[Sonic Defender]

Good to know - in my case I had to push the volume to roughly 80-90% of maximum to get a level of volume I found adequate for all types of music. Personally I prefer to have more headroom, 'just in case,' though that mantra may prove pointless and expensive in the long run... Lol!

All that said, the sound from the Asgard was quite good, just not my cup of tea signature-wise. I will say I preferred the overall sound from the Gustard X12 + H10 or the NFB-28. I didn't have much luck with the Mjolnir as it sounded a bit flat to me.

YMMV or course and this is all just my opinion - always try before you buy whenever possible!

My experience with the 560 and Asgard 2 was identical, often I had the volume on full. When I went to the Yulong A18 it was better with more headroom for sure.

 

[StanD]

 
My experience with the 560 and Asgard 2 was identical, often I had the volume on full. When I went to the Yulong A18 it was better with more headroom for sure.

Full volume should be awfully loud, as in bad for your ears' health. You probably shouldn't go past 12 O'clock.

 

[DreamKing]

  Full volume should be awfully loud, as in bad for your ears' health. You probably shouldn't go past 12 O'clock.

 
As long as it's not louder than 85dB average for prolonged periods, but something less is obviously better. Have you measured the volume coming out of the Asgard 2 and HE-560? 
 
I am about to get this though (good tool):
http://www.amazon.ca/Scosche-SPL1000F-135DB-Max-Meter/dp/B001CMKFH8

 

[StanD]

   
As long as it's not louder than 85dB average for prolonged periods, but something less is obviously better. Have you measured the volume coming out of the Asgard 2 and HE-560? 
 
I am about to get this though (good tool):
http://www.amazon.ca/Scosche-SPL1000F-135DB-Max-Meter/dp/B001CMKFH8

I listen louder than most people and at 12 O'clock I found the pair to be at the top of my comfortable level for prolonged listening. I've previously measured my nominal comfortable level and found it to be 85 dB SPL using a calibrated meter. IMO turning the Asgard 2 up all the way is way loud for safe listening with either an HE-560 or HE-500. The HE-560 is actually 1 dB SPL more sensitive than the HE-500.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  Full volume should be awfully loud, as in bad for your ears' health. You probably shouldn't go past 12 O'clock.

In all fairness, this would have been with less than hot-masters. I think typical pot position for contemporary stuff would have been around 1 to 2 oclock if memory serves me.

 

[StanD]

 
In all fairness, this would have been with less than hot-masters. I think typical pot position for contemporary stuff would have been around 1 to 2 oclock if memory serves me.

Maybe your source was turned down bit. At normal source levels I wouldn't want to run at 2 O'clock for long periods of time.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  Maybe your source was turned down bit. At normal source levels I wouldn't want to run at 2 O'clock for long periods of time.

No, my source JRiver had it's internal volume control defeated completely. I typically listen for about half an hour at a time, and with breaks while I looked for material. I don't really find it hard to listen to loud music. I have done it all of my life and surprising to even me is that my hearing is still pretty darn good. At last testing (5 years ago) I was well within the normal range for my age.

 

[StanD]

 
No, my source JRiver had it's internal volume control defeated completely. I typically listen for about half an hour at a time, and with breaks while I looked for material. I don't really find it hard to listen to loud music. I have done it all of my life and surprising to even me is that my hearing is still pretty darn good. At last testing (5 years ago) I was well within the normal range for my age.

Everyone tells me that I listen too loudly and as yourself my hearing is still AOK. However, my hat is off to you, you have iron ears.

 

[ThurstonX]

Both my HFM cans leak like earspeakers, and my wife is always admonishing me that it's too loud for me... until I put them on her head.  "Oh, it's not that loud."  Go figure.

 

[StanD]

  Both my HFM cans leak like earspeakers, and my wife is always admonishing me that it's too loud for me... until I put them on her head.  "Oh, it's not that loud."  Go figure.

My wife also bitches about the leakage and that it's too loud, however, when I put them on her head she freaks out and says that it's even louder than she imagined. You can't win.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

That's why I picked up the Alpha Dog, but in the end I didn't care for them. My Alclair RSM CIEMS are filling that role nicely. Plus it is much easier to drive, never, ever thought an in ear could image the way these do!

 

[DreamKing]

Yeah. To the person right next to the listener, they sound like they are a masochist.
 
I think it this is because most people that aren't head-fiers are used to a headphone doing its best to keep the sound inside the cups so that perception makes the leakage coming out of them even worse.
 
Also, this is my inexperience with planars at play here, covering the HE-560's grills while listening to music is freaky stuff. I don't know if I'm understanding a bit more how planars work or if it's magic..But it definitely sounds like some high level science.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  My wife also bitches about the leakage and that it's too loud, however, when I put them on her head she freaks out and says that it's even louder than she imagined. You can't win.

You can't win with women, they're bat ass crazy! I wait until the ex goes to bed before I listen to music just to avoid those looks.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Is "bat ass crazy" a professional term

 

[StanD]

 
You can't win with women, they're bat ass crazy! I wait until the ex goes to bed before I listen to music just to avoid those looks.

You and the ex still cohabitate, cool.