[sheldaze]

@sheldaze, follow up question, are you on the latest firmware?

Pretty sure - I can verify.
Did you read anything regarding the firmware, such as what it fixes?
 
EDIT - It is 3.2, and there are available updates 3.3 and 3.4. Argh - playlists are in 3.3!

 

[gandhisfist]

I hadn't ready anything, just a lucky guess.

 

[sheldaze]

Gotta say - issues I'm having with the HD800 aren't the sound. It's actually a little uncomfortable 

I'm not used to so much weight resting on the side of my head.

 

[Psalmanazar]

I just received a Grace m9xx loaner to check out the AKM filters and crossfeed options. This is going to be fun when I hit the "powerful sound" with high frequency nastiness.

 

[sheldaze]

  I just received a Grace m9xx loaner to check out the AKM filters and crossfeed options. This is going to be fun when I hit the "powerful sound" with high frequency nastiness.

Quite curious to hear what you think!
I have been listening to my m9XX almost non-stop.

 

[sheldaze]

You probably won't care @gandhisfist but the HE400i changed connector and design.
 
These are posts #6222 and #6223 from the thread, the second being direct from HiFiMan:
 

I wonder if the new revision has a better soundstage without the backing plate?  It doesn't sound as in your head as I was expecting after reading a lot of reviews.  Now don't get me wrong its not a large soundstage by any means but it has its moments where it sounds almost as wide as my HD600 and original HE-400.

Yes, that is the reason for the change. Slightly more open, better soundstage and more detail. Also a little lighter without the backing plate.
 
-Peter

 

[Billheiser]

  Quite curious to hear what you think!
I have been listening to my m9XX almost non-stop.

you like the TH-X00 on the m9XX?  as DAC, and as DAC/amp?

 

[gandhisfist]

sheldaze, I did read about them removing the backplate and how it opens up the sound and makes the headphone a tad brighter. Definitely interested in checking out the new version.

 

[Psalmanazar]

  Quite curious to hear what you think!
I have been listening to my m9XX almost non-stop.

My day one thoughts after 5 hours of listening and comparing:
 
The M9XX is good but too bloomy in the bass and there's something about the treble. It made too many kick drums and drum samples sound like movie and videogame heartbeat sound effects. Had problems with quick metallic percussion transients in Philip Glass's Mishima soundtrack. Even vinyl surface noise sounded good on it. I could not live with it as my only DAC and amp buit it would be great to have one to carry around.
 
For the filters, only F2 "Original Sound" AKM filter sounds good. F1 "Powerful Sound" messes with the soundstage, doesn't reduce high frequency nastiness, and makes everything sound like headphones. F2 has a soundstage comparable to the Schiits but with worse instrument separation due to the bloom.
 
The digital volume pot is wobbly. Not sure how long it would last if it was actually transported about in a bag. Couldn't Grace have stuck a separate button on it to select settings? It's also too easy to brush the pot with my hand reaching around my desk and go up 20 steps for noise scares.
 
I actually think the Schiit Uber stack is slightly higher fidelity despite the Grace having a newer AKM chip but I preferred the Grace for the first hour or two until the bloom really got to me with fat, early 80s bass lines then I started to hear it in other places and I mainly stuck with the Schiits except to check what various records sounded like on the Grace. The Modi 2 U is a little steely but that isn't as bad to me as the bloom and recessed treble of the Grace.

 

[sheldaze]

 
you like the TH-X00 on the m9XX?  as DAC, and as DAC/amp?

I've been switching back and forth between DAC and DAC/amp. Though those specific headphones are sitting in the drawer. The thing I've been listening to is the Vali 2, with back and forth between Vali 2 fed from m9XX DAC and just m9XX by itself. The TH-X00 don't seem to mix well with any tube that I've heard, thus far. So I've been using AKG K7XX and now HD800.
 
I was listening yesterday to a tube that'll make the HD800 sound like an original (dark) HD650 

 

[sheldaze]

  My day one thoughts after 5 hours of listening and comparing:
 
The M9XX is good but too bloomy in the bass and there's something about the treble. It made too many kick drums and drum samples sound like movie and videogame heartbeat sound effects. Had problems with quick metallic percussion transients in Philip Glass's Mishima soundtrack. Even vinyl surface noise sounded good on it. I could not live with it as my only DAC and amp buit it would be great to have one to carry around.
 
For the filters, only F2 "Original Sound" AKM filter sounds good. F1 "Powerful Sound" messes with the soundstage, doesn't reduce high frequency nastiness, and makes everything sound like headphones. F2 has a soundstage comparable to the Schiits but with worse instrument separation due to the bloom.
 
The digital volume pot is wobbly. Not sure how long it would last if it was actually transported about in a bag. Couldn't Grace have stuck a separate button on it to select settings? It's also too easy to brush the pot with my hand reaching around my desk and go up 20 steps for noise scares.
 
I actually think the Schiit Uber stack is slightly higher fidelity despite the Grace having a newer AKM chip but I preferred the Grace for the first hour or two until the bloom really got to me with fat, early 80s bass lines then I started to hear it in other places and I mainly stuck with the Schiits except to check what various records sounded like on the Grace. The Modi 2 U is a little steely but that isn't as bad to me as the bloom and recessed treble of the Grace.

I hope you also try it as just a DAC, volume set to 90, and plugged into your Schiit amplifier.
 
