[ilom]

I've had my DT-150's for just about two weeks now and I absolutely love them.
 
Lorspeaker, since I'm new to the whole headphone thing and am not necessarily sure what I want, I decided to base this purchase on one word you used to describe the DT-150's a while back and that was "bodacious".  And they are!!!! So thanks!!!
 
I just got the Shure Alcantara pads today and have to say they changed the sound for the better.  I heard an exaggerated upper or even mid bass on the stock pads but I wanted a bit more sub bass.  The Alcantara's seal better around the ear(more oval instead of rectangle) and more seal always means more sub bass.  The softer material can bleed a little bass sometimes but not in this case for me.  I think the foam height is overall lower so it makes the mids a tiny bit more forward and may shrink the soundstage a little (less hall effect also) but these are tiny sacrifices for 200% more comfort and my beloved sub bass now present in this pair of the most awesome underrated headphones on the market.  To me these are HD650's that "got back in line" for 2nd's and 3rd's on sexiness.  They forgot to get in line for looks but who cares.
 
In fact if asked in public or challenged on their ugliness the answer is simple "these are the new beats headphones coming out next year, hand assembled by Dr Dre himself...you will mindlessly shell out 3 paychecks for these next year you mindless lemming"
 
While I''m tempted to try the DT100 velour pads (just because changing things is fun) these are perfect for me and the only other keeper in my collection besides my LCD-2's and HiFiMAN RE-600S.
 
Thanks Lorspeaker, others, and Beyer for a sweet set of cans.

 

[Arttt]

Cööl

 

[Tiemen]

Quote:
 

  I just got the Shure Alcantara pads today and have to say they changed the sound for the better.  I heard an exaggerated upper or even mid bass on the stock pads but I wanted a bit more sub bass.  The Alcantara's seal better around the ear(more oval instead of rectangle) and more seal always means more sub bass.  The softer material can bleed a little bass sometimes but not in this case for me.  I think the foam height is overall lower so it makes the mids a tiny bit more forward and may shrink the soundstage a little (less hall effect also) but these are tiny sacrifices for 200% more comfort and my beloved sub bass now present in this pair of the most awesome underrated headphones on the market.  

 
Is there more sibilance with the Shure Alcantara pads? I would love to try the 1540 pads, but I'm afraid the DT150 will become more sibilant with those.

 

[ilom]

   
Is there more sibilance with the Shure Alcantara pads? I would love to try the 1540 pads, but I'm afraid the DT150 will become more sibilant with those.

Not at all.  The change in measurement in terms of how close the driver is to the ear is tiny.  Oddly as I type this I am hearing Foo Fighters and theres some sibilance but the DT-150's have some sibilance to begin with and I think it mixes in with their character.  In terms of change I heard a small change in the mids but nothing significant in the highs.  And I'm not a fan of crispy phones.  Personally sibilance only bothers me on bright phones/speakers.
 
So no I would go for it.  Its only a $40 mod and totally reversable.  I should note a couple of things..the rectangle shape of the original pads on the lower rear corner crossed my jaw line so I think there was a tiny leak there.  The oval 1540 pads conversely seal well there.  So there's definitely the whole issue of "head shape" in this.  2ndly I've changed my listening strategy a bit...on the DT150's (and RE-600S) I almost exclusively listen to TIDAL tracks downloaded to an idevice then run through my iFi nano.  So not exactly superfi.  I also occasionally use the DT-150's with iFi micro fed by HQ Player using 192 flac high quality sources upconverted to OctaDSD when I feel like having the laptop (or a computer) in the mix.  So my DT-150's are typically more part of my lower-fi rig.  I like to use the LCD-2's at home to justify the price (they're still new to me) and then use the DT-150's at home almost only as a palate cleanser...it seems like the brain doesnt always want to hear super super high resolution.  The DT-150's are fun for me regardless of source and that to me is their magic.
 
Back to the pads...to put it from a 50,000 foot view, they are just more enjoyable to me now.  The comfort thing is big for me because "good sound and an enjoyable listening experience" does not necessarily involve all the normal adjectives..."silky smooth blah blah blah" but rather an inverse or negative definition.  IE "these phones sound great because nothing is standing out and bugging me".  I like to get "lost in the music" for lack of a better term and the comfort issue was bothering me before I added the alcantaras.

 

[ilom]

My go anywhere DT-150 rig...
 

 

 

[Tiemen]

Thanks for answering, ilom.

 

[cs098]

  My go anywhere DT-150 rig...
 

 

Your cable seems quite short. Where did you get it? Mine is far too long to use as a portable headphone.

 

[ilom]

  Your cable seems quite short. Where did you get it? Mine is far too long to use as a portable headphone.

The white part of the cable is the Apple CCK (camera connection kit) with lightning on one end and female USB A on the other (link below).  The black part is a USB 2.0 adapter from Fry's electronics and is USB A male on one side and USB B male on the other.  I originally wanted a USB 3.0 adapter and found one online but its too long to keep the ipod touch centered and everything still sturdy.  Be prepared apple with their incessant greed asks $30 for the cck.
 
