[jude]

NOTE: I know, I know......my camera blows.

Here are some pics from the Detroit 2002 HeadRoom stop. I didn't take too many photos this time, since most of the angles and views of the various tables have been covered. I'll post a few more pics (and my impressions of the show) a little later:

This is the BAT CD player used as the source at the high-end table. This player was impressive. It should be noted that it looks [size=small]so[/size] much better in person (or even in a decent photo) than it does in this pic. My camera's flash has a way of changing completely how things look. Once, in a flash photo, it made me look just like George Clooney.

Head-Fi member anishbenji -- trying to decide if upgrading to the HD-600s from the HD-580s is worth it...... what'd you decide, anishbenji?

From left to right: Tyll and Head-Fi members/HeadRoom helpers jbannow and Vince. jbannow and Vince were very very cool guys, and I'm glad I had the chance to hang out with them through the show. Later on, jbannow's fiance showed up, but I didn't snap any pics of her -- she was also very cool, and even went from table to table listening to the gear (I'm not sure if she was diggin' the gear or humoring her beau).

Neil (Head-Fi's technical fix-it guy and my younger brother) listening to Grado RS-1s. He's very much a Grado guy, and was totally hip on these RS-1s. I thought they sounded very good too.

Neil listening to the BlockHead. He was very impressed by the BlockHead, and, if he ever decided to order one, I would guess he'd get the custom-cabled RS-1s to go with it.

Head-Fi member arnett after our political debate.

arnett is a very cool cat, and was fun to hang out with in the short time he was there. A very funny dude, he had everyone around him smiling and laughing frequently.

Again, I'll post a few more photos, as well as my impressions of the gear, later on tonight, or some time this weekend.

 

[kelly]

QG
I'm not saying the EAR HP-4 with HD600 is perfect, but I can see how someone might call it perfect if the comparrison was to an unamped W100 out of a Sony portable. Have you heard the EAR/HD600 yet, QG?

FWIW - I liked it better with the Cardas.

HD600 thin? Thin compared to HD580? EAR bad? Stax dark? Blockhead bright? I say Arnett should skip the hearing test and move directly to the mental institution. Needless to say, my experiences have been.... different. Very different.

Thanks for the reports anyway, guys. Thanks for the pics too, Jude.

 

[john_jcb]

Quote:

Originally posted by arnett i also found out that i listen at a lot softer levels than everyone else.

I found that at the Chicago show when I had time to do some listening I in almost every case found myself turning the volume lower than the previous user. This was at different times over four hours so I am pretty sure I wasn't following the same person every time.

 

[arnett]

Quote:

Originally posted by kelly QG I say Arnett should skip the hearing test and move directly to the mental institution.

LOL! not a bad idea.

i one thing i've found is that we all have different preferences and we all hear differently. this is what tyll said to me as well.
i also know i'm in the minority on most of my opinions. oh well. . .

Quote:

HD600 thin? Thin compared to HD580?

i never said that. i said the HD600 has MORE bass than the HD580.

Quote:

Blockhead bright?

yes, i found the blockhead to have more treble extension than the big O or the stax omega.

Quote:

The thing that I noticed when listening to the different systems at the Chicago show was the amount bass that I heard

yeah, i noticed that too.

 

[kelly]

Arnett

Oops, that was me being zoned and sick. What I meant to pretend to be appauled at was you thinking the 580 was less bloated than the 600. Nick and I found the 600 to be tigher in the bass department than the 580... but we had to AB to even notice that there was a difference.

I misunderstood your comment about the Blockhead. I agree that it sounded slightly more extended -- I thought you meant that it was brighter (which I thought means that the hf frequencies were bumped up compared to the rest of the response). Anyway, yeah, I agree... I think.

 

[arnett]

kelly,

yeah, i didn't really find the HD600 to have a 'tighter' bass than on the HD580. just more extension. this on the HR Home amp with crossfeed on resulted in a bit more 'bloat' than on the HD580s. i know you know how crossfeed can over-do the bass sometimes.

now i'm used to the crossfeed on and the treble boost off on my little. and i listened to that configuration on the HR Home amps whan comparing headphones. that same configuration (crossfeed on, treble boost off) on the blockhead was much more 'airy' and 'detailed' than on the home and little. thus, the blockhead was brighter than i thought it was going to be. i couldn't imagine using the treble boost on the blockhead. i don't think one would need it.

of course, that doesn't mean the blockhead was 'bright', per se.

