[Music Alchemist]

 

You can trust me   I have positive feedback!

 
Follow my "career" here and perhaps eventually you'll get in on it if/when it happens!
 

Correct, I'm not opposed to this.  But I do like DIY stuff, and have no idea what is in the DIY world of electrostatics.  I'm sure there are some amps kits or designs out there for the hobbyist...

 
There are many DIY electrostatic headphone amplifiers, such as the KGSSHV (which stands for Kevin Gilmore Solid State High Voltage), but they are not easy to build and require a considerable deal of skill and effort, in addition to acquiring the parts (which can cost hundreds or even many thousands of dollars) and learning how to build them. You'd have to be very dedicated for that. I'd rather just send someone money, wait awhile for it to arrive, hook it up and press play. Many of the DIY amps are available for sale, such as from here. But to start with, I would recommend one of the much more affordable STAX amps. I just bought a used STAX SRM-212 for $150.
 

HD800 impression scares me, MA.  I was worried about the HD650 in the bass department, and now I'm hearing that about HD800?  Crazy.  It's hard for me to believe though.  Senn is a pro audio brand, I'd think they'd get that right for ~$1500.

 
I owned the HD 650 and like it more than the HD 800. It doesn't have punchy bass, but does have plenty of bass presence. Although the amps I heard the HD 800 on had tons of power, many say that the sound of the HD 800 depends largely on the amp (etc.) you use with it, and some say it has great bass. You could also boost the bass with EQ. As for price, well, that doesn't really mean anything in itself. There are countless overpriced products out there.
 
Back to electrostats...here's an interesting review worth reading, from someone else who thinks the HD 800 is inferior to electrostats.

 

[jodgey4]

The LCD-X is the can I'd choose first for being a versatile professional can. The HD800 is too bright, T1 has a treble spike, AKG K812 was a bit too fuzzy, and so on. You can check my profile for everything I've auditioned (not the HD800s, though I've heard enough from trusted sources to know to avoid them). The Audeze ones aren't terribly gear picky, and don't fake detail with boosted treble. I've never tried Stax, but Music Alchemist tries to sell them to anyone, as if he were a part owner.

 

[Music Alchemist]

The LCD-X is the can I'd choose first for being a versatile professional can. The HD800 is too bright, T1 has a treble spike, AKG K812 was a bit too fuzzy, and so on. You can check my profile for everything I've auditioned (not the HD800s, though I've heard enough from trusted sources to know to avoid them). The Audeze ones aren't terribly gear picky, and don't fake detail with boosted treble. I've never tried Stax, but Music Alchemist tries to sell them to anyone, as if he were a part owner.

 
Electrostats are the only headphone type that truly impress me. It's only natural that I would talk about them with enthusiasm and recommend them to anyone who wants superb sound quality. This doesn't mean that I'm not interested in other headphones. I would still like to hear Audeze. It's just that I was astonished at how much more realistic even the less capable electrets (variation of electrostatic) sounded than everything else I have heard, including the Abyss, which is literally 55 times more expensive. I can't help but want to share this with the "headphone world" -- hope that's okay!

 

[Zocoyotzin]

Hi, I would just like to chime in and recommend MrSpeakers's Ether. I have owned the Ether for a month now and I just can't stop loving it. I don't really like describing headphone traits, mostly out of fear of using audiophile terminology wrong. However, I will say I find the Ether engaging, detailed, and neutral. Unfortunately I can't compare it to the HD800 or the LCD-X since I haven't heard either headphones, but I have read comparisons describing the Ether as between the other two in terms of neutrality.

Hopefully you find what I said helpful. =p

 

[Japheel]

Hi, I would just like to chime in and recommend MrSpeakers's Ether. I have owned the Ether for a month now and I just can't stop loving it. I don't really like describing headphone traits, mostly out of fear of using audiophile terminology wrong. However, I will say I find the Ether engaging, detailed, and neutral. Unfortunately I can't compare it to the HD800 or the LCD-X since I haven't heard either headphones, but I have read comparisons describing the Ether as between the other two in terms of neutrality.

Hopefully you find what I said helpful. =p

Oh wow, an ether owner. If you don't mind me asking, how do you think they scale with amplification? I was planning on picking a pair up near the holiday season and upgrading my dac/amp around now to use with my alpha dogs and to future proof with the ether.

 

[tyty5150]

Isn't the company that makes Ether headphones a success story about a guy on head-fi that used to mod people's T50RP headphones?  I've been out of the loop, but I think that might be right.
 
So far the major contenders are Stax, per MA, and LCD-X from a couple of people.  Ether fitting between HD800 and LCD-X in neutrality seems relevant to my decision, i.e., it isn't for me.  If more people think LCD-X will suit all genres well, I'd probably go for that ortho model.  Depends on what you mean by neutral though (I assume relating to FR)...  Elaborate at your earliest convenience, please.
 
That being said, dynamic seems to be losing the race, not that it mattered, but I find it interesting.
 
EDIT: also, lots has been mentioned about HiFiman's lineup.  HE560 and HE1000...  A long time ago I had an interest in the HE500, it looked good on paper (FR), and innerfidelity review said it kept up with flagships (link below).  No longer made though, I see.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/comparing-world-class-headphones-conclusions#1W66GTzvKCA77rCj.97

 

[Music Alchemist]

So far the major contenders are Stax, per MA, and LCD-X from a couple of people.  Ether fitting between HD800 and LCD-X in neutrality seems relevant to my decision, i.e., it isn't for me.  If more people think LCD-X will suit all genres well, I'd probably go for that ortho model.  Depends on what you mean by neutral though (I assume relating to FR)...  Elaborate at your earliest convenience, please.

