[Progisus]

Packing for first post COVID flight.
Just for fun here is what I am taking along.
P6P P6K, Ely and Bird in the box, 28mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4, 75mm 2.0, M240, sketchbook.

Where is it post covid?

 

[RTodd]

Where is it post covid?

I am fully vaccinated and NJ where I live lifted the quarantine when you return if you were vaccinated. Plus trying to be hopeful. Travel still limited to US only. Anyway you are right it is still a COVID world we live in.

 

[KuroKitsu]

Yeah, I get it... No pressure.

I am actually very happy using headphones now because I get discomfort from IEMs when I review too much and my classical music series has been quite labour intensive. So it is very nice to be able to give my ears some rest. I also feel that headphones can scale beyond IEMs and I love that. The D8000 were quite an experience.

ALL THE PRESSURE Erik!

Planning to just get the Utopia myself when things get back to normal for me (Helps that I can get it new for 50% off retail). Going to headphones from iems, I can't really say I prefer the former since isolation is my primary concern (perhaps a lot of brain burn in for the iem sound) so might as well go to the top and call it a day!

Same here on the comfort and scaling. IEMs definitely have their advantages in portability and isolating external noise, for example (and perhaps on pure detail retrieval due to... maybe said noise reduction and/or maybe the differences in driver sizes?) but, for me, the way the music is reproduced on headphones is just more natural than in IEMs, from what I've experienced and interpreted at least.

On another note one thing I've noticed is that spending ~$2k on cables doesn't seem to be the norm with full-size HPs as much as folks who use IEMs... wonder what gives? There's definitely the immediate suggestion and general need to upgrade cables but the prices seem to be mostly below the $1k mark.

It depends for what you're use to most likely. For years my primary source was iems for the portability and isolation, it's still the case but speakers have their role at home. I dabbled in headphones, but for the price it didn't impress me or meet my meets when I already had speakers or iems. So for me headphones are more this weird in between of speakers and iems.

For whatever reason, headphones just don't respond to cables like iems do. I planned to get a Silvergarde for my Ether C, but I ended up just getting a sheathed SPC cable to replace the unwieldy stock after not hearing a difference with a Norne Draug

In my experience full size headphones aren't quite as responsive to cable changes in the same way IEMs are. Also, full size headphone cables seem to be more affordable for some reason - even the higher end ones. Maybe the IEM cable makers just know we're a different level of crazy.

Definitely a different level of crazy. Pentaconn jack? Take my 100 bucks! Rhodium Plated Furutech jack? Take my 60 bucks! Some niche/proprietary iem connector? take my 50 bucks and so on.... Crazy doesn't begin to describe it.

I am fully vaccinated and NJ where I live lifted the quarantine when you return if you were vaccinated. Plus trying to be hopeful. Travel still limited to US only. Anyway you are right it is still a COVID world we live in.

Can't hear reality over the music, lalalalalala. that's that most important

 

[twister6]

In my experience full size headphones aren't quite as responsive to cable changes in the same way IEMs are. Also, full size headphone cables seem to be more affordable for some reason - even the higher end ones. Maybe the IEM cable makers just know we're a different level of crazy.

Just my personal observation but it seems like many people with full size cans are looking either for a pure copper or pure silver cables since I don't see too many fancy precious metal plated wires. And, for full size headphones you want higher quality build thicker wires to lower the cable impedance, especially since those wires are usually longer and you don't care about the weight since many are using desktop setup and don't move around too much.

 

[MatW]

Just my personal observation but it seems like many people with full size cans are looking either for a pure copper or pure silver cables since I don't see too many fancy precious metal plated wires. And, for full size headphones you want higher quality build thicker wires to lower the cable impedance, especially since those wires are usually longer and you don't care about the weight since many are using desktop setup and don't move around too much.

True, mostly copper and silver. I happen to use copper silver hybrids mostly. Gold, palladium plated etc seem to belong more to the world of iems. Although I have seen some folks using graphene based cables with over ears as well.

