and fatiguing, so I dunno. I'm listening to a Sony MDR-7506 right now that is fairly bright and fatiguing, yet it doesn't bother me much, so it may not be a problem for me.

 

[lamode]

 
Based on the output impedance of 30 ohms and efficiency of 102db/1mW you can conclude that these are fairly efficient headphones

 
The impedance is irrelevant to efficiency. You already quoted the efficiency of 102dB/mW
Perhaps you are thinking of sensitivity, not efficiency, which is the relationship between input voltage and sound output.

 

[money4me247]

Bookmarked. ...but too long to read right now.

What is it about having low output impedance that would make a 30 ohm headphone sound worse on it? I've used low impedance headphones on low output impedance amps with no problems. In fact, I thought having too high output impedance was what you were supposed to look out for.


Except one of my reasons for ignoring the HE-560 is because I want the HD 800. My best Head-Fi friend is an HD 800 freak and always tells me how it's more neutral than anything else, and I really trust him, especially since he's heard most high-end headphones. But more often, I see comments about the HD 800 being bright and fatiguing, so I dunno. I'm listening to a Sony MDR-7506 right now that is fairly bright and fatiguing, yet it doesn't bother me much, so it may not be a problem for me.

some canjam impressions say ether is right in between the 'brighter' hd800 and the the 'darker' audeze.

 

[lamode]

Too low amp output impedance.
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/musings-headphone-amplifier-output-impedance

 
I could nitpick about some of that article but the basic premise is correct - in fact headphone makers (and testers) should be publishing the optimum amplifier output impedance for a given headphone for critical damping to allow for better matching.

 

[crixnet]

   
Or tie a bunch of helium balloons to the top of your phones.

Umm...no.

 

[DavidA]

   
The impedance is irrelevant to efficiency. You already quoted the efficiency of 102dB/mW
Perhaps you are thinking of sensitivity, not efficiency, which is the relationship between input voltage and sound output.

sorry missed typed, you are correct