[joelongwood]

I need some help, here. I'd like to do an in-depth review of a number of my headphones, particularly the top Grados (HP-1, MS Pros, and RS-1s, and maybe the 325s), the Sennheiser HD-600s, the Sony MDR-CD3000 (haven't arrived yet), and possibly my AKG-K340s, simply because they were top-of-the-line AKGs 20 years ago. Here's my dilemma.......well there's a few.

1. Should I review them all at the same time, or should I break them down into smaller groups? Personally, I think that's too many to do at once, but any input on what the groups should be would be greatly appreciated.

2. What amp should I use? I'll be using a pretty poor source compared to what a lot of you have here, a Panasonic SW-SL870 portable. Or I could use the Panasonic 3904, which many of you have. Or one of my Sony changers, or a vintage Magnavox or JVC. In any case, the source would be the same for all, and it shouldn't change the sound of each 'phone too much through the line-out. But the amp..........I have many and they all impart a different sound to the headphones. If I go with the Creek for the test, then the HD-600s won't have the benefit of tubes. If I use the MG Head, the Grados may suffer. Or I could use one of the CHA47s that JMT built, but that would benefit the Grados. Catch my drift, here?
So, what amp should I use?

3. I've already decided to use various cuts from the Chesky Ultimate Demonstration disc, so no problems there.

4. Any suggestions on how I should go about this would be welcome. With your input, hopefully this will be a thorough, useful review that may help to answer many questions......but I can't do it alone.

 

[Tides]

I have a great solve-it-all solution for you !

Give me a call ( PM me for tel #) and I will drive to your house within 30 mins and pick up EVERYTHING from you and I will do the review

what do you think ? You can just lay back and read, I will handle the headaches ! we live pretty close , so it is not like I can bail out on you...

Sorry if I cant be more of a help

Tides

 

[KR...]

well, you can do one review that only compares each phone to each other, instead of going into extreme detail for each phone.

As a rule, portable players suck compared to full size players. BTW, with all those headphones, just why haven't you gotten a high end player and amp?

You should really think hard about getting a RA-1 amp.

I know why I don't have a high end source (lack of funds, damn you college!), but at least I have high end headphones, amp and very soon extremely high end cables ( heheheheh).

Anyway, just use your best full size player.

As far as the amps, I heard the JMT amp made for grados w/ all those aa batteries. Which one is that one again? I had it in my system for a full week, hearing it for many hours a day. Using MIT T2 cables and my DVD 24/96 player as a source. I heard it with Grado SR-60, Grado SR-225, Grado HP-2, and Sennheiser HD-600.

I not heard the rest, can you compare the others with this amp?

 

[Braver]

for source, pick the one sounds most neutral to you. almost everyone has a different source here, it won't matter too much unless it has some quirks in reproducing. this shouldn't matter to much.

well, everyone will match the amp with the headphones I'd imagine, so I guess it would be best to pick the best amp for the cans and maybe put in a few words why you picked that particular amp and maybe how the other amps change the sound. it will be a system review that way, not jus headphones I'd imagine, but it's always about the whole anyway, isn't it?

 

[mbriant]

My editors had forms prepared when they did blind listening tests of loudspeakers. Each form had various categories on it....Soundstage, efficiency, bass response, midrange, etc.

Each of the 4 testers would then grade each category between 1 and 10 and then submit comments along with it.

This way, there was some sort of standardization between each reviewer/tester.

It would be nice if we could agree on some similar "form" for our test results. Sure, you may give Grado 325's a 9 on bass response while I may give it a 7, and someone else might give it a 5, but after a few reviews were done and archived, a general concensus of opinion would emerge.

Reviewing more than one phone at a time, like you are proposing, makes this sort of test result documentation even more valid, because you are basing your scores for each category in direct comparison of the other phones.

 

[raymondlin]

The best thing to do is a blind testing, Like when doing a speakers test, wear a blindfold and get someone else change the speakers while you sit still and listen. But I guess it's much more difficult to do this as you are putting it on your head.

Use the best source amd amp you have and play the same songs with all the headphones, preferably a neatural one. And use the best cable as well. Try different types of music in the test, classical are always good, female vocals too.

If you read HIFi Choice, you can see how they review their stuff, they talk about their product in reference with the music they played. So, it'll be like 'The vocals from whitney Houston was well define from "X" speaker while it was a bit shut in from "Y" speaker'.

Seperate the reviews using Headphones rather then Treble/Midrange/Bass, so we can see what strength and weakness of each phone. You don't need to go into great deal of info into the construction, magazines never do, it's the music matters at the end of the day, so a few lines will do just fine.

And a small conclusion at the end.

