[Caution]

mmm even with the chitter chatter, volume was way too high for me

 

[Mazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by poo /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...I find meets really frustrating in some ways - they get noisy, I'm comparing a slew of various new things with limited time... after a short time my ears get pretty confused. I tend to try to use meets to find a few new things that I might be interested in, or that appeal to me for some reason, then track them down to purchase/swap/borrow so I can check them out properly. I didn't end up listening to nearly as much as I would have liked to...

My experience has been the same, both at this meet and at CanJam. I'm wondering if we can organize a sequestered area at a meet that is quiet for dedicated listening...but it's hard to imagine enough of us (myself included) having the discipline to maintain it (at least not without some practice and active reminders). Perhaps we should hold a practice meet in a library with no open cans...?

I've been thinking the more the local head-fi community grows the more chance there is to hear things you couldn't hear otherwise - but if we can't manage suitable conditions at a meet, then maybe growing the borrowing/lending/purchasing/selling aspect within the community that is needed to really listen to other gear. Anyone been following Zanth's thread on setting up a headphone loan program in the US?

Quote:

Originally Posted by poo /img/forum/go_quote.gif [On Stax...]...not sure I could justify the diminishing returns myself... but a few years may change that of course, as I'm sure would a day or two of them in my listening area.

I've reached an age where I have begun to appreciate that my hearing will inevitably continue to deteriorate as life goes on, so I'd better get on with enjoying it. I am also well past the poor Uni student days and thankful that I have a job that provides for disposable income so I can afford to spend some money on gear (provided I can ... er, negotiate ... things with my wife). I think at that point the equation changes (provided the upgrade gives you a measurable bump in enjoyment). I know I haven't regretted spending several grand on my speaker setup (and several more on the media server + TV) about a year ago. The initial shock to the wallet faded a few seconds after first hearing my speaker rig in full bloom in my lounge room

and when I anticipate thousands of hours of further enjoyment from the speakers they almost look like a bargain. At the same time, I remember that as an undergrad I used to worry about whether to have this meal or spend the extra 30c on the nicer one - so you've got to live within what's possible. As the oldies say "Youth is wasted on the young", but the complementary observation is "Savings are wasted on the old"

But I'm still not sure I want to spend money on Stax gear (perhaps due to limited exposure, and a preference for avoiding gear that needs too much in the way of ongoing tweaking or special conditions/maintenance/handling). On all the Stax rigs at CanJam except the Omega II (with Stax amps) I miss the bottom end (as I did on K1000s, the R10s and the CD3000s). That's part of the music I really enjoy when done right and miss a bit when it's not there. My speaker setup sounds pretty decent at the bottom end to me - bass is present and musical but also well integrated with the rest of the spectrum so it doesn't overwhelm other parts of the music.

Quote:

Originally Posted by poo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mazz... Really enjoyed talking to you man - I think our way of thinking / hearing are very similar in many ways. Didn't get around to comparing your Boa to my Pico in the end... next time...

Likewise! More talk seems mandated and perhaps even some gear loans

I would like to compare a Boa to a Pico in a quieter location, if not over a few days. I'd also like to compare those to your Benchmark DAC, and I didn't get a chance to properly listen to your 650's, and I'll have modded D5000s to play with, and I would like to listen to JVC DX-1000s which may mean buying a pair to try out, and so on....

 

[ZephyrSapphire]

I found the two rooms could've been utilised better, one room for chitter chatter + talking about gear, one room for quiet listening. But oh well, it has passed.

Mazz, IMO, as I have my dad's speaker system back in my country, if you have a speaker system, you'll hardly use headphones. Unless due to certain circumstances like guests in the house, late night listening, neighbours complaining about your music, etc, I find a home headphone setup redundant. I'd only go for a home headphone setup if I'm on a budget (which I currently am ) and if you have cranky neighbours (which I have right now). But yeah, this is my opinion about home headphone rigs.

