[MaZa]

Quote:

For those who want to be with the music, for those who love pace, drive and emotion, yet do not want to lose out on soundstage (as they would with the most Grados), the AD2000 is a very good choice.

Oh crap, now I really want one...

 

[nickchen]

@big-ban: I know who you are...

 

[big-ban]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickchen /img/forum/go_quote.gif @big-ban: I know who you are...

Of course you do. I'm not exactly trying to hide from you

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaZa Oh crap, now I really want one...

I did that?

 

[Rickio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wonder how the ray samuels sound match with these cans. I was thinking maybe the hornet M vs the headamp pico or a good desktop alternative if these aren't competitive with the desktop alternatives of the same price range. I was thinking it would be great if I could spend around 600 or less and already get a good dac and amp combo to match with these

I don't have the Hornet M as I have not had time to send it back in for a upgrade and have to do that soon. But I have Hornet and Portaphile Maxxed the newest version and I think the Portaphile would likely sound good, to my ears it's not as aggressive as the Hornet and umm may be more neutral. Your Cans are already forward so I would think you don't want to accentuate that.

Just a thought, but I do tend to use my Portaphile more, even bought a second one I like it so much.

 

[donunus]

hoy big ban, lami kaayo ang ad2k, kung tagalog pa pag sulti, sulit talaga, tang ina pare, they kick ass! I've noticed that they change their fun factor with different sources namely the ipod compared to my pc to my headfive. They really synergize well with the ipod compared to the laptop while the 595s are opposite and do really well with the laptops headphone jack to the headfive combo. Point is that I really love them and the only thing I noticed was that they changed more from source to source than any other of my cans did.

What source/amp combo have you tried best with them?

 

[donunus]

I also want to check... which singlepower amp works best with the ad2k? If all else fails anyway we know singlepower works awesome with senns. In other words, If we had 2 cans, the 595 and the ad2k... which amp would be the best? Price no object

 

[donunus]

would a cary 300 sei work better? or maybe a custom 45 or 11 based tube amp work?

 

[big-ban]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif hoy big ban, lami kaayo ang ad2k, kung tagalog pa pag sulti, sulit talaga, tang ina pare, they kick ass!

Oh I'm sorry, I don't really speak Tagalog. I only remember a few phrases because I had a Filipina girlfriend a few years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've noticed that they change their fun factor with different sources namely the ipod compared to my pc to my headfive. They really synergize well with the ipod compared to the laptop while the 595s are opposite and do really well with the laptops headphone jack to the headfive combo. Point is that I really love them and the only thing I noticed was that they changed more from source to source than any other of my cans did. What source/amp combo have you tried best with them?

I'm currently using them out of my Terratec Phase X24FW as source, but its DAC is as good as any DAC at a certain level in my opinion. I've done an A/B Test directly comparing the Phase's DAC with the Corda Aria's internal DAC and there is 0 difference between the two. This can be done by synchronizing two Media Players (both using ASIO). Each of the two players outputs the playback of the same song to one sound device and then with the flip switch on the Aria you can switch directly between USB input and analog input. There is no lag when switching back and forth, no volume difference, there is also no audible difference at all.
My conclusion is that at a certain level there's no significant change in DAC quality. There may be some who object to this, but I frankly don't care because I know what I've heard and I've learned that fiddling with DACs isn't worth the hassle. Once you've reached a certain level of course. My old soundcard was clearly not at the level of my current DACs (though not bad at all).
Same applies to headphone amps. I would advise you not to worry to much about amps, the AD2000 isn't especially picky. It even sounds good out of a humble MP3 stick - or ipod, as you mentioned.
I own (as you already know) the Corda Aria and the AT-HA20. I've recently had a mini meet with three hifi friends of mine and we did some A/B double blind tests with various equipment. And guess what: none of us could reliably and repeatedly tell the difference between Aria and HA20 (using AD2000 and K701).
Well, there is indeed one difference: there is more background noise on the HA20, but this is only heard when no music is played anyway. If only we had listened long enough, we might have found something, but why even bother when the changes are oh so subtle?
I have the same impression of the Corda Opera. A while ago, a direct comparison to the Aria suggested that it MIGHT have sounded SLIGHTLY better than the Aria, but the difference wasn't big at all. But I didn't do proper double blind tests back then, so this could have been down to autosuggestion and preconception.
Just to let you know: I have indeed heard amps sounding worse, such as the Rega Ear (flat, compressed, boring). But otherwise I think any kind of "decent amp" will do just fine. The differences are smaller than some people actually want to make you believe.

