Headphones for metal music - ultimate solution
Jan 27, 2016 at 6:29 PM Post #3,826 of 12,269
So, I got the P series Comply tips for my Piston 3's. This is the fit I was looking for! However, the holes are almost too small to fit over the Piston 3's nipple. It felt like they were going to break as I had to push and twist and push and twist to get them on. The tips do stay on when I pull them out of my ears now!!! 


Oops, wrong thread :p
 
Jan 27, 2016 at 6:29 PM Post #3,827 of 12,269
I think the HE-6 would be the perfect HP for metal music.  Excellent sound, but they are not easy to drive.  If the HE-6 isn't driven well, they won't sound good.
 
Fido2 has some killer amps that can drive the HE-6, but not everybody does...@Fido2 can you comment on your experience with HE-6 amps?
 
Another higher-end option would be the Audeze LCD-X or XC.  They have only 22-ohm impedance so you can drive them with any amp.  Their SQ is similar to the HE-6.
 
These are not travel HP's.  Made for home listening and you will rock OUT.
 
Cheers -
RCB
 
Jan 27, 2016 at 11:27 PM Post #3,829 of 12,269
Nope, I exclusively listen to metal. Trying to find the best IEM for under my motorcycle helmet.

 
What's your price limit? 
 
Generally speaking, you want something with small, light-weight housings that can be worn over-ear and insert deep into your ear, if you're going to wear them under a helmet. Something like the HIFIMAN RE-400, Yamaha EPH 100, or probably any of the Etymotic iems. I'm sure there are other good brands now; I'm not super into iems, personally.
 
I just purchased the Yamahas for the second time, and they're very good with metal. They're a little bassy, but they can handle fast, complex music. Amazon has some open-box ones for about $62. They're awesome for that price.

If you buy the Yamahas, be sure you get them from Amazon or another authorized Yamaha dealer, as there were a lot of counterfeits of these, especially on ebay for ~$50, usually shipping from Hong Kong. 
 
Jan 28, 2016 at 12:42 AM Post #3,830 of 12,269
Nope, I exclusively listen to metal. Trying to find the best IEM for under my motorcycle helmet.

Yes, very price-dependent as Shuto said. Coming from the Piston, I concur with his recommendation of the Yamaha EPH-100 for the "under $100" category. Around $300-$400, the Alclair reference triple is pretty awesome, but there is a ton of stuff in this range, and I've only tried a little bit of it. Under $1,000, the Westone W-60 takes the cake with mastery of every frequency range, great separation, great impact, smooth (but ultra-detailed) highs, and some nice mids. In the TOTL category, the Noble Kaiser 10 makes an argument for best metal headphone overall. It beats out the aforementioned W-60 in every category and adds one of the most emotional and seductive mid ranges I have ever heard on any headphone. For the K10, a CIEM would be key, as the universal design will likely be too large to fit under the helmet. The CIEM is lower profile. If you want universal, go with the W-60, and you will want for nothing ever again. For how close it gets to the K10 at 2/3 the price, it is a steal. Also, Westone tips do a great job of staying comfortably in your ears when you are active.
 
Jan 28, 2016 at 12:56 AM Post #3,831 of 12,269
Yes, very price-dependent as Shuto said. Coming from the Piston, I concur with his recommendation of the Yamaha EPH-100 for the "under $100" category. Around $300-$400, the Alclair reference triple is pretty awesome, but there is a ton of stuff in this range, and I've only tried a little bit of it. Under $1,000, the Westone W-60 takes the cake with mastery of every frequency range, great separation, great impact, smooth (but ultra-detailed) highs, and some nice mids. In the TOTL category, the Noble Kaiser 10 makes an argument for best metal headphone overall. It beats out the aforementioned W-60 in every category and adds one of the most emotional and seductive mid ranges I have ever heard on any headphone. For the K10, a CIEM would be key, as the universal design will likely be too large to fit under the helmet. The CIEM is lower profile. If you want universal, go with the W-60, and you will want for nothing ever again. For how close it gets to the K10 at 2/3 the price, it is a steal. Also, Westone tips do a great job of staying comfortably in your ears when you are active.


I agree about fitment. I used the um pro50 for a year and it would easily fit under a helmet. Same design as w60.
 
Jan 28, 2016 at 6:08 PM Post #3,832 of 12,269
Imo Dunu 1000 trumps the yamaha eph100 for metal. The yams have an enveloping thick bass that adds some veil to the music hence, making the listening experience a tad fatiguing esp for complex genres like metal. The metallic highs didnt help too. Imo the Dunus are overall better without a midbass bloat, nonmetallic highs and fluid mids. I was more focused on the track playing because of this iem. Looking forward to try the he400i.
 
Jan 28, 2016 at 8:43 PM Post #3,833 of 12,269
Imo Dunu 1000 trumps the yamaha eph100 for metal. The yams have an enveloping thick bass that adds some veil to the music hence, making the listening experience a tad fatiguing esp for complex genres like metal. The metallic highs didnt help too. Imo the Dunus are overall better without a midbass bloat, nonmetallic highs and fluid mids. I was more focused on the track playing because of this iem. Looking forward to try the he400i.


