[Dr.Sade]

Assuming that the STAX OMEGA2 and Sennheiser Orpheus HE90
are being driven by what you consider the "right" amplifiers and are
using the "right" cables can these headphones do rock music justice
like the well known GRADOs, BEYERs, ....and other dynamic headphones?

 

[Snake]

I think O2's.

 

[Duggeh]

For just about any piece of rock music I listen to, I prefer the Omega 2 to the HD650. I'm unfamiliar with the Grado sound thoguh so I cant draw a comparison there. However popular opinion seems to be that, for rock, the RS-1 is the can of choice.

 

[Guss2]

IMO,the HE90's can do anything.Gary.

 

[muckluck]

Never heard the HE90s, but after the recent meet people are complaining that they cannot handle Metallica's S&M without being harsh.

 

[Snake]

Quote:

Originally Posted by muckluck Never heard the HE90s, but after the recent meet people are complaining that they cannot handle Metallica's S&M without being harsh.

On which system are people basing that statement? The HE90/HEV90 system, or the HE90/ES-1?

...also what you get for trying Metallica on HE90's!

 

[mulveling]

From what I've heard I much perfer the L3000, HP2, W11JPN, RS1, and HD650 (in roughly that order) to the O2 + KGSS for rock, but then I haven't lived with an O2 system.

 

[Snake]

The fact is that electros can easily do any type of music, including metal, as I listen to Metallica. The question is at what volume - electros simply do not have enough excursion of the diaphram to handle very bassy, very dynamic and very loud passages...when all 3 are presented simultaneously. If you remove 1 or 2 the other 1 or 2 are easy for the system to reproduce. If you want ear bleed bassy metal electros run out of that thin diaphram's travel. Remove the ear bleed level and any good electro system will give you bassy metal...within the character of the "electro sound" - that is, if you are looking for overwarm thumpy kick drums you aren't in the right place. If you are looking for drum speed that will make "your ears bleed", yup, they'll do that no prob.

Metal within their character is completely within their realm - but if you are asking for an electro to sound like a DJ mixdown...nope. Ain't gonna happen.

It's all relative.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

I find the Omegas and HE90 can both do rock very well, it all just comes down to the preferences of the listener. The HE90 ultimately lacks bass impact (at least with the HEV90), while the Omega II is a bit dark/thick for my preferences.

 

[eric343]

In one of those "do I really write like that?" moments, I went back through my HE90 vs. Omega2 review, and found the following paragraph:
Quote:

Originally Posted by eric343 With discs like the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “What Hits?!”, all bets are off. The Red Hot Chili Peppers aren’t known for their well-recorded albums, which cause the HE90s’ brightness to be accentuated out of all proportion while they shows a an incredible aversion to bass notes of any flavor. The Stax Omega 2, however, gets its groove on. The soundstage is rich and three dimensional with depth and breadth and incredible spatial separation. There is a sense that the performance is more than simply a recording, that it is actually there. To compare the CD with the Red Hot Chili Peppers live concert the reviewer attended would be absolutely laughable, of course – there’s no way a rock concert could approach this level of fidelity. The treble issues that I identified earlier with well-recorded music do not seem to be present at all with, uh, less-well recorded rock music. While the HE90 still take home the prize in the detail category, you just can’t beat the Omega 2 in naturality and fun factor. Radiohead’s “Planet Telex” sounds liquid and clear with a slightly warm tonality and absolutely no headache factor. Don’t even get me started on the bass. Deep, powerful, and incredibly addictive, it is probably the single biggest feature of the Omega 2s and definitely one of the reasons that badly recorded music sounds so damn good.

 

[smeggy]

Don't know about the O2 or HE90 but my 404 and 003 do metal very nicely. Most of my music is metal/rap metal and rock and I prefer it on my stats way more than the MS-1 or SR-125.

 

[sonic32]

IMO the O2's can do any genre of music well. All depends on personal preference.

 

[hozo]

I can only speak for the O2. Agree w/ mulveling. My ears can't stand O2s for (non-acoustic) rock. I prefer the Audio Technicas. Purk's W11JPN sounded incredibly nice (a CD3000 sort of airiness). I might even like it more than the L3000.

Rank from my very limited auditions:
W11JPN - felt like a L3000 and CD3000 combo..awesome!
L3000 - probably the best if you're a rock only guy
W2002 - felt bright w/ female vocals, but no problem with rock
HP1000, RS-1, RS-2 - techno awesome, 650

Omega 2 - guitar tube amp distortion just don't sound right on a stat
K1000 - horrible with electric/metal. then again I don't have $10k monoblocks.

Hell, I'd take my Koss KSC35 over the O2 for certain rock. For other music... the list would be quite different.

 

[Carl]

Punk and Rock through my HE60s is très bon.

 

[kuma]

I haven't heard the HE90 but the Omega II in both with their own solid state amplifier and a Naim NAP300 completey failed to play convincing music. period.

I am a long time Grado user and there is no way I could be happy with it.

The Omega II is good at soundstage and retreaving subtle tonal neuance in the music, but it can't deliver the impact and timing precision of others I have used.
Audio Technica's W5000 or even W2002 are more responsive than the Omega II.

If a Naim CDS3/555PS/552 or LP12 can't get it going, nothing will.