[Audio-Me]

Quote:

Originally posted by markl I do openly and flagrantly knock Grados

Haha.

mwb - 250 hours is nothing! Enjoy it 'cause it will last, and don't baby it either. =)

$800 for tubes, lol, that's insane, talk about ambitious marketing.

 

[eric343]

Quote:

Originally posted by mwb b) The mere fact that while so many seem to praise it as "perfect" nobody seems to buy one and that suggests to me the fact that it just "ain't that superior".

Well, the reason nobody has one is that nobody around here has ~$20K lying around to spend on the Big O. ($20K because you'll need a stellar SACD/CD player, DAC, interconnects, power cord, sorbothane feet, NOS tubes...) The only person on this board who has owned an Orpheus had to take five days off work because he couldn't stop listening, and his wife got so mad that he had to trade it for a top-grade motorcycle.

 

[markl]

To the best of my knowledge, Headroom is unable to stock Sony headphones. As a result, they are quick to recommend phones they do carry and do not speak highly of those they don't.

In general, the CD3000 bares some family resemblance to the R10 particularly in the way they handle percussion, but they're really in different classes altogether. R10 is also melower up top and has a perspective closer to HD600.

In short, if you like the CD3000, you'll LOVE the R10's.

BTW: the Cary was my dream amp for the R10's but I couldn't find one in my price range.

markl

 

[Audio-Me]

I didn't like the CD3k, but mellow highs in the R10? Oooo, that might be interesting to try them out for the hell of it. Too bad I've never even heard about them 'til you wrote the review, lol, and can't find it at any retailers (both local and boston/nyc area). I read somewhere that they have a dome paper diaphragm, is that true? If so, it must sound really warm huh? (sweet!)

 

[krell1]

I just switched from Grado 325's to using HD-600 or ET-4S. I liked the Grado's sense of being there, but now opt for accuracy with no fatigue. I think the HD-600 shines with the Blockhead, but since I only have a MOHR I have been really happy with the ER-4S when I am not able to use the home system loudspeakers. I am amazed at how musical and yet revieling the Ety's are with a good amp. I would prefer ER-4S, HD-600 then Grado's in that order with my MOHR.

 

[Audio-Me]

Ear canal plugs over HD600, omg, lol, that is one hell of a shock.

 

[Vertigo-1]

markl, I think you're recommending the wrong upgrade path. The CD3000s are a night and day difference from the R10s...a man could end up liking one and totally not liking the other, just because they sound so different from each other. A better upgrade path would be the Sony CD1700s which DO sound similar to the R10s, just much less refined. If he liked the CD1700s, than a leap to the R10s might be more inevitable. But if he liked the CD3000s, a leap to the R10s might be more disappointing than anything, for reasons you and I both know about now.

Audio&Me, the R10s aren't warm at all in the midrange. It has a rather flat midrange in fact. At the same time, the only way to describe the midrange is that it sounds musical. Yeah that's it.

It sounds very enveloping and enbracing, and yet it's not warm. Warm is when there's a clear bump in the area where voices come out, making voices and some instruments sound darker than they should...and that's coloration. That's more of the territory of el cheapo headphones. It's hard to put a finger on the R10s sound...it just sounds special, and you just know it when you can learn to recognize it.

 

[Audio-Me]

Yea, but I prefer the sound of good coloration (HD600, warm[yes darker tone] and laid back, super!

) opposed to flat out dry no holds barred reference reproduction(electrstats). I guess you really can't compare the R10 to anything, as they seem to be in a league of its own. You freaking oddities!

So they DO have paper diaphragms, but don't sound warm? I guess the characteristics of materials in speakers doesn't exactly carry over to the headphone world...

 

[markl]

Yea, the CD3000 is splashier and showier than the R10s, but I suspect that with mwb's stated listening preferences, this might make him like the R10s over the CD3000. I didn't find the CD3000 to be over-bright and I have very sensitive nerves so I zoom in on "bad" treble right away.

Everyone seems to agree that Grados are much brighter than the CD3000, so don't be put off about claims of CD3000 "brightness".

Haven't heard the 1700 but still think you should try the CD3000.

markl

 

[uvak]

I am really keen to try out Cary with Senn 600.

However, I would encourage anyone to try the Cary/Sony CD3000 combo. I like it very much.

Listening can be quite fatigue when I use my CD3000 with my Headmaster.

However, the experience is totally different with the Cary. Everything seemed to "open" up. I have been very impressed with the vocals. They roll out beautifully and sound life-like.

Latest development:
I spent some time yesterday trying out my Cary/ Audio Technica W2002. I have been burning-in the cans for the almost 80 hours. And the good news is it has finally opened up.

The listening experience has entered into (yet) another dimension. I would really recommend it.

I like the Cary/Sony combo, but I fell in love with the Cary/AT W2002. It is simply amazing.

Bass is really tight. Timbre is clean and detailed. Highs is interesting smoothing, ie not harsh.

The soundstage is wider and deeper. Separation between instruments is amazing good. It is quite easy to pin-point where the particular sound is coming from.

Vocals really shine. It sounded very natural and pleasing to the ears. Sometimes, it gives the false impression that the singer is just right in front of you.

Basically, the music becomes very involving. And it is really a delight to listen.

Just to share with you guys on my latest encounter with the AT W2002.

Cheers.

BTW, W2002 going for about US600, with shipment. I think it should be lesser than that. Can't really remember.

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by markl Headroom is unable to stock Sony headphones. As a result, they are quick to recommend phones they do carry and do not speak highly of those they don't.

Markl, HeadRoom includes the 3000 in their "Top Ten Headphones in the World" so they must have *some* respect for Sony gear

In addition, they also mention that Sony makes some good earbuds (as good as earbuds can be, I guess

).

 

[markl]

At, what, number 10 behind the KSC-35?

Is the R10 even on that list?

markl

 

[eric343]

Quote:

Originally posted by MacDEF Markl, HeadRoom includes the 3000 in their "Top Ten Headphones in the World" so they must have *some* respect for Sony gear In addition, they also mention that Sony makes some good earbuds (as good as earbuds can be, I guess ).

HeadRoom has a Top Ten list? Where?

 

[MacDEF]

According to the HeadRoom website, their "top ten" cans -- the ones used in as their normalized reference -- are:

Orpheus
HD600
HD580
HD495
DT250-80
DT831
K1000
K501
RS1
CD3000

 

[Vertigo-1]

I hope that's just a list and not the order they consider the headphones to fall into from best to worst, because yeaaaah...uh huh...I'll bet the HD-495s and the DT-250-80s are better than the CD3000...

And how in the world could the Stax Omegas not fall in there when the Orpheus is in there, along with HD-495s of all headphones?