[Balisarda]

This may not be news to anyone, but I've been quite struck by it lately.

I recently switched from the Sennheiser HD 650 to the Etymotic ER-4S. (I'm in heaven, but that's a story for another thread in another forum.) Since making the switch, I've gone back to my two headphone amps and done some extensive listening. To my surprise, not only are my tube preferences different, but so are my tube impressions!

Examples are in order, based on music from my CD1 into my Mapletree Ear+ Purist HD2. With the HD 650, I thought the most neutral sound came from a 1950s Sylvania 5751 TMBP in the HD2. With the ER-4S, however, that tube sounds far too bright to be enjoyable. With the ER-4S, I thought the most neutral sound came from a 1950s GE 5751 TMBP. With the HD 650, however, that tube sounds rolled-off in the treble and unnaturally bass heavy.

I'm not the only one to have such experiences. The fellow who posted this review also used an HD 650 when he concluded that the Sylvania 5751 TMBP is the best tube in his headphone amp.

What I DON'T want is a war over the tonal characteristics of the HD 650. I'm just curious if anyone else has noticed that headphones with substanitally different tonal characteristics sbustantially affect one's impressions of how upstream gear sounds.

Happy listening,
Eric.

 

[feifan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balisarda /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm just curious if anyone else has noticed that headphones with substanitally different tonal characteristics sbustantially affect one's impressions of how upstream gear sounds.

yes

 

[Penchum]

Yes, and it is all "impressions" based.

 

[unclejr]

This is why it's so important to know everything in the signal path. Maybe this is a good exercise in what one can attribute to the source versus what one attributes to the phones. I think the final point is a very good one -- decoupling the different contributions is not trivial.

 

[granodemostasa]

Pretty much that's the story... if you go to meets, you'll get these major review/impressions that really seem off or change. it happens all the time... so congrats.

 

[Computerstud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balisarda /img/forum/go_quote.gif <snip> I recently switched from the Sennheiser HD 650 to the Etymotic ER-4S. (I'm in heaven, but that's a story for another thread in another forum.) <snip>

Since you mention this, I recently switched from using full size headphones to exclusively using my IM716 (think convenient volume control) (same driver as the ER-4) and I'm also in heaven. And to think, I was about to sell these gems.

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balisarda /img/forum/go_quote.gif This may not be news to anyone, but I've been quite struck by it lately. With the HD 650, I thought the most neutral sound came from a 1950s Sylvania 5751 TMBP in the HD2. With the ER-4S, however, that tube sounds far too bright to be enjoyable. With the ER-4S, I thought the most neutral sound came from a 1950s GE 5751 TMBP. With the HD 650, however, that tube sounds rolled-off in the treble and unnaturally bass heavy.

Of course the transducer ('phones, speakers) are usually the weakest link. Often source/amp distortion measures in 0.00xx% while speakers/phones would measure orders of magnitude higher.

Owning both Syl 5751 TMBP and GE 5751 TMBP myself, I can confidently say both are colored in their own way, and the colorations of HD650 and Ety ER4S will tend to favor them one way as you experienced. Nothing wrong with that; this is why we always say things like, "synergy is everything."