[Sleestack]

Well, despite your impressions and the fact that I spent all of 60 seconds under the Qualias in a really loud room, I ordered a pair of recabled and custom headbanded Qualia's from Mikhail to go along with the reference SS amp he is building for me. They will only be used for monitoring and not really for enjoyment... I just use balanced 650s for that.... actually I use speakers for that.

 

[Zanth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus I wish markl would have impressions of more headphones in the lower price region like the at ad2000 for comparison with these super cans

Although this can be a good thing, it really is time consuming not to mention that often times...what can one say? Ubercan X smokes mediocre can Y in this this this this this this this AND this.

I know it is hard for many to get a hold of a variety of headphones and I'm not belittling anyone who can't for whatever reason or won't for whatever reason but sometimes..comparing to lesser cans is boring. I know when I've done reviews in the past and I've been asked how headphone X compares to ubercan Y, I may go back and try a short A/B session to answer that question, but when I can listen to the big boys, I really don't want to waste what little time I have on lesser headphones.

Dang that sounded elitist and snotty, and I wish I could reword it better so it doesn't come across like that but I don't know how to better describe it. If a review is attempted and the subject matter are high end high profile cans, it becomes burdensome or at least daunting to start including all sorts of other headphones.

What is convenient though, is that given markl has reviewed these 3 headphones (and comparing to the R10's, his reference) one is able to get a sense of his preferences, his impressions etc and by extension, if he ever had the opportunity to compare say...the ad2000 to the l3000, you could extrapolate those impressions to the other phones.

My 2 cents, I've tried the w11jpn's and the l3000's. Not side by side but I'm familiar enough with both to declare that the l3000 really does it for me over the jpn's. If the jpn's are the most sought after midline AT's (at least it seems that way) the L3000's have better bass, a more refined and controled treble range and a midrange that is present but perhaps a bit dry and distant. Bass though...wow! With the right amplification, the L3000's can really pump it out, best bass out of a closed headphone I have heard to date.

 

[purk]

Quote:

My 2 cents, I've tried the w11jpn's and the l3000's. Not side by side but I'm familiar enough with both to declare that the l3000 really does it for me over the jpn's. If the jpn's are the most sought after midline AT's (at least it seems that way) the L3000's have better bass, a more refined and controled treble range and a midrange that is present but perhaps a bit dry and distant. Bass though...wow! With the right amplification, the L3000's can really pump it out, best bass out of a closed headphone I have heard to date.

Very well summary b/w the W11JPN and L3000. However, I found the L3000's midrange to sound just fine. After hearing the R10, I have to admit that nothing touch the R10 interm of vocal projection.

 

[Zanth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purk Very well summary b/w the W11JPN and L3000. However, I found the L3000's midrange to sound just fine. After hearing the R10, I have to admit that nothing touch the R10 interm of vocal projection.

Sorry yeah...I should have mentioned that...compared to R10's or RS-1's, PS-1's, GS-1000's. Top Grados and R10's are my benchmark for mids.

 

[markl]

Quote:

I wish markl would have impressions of more headphones in the lower price region like the at ad2000 for comparison with these super cans

Well, I'd probably be interested in doing something like the AD2000 or more likely the ATH-W5000 (I seem to like the closed cans), as it's at least near their top-end therefore of more interest to me. Much less likely something like the A900.

Like I hadn't heard a Grado in 4 years before hearing the GS1000, it's also been 4 since I heard/owned a Sennheiser (yes, believe it or not, I used to have re-cabled HD600s and previously owned the HD580 since the mid-90s). I've never spent any quality time with the HD650, I would be curious how I would perceive them now, so much audio water under the bridge, changes/upgrades to my system, better understanding of the overall headphone field of possibilities. Would I like them more? Would be curious to find out.

Of course it all depends on folks coming forward with loaners. I've been very surprised and gratified that some very kindly folks have entrusted me with these fabulous headphones. It's amazing to me, and I know I'm lucky to have the opportunity and such great virtual friends.

 

[humanflyz]

@markl:

Just out of curiosity, have you ever heard a high-end K1000 setup?

 

[markl]

My only encounter with the K1000 was at the Headroom WOH Tour a few years back. Obviously, with a phone like that in a noisy environment, it was impossible to really judge, but I remember thinking it had a Sennheiser sound signature. My chief recollection though is thay were by far the least comfortable headphones I'd ever worn. The weird mechanism dug into my temples/forehead. Couldn't get past that.

 

[humanflyz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl My only encounter with the K1000 was at the Headroom WOH Tour a few years back. Obviously, with a phone like that in a noisy environment, it was impossible to really judge, but I remember thinking it had a Sennheiser sound signature. My chief recollection though is thay were by far the least comfortable headphones I'd ever worn. The weird mechanism dug into my temples/forehead. Couldn't get past that.

That's a valid complaint about the K1000s, although it doesn't present itself as a problem for me personally.

 

[J-Pak]

The K1000 is nothing like the Sennheiser signature

I can't think of even a single similarity. This is assuming by Sennheiser you mean HD580/600/650.

 

[omedon]

Could somebody please explain how 'dry mids' are supposed to sound.

 

[vapman]

If I were to say "dry mids", I would be trying to say that the mids sounded very flat and usually distant. Dry mids tend to sound somewhat tinny. Listen to some Sony 7506's or Koss CLIPZ

to see what I mean.

Also, my impressions with the MDR-SA5000 was pretty much the same as yours for Day 1 of the Qualia. It seemed very tinny and bright and the bass on them was virtually nonexistant.