You don't really have to go for crazy equipment to enjoy the AD2000. I don't claim to have heard all the amps out there, but my comparisons so far have led me to believe that there isn't much room for improvement left.
I think it's safe to say I've become a hifi realist. Endless raving about tiny difference is obsolete to me. As long as the differences aren't significant and apparent, it doesn't affect my enjoyment anyway.

Benjamin

 

[donunus]

So would people here agree that since I already have a headfive and that since the ad2000 isn't really dependent of amps that my money will be better spent on a good dac or cd player? Should I look for a DAP that has a digital out and connect it to a good dac instead? after all, most of my music is in high bitrate mp3s. The sound quality of the original cd compared to a great mp3 rip is very close actually unless someone can convince me that the difference will be much greater when listening through a good DAC

 

[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by big-ban /img/forum/go_quote.gif You don't really have to go for crazy equipment to enjoy the AD2000. I don't claim to have heard all the amps out there, but my comparisons so far have led me to believe that there isn't much room for improvement left.

I agree that you don't need crazy equipment to enjoy the AD2000, and I like what you wrote in your post #135. But I don't agree that amp differences are so small as to make amp choices irrevelant. My experience has led me to believe that the amp is a significant factor affecting a headphone's performance.

The amp can only work with what it's fed by the source, and I believe that a good source is a prerequisite before an amp can perform well. Otherwise, the amp is held back by the source (and also source material quality) and comparing two amps is less meaningful than it could be. Headphone + amp synergy can sometimes be more important than the prices of the amps.

I agree the AD2000 performs OK with modest gear. It is one of the better-sounding full-size headphones I've tried directly from an iPod. Another one is the Grado RS-1. The AD2000 does scale up with better-matching and better quality sources and amps, though, and I consider it competitive vs. most other single-ended dynamic headphones. Actually, I think the AD2000 is the best-sounding current production open headphone, as good as or better than the RS-1, K701 or HD650.

Using a source such as the Lavry DA10, I like the AD2000 driven by the AT-HA5000 more than the Corda Aria, Opera, CEC HD53R, Lehmann Black Cube Linear or RSA Raptor. The AT-HA20 is outclassed, as is the Hornet or Tomahawk. I don't use the AD2000 portably anyway; like other open headphones, it sounds best at home in as quiet an environment as possible.

Using the AT-HA5000, I prefer the W5000 over the AD2000. The W5000 has better details, imaging and larger soundstage. Bass quantity is slightly greater, and bass details and textures are also better.

I usually listen to pop, female vocals and electronica with the AD2000. There are specific songs where the AD2000 sounds incredibly enjoyable, involving and "perfect" to me; equivalent or better than the W5000, L3000, R10 or Qualia, even. I don't think it's as suitable with classical music, due to its forward-sound relatively small soundstage.

 

[JML]

If you have some creaking in the pivots of the AD2000, I may have stumbled across a cure. Go to this post.

 

[donunus]

hehehe the creaking doesn't bother me enough to open the cans up

elephas,
hows the ad2000 directly off the lavry's amp?

 

[wower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas /img/forum/go_quote.gif Using the AT-HA5000, I prefer the W5000 over the AD2000. The W5000 has better details, imaging and larger soundstage. Bass quantity is slightly greater, and bass details and textures are also better. I usually listen to pop, female vocals and electronica with the AD2000. There are specific songs where the AD2000 sounds incredibly enjoyable, involving and "perfect" to me; equivalent or better than the W5000, L3000, R10 or Qualia, even. I don't think it's as suitable with classical music, due to its forward-sound relatively small soundstage.

I like the AD2000 with small scale classical but I am having trouble loving the can with electronica. Reading your post, doesn't the W5000 do electronica better? I hope note because I don't really want to own AD2000 and W5000. Maybe is my amp with the yammy's mid strength.

 

[donunus]

thats weird that you don't like them with electronica. They are dynamic and come alive with electronica. I don't even notice their colorations with this type of music

 

[wower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif thats weird that you don't like them with electronica. They are dynamic and come alive with electronica. I don't even notice their colorations with this type of music

Tell me about it. It's just a personal thing that I'm definitely in the minority about. I'm on the fence about recommending the AD2000 if one listens to straight electronica. Amp might be a factor in that I my AD2000 and aria was pretty boring but might have had a bit better extension. Electronica on my yammy has pretty spectacular bass texture, dynamics and transparency, but is just missing something in the bottom end that has me wanting more. Why is there no perfect phone? Could be the source too with my Marantz playing to the strengths of my rig with great detail and resolution but a very balanced presentation. I think a lot of dance records are mastered with weak bass because they know consumers will crank the bass channels. It comes across as thin on audiophile set ups. This is just a theory however.