"Hangin' wit Tyll" Part III - Chi-Town Hustler
Jun 6, 2002 at 1:40 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 9

Eagle_Driver

Headphoneus Supremus
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Well, I got back from the Chicago (actually, suburban Elmhurst) stop on the Headroom World of Headphones tour. It took me quite a bit of bike-riding to get to the show. But since I wasn't interested in electrostatics (I do almost all of my headphone listening on the road - DUH!
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) I first tried the headphones on the rack in which I got to compare all of them connected to a Headroom Home amp (the CD player had some re-recorded big-band jazz playing from it).

First, I compared the Sennheiser HD 580, 590 and 600. It was only after I listened to the 580 that I noticed the brightness of the 590. I can't ********* believe how much smoother the 580 is compared to the relatively "forward"-sounding 590!
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(And I thought I loved my 590!) And the 600 is similar in sound to the 580, only better.

The Grados - SR-225, SR-325 and RS-1 - all sound a bit bright to my liking. 'Nuff said 'bout Team Grado.

Next, I listened to the Sonys - MDR-CD2000 and MDR-CD3000 - but I wasn't particularly impressed. That impression became apparent after I listened to the AKG K#01 series headphones (K401 and K501). The CD2000 sounded similar to the K401 - but at nearly twice the price!
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And the CD3000 actually sounded worse than the Sennheiser HD 580/600 and the AKG K501 to my ears, to boot! (FWIW, IMHO the AKGs don't lack bass, contrary to what some Head-Fiers had said.)

Going to fully closed-cup headphones, I listened to the Beyerdynamic DT 250-80 and DT-831 - but I definitely preferred the 250, as the 831 sounded a bit thin. But like most other closed-cup headphones, even the 250-80s suffered from slightly recessed highs.

After that I met Tyll (yep, the president of Headroom) - and I explained why the Sennheiser HD 590 was so much brighter than the HD 580. (I didn't notice the 590's brightness when I first got mine, but only after listening to the 580 did I notice the added brightness.)

Next, I tried the portable Etymotic canalphones (well, I tried only the ER-4# series; I skipped the ER-6 altogether) - and boy, I heard a loud "thunk" (the sound of my jaw dropping to the floor)
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even though I tried them directly from the headphone-out of a Panasonic SL-CT470 PCDP. I just couldn't believe how much or how deep that bass was on the ER-4P! (Well, maybe the 4P was a bit too "Duh!-m-Bass"-sounding for my liking.) But even the ER-4S was more than loud enough for my tastes. But the best thing about the Etys is that I had no trouble whatsoever getting a proper seal (with the default rubber tips), unlike what some people had to go through just to fit those canalphones in their ears. And though I haven't really met him in person, why did acidtripwow call the ER-4P "crap"?

Finally, I did try the Sennheiser HD 212PRO - which didn't impress me, partly because I was so much used to somewhat bright-sounding headphones. I also tried the Sennheiser 580 directly out of the hedphone jack of *my* Sony D-EJ1000. To my amazement, they're loud enough and sound good enough for my tastes - but an amp will REALLY make the 580 sing.

That's all I will be talking about for now. I'll check back tomorrow morning (or maybe later tonight) for any impressions from other Head-Fiers who may have attended the show.

cya l8r

Randall
 
Jun 6, 2002 at 4:28 AM Post #4 of 9
Tyll is 100 times more patient than I could ever be.he answered all the questions that I would be ready to choke somebody for asking.he is a great guy and this is an awesome thing he has chosen to do.I had a ball.getting to meet some new head-fiers was fun as was attaching faces to names.Tyll deserves our thanks and headphone business for doing this.I can't think of any other manufacturer that would do this,I know no other company president would do this.


The Blockhead is the best.I said this last year when I first heard it but it is backed up today in a big way.The HD600 is simply the best headphone right now.The Equinox cable is the very best cable.the Cary 300SEI is a great amp but the Wheatfield HA2 is so close it beats it when price is taken into consideration.the Maxed Out Home and Max are indeed very close.But the Max gets the nod.I think with a SACD source the Max's superioity will be more obvious.Did I say Tyll is the man?My next purchase will probably be a Max.

Tyll is the man.
 
Jun 6, 2002 at 4:54 AM Post #6 of 9
Like I said, my listening is almost excusively portable. So I don't need any more full-sized headphones - at least for a while. And lately I've been finding my Koss KSC-35's almost useless while walking along the highway just to go to and from work - I couldn't hear much if any music over the road noise, even at maximum volume.

Unfortunately, most of the good-sounding headphones that isolate any less than even the Etymotic ER-6 tend to be too bulky for easy transport.

So, I think I will narrow my choice down to the ER-4S or ER-4P as my next headphone purchase. Or should I spend my cash on yet another full-size headphone, such as the Sennheiser HD 580, HD 600 or AKG K501? But wait... Maybe I should buy one of the TA amps now, and the Etys (or Senns or AKGs) later?
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And as I said, why settle for Sony headphones when you can buy so much better for the same price? Such as:

MDR-CD2000 @ $195 = AKG K401 @ $119 (assuming that you already own a good headphone amp)
MDR-CD2000 @ $195 < Sennheiser HD 580 @ $195 (by a sizeable margin)
 
Jun 6, 2002 at 1:25 PM Post #7 of 9
Quote:

Originally posted by Eagle_Driver
...as I said, why settle for Sony headphones when you can buy so much better for the same price? Such as:

MDR-CD2000 @ $195 = AKG K401 @ $119 (assuming that you already own a good headphone amp)
MDR-CD2000 @ $195 < Sennheiser HD 580 @ $195 (by a sizeable margin)


Another thing about that statement of mine, if it weren't for Tyll and company, I would still be thinking of those Sony MDR-VCRAPDJ headphones as "high-end"!
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Jun 6, 2002 at 3:05 PM Post #8 of 9
It was another great time at the Headroom show. I think things sounded even better this time around. It must have been the new set up. There were Senn 600s everywhere you turned with all kinds of cables connected to them. I think I even saw one with just a string attached.
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Like I said everything was really sounding awesome this time around. I agree with Tuberoller and I think the Max was just ever so slightly better than the MOH. I may have to pick up one of those soon. I spent some time listening to "my" Orpheus.
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Yes, it will be mine some day. The Holmes Powell was finally fixed and sounding very smoooooooooth. Just like a good martini. The Cary amp was sounding very nice also. I love tubes!!

It was refreshing to actually see some women at this gig. Or was that Todd in drag?!!
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Just kidding Todd. Thanks to Tyll for putting on another great show and for the coffee mug. I'll wear my Headroom T-shirt at the next show. Only one suggestion, can we have the next show in the downtown area. That would just make things much easier. Here are some pics.
 
Jun 7, 2002 at 5:37 AM Post #9 of 9
At the show, I also listened to (don't tell me) a pair of Sennheiser HD 497 headphones - connected to the "plain" Airhead amp! If I didn't have to spend $270 on the Etys I have just ordered, the 497/Airhead 4.5 Volt combo has got to be the best headphone-system value for the typical "tin-ear" consumer! That combo costs $158 plus shipping ($59 for the 497 - that's $10.99 less than what Circuit City charges for those same HD497s - plus $119 for the Airhead minus $20 for an Airhead-system discount), and it would completely (and utterly) blow away those craptacular Sony MDR-V700DJ headphones for just a few dollars more.
 

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