[dan.gheorghe]

Quote:

Thank you my friend, for your kind words and great writing. I've had mine for only a few days, but I'm in love already. 3 out of 4 people who have listened to Jeff Buckley sing Hallelujah have had tears in their eyes so far. Simply awesome. The lcds and my tg!334s actually bring me more joy and envoke more pride than I feel for my beloved motorcycle. And my rig of course, I'll take the opportunity to show it off with a pic. This and the LCD3 is what one year of HF has done to me. Boy am I glad I am a bit nuts
 
 

Thanks milarepa! 
 
Nice rig you got there Yeah this hobby can be very rewarding sometimes 

 

[dan.gheorghe]

 

Previous:

 

The Hobby: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobby: The Desolation of my wallet

The Hobby: There And Back Again

The fellowship of the Broken Wallets

The fellowship of the Broken Wallets: Part 2

The Two Titans: HD800 & LCD2

The Return Of The King

Burson Conductor: Ambush of the Wallet

The End of The Wallet: AKG K550, Creative Aurvana Live & FIIO E17

InToxicated Mind

Wrath of the Titans: Audeze LCD2 vs LCD3 & Burson Conductor vs M2Tech Vaughan

 

 

From Hobby to Obsession and Back to Hobby

 
Hello guys,
 
I really missed writing on this blog, as I really got accustomed to it .

Writing here made me think more about audio gear and this led to some upgradatis side effects.

Unfortunately, lately,  I ran out of audio devices to write about. As I told you in my last post, I had the oppurtunity to listen to a bunch of really nice stuff like LCD3, HD800 and M2Tech Vaughan with the courtesy of Darku again . I was really looking forward to finding my new upgrade victim.

I was surprised to see that even if lcd3 had some stuff they do better, lcd2 had more fun factor for me. Let's just say that lcd3 adds some qualities from hd800 to lcd2, but hd800 does those qualities better, so for that price difference you could get HD800 as complementary headphones .

So this thought started to grow on me:

 


 
 

Well I calculated my budget...did some approximations  looked for some second hand offers on headfi...when it hit..me..I should get a second pair but a closed one not to have both open..

I thought it was best to have a high end closed headphone, in case I cannot use the open ones. I thought that only the denon d7000 would be ok for me and found some offers on headfi. I was just waiting to get the money I was waiting for.

Meantime Sennheiser Momentum got into AVstore. I like my k550 very much, but I would like a smaller and more euphonic pair of headphones, easier to carry around and without seal issues. (If you remember, in the K550, fiio e17 post I showed you the elastic "fix" . It started as a joke but now I am using it daily ), as it is very efficient.

Meanwhile I started thinking again of HD800...than again at denon d7000, then again at Momentum...



The round robin upgradatis thoughts started to bother me:



I entered a few nights ago on messenger and started talking with my good old friend from Holland, George Dinca, which practically was the first to introduce me to this hobby. We started talking, and I told him of my upgrade dilemma and he started laughing and told me "You see these headphones on my head? (HD800). Well I bought them with the Meyer Simphony 2 over 2 years ago and since then never looked for upgrades any more. It's about the music man...You lost it!" . Ok... Never really took it seriously then ) and I almost corrupted him to buy an Lcd2 for himself. I may have past the "disease" to him ). Than we started talking about monitors as I was thinking getting a new UltraSharp as my TN Panel lenovo was getting kind of old.

After that I started talking with Traian about my complementary headphone choice issue. He also stated I lost it and should get into another thing, and told me about a monitor too.

Ok...the second person telling me that I lost it, and also a second person talking about monitors...  I started thinking they were right. After a few more days I realized I listened too much at my headphones lately (at work and at home) and I think at a too loud volume, as I felt a little cold starting to get me and my ears were not functioning properly.

I observed that I had a little iiiii sound in the background. Ok , I think it was time for a little pause for a few days to let them rest .

One night I came home, got a glass of red wine and started listening to Conductor + LCD2, just sitting and listening to music with the eyes closed.

The sound was sublime and I remembered what it was all about.

Also I realized that lately I listened to music while working, reading, etc, not really concentrating on it and I forgot how good it feels only listening to music.

I decided to relax for a while and wait for the new Silver Widow cable I ordered , and enjoy what I have for a while as all my combos are great for what they were intended.

Well all the talking about monitors made me buy a Dell U2913WM, the model Sandu showed me (you thought he was not involved here?...of course he was ) )

I am very happy with it. It is perfect for multi tasking and even for games as you get a lot more space in both right and left sides.

What I have learned from this...

When you reach a very good sound and you start loving this hobby and read a lot of stuff about other audio gear, it is very easy to fall into upgradatis syndrome and pass from hobby to obsession.

Don't forget what this hobby is really about, and don't forget from time to time to take some time for yourself, get very relaxed :



and listen to some music with your eyes closed in perfect silence, concentrating just on the songs.

So now I am waiting for the Silver Widow and for a while nothing more...(maybe a fuse...or a Momentum...or..just kiddin'...or am I? ) )

 

Next:

The ambush of the combos: AudioQuest Dragonfly vs FIIO E17 & Dragonfly with Burson Soloist, Dragonfly vs Conductors' DAC

The Ambush Continues: AKG K550 vs Sennheiser Momentum

The Audiophile USB Cable Surprise: Wireworld Starlight Red vs Chord USB Silver Plus

The Titans are Back: Sennheiser HD800 vs Audeze LCD2 & Burson Conductor

A nice surprise: Focal Spirit One

AudioPhile Power Cables Shootout

Focal Spirit One vs Sennheiser Amperior

 

[Neo Zuko]

I think I'm just going to buy the HD 700 or LCD 2 and call it done forever. But that's just me. One and done.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

I never listened to hd700 but I have a good friend that did (DarKu)  and also reviewed them and I trust him fully, as until now we had the same opinions. 
 
