[Anouk]

Hey Tangent, Maybe this was asked before but what do you prefer with either the hd800 or the dx1k? Ss or tube? And what tubes are you using with your woo? GFunny that you have also got a headroom solid state amp. I had the headroom ultra desktop which is for sale now and my woo audio wa2 will arrive soon! I was interested in the wa6se but the wa2 is smaller and has a preamp output. What do you use as source for the woo?
I am still interested in getting the dx1000 although I am afraid it will have too much bass for me. I have already heard the hd800 in a store and it was awesome!
Thanks in advance,
Greetings, Anouk,

 

[rangen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anouk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey Tangent,

(looks around). Oh, you must mean me. OK.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anouk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe this was asked before but what do you prefer with either the hd800 or the dx1k? Ss or tube?

I have no extensive list of experiences to draw on here, at least in the headphone world. My explorations in the speaker world taught me that I pretty much always prefer tubes, if there's enough power there. I am thoroughly satisfied with the Woo 6SE, in combination with both the HD800 and DX1000, but my readings here on Head-Fi tell me that that is hardly a sufficient guide to a general choice of tubes vs. ss for these headphones -- the HD800 appears to be very very sensitive to specific amplifier choice, more so than ss vs. tube, and the DX1000, well, Skylab would have a lot more to say about that than I would. "Tubes, as long as the amp has sufficient power and is not super-tubey?" Something like that, perhaps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anouk /img/forum/go_quote.gif And what tubes are you using with your woo?

Utterly stock at this point. I'm practicing delayed gratification by spending significant time with the amp in stock form, so that I can properly evaluate, and, I hope, enjoy, the transition to the fabled Princess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anouk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Funny that you have also got a headroom solid state amp. I had the headroom ultra desktop which is for sale now and my woo audio wa2 will arrive soon! I was interested in the wa6se but the wa2 is smaller and has a preamp output. What do you use as source for the woo?

My source is computer into Headroom Ultra DAC. I can understand the appeal of the preamp output on the WA2. I went with the 6SE partly because I didn't need a preamp, partly because of reviews here, partly because of my perception of more power, and partly because of the dual low/high impedance headphone outputs. I think you'll be happy with your WA2. Considering the roving eye tendencies of the audiophile community, it's pretty remarkable how persistent a phenomenon it is, that people are so satisfied with their Woo amplifiers.

 

[RedBull]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crucial /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do like the headphones. They provide an incredible soundstage, unprecendented detail (every song is new again), lifelike vocals, tonally correct (as far as I can tell), but they just do not rock. I'm having trouble describing that cliche. The weight on each note appears to be lacking. As an example, the track 'So What' from from Miles Davis 'Kind of Blue' is well presented but the fullness to the acoustic bass is lacking while the first trumpet solo is incredible. In some ways they remind me of the Stax Omega I headphones I used to own, great vocals and fast but the bass was lacking (for me). Having also owned the DX1000, I kinda miss them. They are a fun headphone with great articulate bass but the soundstaging can be 'weird' at times and the vocals on some tracks can be recessed. Like rangen has mentioned, I like the HD800 for the technical aspects (the audiophile part of me), but for the music or the Gestalt of the sounds, I presently prefer the Ultrasone Edition 9 (which I presently own) or DX1000. And the best for me is the L3000 (but it lacks the detail of some other phones). I'm hoping that through additional listening my opinion will change but for now I don't know if I will keep them. I also have the PS-1000 on order. If they combine the best attributes of the GS1000 and PS1, I might be a happy camper.

Great description crucial, I'm in the same camp as you about HD800.

I believe many people will disagree with me, but that's what i feel as well:
- Weird soundstage (sometimes)
- Lack of body for vocals
- A little harsh on the lower treble (around 6-7K), especially with cymbals.

I will be monitoring this thread to see how others view about HD800

 

[RedBull]

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggf /img/forum/go_quote.gif People can whine from here to death and back that the HD800's are just being a ruthless tool which show you all the details on the recording, good and bad, but, again, is this how you want to spend your music listening time? Bring me pleasure or else bring me nothing! I think you have to have OCD or OCPD to be transfixed by the over-the-top details on the 800.

I like "Bring me pleasure or else bring me nothing" concept

I don't want to 'see' what's on the recording if it can bring me pleasure.

 

[RedBull]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks guys - I am thrilled to have the opportunity to do so. I just wish I could write as creatively as Rangen!!!!

