[macbrush]

After hanging about here for a couple of months, I finally decided to upgrade my CD2K to CD3K. I have these CD2K for a couple of years now, I like the taste of it and its very comfortable, just that its been always too bright for me, and when the bass goes very deep, things get very messy or "muddy" and sometimes even distort.

Now these CD3K are just out of the box. Initial listening is warmer sound, but still the same taste, and all the details of treble reminds no matter how deep the other end it goes. And what surprise me is that they are even more comfortable than my CD2K!

Still a little bright compare to my friend's H600, but if you like the taste, you'll fall in love with CD3K. I really lok forward to how they sound after properly breaking in.

Maybe I am a little too late to talk about them... but I am just too excited.

 

[Natsuiro]

Which source are you using for the cd3ks? And are you using an amp? I've heard that the cd3ks were picky about source and amp, but I've never heard them myself. I am very curious as to how the cd3ks sound and would like to hear them some day

 

[Zoide]

Congratulations macbrush! I'm very happy for you

The CD3Ks are awesome

 

[NightStalker]

I feel in love with the sound of these when i first heard them aswell... and that was straight out the ipod, now I cant find any flaws in it with the setup in me rig. Just get carried away by the music and can never listen for the different aspects just start groving and singing

My job here is done

cheers
-jake

 

[macbrush]

Thanks every one. I am just over excited with these cans now. Those saxophones have never been sound so good before!

Currently, I just run things from my computer's optical output to a Monarchy Audio 22A DAC, then via a Roksan HDC-02A interconnect to a WooAudio3 amp. To my ears, they sound just as good as I feed the DAC from my CDP which I sold a few months back. Maybe later I will run the optical from an Airport Express via Airtunes instead of the soundcard's optical output so that no more limits by the length of the fibre. What do you guys think about the setup? Are they on par with CD3K? Am I wasting a pair of great cans?

BTW, maybe this is a bit OT, but I have a pair of Valvo red label e88cc on the woo3 now, I like how they sound on the woo3 with CD2K, and have to listen a bit to decide whether I like them on CD3K. However, I have been using those red labels on a X-CANS for quite a while so they are due for replacement very soon anyway. Do you guys have any suggestions on tubes?

 

[gsferrari]

I was very impressed with the sound out of a Woo Audio 1. I can imagine the WA3 to be a lot better because it has the 6922 tubes in parallel...more driving power

Also the CD3000 is VERy picky and sensitive to amplifier hum - the Woo Audio 1 was DEAD SILENT with the CD3000...very pleased to know that...I was seriously impressed with the combo.

Cheers!

 

[TWIFOSP]

Yea, the 3k's seem to change a lot with amps. They can warm up a lot with a JMT or gilmorev2.

Haven't heard the gilmore v2 but I remember reading some threads where some 3k owners raved about it.

I hope I don't start a flame war with any sennheads here, but to me, when compared to the 600/650, the brightness is just lack of veil.

:

To ME, they sound more "live" and the brightness is a part of that.

But yea, shop around with amps... the 3ks sound pretty damn "good" with any source and any amp, but they do have a lot of "swing" and vary a lot with different amps and sources. Just find the right combo that sounds best to you with the music you listen to.

 

[TWIFOSP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari Also the CD3000 is VERy picky and sensitive to amplifier hum - the Woo Audio 1 was DEAD SILENT with the CD3000...very pleased to know that...I was seriously impressed with the combo. Cheers!

They sure are! I found that a power conditioner helped a lot... but man, they pick up on amp hum like nothing else. Probably my only gripe with them.

Woo Audio 1... must check this out.

 

[mjg]

hey man.

Where have you read of cd3k owners raving about the gilmore v2?


I never have seen that here, and the combo i had myself, was god awful, and made me turn away from the v2 amp, (and eventually the cd3ks all together)

Excessivly shrill, lean bass, and a buzz sound easily picked up on low impedance cans...

