[Seamaster]

Guys quick question, last few hours/days it's been a bit "sibilant" to the point where it's a bit annoying. It wasn't like that (or maybe it's my brain?). Has anyone experienced sudden onset sibilance with the mahogany th-x00? I'm kinda hoping it'll go away soon (and that I didn't do something to cause it?!). (Running it off of Macbook+Audirvana --> Ifi IDSD Micro).

Note: this MAY be me just getting used to the amount of bass on these headphones, since I come from AKG K271

Note 2: This headphones has ruined me for anything else. I went to a restaurant with live music a few hours ago and all i could think was "man thats good music, but the audio setup is so terrible, wish I had my heaphones!"

Your iFi micro is the problem

 

[TjPhysicist]

Your iFi micro is the problem

Yea after a bit of testing that's what I figured, I switched USB ports and it made things a lot better. Still, it's not like "bright signature" or something, more like someone placed a bit of crinkly paper in my speaker somewhere. Not sure what to do, if it's part of the signature of the iDSD i would have to return it. Can someone suggest to me any other DAC/Amp combo, prefferrably one that works with android as well? (I know chord, but that's a bit steep).

 

[fjrabon]

  Yea after a bit of testing that's what I figured, I switched USB ports and it made things a lot better. Still, it's not like "bright signature" or something, more like someone placed a bit of crinkly paper in my speaker somewhere. Not sure what to do, if it's part of the signature of the iDSD i would have to return it. Can someone suggest to me any other DAC/Amp combo, prefferrably one that works with android as well? (I know chord, but that's a bit steep).

fulla2

 

[TjPhysicist]

 
fulla2

Oh yea that was one of hte ones I was originally looking at. Only thing that stopped me was that it's not on amazon (and my gift cards are on amazon). Anyway, how does it compare to iDSD Micro and/or Chord Mojo?

 

[fjrabon]

Oh yea that was one of hte ones I was originally looking at. Only thing that stopped me was that it's not on amazon (and my gift cards are on amazon). Anyway, how does it compare to iDSD Micro and/or Chord Mojo?

Have only heard the micro once at a meet. If you can afford Mojo get that. It's amazing with THX00

 

[TjPhysicist]

Have only heard the micro once at a meet. If you can afford Mojo get that. It's amazing with THX00

Well, "afford" is such a loose term, really...I mean I can go without food for a few days right? .
I have been hearing really good things about mojo, but decided top go for idsd due to answers I got in this very (and others) thread in fact which pointed to the differences being minor and very subjective. Wish I could do a live comparison of the two though.

P.s: moving to MP filter rather than bit perfect made things a LOT BETTER. I don't quite understand it, but yea.

P.P.S: does anyone have any reading suggestions top get familiar with the more technical aspects of things talked about on this forum? E.g: I looked at the "bit perfect vs minimum phase" explanation and didn't understand squat.

 

[HiFiChris]

   
P.P.S: does anyone have any reading suggestions top get familiar with the more technical aspects of things talked about on this forum? E.g: I looked at the "bit perfect vs minimum phase" explanation and didn't understand squat.

 
 
It's just the "old" micro iDSD, however the filter implementation should be identical: http://www.head-fi.org/t/800208/the-rmaa-rightmark-audio-analyzer-source-and-audio-device-measurement-thread-measurements-in-post-3-tutorial-in-post-2#post_12391886

 

[TjPhysicist]

My iDSD+th-x00 is finally starting to warm up/break in a little bit. OH MAN. I'm rediscovering old songs/artists I've haven't heard in ages, and songs i have heard little from artists i like otherwise

 I gotta say, anything acoustic sounds AMAZING with these phones. Been listening to my old prog rock faves. Oh man, simply CANNOT get enough of low spark of high heeled boys on these headphones, that and Jethro Tull, holy crap (I'd never actually heard too much tull before, I only know of a few really famous songs like Locomotive Breath and Aqualung, but now am discovering and LOVING their other songs...who knew they did christmas songs O.O)! 
 
The soundstage and instrument separation (and any details that lend to that) are just the best I've heard with these. HP's I've heard before are: SRH840, AKG271-Mkii and B&W P7 (all extensively and well broken in). It took me a while to get used to the bass (coming from AKG), but I got used to it quick enough and now am loving it, even on tracks I never KNEW had bass lending to the musical experience. Still going through the process though, and it is getting better (the iDSD as well I think needs a good breaking in, going from feedback i got in the iDSD thread).
 
