Solude
Headphoneus Supremus
Well I am approaching the 300 hour mark and the time has come to review the Beyer through direct comparison to the Senn 650. Both will be using their stock cables for fairness sake. That and I prefer the stocker to the Cardas I own
Thought I'd include the community this time though.
First I'd like some music selection requests, if I own them I'll add them to the short list. Its a short list though so don't be offended if your request is cut.
Second I'm having trouble deciding how to calibrate the Beyer. If I calibrate using the SPL metre the Beyer is factually as loud as the Senn but subjectively sounds quieter. If I calibrate by percieved loudness, the factual SPL level is a good 10dB higher than the Senn 650. So under which situation (factual, subjective, comprimise) do you think a fairer comparison can be made? If I just use the same notch on the Reference's DACT the Beyer 880 is roughly 4dB louder than the Senn 650. That's the setting I'm edging towards, but want feedback.
Let me know soon. I will be running the comparison and posting the review January 2.
*COMPARISON COMPLETE - WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY...*
Here are my unaltered listening notes:
Calib -26dB@2.17v output
Power -1v:+1v correction, 2.05A draw
DMB: The Best of What's Around
650: well integrated no real stand out, full body, lacking utter
clarity, good instrument separation/staging, wood like snare, overall
dark
880: lighter feel, cymbal and guitar spotlighting, distant in
comparison, good staging, added instrument width hurts separation, less
natural impact but increased ear pressure
Holly Cole: I Told Him That My Dog Wouldn't Run
650: captures emotion, good bite on banjo, piano full, organic nailing
instruments, brushed drums, well integrated, small club feel
880: lighter weight hurts emotion comes off jokingly instead of
desperation, banjo bite slightly piercing, piano missing overtones,
separation only ok, noticeable reduction in fullness/dynamics, concert
hall feel
APC: The Outsider
650: full haze setting mood, integrated no standouts, dark overall
tone, immersive yet not immediate, good staging, good decay
880: bass line reduced, quite distant sounding, less engaging, well
staged but poor separation, hat sway lost in meld, good decay
Radiohead: High and Dry
650: soft pick used for rhythm guitar, bright recording though not
close mic, light weight, electric guitar and ride forward fatiguing,
rest of drums well portrayed, staging only ok
880: odd drift in stage for rhythm guitar, similar to Senn 650
otherwise with minor reduction in dynamics but increased ear pressure
sensation, forward ride cymbal along with increased pressure make this
fatiguing recording more so
Van Halen: Doin' Time
650: good void, timbre and skinning nailed, drops low, great impact,
integrated, incredible staging, no one note bass during roll, shimmer
believable
880: good void, drops as low, staging good, more distant feel, timbre missing nuances, distance deduces impact and range, shimmer less natural, increased top end makes background tambourine a forefront instrument, one note bass experienced during burn in gone though change during roll less drastic than Senn 650
The interesting thing for me is the common descriptors of the Beyer 880 aren't present. When I owned them as my primary headphone I would not have considered them distant, unnatural or uninvolving. I would have said they were detailed, forward headphones easily besting other headphones I had tried (Senn 600, Grado 325).
This comparison spotlighted a few things for me. One the Senn 650 is to date the best rock, vocal jazz, blues and soul headphone I have owned even with the stock cable. Two in comparison to the Senn 650 the Beyer is in my experience distant and less involving with an overall light weight feel. The Beyer 880's presentation is quite fatiguing as well. Even a full 4dB louder than the Senn 650, the distant nature urges me to boost the volume to increase perceived detail and dynamics while at the same time the low end extends far enough that the discomfort from the added ear pressure nags me to reduce the volume. Go figure.
In the end, I chose the Senn 650 this time for mostly the same reason as the last, listener fatigue.
As a side note the Cardas recable maybe worth considering for some. The same midrange bump at the expense of rolled off top and bottom while adding resolution and clarity that hurt the Senn 650 could help the Beyer 880 be less fatiguing while reducing the distance. The catch is the reduced bottom end, though probably enough to correct the ear pressure sensation may make them even less full sounding. Good old audio, always a snag.
