[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wmcmanus Anyway, it would be nice to know more about how and why the balanced RS-1 have grabbed you to the point that you've reached this conclusion. I'm sure you're listening with that most amazing SDS-XRL, which I heard with the balanced HD650s and was blown away by it's goodness!

I'm not really sure why the RS-1 and SDS-XLR have locked onto each other, but they did, in a big way. The balanced RS-1 does not have the stock cable, but was put together by John Grado using the Joseph Grado High-Bandwidth Reference Cable, and I'm not sure how much if anything this contributes.

I do know that the balanced RS-1 behaves differently than I've heard the single-ended RS-1. I always used flat pads, because bowl pads tended to make the RS-1 thin out in the midrange, with peaky highs. Detail was better, but the tonal sacrifice was too much. Running balanced, the loss of detail with flat pads is painful. However, using bowls, there is none of the midrange suckout, or shrill highs. Instead the frequency response seems to hold pretty steady, clean highs, strong mids and strong and textured low end, with a huge increase in detail and staging. I would never have believed the RS-1 capable of the kind of soundstage I've been hearing, if I didn't hear it regularly. In fact, I'm going to go listen shortly after I post this to make sure I haven't been hallucinating the whole thing.

I've never heard an RS-1 sound like this with any other amp. I wasn't really expecting this, and can't really explain it, but I love listening to it. I've had RS-1's for years, but the SDS-XLR seems to have unlocked capabilities of that headphone I never dreamed were even there.

 

[Wmcmanus]

Thanks, Hirsch! It would be nice if you could (pretty please) one day (not today) give us more concerning your impressions/comparisons of the various balanced headphones at your disposal for use with the SDS-XRL. In other words, how big is the jump in performance for the HD650 when going from single ended to balanced (I found this to be quite significant in my brief audition with your amp), and likewise for the RS-1 and Qualia 010. More to the point, do your rankings of these phones change when going from single ended to balanced?

The phenomenon that I'm most interested in is what you might describe as the "sensitivity" (for lack of a better word, and I mean this in a non-technical way) of various headphones to the switch to a balanced amp. As with anything, I'm sure it is listener dependent, but it would still be fun to get your impressions. I'd imagine that it would be very similar to how some headphones respond well (or better than others) to tube rolling or cable replacements, etc.

 

[edisonwu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha Ah, the real reason I haven't rushed out to get a replacement L3000 Best, -Jason

W5000 undoubtedly looks cooler than L3000. I understand the position. but this does not necessarily mean it will be sounding better than L3000 or replacing its status. Anyway, sounds are subjective.

I always judge amplifiers and headphones with both their appearance and quality of sound. They are equally important for me.

Thats the only reason for me not going for the L3000.

 

[edisonwu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken36 I have to admit that I'm tired. I remember looking for the perfect woman, and thinking I had found her. Then things started to slip away and I started the search again. After a few years, I got so tired that I settled down with my wife and got married and appreciate her for what she really is.. This is a great metaphor, because this is exactly the way I've been acting since I came to head-fi. I'm worn out and I,ve got to learn to appreciate what I have. Of course, the w5000 will be released on 12/02.

Thats definitely right, to appreciate what I have.
People's appraisement of same headphone may be different from time to time.
As Hirsch said, "These are my preferences at this moment. Subject to change at any time."
There is no way to mark a headphone with a fixed point.

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoRedWings19 With poor recordings I cannot enjoy the music at all as I find it unlistenable but with good recording it shows its' true nature.

This I find to be true with any top-tier headphone. One of the reasons to advocate "source first", and by inference, good recordings please. With that, and a decently neutral amp, any of the top headphones are capable of pleasing their owners quite well.

Top-end headphones are most often used with correspondingly top-end sources (and usually a good recording also), giving the listener a positive aural experience. But bring that same headphone home, and plug it into your old crappy source, and you are disappointed.

After source, "system synergy" becomes paramount.

 

[mikeg]

Think that the performance of a balanced system can even exceed the performance of your HE90/HEV90 system?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wmcmanus Mike, I suspect that you're right, so long as it doesn't take away from the nature of this thread, which is to get opinions on how folks would rate the various headphones listed. A slight detour should be fine, but I don't want to hijack the thread. Like myself, I'm sure you're interested in learning more about the benefits of balanced headphone systems. There are lots of threads about the subject, but I'm just a "listener" and not a technician, so how it all works is much less relevant to me than the difference it makes in terms of the sound, and untimately, my enjoyment of the music itself. I suspect that during the next year or so more and more Head-Fi'ers will consider making the move to balanced systems. "Going balanced" seems to offer the biggest jump in performance for any/all headphones (at least once you get beyond the $1k level for a headphone/headamp combo). In other words, you will get more bang for your buck by keeping the same headphones and getting them recabled for a balanced amp (even a moderately priced one) than you would by upgrading to a better pair of single-ended headphones, or by upgrading your source, etc.

