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Headstage Arrow HE: Reviews, Impressions, Perceptions & Sensations
May 25, 2013 at 2:20 AM Post #2,626 of 4,123
kyuuketsuki said:
I haven't listened to enough tracks to make the call, but according to chesky's binaural tracks, this has pretty fantastic soundstage. The 4G that is.
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You want to know what's funny is that I read that on anythingbutipod and they're always saying that headfi creates to many myths, this whole midrange/soundstage thing sounds like a myth to me lol

Hypocrite bastards
 
May 25, 2013 at 3:41 PM Post #2,627 of 4,123
To me the 4G made fullsize open headphones sound more closed/narrow than my other amps but it sounded great with IEMs (other than a slight lack of black background) and closed headphones. again this is IMO
 
Headphones used HD650,AD2000, ESW9, JH5, TF10, T20RP, T50RP and probably a few others Im forgetting.
 
May 25, 2013 at 3:54 PM Post #2,628 of 4,123
Quote:
alv4426 said:
To me the 4G made fullsize open headphones sound more closed/narrow than my other amps but it sounded great with IEMs (other than a slight lack of black background) and closed headphones. again this is IMO
 
Headphones used HD650,AD2000, ESW9, JH5, TF10, T20RP, T50RP and probably a few others Im forgetting.
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Hm, interesting. I'm going to test it out on a lot of different things with a variety of headphones. So far there was no negative soundstage repercussions with Sennheiser HD598 or HiFi Man HE-400. I'm going to keep at it. I tested both out for a good 30 minutes. I might try some more orchestral and big band, see if that changes anything to my ears (I tested some, but only a couple of tracks). But thus far there has been no soundstage impact. But that is just to my ears. 
 
Jun 3, 2013 at 7:41 PM Post #2,629 of 4,123
Quote:
alv4426 said:
To me the 4G made fullsize open headphones sound more closed/narrow than my other amps but it sounded great with IEMs (other than a slight lack of black background) and closed headphones. again this is IMO
 
Headphones used HD650,AD2000, ESW9, JH5, TF10, T20RP, T50RP and probably a few others Im forgetting.
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I'm not sure which headphones (or "other amps") you're using but I've found the 4G to be anything but "narrow' or "closed". A friend just bought some Senn HD800s and because he has not set up his main amps yet (due to a move) he's been using the 4G with them. He told me he couldn't believe the way the sound seemed projected into space. I realize this is a special attribute of the HD800s but if the Arrow couldn't produce a decent soundstage (and imaging) I'm sure he wouldn't have been quite so impressed.
 
I sometimes use the Arrow with HD650s and binaural recordings sound spectacular through it. The only open headphones I see in your sig are the HD650s so I'm not sure why you're not hearing the same "space" I hear with the Arrow (unless you're comparing it to a good desktop amp, which is hardly fair).
 
Jun 3, 2013 at 9:21 PM Post #2,630 of 4,123
Quote:
hellenback said:
I sometimes use the Arrow with HD650s and binaural recordings sound spectacular through it. The only open headphones I see in your sig are the HD650s so I'm not sure why you're not hearing the same "space" I hear with the Arrow (unless you're comparing it to a good desktop amp, which is hardly fair).
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Have to second the Arrow as a great amp for full sized cans ...
 
When I had mine, I used it with AKG 701's, LCD-2's, Grado GS1000's and a pair of Shure SRH840's and was blown away across the board ... and of course, I mean, relative to my typical desktop amp (a Ray Samuels Raptor) ...
 
The Arrow wasn't the sonic equivalent of the Raptor amp and nor should one expect it to be but it did very very well with full sized cans, nonetheless... I was quite impressed.
 
Jun 3, 2013 at 9:27 PM Post #2,631 of 4,123
The headstage arrow does well with the hd600s, but not as well as a desktop tube amp of course. It didn't match well with the Beyer T70s though, it was very bass light unless I turned the bass setting to II. 
 
Jun 3, 2013 at 10:30 PM Post #2,632 of 4,123
I've tested out the Headstage Arrow 4G with several full sized cans, like the HD598, HE400 and a DT880 250ohm. It worked well with all of them, better than I had expected really. Can it match to a desktop amp? No, but I never expected it to, especially given its size. I did expect it to be able to drive aforementioned headphones and do it at least decently well. Which it did. I didn't really hear any diminished soundstage, and in some cases like the HE400 it increased it overall. 
 
Jun 4, 2013 at 12:26 AM Post #2,633 of 4,123
You do realize I was comparing the amp to something else right? I never said its a terrible amp or anything like you seem to think I did. Its just that in the "soundstage" aspect I feel its not particularly spectacular but certainly not terrible, Id consider it good just not as good as my 3 current amps of which ALL were more expensive but I feel still comparable to the Arrow (which is all I meant before BTW). The Arrow 3G/4G were the amps I had for the longest time of all my amps and I do feel that they are really great, possibly the best combination possible for a portable amp. Look through my profile if you want to see what gear Ive used (There is a few more open headphones in there and you might even see what amps I am comparing to the Arrow as well).
 
 
That being said I have recently upgraded my portable DAC from the Headstage USB DAC cable to a ODAC/Headamp DAC(Demo) and I think that was contributing to the soundstage complaints I was having. Unfortunately I don't have an Arrow anymore but I think both my portable amps are improved AB-ing DACs. And I definitely don't have golden ears or anything. 
Quote:
hellenback said:
 
I'm not sure which headphones (or "other amps") you're using but I've found the 4G to be anything but "narrow' or "closed". A friend just bought some Senn HD800s and because he has not set up his main amps yet (due to a move) he's been using the 4G with them. He told me he couldn't believe the way the sound seemed projected into space. I realize this is a special attribute of the HD800s but if the Arrow couldn't produce a decent soundstage (and imaging) I'm sure he wouldn't have been quite so impressed.
 
I sometimes use the Arrow with HD650s and binaural recordings sound spectacular through it. The only open headphones I see in your sig are the HD650s so I'm not sure why you're not hearing the same "space" I hear with the Arrow (unless you're comparing it to a good desktop amp, which is hardly fair).
Click to expand...

 
Jun 5, 2013 at 7:14 PM Post #2,634 of 4,123
Headstage is a good match with most Senns products, (perhaps it is because they are both from Germany :wink: )
especially IE80 and IE800
 
I personally recommend those who haven't tried these combinations to try it out.
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Jun 5, 2013 at 9:10 PM Post #2,636 of 4,123
That's harsh.
 
Jun 6, 2013 at 10:34 AM Post #2,638 of 4,123
Jun 6, 2013 at 4:53 PM Post #2,640 of 4,123
How the Arrow could make anything "sound dark" is beyond me. Which model do you have mpaluk91?

To me the 4G (no hardware EQ on) is pretty much "wire with gain" (transparent amplification).
 
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