[size=small]Thank you![/size][size=small][/size]
[size=small]I guess what surprises me is that when I listen to a good recording, one that I know very well, like something from Alison Krauss, I'm not noticing that dip in the mid/highs like you'd think one would when you see that frequency response graph. I'll listen to a track with the HE-400's and then I'll switch to the K701's (that I'm very familiar with) and yes there's a tiny bit more "presence" in the midrange with the AKG's. Though what stands out even more is that the AKG's are not nearly as full sounding in the lower midbass and bass region. I was expecting to hear a lot more midrange from the K701's than from the HE-400's. Possibly my 400's just aren't burnt in yet or they're just sounding good with good recordings as they should. [/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]I do believe that there's more to a planar magnetic's sound than just a measured frequency response...maybe its speed, more transparency...I don't know. As I've already stated, I do know that Magnepans haven't always measured well yet can still "sound" incredible. Its also possible that the Bryston and Parasound DAC's I'm using are more forgiving in the region in which some are finding bright. I've not found either to be 'soft" sounding in my main system (through speakers) when compared to other DAC's I've [/size]auditioned.[size=small] [/size]
Usually when I find a piece of gear that I like I'll try my best to forget about the equipment itself and get back to focusing on the music. I found out years ago that if I worried too much about the gear (even after having done A TON of homework on the unit I just bought) that I tended to keep switching out DAC, amps, CD players and speakers so often that I stopped enjoying MUSIC all together unless it was in my car when I couldn't have cared less about the system itself. In other words, once you find that piece of audio gear that you enjoy, try your very best to stop thinking about the gear itself and get back to what this is all about in the first place....MUSIC!