For those of us with multiple headphones, which ones are you listening with now?

[Luckyleo]

Trying a Qobuz recommendation. Had not heard of this group before. Liking......

Roon/Qobuz > Bifrost2/64 > Jot2 > Balanced Cable (Mood Audio Black Dragon) HD6xx (Custom Cans Mod, no foam)

 

[Strat1117]

** and if your wallet needs enlightenment, there is this :

On sale! Yes, I remember those too. Didn’t know they were still around.

Now with more Air!!

 

[jsk ksj]

Listening to Victor Wooten with VC and MEST, both work wonders with their 3D soundstage

Wow, the bass !
Gave Lcd-x a thorough work out. Excellent album

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Very interesting indeed. I never had Elex, but I had Elear and I tried really hard to love them for a very long time (they were SO beautiful - sorry Jada) but I had the opposite problem. Maybe there was something wrong with my pair (and I know Elex and Elear are not equivalent), but I couldn’t even get them to put out as much bass as my HD650, which although on the warm side of neutral, is hardly a headbangers’ headphone. Ultimately, I got rid of the Elear because beauty is only skin deep, and I found them unengaging. The only headphone that’s ever given me ‘bass fatigue’ is the Grado RS-1e with Dekoni solid sheepskin pads. Literally unrelenting and overpowering BASS, but, Dekoni’s own published materials show that the bass is up something like 20dB with the solid sheepskin pads so, in this case, the graph certainly correlated to what I heard and felt - actual physical discomfort. In fairness to Dekoni, neither the fenestrated sheepskin nor the all velour Grado pads exhibited this anomaly in the slightest, and indeed, the all velour ended up being my Goldilocks solution for the RS-1e - just exactly perfect.

* * *

Let me clarify, it's not that there's too much bass. Yes, there's quite a bit, but I own and have owned headphones that have more bass and more "slam" or impactful bass. It's just that something about the low end becomes fatiguing and I'm not even sure why. I've never experienced it before, but my ears just get tired of listening to basslines, kick drum beats, and similar elements in music.

It's a similar fatigue as what I've felt when a certain area in the treble is overemphasized. In much the same way as I'm not treble sensitive in general, but sometimes find myself being sensitive to particular areas being emphasized in relation to others.

I'm going to listen again today because I want to make sure that I wasn't just fatigued in general and that what I was feeling was indeed caused by the Elex. They have too many good qualities to give up on easily.

This morning I've got the Elex plugged into my Cayin N8ii which will be providing all the hi-res entertainment my mobile listening party can handle.

I'll be picking up where I left off after my session last night. I finished the studio catalog from The Aristocrats so this morning the live albums are on deck. It looks like I arranged them in chronological order so I'll be starting with 2012's Boing! We'll Do It Live! This is a two disc performance that'll get you ripping through solos on your air instrument of choice, no doubt. What better way to kick off the day's listening?

 

[Davidzak64]

Very interesting indeed. I never had Elex, but I had Elear and I tried really hard to love them for a very long time (they were SO beautiful - sorry Jada) but I had the opposite problem. Maybe there was something wrong with my pair (and I know Elex and Elear are not equivalent), but I couldn’t even get them to put out as much bass as my HD650, which although on the warm side of neutral, is hardly a headbangers’ headphone. Ultimately, I got rid of the Elear because beauty is only skin deep, and I found them unengaging. The only headphone that’s ever given me ‘bass fatigue’ is the Grado RS-1e with Dekoni solieard sheepskin pads. Literally unrelenting and overpowering BASS, but, Dekoni’s own published materials show that the bass is up something like 20dB with the solid sheepskin pads so, in this case, the graph certainly correlated to what I heard and felt - actual physical discomfort. In fairness to Dekoni, neither the fenestrated sheepskin nor the all velour Grado pads exhibited this anomaly in the slightest, and indeed, the all velour ended up being my Goldilocks solution for the RS-1e - just exactly perfect.

* * *

FYI, Reading through the Elex impressions post I came across some information that stated the Elex and Elear have the same drivers but the pads are the only difference. People have put the Elex pads on the Elear and came to the conclusion they were basically the same headphones.

 

[Strat1117]

FYI, Reading through the Elex impressions post I came across some information that stated the Elex and Elear have the same drivers but the pads are the only difference. People have put the Elex pads on the Elear and came to the conclusion they were basically the same headphones.

I tried a lot of things, including pad rolling. Couldn’t make them work for me.

So it goes…

 

[jsk ksj]

Let me clarify, it's not that there's too much bass. Yes, there's quite a bit, but I own and have owned headphones that have more bass and more "slam" or impactful bass. It's just that something about the low end becomes fatiguing and I'm not even sure why. I've never experienced it before, but my ears just get tired of listening to basslines, kick drum beats, and similar elements in music.

It's a similar fatigue as what I've felt when a certain area in the treble is overemphasized. In much the same way as I'm not treble sensitive in general, but sometimes find myself being sensitive to particular areas being emphasized in relation to others.

I'm going to listen again today because I want to make sure that I wasn't just fatigued in general and that what I was feeling was indeed caused by the Elex. They have too many good qualities to give up on easily.

This morning I've got the Elex plugged into my Cayin N8ii which will be providing all the hi-res entertainment my mobile listening party can handle.

I'll be picking up where I left off after my session last night. I finished the studio catalog from The Aristocrats so this morning the live albums are on deck. It looks like I arranged them in chronological order so I'll be starting with 2012's Boing! We'll Do It Live! This is a two disc performance that'll get you ripping through solos on your air instrument of choice, no doubt. What better way to kick off the day's listening?

