The large number of custom tuning parameters seemingly has both good and bad news. The good news is that you can order and re-order a large array of custom tunings that cater to you particular preferences. The bad news is that it makes head-to-head comparisons more difficult given that many offerings will have different tunings within the same headphone. I wonder whether using equalization might accomplish much of the same thing without having to change tuning.
JM Audio Editions XTC Headphones
- Thread starter rlawry
- Start date
andrewchoppa
1000+ Head-Fier
I think I was the last pair before the new tuning. I’m bloody happy regardless though. But yes, I’d like to hear too.
phoneslave86
100+ Head-Fier
They both respond to EQ very nicely with the mojo 2 which is analog EQ that doesn't distort. I don't like using digital EQ with them at all though. I usually never EQ the Beryl but I tune them down sometimes on the fly. I tune the Bio up to match closer to the Beryl fairly often on the mojo. I don't EQ either on the main system no need there at all! It is quite a large amount of EQ to even bring them somewhat close. Found some interesting thing's ABing them with 2 chord mojo 2's for about 12 hours straight one day and I logged several pages of notes. It is certainly very hard to compare bio/beryl and different tunings. There are too many nuances and differences.
I use Roon digital EQ occasionally but usually don't feel the need to EQ my XTC-C or my Kennerton Rognir Planars. The issue with analog EQ is the addition of phase and group delays that muddy the sound but I don't often hear the effects of either analog or digital EQ. For my RAAL SR-1b ribbon phones I use some convolution filters that definitely improve the sound through flattening the frequency curve (filling in frequency dips and flattening the peaks) without any seeming drawbacks.
phoneslave86
100+ Head-Fier
Mojo 2 is actually a really special type of analog EQ. Mojo 2 EQ you can just crank it and it still sounds perfectly natural to my ears it's amazing. One of the only known types of EQ I've heard of that do not distort (at least mostly) making it really useful for tests and the like. I don't believe it's 100 percent distortion free either but I can't hear it at least. I can hear filters and distortion from EQing with Roon even a little bit. Apparently Qobuz and Roon both are allowed to use filters when streaming and count it lossless. Downloaded flacs are the only way to avoid the filters from what I've seen as well.
Hi,
I have received the XTC² 2.5,After opening it, I see the jewel.
It is the most powerful, the best soundstage I've ever heard: I have tested the Focal Stellia, I own the Radiance, I tested the Meze Lyric,but they are all far behind.
Even the Dan Clark Aeon 2 noire, which has the problem of weak output.
It surpasses my Fostex TH909 ! which is an open ( really semi open !)
My only doubt is only for YAMAHA YH-5000SE , which costs 5400 euros ... and I have not tested for so long.
I listen to this headphone with my DAP Hiby RS6, too good.
I tested on my PC with my amp + Dac a film on Netflix, it's like I'm in a movie room with 4D and 3DS MAX.
After I begin to use the headphones for music on my PC, it's terrific.
The only I heard before, that I can compare is the Fostex TH909 ...
The mid is fantastic, treble OK, and no problem with the bass :
The bass is punchy, with very good impact and texture. Unlike the Fostex, is not boomy as well, but again, this is handled rather well.
It has the best detail and layering in its lows
Midrange : There is also good separation and articulation.
High : The XTC² has the clearest and cleanest highs.
it is superior in separating instruments, voices and layers to other close back headphones I tested before; this is most apparent in complex tracks.
I listen to classical music, and it rocks, and with Soul, I can imagine I'm in the USA with the singer:
So for the price, you get what you pay for, the best of the closed headphones !
I have received the XTC² 2.5,After opening it, I see the jewel.
It is the most powerful, the best soundstage I've ever heard: I have tested the Focal Stellia, I own the Radiance, I tested the Meze Lyric,but they are all far behind.
Even the Dan Clark Aeon 2 noire, which has the problem of weak output.
It surpasses my Fostex TH909 ! which is an open ( really semi open !)
