HE6sev2 I sold because it overlapped a lot with HE500 so felt redundant. From what Ive read, GH2 is the other bassy Grado like PS500e. What is your third favorite? Im just getting into Stax ethereal flavor to add to collection.
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ETA O2 headphone
- Thread starter smodtactical
- Start date
Shane D
Headphoneus Supremus
My top three include the Focal Clear. They just work with everything. All genres and all amps. Great bass, great mids and as much treble as you need.
PS: Took the foam out of my HD660S2's and these may be joining my top tier.
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Shane D
Headphoneus Supremus
Do you find the headband uncomfortable or just flimsy?First impression: like Grado (F-pads) but with top notch bass. Nice.
Looks neater in person but let down by cheap feeling headband. Ill try installing Grado headband.
The pads are quite thinner than expected. Like Grado flat pads but ovalized.
Will do some full headphone comparisons later.
Its sturdy and foldable, just not pretty. Comfort can be fixed with careful bending (internal is steel) but I avoided because not mine.
Shane D
Headphoneus Supremus
The looks and the folding feature wouldn't mean much to me as they would just be used at home.
A problem I have with my CFA Cascades is that I can't get a good tight fit due to their folding feature. You can bend the headband, but it won't stay tight. As long as it is not uncomfortable or too loose, the stock should be fine.
How hard was it to install the Grado headband? I am not a Mr. Fix-it.
Added addendum to O2 impressions so as to clarify a few things.:
HE500 “transients” relative to O2 was meant to be only in respect to bass definition so had to clarify. Also reiterated that 500’s faster bass perception could be wholly an effect of frequency response and personal preference, other bias, etc.
And to highlight upstream being possibly responsible for impressions of frequency response. From iPhone dongle I thought O2 bass was just a hair too much and possibly intruded or diminished rest of freq response balance and causes perception of slightly slower bass. Nitpicky stuff.
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I would buy O2 if I didnt have PS500e and HE500, then I expect O2 would be my favorite headphone.
HE500 “transients” relative to O2 was meant to be only in respect to bass definition so had to clarify. Also reiterated that 500’s faster bass perception could be wholly an effect of frequency response and personal preference, other bias, etc.
And to highlight upstream being possibly responsible for impressions of frequency response. From iPhone dongle I thought O2 bass was just a hair too much and possibly intruded or diminished rest of freq response balance and causes perception of slightly slower bass. Nitpicky stuff.
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I would buy O2 if I didnt have PS500e and HE500, then I expect O2 would be my favorite headphone.
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From memory of some headphones I currently own*.:
Macrodynamics.
ETA O2, Monoprice AMT > HFM HE500, Grado PS500e, Grado SR325e, Fostex T20RP(mod), 6X0 > Stax SR507, Grado RS2x
Microdynamics.
SR507, MonoAMT, RS2x > HE500, PS500e, O2, 6X0, T20RPmod > SR325e
Tonality (stock).
O2, HE500 > T20RP, PS500e, SR507, MonoAMT > RS2x, SR325e
Many more factors to perceived sound quality. And non-sound characteristics that effect personal value such as convenience.
Personal value irrespective of price.
T20RPmod > SR325e, PS500e, HE500 > SR507, MonoAMT, O2 > RS2x, 6X0
*Aside from tonality stock evaluation, Grado and HFM were padrolled.
Macrodynamics.
ETA O2, Monoprice AMT > HFM HE500, Grado PS500e, Grado SR325e, Fostex T20RP(mod), 6X0 > Stax SR507, Grado RS2x
Microdynamics.
SR507, MonoAMT, RS2x > HE500, PS500e, O2, 6X0, T20RPmod > SR325e
Tonality (stock).
O2, HE500 > T20RP, PS500e, SR507, MonoAMT > RS2x, SR325e
Many more factors to perceived sound quality. And non-sound characteristics that effect personal value such as convenience.
Personal value irrespective of price.
T20RPmod > SR325e, PS500e, HE500 > SR507, MonoAMT, O2 > RS2x, 6X0
*Aside from tonality stock evaluation, Grado and HFM were padrolled.
I forgot to include the mighty Koss Porta Pro in the list.:
Macro: bottom-tier
Micro: bottom-tier
Tonality (stock): top-tier
Porta Pro pads wear out quickly so new pads will sound more balanced than worn pads. Worn pads will sound too dark and warm. Even if used pads look to be in good shape, if you compare next to new pads they are probably not the exact same in dimensions. Fresh pads will still have defined edges and be thicker. Keep your PP pads fresh!
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When switching to Grado headband I accidentally mutilated the O2 stock headband o-rings so its effecting ease of rotation of cups with stock headband. Ill have to message ETA for help with parts replacement.
Update: Thank you Tom at ETA! o-rings
Rubber O-Rings 6.6mm OD 3mm ID 1.8mm Width
Macro: bottom-tier
Micro: bottom-tier
Tonality (stock): top-tier
Porta Pro pads wear out quickly so new pads will sound more balanced than worn pads. Worn pads will sound too dark and warm. Even if used pads look to be in good shape, if you compare next to new pads they are probably not the exact same in dimensions. Fresh pads will still have defined edges and be thicker. Keep your PP pads fresh!
=====
When switching to Grado headband I accidentally mutilated the O2 stock headband o-rings so its effecting ease of rotation of cups with stock headband. Ill have to message ETA for help with parts replacement.
Update: Thank you Tom at ETA! o-rings
Rubber O-Rings 6.6mm OD 3mm ID 1.8mm Width
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smodtactical
Headphoneus Supremus
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Just compared 800S to o2...800S sounded so tinny, distant and just lacking richness ..put o2 on and wow... music comes alive with engagement factor, full bass I can feel... puts me in the room with the musicians. This is just off my agd he9 and north star dac so no insane chain or anything and i get that 800S will shine more on a very good tube amp but i like the idea of a headphone that sounds amazing even on a basic ss amp and i think it sounds even better on bhc so the argument it doesnt change or scale at all i dont think is true for o2.
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Because Tom @ ETA is too kind and is worried about updates being perceived as spam, I will mention ETA’s newest headphone called Ada.
https://etaheadphones.com/products/ada
https://etaheadphones.com/blogs/eta-tuning-and-design/follow-the-sound
A new driver but with different aims so not taking over O2’s space.:
Ordered! Apparently first batch ships mid-February.
https://etaheadphones.com/products/ada
https://etaheadphones.com/blogs/eta-tuning-and-design/follow-the-sound
A new driver but with different aims so not taking over O2’s space.:
These features imbue Ada with the greatest sense of midrange immediacy and smoothest-integrated treble among our offerings to date.
…
20hz bass extension be damned!
…
20hz bass extension be damned!
Ordered! Apparently first batch ships mid-February.
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