The DUNU DN1000 is a fantastic headphone, but with two significant caveats. First, it's an ergonomic catastrophe, with its large, heavy housings, low quality, memory-wire cable, and smooth, non-ridged nozzle that causes tips to fall off. The weird ring/tip fitment mechanism, though cool in theory, is mostly a mess in practice.

Secondly, its signature is v-shaped, which some people don't like. This didn't bother me because it didn't "suck out" the mids, as cheaper v-shaped iems do.

Furthermore, OP wants something that will fit under his motorcycle helmet. The Dunus are a terrible choice for this application.

With all of that said, the DN1000 is a wonderful iem - if you can get the fit right, and are absolutely technically superior to the Yamahas.

I really liked those iems, actually, and I'm a little jealous I had so many fit issues with them.

/rant over

PS: I'm trading for the Dunu Titan 3 today. I'm pretty sure I'm going to love it. :)
 
Jan 28, 2016 at 9:37 PM Post #3,834 of 12,269
I found the perfect fit for the dn1ks with just the wide bore silicone tips provided. I also dont use spacers as i find them too cumbersome and gimmicky. I am fond of mildly to moderately Vshaped sound signature because it gives more life and excitement to metal music.
 
Jan 29, 2016 at 1:41 AM Post #3,835 of 12,269
I found the perfect fit for the dn1ks with just the wide bore silicone tips provided. I also dont use spacers as i find them too cumbersome and gimmicky. I am fond of mildly to moderately Vshaped sound signature because it gives more life and excitement to metal music.


Yeah, the people on the DN1000 thread swear by those tips.

None of the stock tips fit me well. I also tried Jvc spin dots and the discontinued ones you have to order from Japan. No luck.

It's a shame because when you do get a good seal, those iems are really excellent.
 
Jan 29, 2016 at 2:08 AM Post #3,836 of 12,269
I know we're getting slightly off-topic, but what's the point of diminishing returns on solid state amplifiers? I'm looking for something versatile, that can power both low- and high-impedance phones. I understand context is key, but many people say the Hifiman He400i and the Fostex TH-X00 are great for what they do.

To me, the line of diminishing returns for headphones is (in theory) $400, because that's the price I can pay for very good headphones.

Assuming that's true, what's the number for amps? I know the $600 Liquid Carbon will be a popular choice, or my portable Oppo HA-2,or the $600 Chord MOJO. Unfortunately, the Liquid Carbon is in such short supply.

I'm trying to hold off until the Cavalli Spark comes out, or wait for another Liquid Carbon run.

So many choices...
 
Jan 29, 2016 at 2:20 AM Post #3,837 of 12,269
For me it's a $250 Schiit Asgard 2... I'd wager to say that even Magni 2 is enough for most headphones.
 
Jan 29, 2016 at 2:56 AM Post #3,838 of 12,269
Yes, very price-dependent as Shuto said. Coming from the Piston, I concur with his recommendation of the Yamaha EPH-100 for the "under $100" category. Around $300-$400, the Alclair reference triple is pretty awesome, but there is a ton of stuff in this range, and I've only tried a little bit of it. Under $1,000, the Westone W-60 takes the cake with mastery of every frequency range, great separation, great impact, smooth (but ultra-detailed) highs, and some nice mids. In the TOTL category, the Noble Kaiser 10 makes an argument for best metal headphone overall. It beats out the aforementioned W-60 in every category and adds one of the most emotional and seductive mid ranges I have ever heard on any headphone. For the K10, a CIEM would be key, as the universal design will likely be too large to fit under the helmet. The CIEM is lower profile. If you want universal, go with the W-60, and you will want for nothing ever again. For how close it gets to the K10 at 2/3 the price, it is a steal. Also, Westone tips do a great job of staying comfortably in your ears when you are active.

Yeah LOL, I'm not paying $1000 for an IEM for my commute. It seems silly to me, sorry. Rugged and durable for $100, ones that the tips won't slip off inside my ear canal. Haven't road tested the Piston 3's yet due to the rain. I did love my MEE Audio M-Duo, but the rubber grommet that protects the cable going into the housing is crap.
 
Jan 29, 2016 at 9:18 AM Post #3,839 of 12,269
For me it's a $250 Schiit Asgard 2... I'd wager to say that even Magni 2 is enough for most headphones.


I have a Magni 1 that works great for all my headphones. The craziness over expensive amps around these parts just baffles me.
 
Jan 29, 2016 at 9:27 AM Post #3,840 of 12,269
I have a Magni 1 that works great for all my headphones. The craziness over expensive amps around these parts just baffles me.


Be happy!!!

I had a Magni, Asgard, Magni2Uber and have now settled. I have a set of very different headphones. And once you find a perfect synergy it's hard to go back.

Since I heard my HE-560 on my vintage amp from the speaker taps - there was no going back to the Conductor. The Magni is a great amp and as Schiit says: Maybe all the amp you will ever need. But once you have something better and get used to it, it's hard to go back.

If you are happy with the Magni. Great. If the upgrade bug doesn't get you and you don't go to many meet ups this is a great way to contain the upgrade virus. :grinning:

Cheers,
K
 

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