 

[Tides]

Quote:

Originally posted by raymondlin The best thing to do is a blind testing, Like when doing a speakers test, wear a blindfold and get someone else change the speakers while you sit still and listen

That is a really good idea. It is like how they did the PEPSI/COKE tests. The results were pretty surprising ! Since you cant cover up the headphones, blindfold yourself is prob the only way. I am sure joelongwood's wife will be more than happy to spend some quality time with him to do these tests

Tides

 

[TerriblySorry]

How about a super review? Review every headphone with every amp. Then when you've found what you think is the best amp/cans combo, have a combos shoot-out.

That's an awful lot of listening/reviewing to be sure. But it would sure make for an interesting read, especially for newbies.

 

[joelongwood]

Quote:

As a rule, portable players suck compared to full size players. BTW, with all those headphones, just why haven't you gotten a high end player and amp? You should really think hard about getting a RA-1 amp.

Good question.....actually, I've been extremely satisfied with my various CDPs, even though I know there is better out there. I use the line out to an amp, so I feel at least I'm not using the cheap amp inside the CDP.
As far as why I haven't gotten the RA-1, if you could hear the HP-1s with the Penguin CHA47 built by JMT, you would understand why. The sound is incredibly smooth, detailed, dynamic and, to my ears, as close to perfection as I can get without spending thousands. It really is, as far as I'm concerned, an incredible match.

Regarding the review suggestions by you guys, thank you for your input. The idea of a super review with all headphones and all amps is interesting, but a heckuva lot of work.........well, I don't know if I'd call it 'work."

The blind tests would be fine for amps, but for 'phones, I'm pretty certain I could tell the difference which 'phones were on my head. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell the difference between an RS-1 and a Senn HDF-600 by the way it feels on one's head.
I really don't want to start switching amps as well, so I think I'll just go with the Creek OBH-11, because many people have said they liked its sound with both Senns and Grados.
The CDP will be the RS 3904 because many people here and at Headwize have given it accolades for it's neutral, balanced sound quality.
The interconnects will be standard RS stuff.
I know my sources and interconnects will not be up to the high standards of the phones, but at least they'll be the same for all.
The CD will be various (maybe 5) selections from the Chesky disc.
As far as listening goes, how does this sound?
Before I begin, I'll listen to my Koss KS-C35s for a day to cleanse my aural memory.........kinda like a wine taster who cleanses his palate between wines.
I'll listen to the first selection twice on the first headphone. I'll take notes of my impressions of how well it correlates with what the narrator on the disc says to listen for. I'll do the same for each headphone in turn.
Then I'll have a conclusion with my preferences and general observations.
Of course, most of this is out the window if I take TerriblySorry's suggestion to do a super review.
I don't want to start this without the Sonys though, so I'll probably begin next week.
Thanks again for the suggestions.

 

[Vertigo-1]

Just make it one big all inclusive review...like, go in depth with each and every headphone from the comfort to the looks to the sound, followed by how YOU feel they compare to each other in a paragraph or two at the end. That's my own reviewing style whenever I talk about more then one headphone. Use whatever equipment you like...we'll be sure to get picky about it after your review is done, and tell you to upgrade this or that before we even begin to believe you.

(Like everybody has done to me in the past

)

 

[Tides]

joelongwood~

maybe at the end, you should let your wife have a listen on all the headphones and ask her which *sound* she perfers.

Tides

 

[KR...]

Quote:

As far as why I haven't gotten the RA-1, if you could hear the HP-1s with the Penguin CHA47 built by JMT, you would understand why. The sound is incredibly smooth, detailed, dynamic and, to my ears, as close to perfection as I can get without spending thousands. It really is, as far as I'm concerned, an incredible match

The one that I tested was the Cmoy amp w/ the Apheared Mod, I belive it's called the Apheared's 47 amplifier. It was build by Jon. Do you have this amp? How does it compare to your Penguin CHA47?

I trying to get a firm idea of what you are listening to.

 

[joelongwood]

KR, I have 3 amps built by JMT. All have the apheared mod, but they do not have the large contingent of AA batteries powering them. Two are powered by a single 9V and one is powered by two 9V batteries. The Penguin runs on a single 9V.

 

[KR...]

JMT will have to reply to state how they compare to each other.

Then, I will tell you my feelings (small review) on this amp by it self and compared to the RA-1.

 

[joelongwood]

KR, thanks in advance for the review. However, I don't know if the comparison will help, because each of these amps, all with the Apheared mod, affect the HP-1s differently, so your JMT built Cmoy is probably different as well. In the Penguin he used a different pot because of the size limitations and set the gain differently. Whatever he did, it's the perfect fit for the HP-1s, and that's why I ordered another one, but this time in an Altoid case. I hope that doesn't affect the sound, because Altoids don't have caffeine.

His most recent amp, in a wooden case, ala RA-1, using two 9V batteries and larger caps, is better suited for the MS Pros. It gives them more warmth. Why? I have no clue.
If someone told me a few months ago that I could hear a difference in amplifiers, I would have said they were crazy. Now I know better. It really is amazing