 

[kelly]

Arnett

To me the Headroom crossfeed does make the bass seem boosted/bloated but if you had it in the same setting comparing the 580 to the 600, it doesn't make sense that it would effect your comparative results.

I tried the Blockhead first flat (no crossfeed or brightness filters) and then again with the crossfeed on and the brightness set to "brighter" and prefered that configuration. It honestly may have been the boosted bass that I found seductive but it made the sound more "real" to me.

 

[arnett]

kelly,

on the difference between the HD580 and HD600:

to my ears, there was like a 5% difference between the two on the HR home amps i used. comparing the two is like 'splitting hairs.' i like the HD600. i'm just not going to upgrade as i personally don't feel like there was a $150 difference between the two.

 

[arnett]

But let me also say that I didn’t take the really high-end amps too seriously. That’s because I (and almost everyone else here) will never be able to afford a $3,500 headphone amp.

$12,000 is repugnant to my sense of value. At $12,000, the big O better be 3-4 times as good because it 3-4 more expensive than its competition. IMO, the big O wasn’t 3-4 times as good -- only slightly better overall.

I tried to concentrate on more affordable gear that I might be able to buy someday.

 

[Quincy]

Arnett or Kelly,,,anyone?
did you notice any difference that would have been caused by the plastic grill on the HD580?
I have the 580's and everyone in a while, with the right volume and frequency, seemed like the grill resonated and the sound became dull. This would only happen on certain passages in certain songs. Not noticeably present on 95% of music.

So I got the 600's, with the metal (or whatever that is) grill and they sound cleaner to me. Didn't have to pay too much extra $$ since I picked them up used here on head-fi.

Maybe I'm one of few who notice this. Curious to hear comments from anyone who attended the tour and listened to these 'phones.

Looking forward to the headroom tour stop in my neighborhood. My only amp is an Airhead, and I'm happy with it, but when I look into the crystal ball I see me opening a box from UPS - can't...make....out...contents of box....

 

[kelly]

Quincy

I'd say the tighter bass of the HD600 is directly consequential of the material upgrade from plastic to carbon fiber. Since Arnett heard it differently maybe in the world of according to Arnett, plastic is less resonant than carbon fiber and that Sennheiser has made a horrible mistake.

Both of us agree the differences are subtle. Let me try to simplify the decision making here. The upgrade from 580 to 600 will not in the least compare to getting a decent amp. If you can't afford a decent amp AND the 600, definitely find the 580 used for cheap so you can scrape some money for an amp. If that's already in budget, you might also consider the Cardas cable. HD580+Cardas vs HD600+stock cable, I might bet on the 580 there. Most everyone (except Arnett) would agree the 600 is better than the 580, my only argument is "NOT MUCH" better and shouldn't be your top priority. Then again, if it'll save you an upgrade step later, go ahead and get the 600--just be sure to leave room for an amp in your budget.

 

[arnett]

Quote:

Originally posted by kelly Most everyone (except Arnett) would agree the 600 is better than the 580

kelly,

IMHO, the HD600 might not be better for one particular amp (HR home) using a certain filter (crossfeed), using the IC's they used at the show. i heard the HD600 on several other amps and it sounded fine; the treble extension of the HD600 (compared to the HD580) is something i really like. to my ears, the HD580 had slightly (5-10%) LESS bass overall. this is good with the bass-heavy crossfeed circuit.

on other amps that do not exibit such a heavy mid-bass, i'm sure i'd prefer the HD600. but, i own a HR amp.
again, there's so little difference it's hard to say one is better or worse than the other.

but what i was saying is that the HD600 is not worth an extra $150 over the HD580's. especially if you already have the HD580's.

man, we agree on most of this stuff . . .

now if could only get you to agree that the stax is dark sounding.

 

[Quincy]

Arnett commented on the high price of the hd600's too much to justify for their gain over the 580's. I saw this link previously about locating lowest prices on hd600's:
URL=http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12026&highlight=600+AND +price]http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12026&highlight=600+AND +price[/URL]


Ahhh, now I understand you Arnett; hd600's have extended bass, which the crossfeed filter hightens too much for your liking. And you said you prefer not using the treble boost (more airy and detailed, eh?). Guess I'll have to audition the treble boost for my own ear...and other amps....

In the meantime, I am keeping my hd600's, and have room in my budget for an amp upgrade...hopefully before Xmas. Just don't know which amp to get....oh well,...this is kinda fun...