P/S: Thank you for bringing your Boa. I really enjoyed it a lot with my etys and I think they match up very well for a portable laptop rig for etys fans.
And if you don't mind, I quoted something you said in my siggy

 

[Mazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZephyrSapphire /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mazz, IMO, as I have my dad's speaker system back in my country, if you have a speaker system, you'll hardly use headphones. Unless due to certain circumstances like guests in the house, late night listening, neighbours complaining about your music, etc, I find a home headphone setup redundant.

True, but I'm a real night owl most of the time, and my wife is not. I also find I respond emotionally to music more at night, so for both reasons I'm motivated to find a good home headphone setup. I also use headphones at work, and (when I'm well) I have 3+ business trips every year to the US & UK so I'd like to be able to take a rig on the road too.

If I could find something that sounded a lot like my speakers I'd be pretty happy, but that's easier said than done (although the Smyth Surround Sound virtualization system I heard at CanJam made the basic Stax headphones sound a lot like their demo surround sound system, so maybe it will eventually happen via sophisticated processing...) I used to fantasise about building a soundproof room, but that's really expensive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZephyrSapphire /img/forum/go_quote.gif P/S: Thank you for bringing your Boa. I really enjoyed it a lot with my etys and I think they match up very well for a portable laptop rig for etys fans.

No worries - glad you enjoyed it. Was it your etys I tried out? If so, thanks for bringing them too and especially for donating the tips - that was a really useful comparison with my SuperFreqs.

 

[ZephyrSapphire]

The etys are Caution's. And the tips are his as well. Lol.

Well, I can't help you there with home rigs as I don't even own one myself. But this is one of the reasons for having a meet, to sample other people's gear!

 

[Mazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZephyrSapphire /img/forum/go_quote.gif And if you don't mind, I quoted something you said in my siggy

No worries

 

[Mazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZephyrSapphire /img/forum/go_quote.gif The etys are Caution's. And the tips are his as well.

Ah, many thanks to Caution then - very much appreciated!

 

[Mazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by poo /img/forum/go_quote.gif A few pics...

Nice fish-eye (or just very wide?) shots at the end there. What lense? I would have brought my EOS 30D and included my 10-22mm but I just don't have the muscle stamina at the moment if I have to walk any distance...

 

[Caution]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ah, many thanks to Caution then - very much appreciated!

no problem

I can't believe I forgot to look at you're super.freqs.

 

[MilkyWay]

Hey who's that cute girl listening to the D2000's? If I knew she was going to be there I would've come lol

 

[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilkyWay /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey who's that cute girl listening to the D2000's? If I knew she was going to be there I would've come lol

She had a chaperone that followed her determinedly throughout the meet, to make sure none of us tried anything

 

[Chase-]

Thanks to covenant I got my power cable back today

.

Highlight of the meet for me was the k701s, even just straight out of a pico. I think this can has really cemented the kind of sound signature I'm after.

 

[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chase- /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks to covenant I got my power cable back today . Highlight of the meet for me was the k701s, even just straight out of a pico. I think this can has really cemented the kind of sound signature I'm after.

If you get a chance remember to try the SA5000 as well, and/or some of the lower-end Stax models if you want to try electrostatic. Very fast, hot treble, microdetailed, and attack-oriented.

 

[zantetsuken]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Covenant /img/forum/go_quote.gif She had a chaperone that followed her determinedly throughout the meet, to make sure none of us tried anything

lolz dont mind me, shes up for grabs lolz.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Covenant /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you get a chance remember to try the SA5000 as well, and/or some of the lower-end Stax models if you want to try electrostatic. Very fast, hot treble, microdetailed, and attack-oriented.

how are the lower models in terms of shelf life, and sound quality in comparison to the 007z we had?, are they worth investing in if ur listening to all sorts of varied music genre?

 

[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zantetsuken /img/forum/go_quote.gif how are the lower models in terms of shelf life, and sound quality in comparison to the 007z we had?, are they worth investing in if ur listening to all sorts of varied music genre?

I'm no expert on Stax, but the other models i've heard all sounded similar to the SA5K. Apparently a very good Stax rig can be had quite cheaply once you get savvy with the different models available. I'd reccomend some research on the Stax thread if you're interested.