Their shampoo bill must be very high

 

[gimmeheadroom]

FYI, Reading through the Elex impressions post I came across some information that stated the Elex and Elear have the same drivers but the pads are the only difference. People have put the Elex pads on the Elear and came to the conclusion they were basically the same headphones.

There's discussion in the Audeze threads that the rolling pad change (pun intended) they made recently has made a significant change in the sound. I haven't done any pad-rolling comparisons on any of my headphones and I kinda didn't believe it would have much effect. But I am starting to change my mind on that.

 

[Strat1117]

There's discussion in the Audeze threads that the rolling pad change (pun intended) they made recently has made a significant change in the sound. I haven't done any pad-rolling comparisons on any of my headphones and I kinda didn't believe it would have much effect. But I am starting to change my mind on that.

You’re a ZMF guy - they seem to put a LOT of significance on pads, offering a boatload of options and somewhat specific descriptions of what you can expect from each. Audeze has apparently reached the same conclusion (that pads matter) but come at it from a different perspective, taking the position that ‘these are the pads we want you to use because these are the pads we think sound the best’. Personally. I never thought much about it either until I started looking for a way to get a bit more bottom end energy on my HD600’s and ran across the Dekonis as a possible solution.

And damn if it didn’t work….

 

[gimmeheadroom]

You’re a ZMF guy - they seem to put a LOT of significance on pads, offering a boatload of options and somewhat specific descriptions of what you can expect from each. Audeze has apparently reached the same conclusion (that pads matter) but come at it from a different perspective, taking the position that ‘these are the pads we want you to use because these are the pads we think they sound the best’. Personally. I never thought much about it either until I started looking for a way to get a bit more bottom end energy on my HD600’s and ran across the Dekonis as a possible solution.

And damn if it didn’t work….

I'm not- although I have been "pining" for a pair of Eikons in Camphor like our pal @jonathan c has, I have not taken the plunge. But you're right, ZMF is really into pads and how they interact with their lineup.

 

[Strat1117]

I'm not- although I have been "pining" for a pair of Eikons in Camphor like our pal @jonathan c has, I have not taken the plunge. But you're right, ZMF is really into pads and how they interact with their lineup.

Sorry - you’re right (obviously) - I was thinking of @Jonathan c’s collection of ZMF. My apologies. I’ve been ‘talking’ with you both so much today that I forgot who I was responding to.

 

[jonathan c]

Forthwith:

[Flying Dutchman: April, 1975.]

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Currently parked in my 4Runner out on this kinda scenic overlook area that is atop one of the huge bluffs out by where I go four wheelin' that I discovered years ago. You can look out and see a huge glittering expanse of city lights in one direction and look out over the dark plain of the ocean in the other. I like to come up here every now and then, sit on my tailgate or even recline against my windshield, listen to some tunes, and take a timeout from everything.

For this evening's timeout, I have my 64 Audio A18s plugged into my Cayin N8ii and I'm listening to some hi-res gifts from the audio gods. This pairing of the A18s and the N8ii in tube mode is really something to behold. It has a kind of vibrant synergy that I really love and find to be equal parts invigorating/refreshing and relaxing.

I'm currently continuing my journey through The Aristocrats' live discography, this time with 2015's Culture Clash Live! Thus far the live albums from this band have done a great job capturing the playfully laid back atmosphere that I remember from seeing them live in person. I think committing the atmosphere and feeling of a live performance to a recorded format is pretty difficult to do and a live album that doesn't manage it just comes off as a lower fidelity way to listen to a band's recordings. Thankfully, Culture Clash Live! doesn't disappoint and I'm loving every second of it.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Currently parked in my 4Runner out on this kinda scenic overlook area that is atop one of the huge bluffs out by where I go four wheelin' that I discovered years ago. You can look out and see a huge glittering expanse of city lights in one direction and look out over the dark plain of the ocean in the other. I like to come up here every now and then, sit on my tailgate or even recline against my windshield, listen to some tunes, and take a timeout from everything.

For this evening's timeout, I have my 64 Audio A18s plugged into my Cayin N8ii and I'm listening to some hi-res gifts from the audio gods. This pairing of the A18s and the N8ii in tube mode is really something to behold. It has a kind of vibrant synergy that I really love and find to be equal parts invigorating/refreshing and relaxing.

I'm currently continuing my journey through The Aristocrats' live discography, this time with 2015's Culture Clash Live! Thus far the live albums from this band have done a great job capturing the playfully laid back atmosphere that I remember from seeing them live in person. I think committing the atmosphere and feeling of a live performance to a recorded format is pretty difficult to do and a live album that doesn't manage it just comes off as a lower fidelity way to listen to a band's recordings. Thankfully, Culture Clash Live! doesn't disappoint and I'm loving every second of it.

I'm now back at home and I've got the DCA Stealths plugged into the Ferrum Oor/Hypsos stack with the Holo Audio May KTE performing DAC duties and being fed bit-perfect, hi-res audio goodness from Qobuz/my laptop.

Now I'm going to finish up my journey through The Aristocrats discography with their release from June this year, The Aristocrats with Primuz Chamber Orchestra. This album is a wonderful melding of The Aristocrats' work with orchestral arrangements added in. It's done very tastefully and pulled off by some very talented musicians. I would highly recommend you all give this one a whirl. I think pretty much any music lover will find plenty to enjoy on this album so do yourselves a favor and get to listening!

 

[Zaplanc]

New release...
Tidal >> Shanling EM5 >> Grado SR325x