I mean to each his own, but that opinion must of been like a one post wonder, ic an't imaigne.


The cd3k are the most amp dependant cans you can get. Don't believe you can just throw them onto anything. This isn't lack of a veil, it's the fact they are extremly foward, lack bass control. They have a great detail and one of the most vast sound stages you can get for a can of their price. They are no where near the r10 not by the distance of 20 football fields in warmth and smoothness. They are NOT r10s.

You can have your opinion that's cool, but i just don't know how you can say they don't depend on the amp. Source as well, a detailed one would be pretty important, and not excessivly foward (case in point, the benchmark dac1, the most wrong source ever to have for cd3ks directly connected to its amp section). It would take a neutral or very warm amp to tame these cd3ks. This was the emmeline hr2 for me. Tubes can do the trick also. Many noted they sounded great on an ear max pro (joe long wood i believe particuarlly).

I spent near 8 months with these headphones, these are my opinions. I'm not shooting you down, but strongly disagree.
Also, the hd600s have the veil, the 650's don't. Not one complaint here about the "veil" of the 650s.

 

[lindrone]

I think the rave for the Gilmore V2 + CD3K combination was one of those short-lived hype. Probably someone thought it was a great combination, and spurred a few to join them, and months later realized it's not such a great combination and any discussion of it just fell of the edge of the world.

I've personally used Gilmore V2 + CD3K before... Yeah, stay away... it becomes a harsh and shrill combination at best. Very clean, but sterile and somewhat painful sound. You can get clean and detailed sound with CD3K without Gilmore V2.

Gilmore V2-SE is a different story though.

 

[gsferrari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjg Also, the hd600s have the veil, the 650's don't. Not one complaint here about the "veil" of the 650s.

I didnt think the HD-600's had a veil...I dont know what the veil discussions are all about

CD-3000 goes well with any well designed solid state / tube amp.

Singlepower amps in particular because Mikhail tunes them with the CD3000 (those are his official tester headphones).

Headroom MAX also performed well here.

 

[gsferrari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindrone Gilmore V2-SE is a different story though.

I think the only difference between V2 and V2-SE is that the SE uses better power supply caps...and I think it also has a stepped attenuator.

I am getting a hybrid V2 - V2SE built and its got Stepped Attenuator / Better caps all around and improved passive components...it should theoretically be better than the V2SE...I'll have em both for comparison.

 

[lindrone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsferrari I think the only difference between V2 and V2-SE is that the SE uses better power supply caps...and I think it also has a stepped attenuator. I am getting a hybrid V2 - V2SE built and its got Stepped Attenuator / Better caps all around and improved passive components...it should theoretically be better than the V2SE...I'll have em both for comparison.

I don't know exactly what the differences are between them. However I have tested them side-by-side with the CD3K before. V2-SE has more warmth and a lot more refinement to its sound. V2 can have harsh trebles and overall impactful, but somewhat "hollow" feel to them. V2-SE fares much better... it's very competitive with the HR-2, in fact.

I would match V2-SE with CD3K, but definitely not the V2.

I don't think it's as much that CD3K doesn't match well with a lot of amps, but it doesn't match well with amps of a certain price range/quality/sound signature. It will probably match well with most tube amps, as tube will give you more a warmer, more organic sound. It does match well with HR-2, Gilmore V2-SE, and some of the other solid state amps I've tested as well.

However, some very "clean" sounding amps, such as the PPA, sounds too sharp with the CD3K.

 

[MikoLayer]

glad you like your cd-3000. i couldnt stand the painful brightness and was about to unleash them before i found a sweet spot with the foobar eq. now it is a good alternative to my hd-580 which is just what i planned them to be. once i upgrade to hd-650 and like them enough i might let them go however

 

[marios_mar]

I didnt think the HD-600's had a veil...I dont know what the veil discussions are all about

QUOTE]

Could it be the veil referring to lack of detail and airyness and clarity?