I too would have a lot of concern traveling with it as-is. I read in the m9XX thread that some people have adapted plastic outer/foam inner containers into transportable cases for the m9XX. I would just want to be 100% certain that I got the cut-outs correct, because any slop could cause excessive wear on that knob. The one example I saw still seemed to have a little slop around the case itself, leaving me with concerns.

 

[Billheiser]

  I've been switching back and forth between DAC and DAC/amp. Though those specific headphones are sitting in the drawer. The thing I've been listening to is the Vali 2, with back and forth between Vali 2 fed from m9XX DAC and just m9XX by itself. The TH-X00 don't seem to mix well with any tube that I've heard, thus far. So I've been using AKG K7XX and now HD800.
 
I was listening yesterday to a tube that'll make the HD800 sound like an original (dark) HD650 

I haven't solved the TH-X00 puzzle yet; I thought my Aune was well suited to it - and it often is - but not always.  It's good w/ Valhalla 2 but I don't know if it's ideal.  Haven't even tried it on original Vali yet.
 
What the heck kind of magical HD800 transformation tube would that be?  The 6OMG?

 

[sheldaze]

 
I haven't solved the TH-X00 puzzle yet; I thought my Aune was well suited to it - and it often is - but not always.  It's good w/ Valhalla 2 but I don't know if it's ideal.  Haven't even tried it on original Vali yet.
 
What the heck kind of magical HD800 transformation tube would that be?  The 6OMG?

I have definitely come to the conclusion that I know nothing!
 
So I ordered two tubes - a Mullard ($25) that is supposed to be ultra syrupy, and a 6CG7 ($5) that was recommended by Baldr (Mike Moffat). The Baldr recommendation came first. And like I said, I was using the AKG K7XX headphones. I was not happy with the tube and the headphones combination - it almost sounded screechy to my ears. I listened to it for at most 30 minutes before I decided I needed to put back in the original tube to verify my hearing had not become screechy. The original tube and K7XX sounded great!
 
I assumed the new tube must be making the sound even tighter, and was planning to eventually try the TH-X00. Oh, and my other conclusion is that the TH-X00 needs solid state, both for the low impedance and for the lack of any extra "character" because the TH-X00 already has enough. But I was going to try the Baldr tube. Then HD800 arrived.
 
On the original solid state m9XX, the headphones sound fine. Apparently the m9XX was designed with the HD800 in mind. I did not hate the headphones with the stock tube in the Vali 2, but - well, yeah. I hated them! The stock tube did nothing special, just like on my treble-happy Audeze EL-8C and bass-happy TH-X00. But my syrupy Mullard had arrived. Geez...now the HD800 sound like the HD650. Interesting, but let's get real. If a tube can turn the sharpest knife into a spoon, what's it going to do to all the other tools? The next day I tried the Baldr tube, and I was shocked. What could this tube possibly be doing? A screechy tube and a screechy headphone make for a good sound?!
 
That's about as far as I've made it though, because I've basically had the HD800 glued to my head. I would not make a prediction as to how any of the other headphones would sound with the Baldr or Mullard tube on the other test headphones: EL-8C, K7XX. TH-X00. And now I'm even more curious how your original Vali sounds!

 

[Billheiser]

  I have definitely come to the conclusion that I know nothing!
 
So I ordered two tubes - a Mullard ($25) that is supposed to be ultra syrupy, and a 6CG7 ($5) that was recommended by Baldr (Mike Moffat). The Baldr recommendation came first. And like I said, I was using the AKG K7XX headphones. I was not happy with the tube and the headphones combination - it almost sounded screechy to my ears. I listened to it for at most 30 minutes before I decided I needed to put back in the original tube to verify my hearing had not become screechy. The original tube and K7XX sounded great!
 
I assumed the new tube must be making the sound even tighter, and was planning to eventually try the TH-X00. Oh, and my other conclusion is that the TH-X00 needs solid state, both for the low impedance and for the lack of any extra "character" because the TH-X00 already has enough. But I was going to try the Baldr tube. Then HD800 arrived.
 
On the original solid state m9XX, the headphones sound fine. Apparently the m9XX was designed with the HD800 in mind. I did not hate the headphones with the stock tube in the Vali 2, but - well, yeah. I hated them! The stock tube did nothing special, just like on my treble-happy Audeze EL-8C and bass-happy TH-X00. But my syrupy Mullard had arrived. Geez...now the HD800 sound like the HD650. Interesting, but let's get real. If a tube can turn the sharpest knife into a spoon, what's it going to do to all the other tools? The next day I tried the Baldr tube, and I was shocked. What could this tube possibly be doing? A screechy tube and a screechy headphone make for a good sound?!
 
That's about as far as I've made it though, because I've basically had the HD800 glued to my head. I would not make a prediction as to how any of the other headphones would sound with the Baldr or Mullard tube on the other test headphones: EL-8C, K7XX. TH-X00. And now I'm even more curious how your original Vali sounds!

I'll bring the Vali to the Feb meet.  I still like it very much w/ HD600; accepting that the Vali 2 may sound better but I have no reason to switch right now.

 

[sheldaze]

 
I'll bring the Vali to the Feb meet.  I still like it very much w/ HD600; accepting that the Vali 2 may sound better but I have no reason to switch right now.

I think you'll still like it better than Vali 2, with stock tubes, on your HD600