I would advise you to get the Lcd2 or hd800 instead of hd700.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

So now I am waiting for the Silver Widow and for a while nothing more...(maybe a fuse...or a Momentum...or..just kiddin'...or am I?

 
How much did that set you back?
Also wondering if you had a chance to audition LCD-2 with aftermarket cable before making that investment.
 

 

[dan.gheorghe]

Quote:

 
How much did that set you back?
Also wondering if you had a chance to audition LCD-2 with aftermarket cable before making that investment.
 

The cable was 300 EUR. Unfortunately i did not have the chance to hear any aftermarket cables with lcd2 here, but I had HD650 with zu mobius and i loved it. 
 

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

The cable was 300 EUR. Unfortunately i did not have the chance to hear any aftermarket cables with lcd2 here, but I had HD650 with zu mobius and i loved it. 
 

Me too, always loved how Zu sounded with Senns, but for some reason cable scepticism started growing in me recently, and I am not so sure that what I hear is not what I "want to hear". Surprised Darku didn't lend you any cable to try out.
Anyhow, looking forward to your impressions, ask someone to help you with ABX blinded test to eliminate any mentally suggested improvements.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

Quote:

Me too, always loved how Zu sounded with Senns, but for some reason cable scepticism started growing in me recently, and I am not so sure that what I hear is not what I "want to hear". Surprised Darku didn't lend you any cable to try out.
Anyhow, looking forward to your impressions, ask someone to help you with ABX blinded test to eliminate any mentally suggested improvements.

Unfortunately DarKu didn't get any aftermarket cables for lcd2 yet. He is waiting for some norse cables this month to review . I agree with blind testing myself, but I found that cables really do make a difference: some in a bad way even, others in a good way (even though they cannot do miracles with your sound) . I talked more about this here. 
 
I have seen the Toxic Cable appreciation thread is full of satisfied customers and not even one unsatisfied one. I sure hope I join the happy group, and not start the unhappy one myself ) 

 

[Neo Zuko]

Quote:

I never listened to hd700 but I have a good friend that did (DarKu)  and also reviewed them and I trust him fully, as until now we had the same opinions. 
 
I would advise you to get the Lcd2 or hd800 instead of hd700.

Thanks, the popularity of the LCD 2 might be hard to keep ignoring. And I will consider the HD 800's too. I'm still confused as to just how good the LCD 3 is next to these two as well.
 
EDIT: His review on the LCD 2 is nice, comparisons to the HD 800. I have to say, I think I am convinced on the Audeze Brand. Now I need to pick between the LCD 2 and LCD 3.  

 

[dan.gheorghe]

Quote:

Thanks, the popularity of the LCD 2 might be hard to keep ignoring. And I will consider the HD 800's too. I'm still confused as to just how good the LCD 3 is next to these two as well.
 
EDIT: His review on the LCD 2 is nice, comparisons to the HD 800. I have to say, I think I am convinced on the Audeze Brand. Now I need to pick between the LCD 2 and LCD 3.  

 
Thanks. Beware that when I compared the HD800 to LCD2, I used ha-160ds, which is not a very good combo for hd800 (I said that in the post too). I haven't had the chance to hear hd800 from tubes or even make a thorough comparison between hd800 and lcd2 on Conductor which is a much better combo for hd800.
 
I heard HD800 on Conductor, but briefly. In the little time I had to listen to them I came to the conclusion that I still prefer lcd2 over hd800, but the decision between the 2 would have been harder than before. and both would be very nice as complementary headphones ) .

 

[Neo Zuko]

Then the LCD 3 should blow them both away right?

 

[dan.gheorghe]

Quote:

Then the LCD 3 should blow them both away right?

Depends on your tastes. It doesn't blow any of them away actually, but it is better than lcd2 (hd800 is different, and it may be a matter of tastes with both lcd2 and 3) . Lcd3 brings more details, soundstage and more defined treble than lcd2. It also seems that the separation of instruments is better, however I feel that LCD2 is more energetic and has a more intimate sound, and the differences from lcd3, in my opionion,  are not that big actually .
 
This and the more intimate and energetic sound of lcd2 kept me for giving another 1k for lcd3, but I am sure than many would prefer lcd3 for the pluses it brings.
HD800 has a larger soundstage and more details than both lcd2 and 3 but has a different presentation of the sound.

 

[milarepa]

Quote:

Then the LCD 3 should blow them both away right?

They blow me away that's for sure! 

 
And to justify any upgrade there is a trick I've learned here on HF: Give what you've got to the lady of the house. Then you, having none, NEED new phones!

 

[Neo Zuko]

By the way, this thread is just like what I would do, lots of jokes and art!!! One does not simply... create a thread without humor.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Me too, always loved how Zu sounded with Senns, but for some reason cable scepticism started growing in me recently, and I am not so sure that what I hear is not what I "want to hear". Surprised Darku didn't lend you any cable to try out.
Anyhow, looking forward to your impressions, ask someone to help you with ABX blinded test to eliminate any mentally suggested improvements.

Just to add to the point, after so many years of honestly and truly believing that Zu really transformed my HD650 into something brighter and more detailed, I've decided to run a series of tests against stock cable just to see if there is any significant difference to warrant updating LCD-2 cable.
Shocking and rude awakening. After numerous switching back and forth on the same track I could not pick any difference, same level of details and same brightness with Zu as with stock cable.
Sometimes stock sounded a touch better, sometimes Zu, relistening and scrutinizing the same short passage where I thought I could hear the difference revealed nothing, same exact sound. So mad at myself for being so close minded all these years.