[sennfan83261]

Thanks, and what are you defining as 'bass weight/slam'? Is it, for example, the impact of a kick drum? What example tracks do you use for referencing bass impact?

I use the term "weight" to describe the presentation of bass, or more specifically its body as pointed out by ichos, (e.g. thin vs. thick bass) and "slam" for bass impact or dynamics.

For weight/slam (more of the latter):

Ross from Friends - Epiphany
Space Scavengers - Sciental Dub

For weight, I usually look to classical recordings such as Bach's Cello Suites, Luigi Boccherini's Double Bass Quintets, Jean-Baptiste Barrière's Cello Sonatas, etc.

EDIT: For example, when listening to the two linked youtube videos above on my PX100 v1 (from my mobo), the electric bass therein definitely has some weight but I'm more interested whether my old faithful PX100 produces any slam. It does kinda but it is really wimpy compared to my HE-6 setup.

 

[Luke Thomas]

Unfortunately you have to give up bass to achieve instrument clarity and separation. All depends on what you enjoy. That’s why owning a bass heavy headphone and a bass light headphone is the ultimate.

 

[lugnut]

Many people like myself do not want to be bother doing mods (4 mods? Goddammit, maybe simple better to develop own headphone?) to their headphones. I want to buy a product and enjoy it out of the box, no matter what price.

I agree, after paying $500 and up I don't want to have to mod them, to get sound good. Also, I see a lot of recommendations for headphones that are no longer in production. Most people who are going to lay down $$$ for a pair of headphones want some kind of warranty. It just makes no sense to me, for folks to keep making these same recommendations over and over again. For a dedicated Ananda thread there is not much talk about them as there is talk about other headphones.

 

[Toby Joe]

560 being somewhat similar to Ananda I buy. But neither is a comp, near comp to 800S imo. The HEK v2 can't produce mids as well as the 800S. No chance for the other two

The question posed was basically: Is the Ananda an Upgrade to the HE560?

Here, I gave a “Yes, and No” answer with details and examples and I still think my answer is correct.

However, somehow a few have made this simple question (Is the Ananda an Upgrade to the HE560?) an HE560 vs HD800 / HD800s battle, but it’s not, as the question is still, “Is the Ananda an Upgrade to the HE560?.”

Now, are the HD800 / HD800s and the HE560 the same headphone? No, obviously not and I never said they were. However, my point was that some consider the HE560 a HFM planar answer to the HD800 / HD800s as both are very dynamic and analytical headphones.

 

[SilverEars]

I also listened to the loaner Ananda and here's my rankings on bass weight and slam based on orthos that I've tried (IMO):

HE-6 (modded) > LCD-2 rev. 1 >~ LCD-2F > HE-500 > HEXv2 > LCD-4* > Ananda

*Now, before you guys raise your pitchforks, let me explain. With the LCD-4 display unit, I couldn't establish a good seal; the screw holder on one of the gimbals was bent a little. The DAC was a mobo and I read somewhere here (maybe) that the MOON 430HA (8W @ 50ohms) is a bit on the soft side of things. Cannot say that I agree or disagree with that assessment of the amp since it sounded like it drove my HE-500 just fine.

Looks more like a Bass impact ranking more than anything else.

Ananda is nothing like HE560, and I can say 560 has scratchy treble, but not the Ananda. Maybe there is a peak someplace in the Ananda (as somebody told me there was one), but didn't really find anything that stood out like HE560's scratchiness of the 7-8k.

I think the resolution is better on the Andanda over HEXV2 with a different sound output. HEXV2 is a sleepy headphone with absolutly no sibilence, or harshness and this goes along side lowered transparency as well. HEXV2 on the other hand is smooth and relaxing in comparison.

I had to post this because Ananda seems to be bashed more than it deserves.

 

[cactus_farmer]

I use the term "weight" to describe the presentation of bass, or more specifically its body as pointed out by ichos, (e.g. thin vs. thick bass) and "slam" for bass impact or dynamics.

For weight/slam (more of the latter):

Ross from Friends - Epiphany
Space Scavengers - Sciental Dub

For weight, I usually look to classical recordings such as Bach's Cello Suites, Luigi Boccherini's Double Bass Quintets, Jean-Baptiste Barrière's Cello Sonatas, etc.

EDIT: For example, when listening to the two linked youtube videos above on my PX100 v1 (from my mobo), the electric bass therein definitely has some weight but I'm more interested whether my old faithful PX100 produces any slam. It does kinda but it is really wimpy compared to my HE-6 setup.

I just A/B'd the Ananda against the LCD2 Classic for the Roses From Friends track running from Benchmark DAC1. The difference in bass impact was minimal (actually not noticeable) until the last 1/3rd of the track where the bass ramped up a bit. At that point the LCD2 Classic barely edged the Ananda out. Not a night and day difference by any means (under 5%).

Is this how you saw it, or was the significance of the difference much larger for you from the same setup?

EDIT: when I jump back and forth between the Ananda and the LCD2 Classic the main thing that hits me is not any big difference in bass, but the LCD2 Classic's much more forwards and 'creamier' mids..

