[kumar402]

Cool. Enjoy your Kossvaras , and please tell me what magic DACs/Amps do you have. I have a pair of Grados here and woulnd't mind turning them into a pair of Stax.

There is no magic wand but there is no king either. A good source can do wonders with competent headphones like HD650 etc

 

[chesebert]

Cool. Enjoy your Kossvaras , and please tell me what magic DACs/Amps do you have. I have a pair of Grados here and woulnd't mind turning them into a pair of Stax.

Start with Headamp GSX 2, then pair it with Emm Labs DAC2x or DV2, follow that by adding an Aurender N10/N20 or Emm Labs NS1 and then make sure you run a dedicated AC line to your setup and have at least 2 iFi AC noise suppressors. You have to make sure to galvanically decouple the network bridge/streamer from your router. For best result, run your headphone in balanced config.

Grado can absolutely best Stax on entry amp/dac if you are willing to use a bit of EQ via Roon.

Just to be clear, I disagree any one component being the "king". There is no "king" because everything matters, and it's easy to best a TOTL headphone on entry/mid electronics with mid-tier headphone with quality electronics and ancillary considerations.

 

[bagwell359]

I don't need to know what you have.
Koss make good headphones but they won't sound better than a Ananda, even in the most expensive chain in the world.
Headphones are the main part of the setup, you just need a good and clean DAC and feed it with enough power, and there's plenty of cheap options that can do that. I think Anandas lack body and harmonics, not to mention bass slam, and the soundstage is too tall.

I think its easy to fall in love with our own stuff. Ego, and all that.

The top end of cans for me include: Voce, D8000, Susvara, OG LCD-4. Everyone has a list. Eveyone has tastes. This thread is potential flame war stuff.

To me for instance, the Ananda SE lacks bass impact, harmonics, body, and the soundstage is too tall. I can list the weaknesses of my own stuff too.

Anyone want advice? That's safer.

 

[DenverW]

I disagree. I think koss (let alone 650) on my chain probably sounds way better than the HFM on your chain.

You feel better now?

 

[bagwell359]

Transducers are the top tier. Matching is the watchword.

The Senn HD-600 and HE-6 SE's both prove that big priced TOTL cans are not the only way to great sound. I maintain that the 600 and 800's were designed in whole or part on tube amps - perhaps OTL's - because even on high current SS amps of high quality, there is something essential missing. The HE-6 SE and SE v2 both need mods to sing fully: pads, cables, screen off, fuzzor mod, and parametric EQ. But even with just EQ, they are not out of place compared to cans under $2k.

I parachuted into the headphone world full time 6 years ago - and to me, the idea of spending $6k on a headphone when I could bag something like a BMR Philharmonic Monitor, or a used Maggie 3.7i and a used 200 wpc amp - when I have an OTL for my 600's, and SS for my HFM 6 SE, 500, and HEX v2 is not at all appetizing.

Everyone must decide the balance of cost, matching, DIY, etc. for themselves.

 

[chesebert]

You feel better now?

Was trying to make a point if that wasn't clear. Probably could have worded it differently, I admit. I do encourage people just take a Koss to the next CanJam and plug into a Headamp system (they use Bricasti and GSX2). I bet most will find the Koss sound better than whatever expensive headphone they have at home if they have always lived on entry/mid fi electronics.

 

[DenverW]

Was trying to make a point if that wasn't clear. Probably could have worded it differently, I admit. I do encourage people just take a Koss to the next CanJam and plug into a Headamp system (they use Bricasti and GSX2). I bet most will find the Koss sound better than whatever expensive headphone they have at home if they have always lived on entry/mid fi electronics.

I appreciate this, thank you . I think I’m going to take your advice for next canjam SoCal, sounds like a fun experiment.

 

[Roland de Gilead]

Finally you know you are good when you start to listen to music again and don’t car about your gear. Isn’t it wonderfull when you feel free from your equipement to enjoy a good old album or a new on that will fallow you ? The only king is music

 

[bagwell359]

Finally you know you are good when you start to listen to music again and don’t car about your gear. Isn’t it wonderfull when you feel free from your equipement to enjoy a good old album or a new on that will fallow you ? The only king is music

There is no final system, just thresholds and plateaus where you can set aside the search (measurements, reviews, mods, critiques) and find the music, and listen with deep pleasure.

The cheapest plateau which i just discovered (T-26) is the Senn HD-600 (fresh pads) on the XDU00 T-26 pairing for ~$650 total - for mids/timbre. Analog or Digital (24/96 or better) - and for me a "ladder" or "multibit" DAC.

For more impressive dynamics and bass: Jot 2 and HE-6 SE v2 for $800, but parametric EQ, new pads and cable push it up.