 
Neutral means that the frequency response is free from coloration, with an accurate tonal balance. There is debate over which compensation curve is neutral for headphones. You can see the two compensation curves here. (Just an example, using the measurements of the headphone I got today. Very few headphones measure that well, and none I have heard sound this good.) Note that my friend mislabeled the graph. The green line is the diffuse-field flat speaker curve while the black line is the Harman curve, which is an average of what sound people prefer. Generally, if the measurements (grey in this instance) are close to or somewhere between those two compensation curves, the frequency response is very neutral and accurate.

 

[Japheel]

  Isn't the company that makes Ether headphones a success story about a guy on head-fi that used to mod people's T50RP headphones?  I've been out of the loop, but I think that might be right.
 
So far the major contenders are Stax, per MA, and LCD-X from a couple of people.  Ether fitting between HD800 and LCD-X in neutrality seems relevant to my decision, i.e., it isn't for me.  If more people think LCD-X will suit all genres well, I'd probably go for that ortho model.  Depends on what you mean by neutral though (I assume relating to FR)...  Elaborate at your earliest convenience, please.
 
That being said, dynamic seems to be losing the race, not that it mattered, but I find it interesting.
 
EDIT: also, lots has been mentioned about HiFiman's lineup.  HE560 and HE1000...  A long time ago I had an interest in the HE500, it looked good on paper (FR), and innerfidelity review said it kept up with flagships (link below).  No longer made though, I see.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/comparing-world-class-headphones-conclusions#1W66GTzvKCA77rCj.97

The he500s are not discontinued, you can find them for around 500 usd on amazon. They need amping like any other flagship, so otl tubes or speaker taps. Jk tho, you can use anything that powers a t1 or hd800. The 500s aren't as monstrous as the he-6

 

[tyty5150]

I figured as much.  I recall a thread about neutral vs. natural, I cannot remember which is which, and I suppose I was probing a little.
 
And yes, I've seen this graph before, on Tyll's website.  Are you friends with ultrabike, the user that did the requests?  Or Tyll?  Or both?

 

[tyty5150]

  The he500s are not discontinued, you can find them for around 500 usd on amazon. They need amping like any other flagship, so otl tubes or speaker taps. Jk tho, you can use anything that powers a t1 or hd800. The 500s aren't as monstrous as the he-6

Yes, I've seen them on amazon, though I don't see them on headdirect.  Are you sure they're still in production or is it more of a 'these are inventory that never sold so we reduced the price' kinda thing?

 

[Japheel]

A

Yes, I've seen them on amazon, though I don't see them on headdirect.  Are you sure they're still in production or is it more of a 'these are inventory that never sold so we reduced the price' kinda thing?

actually, they may be discontinued, but it is a really nice price

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I figured as much.  I recall a thread about neutral vs. natural, I cannot remember which is which, and I suppose I was probing a little.
 
And yes, I've seen this graph before, on Tyll's website.  Are you friends with ultrabike, the user that did the requests?  Or Tyll?  Or both?

 
A truly neutral transducer sounds natural if the recording is of high quality, because it's reproducing the recording as it is. Of course, no transducer is perfect. We can only get progressively closer, particularly with EQ to compensate for each headphone's deficiencies.
 
The measurements and original graph are by Tyll, but my friend superimposed the compensation curves on it. I'm not friends with Tyll, but he knows of me.
 
By the way, here's another graph, for the LCD-X. Note the roll-off in the upper frequencies. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on how much accuracy you want.
 

  Yes, I've seen them on amazon, though I don't see them on headdirect.  Are you sure they're still in production or is it more of a 'these are inventory that never sold so we reduced the price' kinda thing?

 
The HE-500 is out of production. It was originally $900 (if I recall correctly) but can now be found used for under $500. (Under $300 if you're lucky.)

 

[Japheel]

A truly neutral transducer sounds natural if the recording is of high quality, because it's reproducing the recording as it is. Of course, no transducer is perfect. We can only get progressively closer, particularly with EQ to compensate for each headphone's deficiencies.

The measurements and original graph are by Tyll, but my friend superimposed the compensation curves on it. I'm not friends with Tyll, but he knows of me.

By the way, here's another graph, for the LCD-X. Note the roll-off in the upper frequencies. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on how much accuracy you want.


The HE-500 is out of production. It was originally $900 (if I recall correctly) but can now be found used for under $500. (Under $300 if you're lucky.)

under 300? Dude, don't tempt me

 

[Music Alchemist]

under 300? Dude, don't tempt me

 
I had the chance to get one for like $275, but passed up the opportunity. Kicking myself for it now...will probably never see it that low again.

 

[Japheel]

I had the chance to get one for like $275, but passed up the opportunity. Kicking myself for it now...will probably never see it that low again.

I would be, too. But on a separate note, how big a difference is there between the entry level stax and the dynamic/planar offerings in the mid fi range? Should I sell off my mid fi stuff for hifi non estat gear or should I get entry lvl stax stuff to complement my alpha dogs?