As a side note, I wonder how age affects perception of “neutrality” as far as sound presentation is concern?
With age, there seems to be a shift towards tonal accuracy, timing (probably more related to conventional speaker designs) and prioritization of “correct” yet emphasized richness of mid-range. Treble extension, resolution or sub-bass seem to be less of a concern or priority. No hard data to back it up. Just what I have noticed. Is it just me or is there something to it?
Your personal hrtf changes over age, that makes your personal perception vary when you don't have periofic experience for live music.
This usually depends on how your hearing was lost over time.
This trend also applies to me though, I found some earlier gear of mine too energetic. But I found my very first IEM sound much more neutral, which was strange.
Maybe it's just change of taste...
Your personal hrtf changes over age, that makes your personal perception vary when you don't have periofic experience for live music.
This usually depends on how your hearing was lost over time.
This trend also applies to me though, I found some earlier gear of mine too energetic. But I found my very first IEM sound much more neutral, which was strange.
Maybe it's just change of taste...
There’s something there for sure.
As you mentioned your personal experiences, I kinda relate to that notion. I have tried Harman general correction curve method and I have to say that it doesn't make me obsess about getting it precisely right. Same with my speaker setup. Moved from SS to tubes a long while ago and went with Klipsch Cornwalls speakers that remind me of my very first experience in high fidelity audio. Sentimental I guess? But it sounds awesome to my ears. And I think that’s what’s most important. Personal preferences are still king’s rule in this hobby and I don’t see any standardized rules or correction curves to eliminate those biases. I know that it’s a polarizing topic but that’s just my opinion.
There’s something there for sure.
As you mentioned your personal experiences, I kinda relate to that notion. I have tried Harman general correction curve method and I have to say that it doesn't make me obsess about getting it precisely right. Same with my speaker setup. Moved from SS to tubes a long while ago and went with Klipsch Cornwalls speakers that remind me of my very first experience in high fidelity audio. Sentimental I guess? But it sounds awesome to my ears. And I think that’s what’s most important. Personal preferences are still king’s rule in this hobby and I don’t see any standardized rules or correction curves to eliminate those biases. I know that it’s a polarizing topic but that’s just my opinion.
Harman is about a general trend from start to finish. It was invented actually to compensate the bass loss of headphones compared to monitors. It's merely statistics.
The HRTF theory based diffuse field target did not escape from that statement.
That being said, equalizers do improve the system in certain way(and it's obvious compared to cables/power/contact conditioners, I mean, obvious linear variation of frequencies!)
To make a precise target curve for yourself you'll need an audiologist scanning your ears and doing all these. That explains a lot of "why I don't like Harman" kind of thing, our ears are too different until the second bend of ear canal(reason why custom IEM manufacturers ask you to go for second bend)
That being said, equalizers do improve the system in certain way(and it's obvious compared to cables/power/contact conditioners, I mean, obvious linear variation of frequencies!)
To some degree, yes. Of cause, headphones with extremely weird peaks or dips in frequency range response might desperately need it. No question about it. However, if frequency response isn’t all that terrible, I would personally try to avoid EQing in digital domain. Especially if your headphone collection is limited to few(ish) headphones. In that case, pad rolling, passive EQ in form of foam filter (like Dan Clark Audio) or careful component matching could be the answer. I could give some examples from my personal experience (which doesn’t mean much) but it might be to lengthy and boring post.
With headphones that could use a little EQ in my collection, I am mostly able to“fix” it with an inexpensive but quite effective analogue EQ from Schiit. (It’s somewhat limited tho)
Audeze LCDX are the only headphones in my collection that need more aggressive approach. But that’s about it.
My problem with them is the cable. I've had two etys, took care of them like babies and the cables worn down anyway in <18 months. That's why I went with the SE425, so i can change the cable as needed.
RME with LCD-2C is a great combination that will scale pretty well. The RME doesn't drive 300 ohm Sennheisers very well but neither does the Lyr 3. And so far no reports of RME burning headphones and schitty DACs don't do DSD or MQA so if you care about that, find something else.
There are some wow moments and you can look for them. But many of them come after long quiet times of listening to music you know well and hearing things or new dimensions you never heard before. Check everything in the chain though. If you have too much software you can ruin the quality of the music with Windows or Roon upscaling or downscaling, etc.
You comment and some research made me change my mind about Schiit products. I got a great deal on a used V1 RME, which should be here by tuesday next week.
I've been thinking on how to reply to your message for a couple of days, mostly because I'm a bit self aware about what I could describe correctly using head-fi terms I like a bass that is not crazy, but it is there when is needed (I listen to a lot of R&B). I feel that it gets a bit saturared in the highs (cymbals, or certain jazz guitar riffs), which I didn't like. In that sense, I think my K401 makes a better job.
I like something a bit more laid back in sound (I felt that Focals was too clear, to the point of being sterile/flat in sound)
Doing something wrong, no. Not everyone is into the Focal sound. I, for one am not. I can hear and appreciate the clarity, but I don't like the sound of any of the Focal headphones. You need to have an idea of what kind of sound you like, bright, sparkly (I don't think so, as that's what Focal is good at, IMO) WARM and rich, perhaps. Deep low end, neutral? With those thoughts then you can look into different headphones with different signatures. Based off of what you wrote here, if say next look into warmer sounding high end headphones.
One thing I would mention from my own experience: Differences can be subtle at the start, but once you get used to gear, those differences can feel pretty steep when you go back to something else.
Right, and I did felt a lot of pressure, specially because I knew they wanted me to buy something. I think I'm just going to buy the bullet and go with a "final" set-up that I know I will enjoy for at least a couple of years.
VERY important for me. I don't want to have 20 headphones (and I can't) If I could chose, I would say one IEM for travel, one closed-back and one open back, and just one dac/solution. I think IEMs and closed backs is somewhat solved (meaning, I will most likely keep the DT770 and the SE425 for the time being)
I must admit my HD800s‘ can cause pain on top of my head sometimes... I just can’t figure out how this can be with such light high end headphones. It is like they designed them to be that way. Yes, my LCD2s are more comfortable than the HD 800s’.
I've decided to keep what I have and make one last upgrde (RME + Audeze) give this combo a go for a couple of months, and if I don't like it, sell it as a bundle for cheap (<30% less of my current paying price). I want to "experience" what it is to have these type of things. I want to have a drink/coffee at 11pm or 5am and have a nice listening session, uninterrupted by kids and life, and see what it feels like.
Good luck. In my experience, kids have a highly developed intuition for when a parent has just put headphones on. They can detect it right from the other end of the house, within milliseconds.
My problem with them is the cable. I've had two etys, took care of them like babies and the cables worn down anyway in <18 months. That's why I went with the SE425, so i can change the cable as needed.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
and schitty DACs don't do DSD or MQA so if you care about that, find something else.
I like a bass that is not crazy, but it is there when is needed (I listen to a lot of R&B). I feel that it gets a bit saturared in the highs (cymbals, or certain jazz guitar riffs), which I didn't like. In that sense, I think my K401 makes a better job. 
