[Brain Hack 70]

I've been following this thread now for  while and was wondering, would the TH 900 be better for electronic music such as drum and bass, Dub Step, and Boards of Canada type electronica than the HE 500s and LCD2? 
 
from reading many of the opinions on here, this seems to be the case..

 

[Clemmaster]

Quote:

Sorry I missed that Clem,
 
Well the TH-900 is really a more fun headphone to listen to (than both).  However, for some reason it sounds more open than the LCD-2.2.  Not the HE-500s IMO.  The Hifiman headphones have some of the best treble / space out there IMO but may be a bit much for some.  The treble on the TH-900s are pretty good considering it's a closed headphone.  I don't get that stuck in a closed up closet sound I get from the LCD-2.2s.  
 
I'm still working on my custom pair of T50RPs before I send them to Dan to put the MD touch on them.  Just a paint job, powder coating the rods, and dual entry balanced cable.
 
I have no idea how the TH-600 sound.

 
That's very interesting! Thanks
 
I don't expect a closed HP to sound more open than the 500s (or the 5LEs, for that matters). Actually I'm more sensitive to depth and layering than actual "size" of the sound-stage.
MLE said the LCD-2 sound more open than the MDs, if you say the TH-900 sound more open than the LCD-2 then I probably would be fine with that!
 
Now I'm trying to decide what I want to try:
- Beyer T1 (800€ new in France)
- HD-800 (if I can get them used for 800€)
- HE-500 again (love, love, love! but, heavy, heavy, heavy!)
- TH-600
 
I don't particularly need a closed can per se, but the TH-600 seems to be more fun than the others so if they don't sound closed-in, they are worth the try.
I read the T1 and HE-500 were quite similar? How true is that?
 
Edit: I listen mainly to older rock/blues and derivatives (6-7-80s)

 

[hekeli]

Switching from LCD-3's, I thought I could live with the closed nature of TH900 and prefer the fun bass etc - and I did for the 5 months. Then actually hearing HD800's I was sold on all aspects. No way I'm going back to any closed phones no matter how good depth/soundstage anyone claims there to be (and TH900 are supposed to be the bomb?).
 
Sorry but you will have to audition all by yourself. I don't think I've ever read any consistent comments from anyone here regarding all the cans I've tried.

 

[Utopia]

Quote:

I read the T1 and HE-500 were quite similar? How true is that?
 

 
I recently switched from HE-500 to T1 - and I can't make up my mind about that decision! I found that the sound was quite different, with the HE-500 sounding very lovely but at times a little bit (very little bit) slow and dark, so in the end I went for the T1 because of its speed and openess. I can still remember plenty of music that definitely sounded better on the HE-500, though (an old favorite is John Mellencamp's The Lonesome Jubilee - rock music with plenty of acoustic instruments that sounded fantastic on the HE-500). Now I'm thinking I should either sell the T1 and get the HE6, or keep the T1 and get the HE-500 again. Either way, to me the HE-500 and T1 are quite different (almost as different as the HD650 / K701).

 

[williamqh]

Quote:

Switching from LCD-3's, I thought I could live with the closed nature of TH900 and prefer the fun bass etc - and I did for the 5 months. Then actually hearing HD800's I was sold on all aspects. No way I'm going back to any closed phones no matter how good depth/soundstage anyone claims there to be (and TH900 are supposed to be the bomb?).
 
Sorry but you will have to audition all by yourself. I don't think I've ever read any consistent comments from anyone here regarding all the cans I've tried.

I've only posted 1 comments here, how's that inconsistent? Different people can have different feeling at different time about the same thing/people. It's just a matter of taste. For me, no way I'm going back to HD800. 

 

[Clemmaster]

Quote:

 
I recently switched from HE-500 to T1 - and I can't make up my mind about that decision! I found that the sound was quite different, with the HE-500 sounding very lovely but at times a little bit (very little bit) slow and dark, so in the end I went for the T1 because of its speed and openess. I can still remember plenty of music that definitely sounded better on the HE-500, though (an old favorite is John Mellencamp's The Lonesome Jubilee - rock music with plenty of acoustic instruments that sounded fantastic on the HE-500). Now I'm thinking I should either sell the T1 and get the HE6, or keep the T1 and get the HE-500 again. Either way, to me the HE-500 and T1 are quite different (almost as different as the HD650 / K701).

 
Ok, a different experience, that's interesting! But when you say the music sounded better on the 500s, what aspects does that involve?
 
On a side note, you should consider the HE-5LE as an alternative to the 500s for a more balanced and energetic sound. It doesn't have the lovely treble of the 500s (a bit raw treble, IMO) but it has more presence there. The bass is more linear (less presence) and tighter too.

 

[hekeli]

Quote:

I've only posted 1 comments here, how's that inconsistent? Different people can have different feeling at different time about the same thing/people. It's just a matter of taste. For me, no way I'm going back to HD800. 

