Ok....here goes....at the risk of being flogged by the veterans that abound here....I am a fair-bit noob to the Head-Fi hobby but have appreciated hi fidelity audio for several years now. After owning $5.00 headphones all the way up to...wait for it...$30.00 headphones I was convinced Head-Fi was a myth and that anyone spending lots of money on the hobby was akin to insanity or at best, the placebo effect. Boy! Was I wroooooooong!
I dipped my toe into the world at a Magnolia HT store by auditioning their scant offerings in Hi-Fi cans. I was mostly under-whelmed due to the very "tinny" sound I experienced. Thus, I began my "Google-fest" and stumbled upon this wonderful site/forum. After researching for what seems like and eternity, I realized the folly of my Magnolia test...They were running sample signals from sub-par sources through no processing with minimal amplification...I should have concluded this prior to my research as I know from my prior hi-fi experience that S- in breeds S- out. So, off to one of the two locations near me for some serious auditioning. They had CD's through a trasport with a DAC and couple of amps....much better, I admit. They also had several cans for auditioning. I settled, due to budget limitations on the Audio Technica ESW9A due to its ability to play decently with my iPhone 4S and sounding very clear with not too much low end or high end shrillness. Plus, they look sexy! Well, I used some credit from an online retailer I had from points earned to order a HifiMan EF2A. I also snagged a Schiit Modi. This combo please me with the stock tubes (remember I am a noob). The only issue I have is the notorious EF2A gain monster (yes it is there). I began to appreciate some of the more laid back music for my tastes (instrumental, jazz/jazz vocal, acoustic). I then pumped in my favs...Metal (take your pick-eclectic tastes)...Not so Fabulous with Metal...Uh Oh?!...Began scouring again for good metal phones....Grado came up...but I cannot hack them...I get headaches from their "ear pain" and to me, shrill nature with limited low end balance (in my price range).......
Fast Forward....
I since snagged a killer deal on some HD650's...thus the reason for my thread...Again began search and seemingly found that my two cans weren't good for metal (slow/bloated...yadda yadda...using tube/hybrid amp...yadda yadda...)...They sounded decent with the stock chinese tubes, but read about these Voshkods that sound sweet...took the plunge on them....
Let me say....Awesome!....These Voshkods taper the top end perfectly for my tastes and don't bloat the mid bass region too much to enjoy the laid back music I listen too...but mostly.......They provide the perfect sound for me to head bang away with....
Side Note: I feel there are times when precision matters....my music (my tastes) is not one of those times.....guess I am a noob toob fellow now....The HD650 in my set-up gives the perfect synergy to the music I enjoy...
This being said...I have read/heard the Crack, LD MK III/IVse are stellar as well (without the gain issue of the EF2A) The LD's use the same style tubes as the EF2A...should I take the chance of upgrader's remorse to test the waters? Should I suck it up and deal with the gain problem (it does really bother me as I can't just chillax with Diana Krall at low/balanced sound)? True, I think I am asking for upgrade justification.....I do not plan to change headphones anytime soon, but may be selling my ESW9a's and EF2A...also note I don't do FLAC/Lossless/CD Transport etc for my headphones at this time..I use primarily Spotify Hi-Res streaming, and yes I know this isn't ideal, but it is what it is.
Thoughts?
I dipped my toe into the world at a Magnolia HT store by auditioning their scant offerings in Hi-Fi cans. I was mostly under-whelmed due to the very "tinny" sound I experienced. Thus, I began my "Google-fest" and stumbled upon this wonderful site/forum. After researching for what seems like and eternity, I realized the folly of my Magnolia test...They were running sample signals from sub-par sources through no processing with minimal amplification...I should have concluded this prior to my research as I know from my prior hi-fi experience that S- in breeds S- out. So, off to one of the two locations near me for some serious auditioning. They had CD's through a trasport with a DAC and couple of amps....much better, I admit. They also had several cans for auditioning. I settled, due to budget limitations on the Audio Technica ESW9A due to its ability to play decently with my iPhone 4S and sounding very clear with not too much low end or high end shrillness. Plus, they look sexy! Well, I used some credit from an online retailer I had from points earned to order a HifiMan EF2A. I also snagged a Schiit Modi. This combo please me with the stock tubes (remember I am a noob). The only issue I have is the notorious EF2A gain monster (yes it is there). I began to appreciate some of the more laid back music for my tastes (instrumental, jazz/jazz vocal, acoustic). I then pumped in my favs...Metal (take your pick-eclectic tastes)...Not so Fabulous with Metal...Uh Oh?!...Began scouring again for good metal phones....Grado came up...but I cannot hack them...I get headaches from their "ear pain" and to me, shrill nature with limited low end balance (in my price range).......
Fast Forward....
I since snagged a killer deal on some HD650's...thus the reason for my thread...Again began search and seemingly found that my two cans weren't good for metal (slow/bloated...yadda yadda...using tube/hybrid amp...yadda yadda...)...They sounded decent with the stock chinese tubes, but read about these Voshkods that sound sweet...took the plunge on them....
Let me say....Awesome!....These Voshkods taper the top end perfectly for my tastes and don't bloat the mid bass region too much to enjoy the laid back music I listen too...but mostly.......They provide the perfect sound for me to head bang away with....
Side Note: I feel there are times when precision matters....my music (my tastes) is not one of those times.....guess I am a noob toob fellow now....The HD650 in my set-up gives the perfect synergy to the music I enjoy...
This being said...I have read/heard the Crack, LD MK III/IVse are stellar as well (without the gain issue of the EF2A) The LD's use the same style tubes as the EF2A...should I take the chance of upgrader's remorse to test the waters? Should I suck it up and deal with the gain problem (it does really bother me as I can't just chillax with Diana Krall at low/balanced sound)? True, I think I am asking for upgrade justification.....I do not plan to change headphones anytime soon, but may be selling my ESW9a's and EF2A...also note I don't do FLAC/Lossless/CD Transport etc for my headphones at this time..I use primarily Spotify Hi-Res streaming, and yes I know this isn't ideal, but it is what it is.
Thoughts?