 

[cactus_farmer]

Focal Clear . well amped HD800S , Beyerdynamic T1.2

Would be interested to hear how you think the LCD2 Classic's bass impact compares against those headphones?

 

[Ichos]

I am very sorry but never heard those , quite difficult to find Audeze in Greece even though there is a dealer.

 

[Luke Thomas]

Would be interested to hear how you think the LCD2 Classic's bass impact compares against those headphones?

Clears have less bass but much more clarity than the lcd 2. The lcd 2 and 3 specialize in a warm sound. Sacrificing clarity

 

[sennfan83261]

Looks more like a Bass impact ranking more than anything else
...
I had to post this because Ananda seems to be bashed more than it deserves.

I never said nor presented the ranking as anything different, so I don't know why you had to state the obvious. Someone asked me about bass weight and slam, and I gave them my thoughts and experience with the Ananda relative to other orthos I've tried, and the ranking is just relative to each other. Nowhere should it be interpreted that the Ananda is bass light, which it isn't. So please, do not be so defensive.

I just A/B'd the Ananda against the LCD2 Classic for the Roses From Friends track running from Benchmark DAC1. The difference in bass impact was minimal (actually not noticeable) until the last 1/3rd of the track where the bass ramped up a bit. At that point the LCD2 Classic barely edged the Ananda out. Not a night and day difference by any means (under 5%).

Is this how you saw it, or was the significance of the difference much larger for you from the same setup?

I never heard the LCD-2C, but I just A/B'd the HEXv2 and the LCD-2.1 against each other over the opening bars from Ross from Friends track, the better track of the two I posted earlier, to determine their relative bass weight and slam: 16/44.1 FLAC > Musicbee > SDAC-B > THX AAA 789 (balanced) > HEXv2 | LCD-2.1

Going back and forth between the two cans and trying to volume match as best as I can, I believe that the LCD-2.1's bass is thicker and more impactful than the HEXv2, with bass impact being more noticeable than weight. Not a night and day difference like you said. I'd imagine that comparing the bass between the HD414X (what bass?) and the Monoprice Modern Retro's (huge mid-bass hump) will provide you the night and day difference that you seek, lol.

 

[omniweltall]

Ananda is nothing like HE560, and I can say 560 has scratchy treble, but not the Ananda. Maybe there is a peak someplace in the Ananda (as somebody told me there was one), but didn't really find anything that stood out like HE560's scratchiness of the 7-8k.

Agreed. Really didn't like the HE560.

Once you EQ the specific peak down, the Ananda loses that etchiness and probably more comparable to HEXv2 tonality.

So please, do not be so defensive.

He doesn't even have the Ananda. He is not being defensive, just clariflying his opinions.

 

[sennfan83261]

He doesn't even have the Ananda. He is not being defensive, just clariflying his opinions.

He seemed to imply that my ranking stated something more than it didn't otherwise he simply restated the obvious.

 

[bagwell359]

The question posed was basically: Is the Ananda an Upgrade to the HE560?

Here, I gave a “Yes, and No” answer with details and examples and I still think my answer is correct.

However, somehow a few have made this simple question (Is the Ananda an Upgrade to the HE560?) an HE560 vs HD800 / HD800s battle, but it’s not, as the question is still, “Is the Ananda an Upgrade to the HE560?.”

Now, are the HD800 / HD800s and the HE560 the same headphone? No, obviously not and I never said they were. However, my point was that some consider the HE560 a HFM planar answer to the HD800 / HD800s as both are very dynamic and analytical headphones.

I obviously missed some of this. Ananda is better than the 560.

 

[omniweltall]

He seemed to imply that my ranking stated something more than it didn't otherwise he simply restated the obvious.

Probably he misread or something.

I kinda agree with your ranking though. In terms of bass slam, the Ananda is lighter than those LCDs, HE500, and HE6.

 

[bagwell359]

You guys forget to take personal ear EQ into an account. For me ananda is anything but bright, or harsh. It is silky smooth and has perfect amount of treble, but then again I am not treble sensitive, I can see how some people might find it too much but it clearly is not universally treble heavy. Again it is all personal, for me LCD 2c sounds like someone put a bag on my head, but I dont go around on LCD thread and post every 10 minutes how muffed it sounds, because I can see treble sensitive people enjoying it.

Anyway all I want to say is that for treble-sluts like me ananda has perfect amount of treble and I am sure many of us wouldn't wish to reduce its treble at all. There are some headphones you can claim that it is objectively overly bright (most of Beyers for exanple) but Ananda is not one of them.

Beyers are certainly as a group brighter than HFM. Having read just about every comment on HFM written I here and having listened to almost every one made since '10, I'd say on average, HFM are a bit bright on average. HE-4, HE-5 (all), HE-6 (both), HE-4** (all), HEK (v1&2), Arya, Ananda are all bright. Some seem less due to more bass & mids. Some are bright were it doesn't bother some. Others: all HE-5** (cept 500), Ananda, HEK v1, HE6SE are bright were I don't like Like it or maybe unit variability kicked in. 500 has a lot of issues in the treble but they don't annoy as badly. Toss in the mods and 5 min with them is worth way more to me in musical enjoyment and insight than the 560 or Ananda can produce in.a great deal more time.