Of course. In under two years I've been going though a lot of phones and learned many things, including my own tastes. No more excess bass for me, I just want a nice neutral open sound that fits everything. Finally I bothered to try HD800 after all the treble and bass comments and they are just wonderful. This forum is a nice way to spend time, but generally even reading comments from dozens of people, it's pointless to draw conclusions. You just have to fork out the cash or go to some meets etc.
 
edit: Heck maybe I should still even try T1's despite all the bashing.. 

 

[Gandah]

Quote:

I've been following this thread now for  while and was wondering, would the TH 900 be better for electronic music such as drum and bass, Dub Step, and Boards of Canada type electronica than the HE 500s and LCD2? 
 
from reading many of the opinions on here, this seems to be the case..

I have Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase, album, it sounds amazing through the TH900s so does Infected Mushroom, deadmau5, and Paul Oakenfold,  It's not my main genre, but I do like EDM every now an than

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
That's very interesting! Thanks
 
I don't expect a closed HP to sound more open than the 500s (or the 5LEs, for that matters). Actually I'm more sensitive to depth and layering than actual "size" of the sound-stage.
MLE said the LCD-2 sound more open than the MDs, if you say the TH-900 sound more open than the LCD-2 then I probably would be fine with that!
 
Now I'm trying to decide what I want to try:
- Beyer T1 (800€ new in France)
- HD-800 (if I can get them used for 800€)
- HE-500 again (love, love, love! but, heavy, heavy, heavy!)
- TH-600
 
I don't particularly need a closed can per se, but the TH-600 seems to be more fun than the others so if they don't sound closed-in, they are worth the try.
I read the T1 and HE-500 were quite similar? How true is that?
 
Edit: I listen mainly to older rock/blues and derivatives (6-7-80s)

 
 
From your above list.  I would go with the HD800s if at all possible.  

 

[myap2328]

I've only posted 1 comments here, how's that inconsistent? Different people can have different feeling at different time about the same thing/people. It's just a matter of taste. For me, no way I'm going back to HD800. 

I think what you are trying to say is that everyone hears things differently therefore there phrases such as YMMV and IMO is always seen here!

 

[Clemmaster]

Quote:

 
 
From your above list.  I would go with the HD800s if at all possible.  

 
You prefer them that much over the T1?
Do you think they're anygood for rock (I know it's not your main genre but you might still have tried it)? I used to own the K-701 and they were bad for this genre, now that I think of it...
I have a Q701 on its way, just to try a warmer K-701.
 
The thing is, I don't plan on changing my current setup (NFB-27 + SA-31) until I reach the US (early October if everything goes well) and I don't know what to expect from the HD-800 out of a solid state amp.
I could always get my dad's M-Stage or tune the SA-31 to its warmest setting though! 

 

[preproman]

T1's are just as funny to get right IMO.  You can always go for the genre master - HE-6 

.  Need amp as well.  The safest bet with your current setup would be the TH-600 IMO..

 

[namaiki]

Phew! Just got my Apex Glacier in this morning which will complement/replace my DACport(w/1 ohm option). It appears to project space a lot better than the DACport, though I am still slightly undecided about the mids. They appear to be less forward, but more 'naked' sounding.
 
I can somewhat notice the V-shaped sound signature (of the Glacier, or the TH-900?) with the Apex Glacier compared to the DACport which tends to sound more cosy to me and might possibly produce a more "full and even" sound. The Glacier appears to present sounds, other than those placed in the center (such as the singer), much more readily and more easily heard than via the DACport which is my favourite part of the experience so far. In a way, it's like music that goes into the Glacier is put into an exploded view (at least comparatively). I'm glad that I made the jump for the Glacier even though I was nearly convinced that I could finish my audio journey with just the DACport.
 
At first, I found the Glacier to be a bit sibilant and "hot" sounding but it has either gone away, I got used to it or the particular song I was listening to was mastered that way. The Glacier doesn't appear to be as visceral (I assume this word refers to a physically punchy sound) as the DACport, but the music appears to be presented with greater dynamics otherwise. (I'm using the Glacier/DACport's built-in USB DAC via WASAPI in Windows.) Bass detail is also probably better with the Glacier.
 
Anyway, what the hell. The Apex Glacier just sounds really good to me right now, but really I can only compare it to my DACport (which easily beats out the other, probably "low-end," USB DAC/amp combos that I still own but no longer use for listening).

 

[Clemmaster]

Quote:

T1's are just as funny to get right IMO.  You can always go for the genre master - HE-6 

.  Need amp as well.  The safest bet with your current setup would be the TH-600 IMO..

 
Went for the TH-600. Again, a completely blind purchase as always but I cannot resist...

 

[Greed]

Quote:

 
Went for the TH-600. Again, a completely blind purchase as always but I cannot resist...

 
I believe you will be happy with your purchase. If I was in the market for a closed, semi-portable headphone with a budget of a grand, I would definitely pick the TH-600.