[kothganesh]

Quote:

Maybe try listening to the HE400 at a lower level to help with the treble?  I started to listen to the HE400 at a lower level today and I find it to be fine now.  I thought the bass of the MD was good, but could do a little bit more impact.  I've thought about the Annie also, but in the end opted for the HE400. 

Although I used to be a basshead (yes, I admit to using the Beats Pro

), the treble in the HE 400 actually does not bother me. To my ears, the treble makes the overall sound clearer and more detailed (compared to previous experiences of everything being muffled and colored). The 400 makes me appreciate the bass in a different way now and yet opens up the soundstage. I guess its all ear-specific (as has been said on this thread ad nauseum). Having said that, the 500 takes care of this issue to a large extent.

 

[mindflayz]

Is this  headphone amp better than the one on the Audiolab M-dac built in?
 
http://www.analogueseduction.net/rega-headphone-amplifiers/rega-ear-mkii-headphone-amplifier.html
 
M-dac
http://www.analogueseduction.net/audiolab-dacs/ALABDACB.html
 
I'm considering buying both.
 
Any comments on those units?
 
I've got Hifiman HE-400.
 
Edit: I've also considered this one: http://www.analogueseduction.net/musical-fidelity-dacs/MFM1SDAC.html
 
My budget is ~1000 euro tops. Will only be using HE-400 and connecting the dac to my asus xonar essence st by coax.

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

With the HE500? Sure.
 
https://soundcloud.com/tracebundy/bristlecone-trace-bundy ; make sure to set the site volume to max (top right-hand corner) before playback.
 
On the E17, set it to +12 Gain, and volume to 25/60.
 
That kind of loudness is about how loud I listen to most of the time. If I want to boogie a bit more, I turn up the vol 3 or 4 higher on the E17.
 
 
 
This kind of information is really not that useful though, everyone has different hearing sensitivities to start with.

Isn't 90dB necessarily as harmful to you, as it is to me? I thought that was fairly objective, and not subjective.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Isn't 90dB necessarily as harmful to you, as it is to me? I thought that was fairly objective, and not subjective.

Yeah 90 dB is indeed harmful to any regular hearing, but the comfortable hearing levels are far far below 90 dB.
 
My point there was that there is a wide variance of hearing sensitivities, i.e. a 65 dB tone could sound different in loudness from one person to another due to their differences in lifestyle/anatomy; because of it, my reference listening level could easily be too loud or too quiet to another person, that has nothing to do with their subjective preferences.

 

[Techno Kid]

The treble was a bit harsh to me at first because I was coming from warm IEM's like the SM3 and BA200 that have softer treble but after a week or so I started to really like the highs of the HE-400 and they don't bother me at all anymore.  
 
I listen to the HE-400 quite loud as I did with IEM's and I know its not good for my hearing at all but I just can't enjoy music at any lower volumes.  I's say when I listen its around anywhere from 80dB to over 90dB and I listen for hours at a time (up to 4 or 5 hours straight).  Yet I can still hear up to 20kHz and as low as almost 10Hz but I'm sure in the next 5 to 10 years that wont be the case if I keep listening to my HP's as loud as I do especially listening to EDM.

 

[Lohb]

Quote:

Is this  headphone amp better than the one on the Audiolab M-dac built in?
 
http://www.analogueseduction.net/rega-headphone-amplifiers/rega-ear-mkii-headphone-amplifier.html
 
M-dac
http://www.analogueseduction.net/audiolab-dacs/ALABDACB.html
 
I'm considering buying both.
 
Any comments on those units?
 
I've got Hifiman HE-400.
 
Edit: I've also considered this one: http://www.analogueseduction.net/musical-fidelity-dacs/MFM1SDAC.html
 
My budget is ~1000 euro tops. Will only be using HE-400 and connecting the dac to my asus xonar essence st by coax.

 


Nice, I'm at the other end of the spectrum looking at various O2's and this fred 24v amp with bass boost..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200908741886?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
 
as I may also get modded Fostex along with my 400's ...so this bass boost may take care of the weakness in some Fostex mods....

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

Yeah 90 dB is indeed harmful to any regular hearing, but the comfortable hearing levels are far far below 90 dB.
 
My point there was that there is a wide variance of hearing sensitivities, i.e. a 65 dB tone could sound different in loudness from one person to another due to their differences in lifestyle/anatomy; because of it, my reference listening level could easily be too loud or too quiet to another person, that has nothing to do with their subjective preferences.

I'm just trying to get a feeling of what is too loud to be good for my hearing.. That is all. Thank you Jerg

 

[jerg]

Quote:

I'm just trying to get a feeling of what is too loud to be good for my hearing.. That is all. Thank you Jerg

So did what I describe with that test track and everything, sound like fairly regular listening volume for your hearing?

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

So did what I describe with that test track and everything, sound like fairly regular listening volume for your hearing?

I am positive it will, it is not far off. But I can't test at the moment, will do when I get home.

 

[insurgency]

How does one check which Revision one has? Is there a way to check per SRN or do I have to open the driver cover. If so, how do I open it? Somehow I can't find a easy way to do so.

 

[kenshinhimura]

Take off ear pad and look at color of the plastic

 

[Techno Kid]

Quote:

How does one check which Revision one has? Is there a way to check per SRN or do I have to open the driver cover. If so, how do I open it? Somehow I can't find a easy way to do so.

 
I know the first ones had a black colored plastic on the driver and the 2nd revision is white which is the good set.  Now I don't know if there has really been like 4 different revisions but I know mine are the 2bd and they sound great with the warmish colored mids and the brighter treble that's not harsh.

 

[insurgency]

There was a thread here somewhere with pictures of all 4 drivers. As far as I remember first are black, then they had some whiteish/transparent, then the third had a yellow/brownish which had the problems.
 
Just checked the ones I got and they are white/transparent. I still think the treble is a little too big for me but I don't get fatigued and they don't sound harsh or painful like the DT990s did for me. Which is good. The headphones are comfortable, I am even wearing glasses and they still feel fine, not too good but not annoying either. Still, I actually am surprised how big they are.
 
Also, getting the pads back on again was quite irritating but I managed.

 

[Techno Kid]

I thought the treble was a bit to hot for me the first few days I listened to them but after a week or so I really started to enjoy the treble and the detail they reveal.  Coming from warm IEM's it took a little time to adjust to them but now I love the sound signature of them.

 

[davidsh]

@Jerg About the track you posted: I find 25 with +12dB quite loud. 25 with +6dB seems more suitable for me at least. That would be my normal listening level. You know, all the advice you hear about that you should be able to talk to people while listening to music and stuff... I might want to get a SPL meter.