[Jbroad572]

Well they finally came in today and they look great. I've been doing a little listening and they are extremely bright and harsh. Lindrone was right about them being matched with the wrong equipment. I have them hooked up to my ppa running ad8610 opamps, right now they are hooked up to my Powerbook, and in itunes I have the eq preamp setting at -10db, now they don't sound too bright. I'm going to try them a little later on tonight with my receiver and put on a few movies and cd's. So far though I love my hd650's.
I really want to like these, so I'm going to pick up an amp with the opa's to give it a fair shot. They feel very light, slightly more comfortable than the HD650's.I will have more details later on this weekend hopefully.

*edit* At -10db they are much more enjoyable. Now I can enjoy them

. The soundstage of the cd3000's does seem to be more spaced out and wider than the HD650's. That's my first observation.

 

[strohmie]

The CD3000s can be painful with the wrong amp and source. Matched with the Perreaux they're a bit more tame, but I seem to recall getting tinnitus when I heard them with my Meta42 with an AD843. EQing certainly helps in such situations, as you've seen.

 

[lindrone]

I think the biggest difference with the CD3000 is made with the source, actually. If your source is inadequate, there isn't anything you can do with the amp to make up for it.. although a good amp will help smooth out the CD3000 as well.

Let us know what you think after you try them with your receiver.

 

[shasha]

This is a sad story about a pair CD3000's. My old job had a set that was purchased to be used in the studio, but somehow found their way into an ENG (Electronic News Gathering) kit. Needless to say they aren't very good coming off of the monitor jack of a camera. They got broken (connector ripped off) and I didn't know anything about them. They ended up on my workbench and after about 10 people complaining about them (too big and too hard to drive) we purchased some cheap $20 headphones and gave them out. Everyone was very happy and if they broke them they weren't a major loss. Those CD3000's stayed in a drawer on my workbench for almost 2 years untouched as the cost of the cord alone was more than all of the new headphones together. Nobody missed them at all, including myself. I left the job and when I cleaned out my bench they were tossed onto a shelf somewhere (I sure as hell didn't want them). They are probably still there this day if they weren't tossed out. More than likely someone rigged them up with a $2 connector and are using them to ops check cameras. Now that I know what I know today I am a little sad about it, they should be in the studio.

Just an example of what can happen when you don't match your items.

 

[Music Fanatic]

Quote:

Originally posted by shasha This is a sad story about a pair CD3000's. My old job had a set that was purchased to be used in the studio, but somehow found their way into an ENG (Electronic News Gathering) kit. Needless to say they aren't very good coming off of the monitor jack of a camera. They got broken (connector ripped off) and I didn't know anything about them. They ended up on my workbench and after about 10 people complaining about them (too big and too hard to drive) we purchased some cheap $20 headphones and gave them out. Everyone was very happy and if they broke them they weren't a major loss. Those CD3000's stayed in a drawer on my workbench for almost 2 years untouched as the cost of the cord alone was more than all of the new headphones together. Nobody missed them at all, including myself. I left the job and when I cleaned out my bench they were tossed onto a shelf somewhere (I sure as hell didn't want them). They are probably still there this day if they weren't tossed out. More than likely someone rigged them up with a $2 connector and are using them to ops check cameras. Now that I know what I know today I am a little sad about it, they should be in the studio. Just an example of what can happen when you don't match your items.

I want to make a head-fi citizen arrest for cruelty to headphones!

More seriously, I don't completley understand lindrone's comment -- don't all high-end 'phones point out deficiencies in the source? I do agree that since the CD3000 has an emphasized high end, it is likely to be apparent if there is any harshness in the source there. But I find I quickly grow used to the "CD3000 sound" and I find it quite appealing.

 

[shasha]

I agree that they are probably incredible cans, but if you can't drive them or if your source isn't pristine they sound thin and awful (atleast that was how I remembered them). I really wish that I had them around still to do some testing. I don't think that anything that I own would be good enough for them. It's kind of like trying to put a 1.2L Ford Fiesta engine into a Ferrari, it looks cool but the performance isn't there.

 

[Music Fanatic]

Edited away.

