[3602]

Maybe the title sounds like an essay. Quite not so. It's a question.
Look at the flagships of the past. Qualia 010, SR-007 Mark II, R10, HE90...
With headphone technology that we have now, what can still be improved upon? Lighter, stiffer diaphragms? Magnets with denser magnetic flux? More delicate cavity design? An entirely new driver technology?
 
Just a question and some discussion. 

 Have fun!

 

[buffalowings]

hmm..this sounds very similar to a thread in the portable section (universal IEM's are we at a end) or something like that.
but i think so, though i think the limitation is human hearing as a whole, we can only process and sort through so many sounds at a time 

 

[3602]

Clearly Sony hit something with the LCD (liquid crystal technology) with its two new flagships (Z1000 EX1000), greatly improving upon its predecessors (7509HD EX700). So that would be in the "lighter, stiffer diaphragm" portion. I'm not sure whether magnetic flux has been increased, though.

 

[deadlylover]

Stax would like to have a word with you, I think they're still trying to push the boundaries.
 
The new ortho's are interesting too, the last year or two has been quite exciting on that front, no?
 
Everything still comes down to personal preference though, so maybe it's just a matter of time until someone releases something that just clicks.

 

[3602]

Yes, indeed, SR-009... Gotta ask though, why Duke Nukem graphics on the ear-cups?
New orthos? Please point me to the right direction... All I see are Thunderpants.
Well there's the new thing called Planar Magnetic and LCD-2 seems to be rave-loved here. beyer has Tesla, but does it yield any significant advantages over traditional dynamic designs?
 
Course, next step would be 300K supraconductors for wiring. Electric companies won't be happy...

 

[deadlylover]

Quote:

Yes, indeed, SR-009... Gotta ask though, why Duke Nukem graphics on the ear-cups?
New orthos? Please point me to the right direction... All I see are Thunderpants.
Well there's the new thing called Planar Magnetic and LCD-2 seems to be rave-loved here. beyer has Tesla, but does it yield any significant advantages over traditional dynamic designs?
 
Course, next step would be 300K supraconductors for wiring. Electric companies won't be happy...

 
Eh I thought them planars and ortho's were the same thing =P.
 
I recall there being some kind of ribbon type headphone driver thingamajig, I wonder what happened to that.
 
 

 

[wind016]

Yup and planars are electrostats too. What Duke Nukem graphics?

 

[3602]

 
Quote:

 
Eh I thought them planars and ortho's were the same thing =P.
 
I recall there being some kind of ribbon type headphone driver thingamajig, I wonder what happened to that.

They're the same thing? I don't know, man. I initially confused them with electrostats...
Ribbons eh? I saw a guy putting ribbon super-tweeter units in his AH-D7000.
 
EDIT: OK found my past threads.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/528364/please-explain-to-me-what-is-planar-magnetic
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/518237/difference-between-electrostatic-and-ribbon

 

[3602]

Quote:

Yup and planars are electrostats too. What Duke Nukem graphics?

Two pictures are worth how many words?

Seeing it?

 

[wind016]

Quote:

Two pictures are worth how many words?

Seeing it?

LOL I think it was their attempt to stiffen the drivers but I'm not sure.

 

[3602]

I have yet to fully enjoy electrostats. 
Need to try SR-001.

 

[wind016]

Quote:

I have yet to fully enjoy electrostats. 
Need to try SR-001.

How can you not enjoy the non-fatiguing and bass-pounding sound of the Stax O2? I did find them less organic sounding as dynamics at first but that phase passes. Or maybe not for some.
 

 

[3602]

...Maybe because I was auditioning Grados right before.

 

[Ishcabible]

Orthodynamic was Yamaha's fancy name for planar magnetic.

I was actually waiting for someone to say something about the DT48 for some reason to be ironic.

I'm not sure if we're at an end of new developments with dynamics (heck, there's Beyer's Tesla thing and Senn's ring driver just these past few years, and the different diaphragms) and improvements on existing tech are certainly possible, but I do think it's the end of multi-grand dynamics like the R10. There's obviously a market, but with, for example, the R10, Sony didn't make too much money from that (right?) And I don't think there are as many companies that are just willing to show off without making profit at the same time. How was the ED10? Then again, Audio Technica may surprise us for their 50th anniversary.

 

[Graphicism]

Quote:

With headphone technology that we have now, what can still be improved upon?

One day we'll put a headphone on, or possibly it will just work directly on brain waves, but one day... we won't be able to tell the difference between listening to headphones/speakers and a live performance.