 

[fuhransahis]

In my experience full size headphones aren't quite as responsive to cable changes in the same way IEMs are. Also, full size headphone cables seem to be more affordable for some reason - even the higher end ones. Maybe the IEM cable makers just know we're a different level of crazy.

Yep, I'm sure it as usual also depends on the headphones and chain in question but maybe IEMs being far more sensitive to drive has to do with it as well?

I'm also sure there's just a luxury and vanity element to it - HP cables can be beastly (as in awesome and heftier, I have a 16-wire Norne Drausk coming in) but are only seen by those at home - with IEM cables you're out and about and I'm sure it becomes a status symbol to have a $5k cable with jewelry-like finishes to it, especially in hotspots like Singapore.

Edit - not meant in any negative way btw! I'm a designer and like nice things too

 

[Wildcatsare1]

He seems to be circling an area, think he's trying to tell you he found some treasure to help fund your full-size HP and photography curiosities!

Do you have deer in the park, he looks like he reacting to the testosterone from a buck marking the area.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

I know, I know, it's a typo, but I couldn't help myself

Bernie vs Barnie

My monies on Barnie, Bernie’s seen better days.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Latest toy! UM MEST MK2. Never tried any UM IEM so I pulled the trigger on these as I have been intrigued by them for a while. These might be my new favorite sub $2k IEM. I really can’t think of anything negative to say about them. Nothing about the signature wow’s me either (a certain iem has spoiled me) but for $1500 these are pretty incredible and would be end game for a lot of people. I’m also not quite sure what the bone conductor drivers are meant to be doing as it just sounds like a normal iem to me, but it sounds fantastic so whatever.

These have great extension across the whole frequency and are to me a smooth warm sound, quite easy to listen to.

Use tips that allow deep insertion, you’ll know when the bone conductors doing it's thing, it tickles!!!

 

[aaf evo]

Use tips that allow deep insertion, you’ll know when the bone conductors doing it's thing, it tickles!!!

I have a borderline CIEM type insertion with them and it’s comfortable too, I’m not sure how much deeper I can get. Lol.

 

[fuhransahis]

Use tips that allow deep insertion, you’ll know when the bone conductors doing it's thing, it tickles!!!

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Hahaha, I see what you did!

 

[Wyville]

I haven't posted a lot of reviews here lately, but did want to share this one here as well because although not TOTL, I really think they are amazingly good fun:

FiR Audio VxV - Renaissance Bunny

​

More TOTL gear is coming too of course, as well as continuing my Masters of Classical Music series with some great gear (LPGT, A8000, Wraith).

 

[Wildcatsare1]

I haven't posted a lot of reviews here lately, but did want to share this one here as well because although not TOTL, I really think they are amazingly good fun:

FiR Audio VxV - Renaissance Bunny

​

More TOTL gear is coming too of course, as well as continuing my Masters of Classical Music series with some great gear (LPGT, A8000, Wraith).

Excellent review, I have a review pair in, and I'm finding the cable to be a limiting factor. The only MMCX cable I have is the modest Dunu Hulk, and it has superior timbre and tone, width and depth, plus improved dynamics. I'd love to hear/read about how they scale with even more ambitious cables.

 

[Wyville]

Excellent review, I have a review pair in, and I'm finding the cable to be a limiting factor. The only MMCX cable I have is the modest Dunu Hulk, and it has superior timbre and tone, width and depth, plus improved dynamics. I'd love to hear/read about how they scale with even more ambitious cables.

The DITA Oslo cable was a very nice pairing, although I only used that briefly for a training and so I was not taking notes. Haven't tried EA Code 51, which is the only other cable I have that can be used with MMCX thanks to EA's ConX.

Although I agree the VxV can scale with a higher end cable, I actually like them stock. I forget about analysing and just end up enjoying my music, much like I have with the CA FIBAE Black. The VxV seem to resonate with me and I forget about being an audiophile (as I indicated in the review). To me that is the gear I love using most. Although based on the VxV and M4, I can't help but be curious about the M5.