CAL! VS CAL!2

[erted]

Ok here's another update. I got a reply from hifiheadphones, they provided me with a tracking number. Turns out the courier is a lazy person and couldn't be bothered to bring the package to my house, so he left it at a nearby gas station without any notifications or anything. If I get my hands on him I'll skin him alive.

Anyway, I finally got the SoundMagic HP151, and, in short, I'm impressed so far. Build quality seems quite sturdy despite the plasticy feel. Detachable cable, I like. Comes in a very nice case. Fits nicely on my head and is very very comfortable, albeit a bit warm (not really a - of the headphones though). And of course, the sound. I've only listened for about five minutes and did a quick comparison to my CAL!. The first thing I notice is a much higher level of clarity! The CAL! sounds muffled compared to the HP151. Next thing is the bass. Punchier, heavier, with higher presence but without being too loose and boomingly overpowering. Just the way I like it. The highs seem a touch loose to me and can be a bit hissy (pronunciation of "S" and some cymbals), but I think a good burn in would fix this issue. Lastly, it seems to me the CAL! has a bit more pronounced mids, making the sound a bit "fuller", despite the lack in clarity, thought that just sound like that to me due to the higher level of clarity, especially in the high end, of the HP151.

Overall, 5 minutes in, I'm quite impressed. We'll see how they settle in and hold up. Thanks again Serman for the recommendation.

Here's a quick pic:

 

[serman005]

Nice case. Glad they are working out so far. Have fun!

 

[erted]

Thanks! I am debating with myself whether I should have gone for the HP200, but several reviews tell me the two are very similar in overall sound, with the HP151 supposedly having "more" bass on the count of being a closed design. Kinda makes me curious how an open headphone sounds like (I currently only have experience with closed designs).


And as for one final question. Would it make a difference getting an amp / dac (Schiit stack)? Or rather, what kind of difference would it make?


Thanks

 

[serman005]

Thanks! I am debating with myself whether I should have gone for the HP200, but several reviews tell me the two are very similar in overall sound, with the HP151 supposedly having "more" bass on the count of being a closed design. Kinda makes me curious how an open headphone sounds like (I currently only have experience with closed designs).


And as for one final question. Would it make a difference getting an amp / dac (Schiit stack)? Or rather, what kind of difference would it make?


Thanks

It would give you more volume, possibly improve bass performance, and maybe better macrodynamics. It could make a significant difference. If you got the Modi 2 as well, you would probably find more detail as well. Those would be the main things, IMO.

 

[erted]

Cool, thank you. I think I'll get the Schiit Stack in the upcoming months and then, maybe for my birthday at the end of the year, a nice open headphone (although I would probably skip the HD600 now, since I read the HP200 (and I assume the HP151 as well, despite the closed design) is quite comparable to the HD650 / HD600 so I may have to aim a bit higher to get a definitive improvement.

Thanks again