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Headphoneus Supremus
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- Aug 28, 2013
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I would just like to confirm what has already been said about both the NH's and NO's, especially, with the hybrid earpads. Both have similar tonal qualities and sound characteristics. The only major difference between them is that the latter is closed while the former is semi-open. Also, the former has a bit larger soundstage. Based upon my sound preferences, my ears and primary music player(AAC music files played via iPhone 6s), I prefer the hybrid earpads for my NO's because they provide the best sound signature(natural and balanced).
I recently lent my NO's to my younger brother who is an electrical engineer with a supposedly "trained" ear. To my disappointment, he said that the NO's had exaggerated artificial sound. Are there any sound techs, acousticians, electrical engineers, musicians or recording/mixing/mastering engineers in this thread who own either a NH or NO who would like to chime in, for better or worse, on this discouraging remark?
Regardless of what my younger brother has said, I love my NO's to death. To my ears, the NO's are more pleasing to listen to than either the MrSpeakers Aeon Flow closed, Sony MDR-Z7 or ZMF Eikon. Different strokes for different folks. YMMV.
NO's sound is not exaggerated to me. It adds just enough like tubes do to music to make it very musical. If you ever hear the hd800 and do on/off between them, you would be completely surprised at how musical NO is. I couldnt stand another minute with hd800. But, NO isnt the best in the market at resolution. But still better than all headphones in its price range. So a drum stick wont sound like a drum stick you would hear in real life compared to a $3,000 headphone with the highest resolution.
Its all a matter of preference, I would rather have an artificial added sound of a nice SET tubes that boost musicality to the music than the highest resolution of a solid state sound that can be flat, real but uninvolving and unmusical. If you like to hear music and the flow is what makes music to you then NO is fine IMO.
Btw, being an electrical engineer holds about the same weight in audio as to an audiophille whos been into audio for a few years. You can be an electrical engineer and be completely deaf. No problem. Its really about what a persons preference is, what setup they come from, really just their experience in audio.
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