 

[CamelBackCinema]

CD3000s are not that spoiled. They don't need the best source. I am extremely happy with my audigy 2 soundcard. Though I have a perreaux which does tame the highs of the cans, I sometimes like to jack up the EQ and it really amazes me how fun the sound can become. Maybe my Pivot also adds to the taming... I dunno I don't have any other interconnects to test. All I know is that these phones are not that sensitive when hooked up to an amp.

 

[pbirkett]

Having listened to the Perreaux with the CD3k, i wouldnt say it "tamed" the highs, it just doesnt exagerate them, but it is an extremely good combo, as Sov and other guys will testify.

 

[3lusiv3]

-

 

[CamelBackCinema]

Quote:

Originally posted by pbirkett Having listened to the Perreaux with the CD3k, i wouldnt say it "tamed" the highs, it just doesnt exagerate them, but it is an extremely good combo, as Sov and other guys will testify.

Actually, I agree with you wholeheartedly now that I muse upon the highs of the CD3000. I tried listening without the amp for an hour and what the amp does is maintains a better balance. (No change in EQ) I think you can use the word tame in here but a better word would be balance IMO.

Have a great week!

 

[lindrone]

Quote:

Originally posted by Music Fanatic More seriously, I don't completley understand lindrone's comment -- don't all high-end 'phones point out deficiencies in the source? I do agree that since the CD3000 has an emphasized high end, it is likely to be apparent if there is any harshness in the source there. But I find I quickly grow used to the "CD3000 sound" and I find it quite appealing.

Whilist it's true that any high end headphones should point out some deficiencies in the rest of your equipment, most of them don't really do it in the same way that CD3000 does.

For example, RS-1 and HP1000 usually sound more than acceptible, with their usual warmth and sound signature along with just about any equipment, but you know they don't sound their best.

HD650 sounds good properly amped, even if the source is on the thin side. Everything still retains that Sennheiser signature warmth, and if you didn't know any better, you wouldn't know what's wrong with the sound.

CD3000, on the other hand, if improperly matched, it becomes a shrill, thin, high-end screeching machine. However, if properly matched with other equipments behind it... I just love the way it sounds.. much more than any of the forementioned headphones.

Most of that has to do with the "warmth" of the playback equipment, not really the technical quality of them. If you have a very warm, musical source, the CD3000 will sound just fine, even if the source isn't the most detailed or technically superior. Ironically, most Sony CD players are very, very thin sounding when they're in their stock form. For example, the CD3000 sounded better directly out of my iPod rather than my unmodded Sony CE775 + HR-2.

After the modification though, the hotrodded CE775 + HR-2 + CD3000 just sounds absolutely awesome.

 

[3lusiv3]

I've never seen the CD3000's so in all fairness I can't make any comments about them but I may have to track some down and give them a go. The following they attract on this site is amazing and has got me interested.

 

[lindrone]

Sony might have suspect products, and for a company of their size, they're doomed to have many, many of them.. but it doesn't detract from the fact that once in a while, an engineering gem comes out of them.

In fact, most of the Audio Technica headphones is probably riding on Sony technology... they've got almost identical sound signatures.

You should also be aware of the Sony R-10, which is considered one of the highest end dynamic headphone money can buy... It goes for..er.. $3000~$4000?

Of course there are others, but it's just an important point to note that Sony does have good products, just not the ones you can find off the shelves.

 

[go_vtec]

If you are used to Senn HD-650, Sony CD3000 may sound harsh at first. As you are probably aware, HD-650's are a bit laid back compare to Sony. One other important issues with personal preferences with these cans is types of music one is listening. Sony is best suited for reproducint metalic sounds (hard piano and rocking guitars), where Senn shines for easy listening (jazz and vocal).

I've used Sony V6/CD3000 first, then I bought a Sen HD-650. At first I though Senn sounded dull, but I later found their strength (comfortable as heck and smooth... almost tamed sound to them). Now, I can't picture myself listening to Norah Jones SACD with Sony (I prefer HD650), but for the Rocks, Sony is difficult to beat. Because I use Senn for easy listening, I can go for 5-6 hours easy, but only few hours with Sony.

Just my 1KB worth

-Mike