[Exacoustatowner]

The Monarchy 22B is scheduled to get here tomorrow!!!!! My USB to Coax converter arrived yesterday. I had Ears I Trust give me a recommendation for a Melodious U8 and an AES/EBU Cable recommendation. So, along with the Taurus I am in Head Fi Heaven.

Jamming Tull on my 560s presently, Aqualung is still a dirty old man.

Amazing
Monarchy Audio is about 3 blocks away from my work, Is the 22B an R2R? My coworker friend has equipment from there and has visited the shop….

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

Likewise, except my Paradisea 3 is string resistor not r2r. (Although most call it r2r anyways)

If those are out of reach, I would recommend a Wolfson based dac or something tilted to warmth although they still lack treble details/realism imo.

R2R is the way if you find the 560 lower treble too harsh still, even after mods.
It was the ultimate solution for me, that's for sure

 

[conquerator2]

Likewise, except my Paradisea 3 is string resistor not r2r. (Although most call it r2r anyways)

If those are out of reach, I would recommend a Wolfson based dac or something tilted to warmth although they still lack treble details/realism imo.

I'd recommend a used Theta, which if had around the 400-500$ mark in great condition is a bargain. Then the DAC19 if you want warranty and great customer service.
There're other options out there but these would be my first 2 picks.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

I've heard the DAC19 and i much prefer the MHDT labs variety. The Paradisea 3 to me is more engaging than the the 19, the mhdt Havana is a good combination of musicality and accuracy if Paradisea is too musical. Maybe I really just prefer a non over-sampling sound with a tube buffer.

I should add that I had the dac19 for 2 weeks. I feed a 16 bit signal simultaneously to both DACs and output to an audio gd c2 class A which then I'm able to A/B on the fly. Same digital signal (Gustard U12), same interconnects, same volume level (adjusted with a meter).

I've yet hear a Theta though, I wonder how it compares to the DAC19.

I'd recommend a used Theta, which if had around the 400-500$ mark in great condition is a bargain. Then the DAC19 if you want warranty and great customer service.
There're other options out there but these would be my first 2 picks.

 

[conquerator2]

I've heard the DAC19 and i much prefer the MHDT labs variety. The Paradisea 3 to me is more engaging than the the 19, the mhdt Havana is a good combination of musicality and accuracy if Paradisea is too musical. Maybe I really just prefer a non over-sampling sound with a tube buffer.

I've yet hear a Theta though, I wonder how it compares to the DAC19.

I'd like to hear the MHDT Labs products one day.
From a reputable source my SE Basic II is pretty similar to the DAC19, slightly better in balanced possibly...
Couldn't verify myself.
Anyway, I prefer this sound to any other DAC I've heard yet and my setup is the best it's ever been.
A teeny bit more sparkle in the airy treble wouldn't be all that bad, but I am good
The 560 never sounded this smooth, natural and musical. Bliss to my ears for sure! I have a sound that I can live with for as long as I want, which does not make me Lust for upgrading until I feel like it ' just because '.
Which I think matters the most to me

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

One thing I didn't try on the dac19 was disabling the over-sample which should make it closer to the mhdt dacs.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Amazing
Monarchy Audio is about 3 blocks away from my work, Is the 22B an R2R? My coworker friend has equipment from there and has visited the shop….

Unfortunately the unit I ordered has a short somewhere upstream of the transformers, trying to decide if I am going to send it back. The one left on EBay uses the PCM 1704, not 63 like the one I picked up. So, I will consult with Mr. Poon (Monarchy) and decide what to do.

 

[doctorjazz]

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Yes, Doc Jazz, many tears

!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[doctorjazz]

Been there, sucks, really sorry...

 

[decoderec]

Hey all, I recently got a HE560 and use it to listen to Biosphere's Microgravity in near CD quality. (In Tidal or Spotify, one can search Artist: Biosphere, Album: Microgravity, Song: Microgravity). Then I found that there is a small, but significant sound of vibration in the left-ear. This vibration is like the vibration on the glass in the window when a low bass sound go through it. 
 
Is there anyone has the same issue with me while listening to the same song? or other songs? I really wonder if my HE560 is broken or not....

 

[StanD]

  Hey all, I recently got a HE560 and use it to listen to Biosphere's Microgravity in near CD quality. (In Tidal or Spotify, one can search Artist: Biosphere, Album: Microgravity, Song: Microgravity). Then I found that there is a small, but significant sound of vibration in the left-ear. This vibration is like the vibration on the glass in the window when a low bass sound go through it. 
 
Is there anyone has the same issue with me while listening to the same song? or other songs? I really wonder if my HE560 is broken or not....

Your problem reminded me of an earlier post in this thread, see the below link. Not sure if this is your problem, but check it out.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/711824/hifiman-he-560-impressions-discussion-thread/13365#post_11657762

 

[decoderec]

Thanks StanD. It is a very useful reference!

 

[decoderec]

  I think burn-in makes audible change on this headphone but one aspect can be unit dependent. My first HE-560 didn't have a piano grain but this second one did. After burn-in, no piano grain and the bass developed. 
 
That's not why I'm writing today though. Something worse happened than grain this weekend...Sub-bass rattle in the left driver. Thought it was harmonic distortion at first because it didn't sound like how my first HE-560 rattled but then I realized it was the driver making the noise, once again. Back to square one and I'm not sending this one back. It was straight from their supply store, so recently made I'm guessing. It's mainly noticeable on quiet sub-bass, so A LOT of the time. I wasn't aware of this issue from the reviews so I added a note in mine as well as how to fix it.
 
According to jerg, sealing the pads to the driver from his mod fixes it . My amazon order for the glue is going to take longer than expected so I'm gonna have to go to the local store if I wanna get it fixed this week. Minus half a star from my review until it's fixed. I'm being generous because the sound unhampered really is incredible at this price. And not to doubt jerg but If it doesn't....I'm gonna get mad a. A problem like this shouldn't exist at this price point, in high end products. Shouldn't exist even for lo-fi.
 
So, all in all, if it works for me then jerg's mod has an objective benefit for the HE-560 irrelevant of sound preference. Thus blind comparisons won't matter for this.
 
This better not have potential to happen to the HE-1000 too, or Hifiman has problems. If you have to mod those to fix something that has nothing to do with subjective tonal balance then it's a huge issue. People better let Hifiman know if it happens to the HE-1000 beta unit. I would have let them know if I was in a HE-560 beta, took me less than a month to notice both times. I heard they had their driver design issues but didn't think something like this could happen with the HE-560. What makes it even worse is this is a unit that replaced one where the same happened so it's a HE-560 issue like jerg explains. 
 
 Hope this helps other people as I don't think many are aware of this.

 
 
Hi DreamKing, do you remember which song makes your HE560 rattled? I recently suffer very similar issue with my HE560. The song I refer to is Biosphere's Microgravity (Artist: Biosphere, Album: Microgravity, Song: Microgravity). I should note that this rattled sound (, or vibration, or harmonic disturbance...) happens when this song is played in quiet bass range in near CD quality.  

 

[Sonic Defender]

Sounds like the infamous poor seal issue again.