[HirschiAUT]

Two albums i absolitely love to use for testing:

OM - Advaitic Songs
Ulver - Perdition City

Very different, both very "strange/special" and, most importent, very good produced, at least imo

 

[fjrabon]

ok thanks. i will surely be looking more into that setup. 

also what would u recommend to listen to on these new cans i got? 
i  have a very long list of stuff to listen to have already made playlists but thought about asking what do u guys listen to when u first get ur new phones?

No Leaf Clover by Metallica from their S&M album.
You get to test: soundstage, orchestral, imaging, can handle dense passages, test sibilants, speed, bass impact, transparency.

 

[Sonic Defender]

For some excellent testing Steely Dan - Two Against Nature (album) and an amazing electronica album from Bluetech - Sines and Singularities which can be had for $10 lossless download from Bandcamp now, but the 320 mp3 version I downloaded a few years back sound stellar. I will guarantee anybody who really wants to have a sonic treat, get both those albums, but if you can have only one get the Bluetech as it really showcases the 400i.

 

[iScream]

  For some excellent testing Steely Dan - Two Against Nature (album) .

 
Thanks.  Somehow I didn't discover Steely Dan until recently.  I've got Aja and like it.  Just sampled a few tracks from Two Against Nature on iTunes and decided to buy it.

 

[iScream]

I left a message with Audiolab support a minute ago about my cable problem.  They show to be open until 8:00 tonight but maybe they don't do support stuff that late.
 
While I work out how to get a replacement cable, can someone recommend something aftermarket?  I am NOT a believer in high priced cables so I'm just looking for something well constructed using oxygen free copper.  Maybe a little shielding but that's about it.
 
Thanks,
Chris

 

[iScream]

   
i also have this setup in my sight, but i have to save a little for that. im not going for it like right away, will surely save first to get the most appropriate setup now. 
also i have read and seen reviews that Asgard gets too hot, one of reviewer from UK (a cold place) said at room temp of 25C his Asgard 2 got upto 49C which is too much! because where i live,
 
its 45+C NORMAL temperature in summer. yes i have AC cooling but its not on all the time in summer, so  would that be dangerous? i mean heat is so much problem here that my HD 650 started chipping its paint which, i thought was very durable.
 
what do u advise about that?

 
I just ordered a Modi 2 Uber this morning so I should be able to comment in a few days.  I haven't decided for sure what amp to run though.  I was planning to use an old tube amp I've had in the closet but I got it out and listened back and forth between it and the amp in my NAD D 1050 some today.  I wasn't very impressed.
 
I was just about to order a Magni 2 Uber to go with it but now this thread has me thinking about stepping up to the Asgard 2.  Gonna have to do some reading.
 
-Chris

 

[Homeless2]

Can anyone recommend a DAC / AMP for these around the $500 mark?  I have a Xonar STX now and think these sound great, but it might be time for an upgrade.

 

[swspiers]

Two albums i absolitely love to use for testing:

OM - Advaitic Songs
Ulver - Perdition City

Very different, both very "strange/special" and, most importent, very good produced, at least imo

OM is a standard of mine as well. +1000 for that one. BTW, it's also one of the albums where my Primes reveal detail the 400i's barely hint at. As good as they are, and as much as I like them, they are not the end-all when it comes to micro-detail and dynamics.

I'll have to check out the Ulver

 

[iScream]

  Can anyone recommend a DAC / AMP for these around the $500 mark?  I have a Xonar STX now and think these sound great, but it might be time for an upgrade.

 
Did you read the last couple pages?

 

[SneakyDomo]

  I left a message with Audiolab support a minute ago about my cable problem.  They show to be open until 8:00 tonight but maybe they don't do support stuff that late.
 
While I work out how to get a replacement cable, can someone recommend something aftermarket?  I am NOT a believer in high priced cables so I'm just looking for something well constructed using oxygen free copper.  Maybe a little shielding but that's about it.
 

I'm not sure if it meets your specifications but I had the same issue with a bad stock cord and ordered a 2.5 meter cord off EBay, they do have several lengths to choose from.  It cost under $40 delivered and I received it in 10 days from China to California.  I've been very happy with it.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/161743404378?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&var=460719869859&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[Homeless2]

The only DAC / AMP combo I saw on the last few pages was either not an upgrade or out of my price range.

 

[Sonic Defender]

   
Thanks.  Somehow I didn't discover Steely Dan until recently.  I've got Aja and like it.  Just sampled a few tracks from Two Against Nature on iTunes and decided to buy it.

Negative Girl and West of Hollywood as well as the title track are my favourites. Their last and sadly obscure album Everything Must Go is stunning and might even be better recorded! I hope you grab the Bluetech, even if electronica isn't your thing, that is a special album. The artist was classically trained so he knows what he is doing musically. There are so many sonic goodies on that album you will be smiling like a fool.

 

[Headphone4Life]

The more I listen to these the better they sound.  I'm not a believe in mechanical burn-in but the 400i seems to get better every week.  I'm listening to a lot more flac and I know that helps but even my 320 mp3s sound better.  Now I just need to find a good cable that's about a foot or 2 longer and I'll be set, if anyone knows where to find one that's in the $100 to $150 range let me know, and I have the 2.5mm connectors.

 

[urbino]

  For some excellent testing Steely Dan - Two Against Nature (album) and an amazing electronica album from Bluetech - Sines and Singularities which can be had for $10 lossless download from Bandcamp now, but the 320 mp3 version I downloaded a few years back sound stellar. I will guarantee anybody who really wants to have a sonic treat, get both those albums, but if you can have only one get the Bluetech as it really showcases the 400i.

 
A search on bandcamp turned up a lot of Bluetech, but nothing called Sines & Singularities.  It's possible I'm doing it wrong, as I'm running on very short sleep.

 

[Sonic Defender]

@urbino let me see if I can find it. Well worth it. Here you go brother
 
https://bluetech.bandcamp.com/album/sines-and-singularities