[lvince95]

  I've managed to dig up measurements (credit not to myself) regarding the impacts of alpha pads on the x00 signature.
 
Stock pads
http://i.imgur.com/I2vZ22e.png
 
Alpha pads
http://i.imgur.com/BQ9Qqkk.png

Edit the reference out or hide it somehow, your post will be edited/deleted by mods if you reference that-site-which-shall-not-be-named. Just in case you didn't know.

 

[Docks]

 
Edit the reference out or hide it somehow, your post will be edited/deleted by mods if you reference that-site-which-shall-not-be-named. Just in case you didn't know,

Thanks, I have done this.

 

[bavinck]

 
yeah, there's also very little agreement on what constitutes things like "mids" "treble" "bright" "dark" "forward" "veiled" etc.  Even amongst experienced listeners, they can mean different things by these words at the margins.  
 
E.G., to me, a headphone with an 8k spike is forward, while some will call it bright, some will call it shouty.  Some will call 2k midrange, some will call it treble.  Some will call 250 Hz bass, some will call it midrange.  And even within what we all agree is midrange, many times people call this whole, rather large, region "mids" so some might say it has "recessed mids" when they really mean it is only recessed at 1kHz, while 500 Hz might be very present and powerful.  
 
Further, when it comes to things like sibilance, even in an A/B scenario, sibilance has as much to do with your own personal inner ear resonances as it does the headphone itself.  Like I have an inner ear resonance at 4kHz, so I can't stand headphones that are peaky at 4kHz (HD600), but others have an inner ear resonance at 8kHz, and may find Grados, the HE400i, or even the THX00 intolerable.  If I'm not being precise I'd say the HD600 is brighter than the HE400i, but I see many others say the exact opposite.
 
Then, when it comes to soundstage, this is even more dependent on your own personal physiology and brain, even when ABing.  You can take two people, with the same two headphones, and depending on their personal physiology and brains, one can hear A's soundstage as larger, one can hear B's soundstage as larger, given the same equipment, the same everything except ears and brain.

Well said.

 

[mm1434]

Got them today and have spent a couple of hour with them across multiple genres... The best thing I can say so far is that my head is confused a little.  I think they are just nicer than anything I have ever had and I need to use them a little differently than I have in the past (I listen to stuff really loud).  I was comparing my initial impressions with the below thread...
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/fostex-th-x00-massdrop-exclusive/reviews/14816
 
Below is what I wrote in the comments section after the review.  I'm curious if you can add any thoughts?
 
"I just got mine today.  Trying to figure these headphones out.  Clearly the nicest headphones I've had but I think I need to get used to the sound.  Lots of separation - can hear everything clearly... vocals are in your face and can hurt your head as you turn up the volume.  I am assuming that is what is meant above in the comments by someone about mids not being recessed.  I'm using a C421amp from JDS labs and have the bass boost permanently on which isn't the case with my Fischer FA-011's.  So these aren't as bassy as the Fischer's or the Monster Turbine Copper IEM's I have.  I also have the Denon AHD2000's.  They are similar to these which others have mentioned.
 
Curious for us headbangers that like to feel our music pulsing through our bodies - the nicer the headphone, the less need to turn it up?  I'm curious anyone's opinion relative to the transition to nicer equipment.  I typically like it turned way up...."

 

[fjrabon]

  Got them today and have spent a couple of hour with them across multiple genres... The best thing I can say so far is that my head is confused a little.  I think they are just nicer than anything I have ever had and I need to use them a little differently than I have in the past (I listen to stuff really loud).  I was comparing my initial impressions with the below thread...
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/fostex-th-x00-massdrop-exclusive/reviews/14816
 
Below is what I wrote in the comments section after the review.  I'm curious if you can add any thoughts?
 
"I just got mine today.  Trying to figure these headphones out.  Clearly the nicest headphones I've had but I think I need to get used to the sound.  Lots of separation - can hear everything clearly... vocals are in your face and can hurt your head as you turn up the volume.  I am assuming that is what is meant above in the comments by someone about mids not being recessed.  I'm using a C421amp from JDS labs and have the bass boost permanently on which isn't the case with my Fischer FA-011's.  So these aren't as bassy as the Fischer's or the Monster Turbine Copper IEM's I have.  I also have the Denon AHD2000's.  They are similar to these which others have mentioned.
 