You have your own style, which I like very much, very structured, very easy to read and precise

I also waiting for your review

 

[elbuzzard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donald North /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's easy to say "I want neutrality or accuracy", but what is neutrality and accuracy? Are we trying to recreate the soundfield at the original event? If so, then to do this the recording needs to be done binaurally - perhaps an Ambisonic mic with appropriate processing could also work. If this recording is done the traditional way with multiple microphones, then we've already failed this goal. What about electronic music? There is no original acoustic event with it until it's played. If the goal is to reproduce the soundfield as heard from a pair of loudspeakers, are they free field or in a room (diffuse field)? Which room? Which loudspeaker? What is their left-right separation and distance from the listener? Another possible definition to accuracy: Accurately invoking the same emotional response and feeling as the composer/musician intended.

Great post Donald North. I find it funny that some posters try to endorse "accuracy" of the recording, when in reality if you were not in the studio during the performance you really have no idea. Even a live performance like Johnny Cash @ Folsom has plenty of EQ/ compression in the mix(probably some really awesome Fairchild/Gates/Pultec units).
I look at my audio equipment like a printer. The image will look different depending on the inks and paper. Color processing is like EQ/compression.
Also, i think you can use "colored" phones for mixing if you know how the coloration translates to speakers. I've never used the DX1000 though, after reading this and other threads, sounds like something I'd enjoy.

 

[Donald North]

Thanks! Here's one fun example of accuracy: In college in 1992 I did some experiments where I made my own binaural dummy head and made recordings in a room with people coming in and out, talking, opening and closing doors, etc. I would then replay these recordings for people, seated at the exact location and direction of the dummy head in the recording. Listening through my beyer DT990 headphones, people would turn their heads in the direction of the sound that they heard, as though the person talking were actually coming into the room! It sounded that realistic to them and me.

 

[NeoVibe]

OK, so here I am, debating with a potencial DX1000 upgrade from my HD-600 for months and now the HD-800 had to come... and now I found the perfect thread

Great review, great style rangen, very informative and down-to-earth, thank you.

Personally, what I am debating most about the DX1000 is not that I may not like them (because it seems you either 'get' them or not), nor that they are coloured/add-reverb but because the can (according to some) sound right on some material and wrong on other material... If they're not your only headphones it's ok, but if they are to be your reference it's not ok.

another thing I have to point out is that in europe, the HD-800 is exactly twice as much as the DX1000 (1000eur vs 500eur)
with this in mind I think I will take the DX1000 for now and in a couple of years get the HD800 (perhaps for a little less).

Soundinista, I think this it finally, another DX1000+RPX33 combo

great discussion going on here too, one of the most 'healthy' discussions I have read here in all these years...

*****

but by the way, maybe this question is relevant for this thread...
my personnal opinion on the HD-600 is that no matter the recording and gear associated, they are simply incapable of conveying a feeling of happiness, joy, lightness, airiness, euphory, joy de vivre...
they always sound 'wooden' and sad. I am not talking about the sound but more of their character.
My question is: has this passed on to the HD-800??

I won't ask if this is the case with the DX1000, it seems to be widely accepted that they're all about the fun-factor.

cheers eveyone

 

[Skylab]

There is no question that the HD800 are much more analytical than the DX1000. But I do not believe they are analytical to the point of not being fun to listen to.

 

[Drumonron]

Fun review Rangen, has a comic book, wrestling, superhero or Transformer 2 kind of feel to it. Love your reviews!
Some people would pay a monthly fee for the kind of entertainment it brings, I certainly appreciate head-fi members like you, Skylab, Jude and boy do I miss ASR!

 

[bordins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif There is no question that the HD800 are much more analytical than the DX1000. But I do not believe they are analytical to the point of not being fun to listen to.

I find the HD800's is more balanced than the DX1000's. The HD800's analytical characteristics also brings music to another level, particularly details and accuracy. Surprisingly, you can easily hear subtle ambience in the music. This is why the HD800's is more musical than the DX1000's.

 

[Skylab]

Some find that sort of thing more musical. Some do not. Such is life

 

[bordins]

Do not believe other opinions, but only yours. Such is a fact.

 

[Snacks]

Both are musical, but the HD 800 displays its musicality in a familiar; however, different way. You can hear and feel bass, but without the unnecessary impact.

 

[RedBull]

Heck with accuracy, impact etc, if I find it's good, it's final, everybody hears differently, VASTly different

. Can you imagine everybody agrees on one thing? then there only be one car manufacturer, one headphone manufacturer, only one shampoo manufacturer. I don't want to live in a world like that, boooring. So, keep the impression going dude, it adds more color to life.