Thought I'd include the community this time though.
First I'd like some music selection requests, if I own them I'll add them to the short list. Its a short list though so don't be offended if your request is cut.
Second I'm having trouble deciding how to calibrate the Beyer. If I calibrate using the SPL metre the Beyer is factually as loud as the Senn but subjectively sounds quieter. If I calibrate by percieved loudness, the factual SPL level is a good 10dB higher than the Senn 650. So under which situation (factual, subjective, comprimise) do you think a fairer comparison can be made? If I just use the same notch on the Reference's DACT the Beyer 880 is roughly 4dB louder than the Senn 650. That's the setting I'm edging towards, but want feedback.
Let me know soon. I will be running the comparison and posting the review January 2.
*COMPARISON COMPLETE - WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY...*
Here are my unaltered listening notes:
Calib -26dB@2.17v output
Power -1v:+1v correction, 2.05A draw
DMB: The Best of What's Around
650: well integrated no real stand out, full body, lacking utter
clarity, good instrument separation/staging, wood like snare, overall
dark
880: lighter feel, cymbal and guitar spotlighting, distant in
comparison, good staging, added instrument width hurts separation, less
natural impact but increased ear pressure
Holly Cole: I Told Him That My Dog Wouldn't Run
650: captures emotion, good bite on banjo, piano full, organic nailing
instruments, brushed drums, well integrated, small club feel
880: lighter weight hurts emotion comes off jokingly instead of
desperation, banjo bite slightly piercing, piano missing overtones,
separation only ok, noticeable reduction in fullness/dynamics, concert
hall feel
APC: The Outsider
650: full haze setting mood, integrated no standouts, dark overall
tone, immersive yet not immediate, good staging, good decay
880: bass line reduced, quite distant sounding, less engaging, well
staged but poor separation, hat sway lost in meld, good decay
Radiohead: High and Dry
650: soft pick used for rhythm guitar, bright recording though not
close mic, light weight, electric guitar and ride forward fatiguing,
rest of drums well portrayed, staging only ok
880: odd drift in stage for rhythm guitar, similar to Senn 650
otherwise with minor reduction in dynamics but increased ear pressure
sensation, forward ride cymbal along with increased pressure make this
fatiguing recording more so
Van Halen: Doin' Time
650: good void, timbre and skinning nailed, drops low, great impact,
integrated, incredible staging, no one note bass during roll, shimmer
believable
880: good void, drops as low, staging good, more distant feel, timbre missing nuances, distance deduces impact and range, shimmer less natural, increased top end makes background tambourine a forefront instrument, one note bass experienced during burn in gone though change during roll less drastic than Senn 650
The interesting thing for me is the common descriptors of the Beyer 880 aren't present. When I owned them as my primary headphone I would not have considered them distant, unnatural or uninvolving. I would have said they were detailed, forward headphones easily besting other headphones I had tried (Senn 600, Grado 325).
This comparison spotlighted a few things for me. One the Senn 650 is to date the best rock, vocal jazz, blues and soul headphone I have owned even with the stock cable. Two in comparison to the Senn 650 the Beyer is in my experience distant and less involving with an overall light weight feel. The Beyer 880's presentation is quite fatiguing as well. Even a full 4dB louder than the Senn 650, the distant nature urges me to boost the volume to increase perceived detail and dynamics while at the same time the low end extends far enough that the discomfort from the added ear pressure nags me to reduce the volume. Go figure.
In the end, I chose the Senn 650 this time for mostly the same reason as the last, listener fatigue.
As a side note the Cardas recable maybe worth considering for some. The same midrange bump at the expense of rolled off top and bottom while adding resolution and clarity that hurt the Senn 650 could help the Beyer 880 be less fatiguing while reducing the distance. The catch is the reduced bottom end, though probably enough to correct the ear pressure sensation may make them even less full sounding. Good old audio, always a snag.