Curious for us headbangers that like to feel our music pulsing through our bodies - the nicer the headphone, the less need to turn it up?  I'm curious anyone's opinion relative to the transition to nicer equipment.  I typically like it turned way up...."

yes, typically the nicer the headphone, the less you need to turn it up, though on really nice headphones that are neutral, typically you can enjoyably listen at an extremely wide range of volumes.  I think what's hurting your ears is the 8kHz peak that makes these U shaped.  

 

[a44100Hz]

This discussion reminds me that something I really liked about these headphones is that no matter how loud I turned up the volume on my Vali 2 amp the X00 never felt fatiguing or painful, it felt like I could listen comfortably at volumes that would be unreasonably loud compared to my past experience.

 

[mm1434]

 
yes, typically the nicer the headphone, the less you need to turn it up, though on really nice headphones that are neutral, typically you can enjoyably listen at an extremely wide range of volumes.  I think what's hurting your ears is the 8kHz peak that makes these U shaped.  

Its funny... my amp has dual gain... I flipped to high gain and put bass boost up and then turn the volume down... I get a little different sound... So i just need to play with it.  I told somebody else that I have always had V shaped sound and these are different.  The clarity and separation is completely new.  I may find that I enjoy a different sound and will always have the V shaped phones for when I want that.  I just have to say I see why this becomes a hobby lol..
 
Question on burn in - and I need to read through the whole thread which I haven't.  These have been passed around some and I don't know how many hours are on them... Any suggestion around what I might or might not do?

 

[mm1434]

This discussion reminds me that something I really liked about these headphones is that no matter how loud I turned up the volume on my Vali 2 amp the X00 never felt fatiguing or painful, it felt like I could listen comfortably at volumes that would be unreasonably loud compare to my past experience.

I think the voice (mids) just surprised me - never heard them before... the more I listen and sorta change how i'm listening I am liking the sound more and more...

 

[bavinck]

You guys need to buy an spl meter. I just got one and am surprised how loud people are listening. I have typically been listening around 75-85db, and it is shocking to me that folks listen louder. Careful with your ears people.

 

[fjrabon]

You guys need to buy an spl meter. I just got one and am surprised how loud people are listening. I have typically been listening around 75-85db, and it is shocking to me that folks listen louder. Careful with your ears people.

ha, yeah, I usually listen around 70-80dB too, and I thought I probably listened too loudly.  Then I came here, and saw the levels that people were listening to the same cans on the same amps, and took a measurement, and holy jeebus.  There are definitely people here who regularly listen over 110 dB.  I worry for them, but trying to give advice on this is a lost cause here, haha.

 

[bavinck]

 
ha, yeah, I usually listen around 80dB too, and I thought I probably listened too loudly.  Then I came here, and saw the levels that people were listening to the same cans on the same amps, and took a measurement, and holy jeebus.  There are definitely people here who regularly listen over 110 dB.  I worry for them, but trying to give advice on this is a lost cause here, haha.

$25 for an spl meter, and the government chart showing recommended levels should do the trick......

 

[a44100Hz]

My roommate has a meter. Where do you put it? Right against the cups?

 

[fjrabon]

My roommate has a meter. Where do you put it? Right against the cups?

wherever your ear hole would be in relation to the driver when worn.  It's also a bit more complicated than that, as you also need to seal it as well (especially for closed headphones).  But even just holding it there will give you a rough idea, better than nothing.
 
I usually seal it with my hands, holding the meter between them.  Far from ideal, but better than nothing.

 

[bavinck]

My roommate has a meter. Where do you put it? Right against the cups?

I took off the wind protector, then put one side of my headphone against my couch cushion to form a good seal. Then inserted the meter in between the cushion and pad, to the middle of the cup where my ear would be. Worked pretty well for me. Using alpha pads the meter does not break the seal.
 
even for open headphones you need to make sure you are getting a good seal (though I imagine less important for hifiman).

 

[bavinck]

  I took off the wind protector, then put one side of my headphone against my couch cushion to form a good seal. Then inserted the meter in between the cushion and pad, to the middle of the cup where my ear would be. Worked pretty well for me. Using alpha pads the meter does not break the seal.
 
even for open headphones you need to make sure you are getting a good seal (though I imagine less important for hifiman).

I used a leather couch to better simulate my skin.