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD821AM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter

 

[ilom]

  Your cable seems quite short. Where did you get it? Mine is far too long to use as a portable headphone.

Just dawned on me you might of meant the headphone cable.  It's just the stock cable all the extra cable is off camera.  I throw all the slack in a backpack or coiled on a table or whatever.  If I use the DT-150s outside it will be somewhere I am stationary/sitting so no big deal with extra cable.  If I am moving around like I like to listen while I shoot photos then I break out the HiFiMAN IEMs.

 

[cs098]

  Just dawned on me you might of meant the headphone cable.  It's just the stock cable all the extra cable is off camera.  I throw all the slack in a backpack or coiled on a table or whatever.  If I use the DT-150s outside it will be somewhere I am stationary/sitting so no big deal with extra cable.  If I am moving around like I like to listen while I shoot photos then I break out the HiFiMAN IEMs.

Aww, I'll just get the coiled cable when I get some pads. Thought it was some magically short straight cable.

 

[cjs001]

  My go anywhere DT-150 rig...
 

 

How well does the ifi pair with the DT150?

 

[ilom]

  How well does the ifi pair with the DT150?

Amazingly really.  Oddly with the source material I am using (TIDAL cd quality flac via idevice) I prefer the nano to the micro.  As I mentioned I have two primary classes of sources, High res:  192flac and DSD files and Mid res: TIDAL and Deezer CD quality flac files.  For high res material my favorite way to listen is to use a powerful computer and HQ player to upconvert to OctaDSD.  This takes a ton of cpu processing and actually sounds really analog.  For that setup into the micro the DT-150's are amazing and a great alternative to my LCD-2's.
 
Although for the portable and typical scenario I use the DT-150's as pictured.  Because TIDAL is an app that runs on IOS I am obviously bound to apple gear.  iDevices seem to do something to the sound.  I know technically it should just be pure digital coming out of the ipod and then into the nano, with the nano doing D/A conversion.  That being said the ipod/CCK output is a hard nut to crack.  Meaning it was hard for me to find something that I enjoyed listening to with that source.  The DT-150/nano is just that and does it very very well.  When put up against a more "normal" source like coax output out of normal hifi gear then into the nano I wouldn't say it is stellar but then again the nano is only $200.  For whatever weirdness the iOS devices add to the equation the nano and DT-150 smooth it out nicely.
 
Hopefully this helps.  I have truly noticed that systems need to be built based on intended source and rarely is there a do it all system.  If something is tuned or perfected with high res (source, settings, gear, etc) then you add something like TIDAL via IOS as the source it will likely be a less than impressive result.

 

[cjs001]

Amazingly really.  Oddly with the source material I am using (TIDAL cd quality flac via idevice) I prefer the nano to the micro.  As I mentioned I have two primary classes of sources, High res:  192flac and DSD files and Mid res: TIDAL and Deezer CD quality flac files.  For high res material my favorite way to listen is to use a powerful computer and HQ player to upconvert to OctaDSD.  This takes a ton of cpu processing and actually sounds really analog.  For that setup into the micro the DT-150's are amazing and a great alternative to my LCD-2's.

Although for the portable and typical scenario I use the DT-150's as pictured.  Because TIDAL is an app that runs on IOS I am obviously bound to apple gear.  iDevices seem to do something to the sound.  I know technically it should just be pure digital coming out of the ipod and then into the nano, with the nano doing D/A conversion.  That being said the ipod/CCK output is a hard nut to crack.  Meaning it was hard for me to find something that I enjoyed listening to with that source.  The DT-150/nano is just that and does it very very well.  When put up against a more "normal" source like coax output out of normal hifi gear then into the nano I wouldn't say it is stellar but then again the nano is only $200.  For whatever weirdness the iOS devices add to the equation the nano and DT-150 smooth it out nicely.

Hopefully this helps.  I have truly noticed that systems need to be built based on intended source and rarely is there a do it all system.  If something is tuned or perfected with high res (source, settings, gear, etc) then you add something like TIDAL via IOS as the source it will likely be a less than impressive result.

I see. I'm considering getting the micro or retro for my DT. Most likely retro since it has almost everything you'll ever need on a tube amp

 

[ilom]

I see. I'm considering getting the micro or retro for my DT. Most likely retro since it has almost everything you'll ever need on a tube amp

Ya that retro looks amazing.  I'd put one in every room if I could.  I think the addition of the tube amp with the burr-brown iFi sound has got to be something special.  I'm holding out for the mini/pro device they have on the horizon to use with my 2 channel system and for headphone listening in my front room.  I'll also probably add a Gustard H10 fed by the micro for bedroom listening.

 

[Lorspeaker]

The 1540pads dun look too overstretcheddd..tats good

I tend to put my amp on high gain for a more energetic sound, n silver cables .