[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeeeMeS You gotta try the K701 straight out of the ipod combo and compare. I'm telling you, lots of phones sound great without an Amp.

I still say that thing's WAYYYY to hard to drive. But hey, iLounge seemed to rate it highly without an amp... and they've got GREAT taste....

 

[cheechoz]

It all boils down to your system synergy! I wouldn't want to listen to my 5K's out of my Audigy 4 soundcard, but plugged into a PPX3-Slam, they are pure bliss!!

 

[ken36]

This is a good thread for me. I am going to try the SA5000 cans again. Should be stunning with the right tubes.

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheechoz It all boils down to your system synergy! I wouldn't want to listen to my 5K's out of my Audigy 4 soundcard, but plugged into a PPX3-Slam, they are pure bliss!!

It's certainly an argument for me to get a second amp. I like them out of the PPA, but it's clearly not the best choice... I imagine tubes'd really make them sweeter.

 

[vpivinylspinner]

I had the same experience when I recently picked up a pair of SA-5000s. I thought at first that I could never be happy with them as I winced my through a few CDs. Now a week later they are the first ones I grab for. I think I am just fascinated with the detail at the moment but I also prefer the bass to that of all my other phones. It is very tight and has quite a kick. They are the most dynamic of all of the phones I have and the DT-880s I had until last week. Nothing even comes close on my system. I hope to get a chance to try them with some tube amps at the National Meet next month as I think that might be my next step.

 

[Trogdor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio The first time I heard a pair of SA5000, I hated them. Pulled them off my ears right away and said "That's not how I want my music to sound." A little while later, I got CPads for my MS2i. A not-so-subtle change in sound occured there, and I think somehow it changed my actual listening preferences. My HD650 ended up sharing a lot of time with the CPadded MS2i because I started becoming very interested in a brighter, faster performance to compliment the dark bassy 650. So, fast forward a month or so to Saturday night, when I heard jjcha's SA5K again. Oddly, I didn't hate them anymore. In fact, of all the headphones there (and jjcha's literally a freaking LIBRARY of headphones) they ended up on my head over and over again. The nice guy he is, he let me borrow his pair. While they are indeed somewhat fatiguing (sp?) they really haven't left my head that often. I cannot get over how dynamic and graceful they can be. At times, they simply vanish all-together, leaving just this quick airy sound that seems to just float near my head. I can't describe it. Swapping back to the Grados, I can find more of a warm tasty midrange, but the higher end of the SA5K and accurate mids somehow trump this. I don't know how or why. Vocalists, in particular females, are heart-breakingly beautiful sounding. Most of all, Piano music is stunning. I've listened to all of my piano music several times over. It is absolutely perfect. If I somehow forgot I had headphones on and had my eyes closed, I'd think there was a piano in the room. Oddly, I don't find them unpleasant out of my 5G iPod, unamped. Certainly nothing NEAR what they do out of a proper amp, but actually fairly listenable. Hearing differences in source / amp is unbelievably easy with the SA5K. They're quite senitive. One thing I hate though: the cable. Every single time it brushes on something, SUCH a racket. I just don't understand how this happened. I could actually see the SA5K sharing equal ear-time with my HD650... how's that for yin and yang headphones?

Mercuttio, wait until you the Qualia's again. I think it was you who told me you couldn't hear anymore detail out of my Q/Dynamight combo over your HD650s....I think at the NJ Meet...

Anyway, congrats on discovering the SA5K's (a really top notch headphone especially for the market price). Give it time, you'll be Team Sony in no time...lol...

The veil has been removed!!!!!!!!

EDIT: Wait until you hear the SA5K's balanced, even more detail and control (especially in the bass department)

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trogdor Mercuttio, wait until you the Qualia's again. I think it was you who told me you couldn't hear anymore detail out of my Q/Dynamight combo over your HD650s....I think at the NJ Meet... Anyway, congrats on discovering the SA5K's (a really top notch headphone especially for the market price). Give it time, you'll be Team Sony in no time...lol... The veil has been removed!!!!!!!! EDIT: Wait until you hear the SA5K's balanced, even more detail and control (especially in the bass department)

Hahah, did I say that? Maybe I was drunk.

Even when I didn't like the SA5K, I did like it balanced at the meet... who knows what it would do to me now. I imagine it would involve knee-weakening.

 

[darkninja67]

I hate threads like this.