P.S: damn it, now I have to spend more money on some flacs (@canali over at the idsd thread pointed me to 7digital.com, my wallet now hates both of us! 

, although tidal.com gets me through most days). Oh and perhaps now a good vinyl player and some vinyls, I mean i DO listen to mostly stuff from the 70s and 80s. Oh and OFC at some point have @PETEREK do the cable mod. Maybe some darker amps in a few months (i'm kinda 'in between houses' right now). GOD so much to buy!!
 
ETA:
I'm trying to a sort of "home project" to make a nice 'case' for these headphones, a la the wooden LCD3 box. My idea is to buy a box, some satin/nylon cloth and some stuffing and glue things. I bought a cheap box, but cannot for the LIFE of me find a mahogany finish one (or something that matches the HP's wood) that's big enough (I figure 10x10x5 or so inner dimensions should be good), anyone have any suggestions?

 

[John Q Lin]

For those of you guys who have audition/own the TH900, D7000, D5000, THX00, TH600 at one point, how would you rate them in term of fidelity.
and which one would you pick.

 

[DavidA]

For those of you guys who have audition/own the TH900, D7000, D5000, THX00, TH600 at one point, how would you rate them in term of fidelity.
and which one would you pick.

haven't heard D5000 but have heard all the others; TH-900, TH-600, D7000, TH-X00

 

[fjrabon]

"Fidelity" is a tricky, often ill defined catch all audiophile term. At this level, where each variation has subtle tradeoffs in different aspects, it's probably best to break them down into individual sub-aspects. Fidelity broadly means "accuracy in reproducing the source material" and generally has two main subcompnents: resolution and smoothness of frequency response. A headphone can be resolving and reproduce the finest details, but have peaks and valleys meaning the source doesn't "lose" any information, but some of the information is transformed. None of these headphones are particularly neutral, all have a slight u or v shape and all have less 3kHz than is neutral. Many people prefer this signature, but it isn't neutral and thus strays from the idea of "fidelity" to the source. Some variations have this effect more or less pronounced. These headphones do vary a bit in resolution, but are all very good for closed headphones.

Resolution: TH900 > Emu Teak > THX00 ebony > D7000 > TH600 > D5000 = THX00 mahogany = TH610 > THX00 purpleheart > D2000

Frequency response balance: EMU Teak > THX00 ebony > D7000 > D5000 > THX00 mahogany > TH610 > THX00 purpleheart > D2000 > TH900 > TH600

As you can see the TH900 is probably both the most resolving but also one of the least neutral. It's markedly v shaped, otherwise I'd call it the most high fidelity. As is, I'd probably go with the EMU teak as the most high fidelity, because it scores high on both resolution and neutrality. The D2000 and purpleheart are the least as far as "fidelity" goes. The D2000 being a good, but definitely lower mid-fi headphone. With the Purpleheart, the entire point was to make it a fun, non clinical headphone. So it is both v shaped and has euphonic distortion. However, this makes it less "fidelity" than the other headphones in this family.

Also, don't overestimate the differences here. For the most part all of these headphones except the D2000 are pretty close. It's more subtle variation than drastic difference.

 

[John Q Lin]

Thanks Guys for the input, Its always a pleasure getting advice from headphone supremus.

I base my opinions of headphones on, when I put it on, I want to feel the music. The HE500 does that to me. I does everything very good to great, but not the best. only If it has more sound stage.

I feel the thx00 lacks the scene of space and air and clarity compare to the th900 and he500. Its still a very competent/enjoyable headphone.

 

[snetman]

Resolution: TH900 > Emu Teak > THX00 ebony > D7000 > TH600 > D5000 = THX00 mahogany = TH610 > THX00 purpleheart > D2000

Frequency response balance: EMU Teak > THX00 ebony > D7000 > D5000 > THX00 mahogany > TH610 > THX00 purpleheart > D2000 > TH900 > TH600

 
Thanks for this. Very helpful.

 

[HungryPanda]

would still pick my purpleheart anyday

 

[fezzyness]

  would still pick my purpleheart anyday

same, added the angled brainwavz pads and WOW. For 25 bucks it was such a great upgrade. 
 
I've wanted to know how does anyone clean the wood on these?