 

[mikeg]

Hirsch - Have you compared a balanced R10 to the balanced RS-1?

 

[Jasonharkin]

Well, I gotta admit I have never heard any of the aforementioned cans. But I plan to in the upcoming year. However I personally use cans as sleeping tools, hopefully the JC HP-DX1000 and Raptor will knock me out.

Regard Jason

 

[gpalmer]

Hate to start off this way, but I think this thread is kind of basically missing the point completely. It's the system that matters not just the headphone. For instance, with my Gilmore Balanced Reference the balanced PS-1 tears up the balanced RS-1. There is nothing the RS-1 can do the PS-1's can't do better with that amplifier, while with Hirsch's SDS-XLR, it's quite the opposite. What I've heard of the balanced RS-1's on Hirsch's SDS-XLR leads me to believe he's categorized them correctly, they truly behave differently than I've heard them on any other amp (and the set of balanced RS-1s he has were mine for several years) and belong in the top contenders. I do disagree with one part of the basic premise of this thread. I think that given the right system any of the headphones mentioned can be up at the top or several grades below it...

 

[gpalmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hirsch The balanced RS-1 does not have the stock cable, but was put together by John Grado using the Joseph Grado High-Bandwidth Reference Cable, and I'm not sure how much if anything this contributes.

One minor point about the manufacture of these headphones Hirsch that I noticed in a comment by you in another thread. The balanced RS-1s were cabled by Grado, but terminated by HeadRoom...

 

[Rhydon]

Hirsch, why are the HP1000's in tier 3? Im sorry, they deserve enough if not more attention then the PS-1 in terms of sound quality.

 

[grandenigma1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpalmer Hate to start off this way, but I think this thread is kind of basically missing the point completely. It's the system that matters not just the headphone. For instance, with my Gilmore Balanced Reference the balanced PS-1 tears up the balanced RS-1. There is nothing the RS-1 can do the PS-1's can't do better with that amplifier, while with Hirsch's SDS-XLR, it's quite the opposite. What I've heard of the balanced RS-1's on Hirsch's SDS-XLR leads me to believe he's categorized them correctly, they truly behave differently than I've heard them on any other amp (and the set of balanced RS-1s he has were mine for several years) and belong in the top contenders. I do disagree with one part of the basic premise of this thread. I think that given the right system any of the headphones mentioned can be up at the top or several grades below it...

It truly is about the synergy...what sounds great in one rig might not in another. Unfortunately it is a lot of trial and error initially but once you get a feel for you system you can get quite good at determining what would pair nicely with it or not.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeg Hirsch - Have you compared a balanced R10 to the balanced RS-1?

Hi Mike,

I haven't heard a balanced R10...yet. I've pretty much convinced myself that I need to do that, though. The single-ended SDS is a superb R10 amp, but I keep imagining what the R10 could do on that balanced monster I've got, and am going to have to find out

 

[neilvg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hirsch Hi Mike, I haven't heard a balanced R10...yet. I've pretty much convinced myself that I need to do that, though. The single-ended SDS is a superb R10 amp, but I keep imagining what the R10 could do on that balanced monster I've got, and am going to have to find out

LOL, I haven't either. I have heard a single ended r10 with a dual XLR adapter plugged into an SDS-XLR unit. It sounded good, but not nearly as good as a balanced 650. I would love to hear a balanced r10 and I am also very interested in some info on what phones seem to benefit most from being balanced.

I am under the impression from experience (but not enough) that the L3K's don't benefit as much as say, the 650's and maybe the RS-1's... but never heard the RS-1's balanced, and have only heard RS-1's in general for a very short time.

Neil

 

[gpalmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hirsch I haven't heard a balanced R10...yet. I've pretty much convinced myself that I need to do that, though. The single-ended SDS is a superb R10 amp, but I keep imagining what the R10 could do on that balanced monster I've got, and am going to have to find out

Hey Hirsch,

I have a pair of clippers here, what say I drop by MD next weekend and we do a little surgery. I'll bravely volunteer to leave my pair alone so we'll have a good comparison point!