[vulc4n]

I just got home from school for winter break today. I decided to play around with what audio stuff I have left since I haven't had much chance to over the last few months. I ended up hooking up the M.Audio StudioPro 3's which I was using in my dorm to the preouts on my Harman Kardon AVR 435. I added in a cheap Onkyo sub for good measure, set everything up in the center of a large finished basement and ran the receivers auto calibration.


All I can say is WOW. I seriously forgot music could sound this good.

I knew that the StudioPro 3's had nice upper end detail, but their response seems to drop off quickly below 130-140Hz. The sub has helped to remedy this, though the bass does sound quite directional with such a high crossover point.

Anyway, now to the real point of this thread.

I remember thinking, at least when I first got them, that the ATH-ANC7s sounded really good. However, after listening to this setup in an open room for most of the day, I can't bear to listen to them anymore. Everything sounds super compressed and just fake. I can't stand the lack of detail!

What do I do?

Time to get an amp and some nice open phones?

 

[Libertad]

Well heres the thing with upgraditis you will have it until you satisfy your self physical and mentally. Meaning that if you buy a pair of better headphones but you know that they arn't the best then you will eventually buy the best pair. In short upgradeitis is only curable with thick wallets sorry but it works. Now for sound you need better 200hz and downward reproduction for good measure and most IEMs can't do this however there are the Triple FI's and e500's UM3's all of which cost like wow in the IEM world. I need to know your budget, source, headphone preference. In ears or cans

 

[vulc4n]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libertad /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well heres the thing with upgraditis you will have it until you satisfy your self physical and mentally. Meaning that if you buy a pair of better headphones but you know that they arn't the best then you will eventually buy the best pair. In short upgradeitis is only curable with thick wallets sorry but it works. Now for sound you need better 200hz and downward reproduction for good measure and most IEMs can't do this however there are the Triple FI's and e500's UM3's all of which cost like wow in the IEM world. I need to know your budget, source, headphone preference. In ears or cans

My budget for the moment is somewhere in the range of 250-350.00.

Source is something of a problem. I'll likely be taking the AVR 435 with me back to school, but I'm finding its headphone output to be pretty disappointing. The analog outputs on my laptop are absolutely terrible also. So, I think some sort of dac/amp is going to be required.

As far as IEMs or phones. I really don't have a preference. I've owned both and I like both. The upsides to the IEMs is that I could use them with when I'm out and about too. But, at the same time I'd really like to have some nice pen phones and a dac/amp instead of some 300.00 IEM's and no dac/amp.

 

[vulc4n]

Okay, so I've done some more thinking, and heres my plan:

-Buy an inexpensive USB soundcard with digital out.
-Use AVR 435 as a DAC
-Buy an amp + decent open headphones.

Alternatively, I suppose I could get a total bithead.

 

[carlineng]

Wasn't there a huge discussion thread awhile back arguing about whether the total bithead was a good source/amp for high-end headphones? I think the general consensus was yes it works, but it barely taps into the full potential of higher end headphones.

 

[vulc4n]

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlineng /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wasn't there a huge discussion thread awhile back arguing about whether the total bithead was a good source/amp for high-end headphones? I think the general consensus was yes it works, but it barely taps into the full potential of higher end headphones.

I must have missed it. If I'm using my AVR 435 as a dac, whats a cheapish headphone amp that would perform better than the total bithead?

And, as far as headphones go, the AKG 601/701 have really intrigued me.

 

[ken36]

Quote:

What do I do?

Spend- it's what we do.

 

[jgonino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken36 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Spend- it's what we do.

Based on your sig, you follow your own advice!

 

[vulc4n]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken36 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Spend- it's what we do.

Well yeah, obviously.

The real question is how do I spend it most effectively?

I've decided to stretch my budget to 400.00-450.00 including some sort of dac/amp.

Right now I'm thinking a good option would be an E-Mu 0404 and the Sennheiser HD595. What do you guys think?

 

[vulc4n]

anybody?

 

[shaizada]

Get the HD-650 and keep building your rig around them.