My only doubt is only for YAMAHA YH-5000SE , which costs 5400 euros ... and I have not tested for so long.
I listen to this headphone with my DAP Hiby RS6, too good.
I tested on my PC with my amp + Dac a film on Netflix, it's like I'm in a movie room with 4D and 3DS MAX.
After I begin to use the headphones for music on my PC, it's terrific.
The only I heard before, that I can compare is the Fostex TH909 ...
The mid is fantastic, treble OK, and no problem with the bass :
The bass is punchy, with very good impact and texture. Unlike the Fostex, is not boomy as well, but again, this is handled rather well.
It has the best detail and layering in its lows
Midrange : There is also good separation and articulation.
High : The XTC² has the clearest and cleanest highs.
it is superior in separating instruments, voices and layers to other close back headphones I tested before; this is most apparent in complex tracks.
I listen to classical music, and it rocks, and with Soul, I can imagine I'm in the USA with the singer:
So for the price, you get what you pay for, the best of the closed headphones !
Zhon
100+ Head-Fier
About to get my XTCs back from John again, this time with improved beryllium drivers (he bought a ton of these, which supposedly have tighter tolerances) and a new "preference reference" tuning. So many upgrades in such a short amount of time. All for free too. John probably has the best customer service in the entire industry, can hardly imagine anything better.
@RLES974 I have the 1.5 and not the 2.5 and I also own the YH-5000SE. The soundstage is not a fair comparison as you are talking about an open back with a decently wide but very tall with front and back stage. Not many open backs will compete with it. It is indeed one of its biggest strengths (comfort, stage, imaging, detail and bass) but it has its issues as well (upper mids have a bit of issue). I find the stage in the Rognir Planar as the best closed back stage….but the XTC is very good and remarkable for it’s price AND the incredible tuning that the headphone has.
Mhog55
Headphoneus Supremus
Very good
. Which type of driver material did you get?@Strayngs,
I'm taking of course of the XTC² 2.5, it is an upgrade of the 1.5, so , not the same,some imprivement since 1.5.
I agree with you, we can have better soundstage with other headphones... Of course , in term of soundstage, perhaps, Grado 3000e, ou hifiman susvara, or focal utopia are better, but not the same price.
And as JM doing lot of modding, I can ask JM to modify the look, the compfort, the pad, the cable ,the impedance etc ... if something doesn't fit to my needs, that I can't have with Focal or any other constructor. I like Focal, among other constructors !-) !
@Mhog55
It is berylium custom driver !
And you can customise a lot of elements : pads, cables 4.4, 3.5 ,XLR ,color and nature of woods,etc ...
I'm taking of course of the XTC² 2.5, it is an upgrade of the 1.5, so , not the same,some imprivement since 1.5.
I agree with you, we can have better soundstage with other headphones... Of course , in term of soundstage, perhaps, Grado 3000e, ou hifiman susvara, or focal utopia are better, but not the same price.
And as JM doing lot of modding, I can ask JM to modify the look, the compfort, the pad, the cable ,the impedance etc ... if something doesn't fit to my needs, that I can't have with Focal or any other constructor. I like Focal, among other constructors !-) !
@Mhog55
It is berylium custom driver !
And you can customise a lot of elements : pads, cables 4.4, 3.5 ,XLR ,color and nature of woods,etc ...
Utopia has a pretty narrow soundstage actually
phoneslave86
100+ Head-Fier
Congrats for sure. I am a believer. What tuning if you don't mind. Everyone should list their tuning.
As I have posted before, I have a pair of RAAL SR-1b phones, which really are more like small speakers that hang in front of your ears, so they have been called nearfield ear monitors. As such, their ribbon drivers are the fastest and most detailed I have heard. The soundstage, while not quite like regular speakers in a listening room, their soundfield is the closest I have heard to actual speakers and their spaciousness gives an out-of-head experience unlike those of conventional closed-cup phones. That being said, their bass, while quite natural-sounding, is down in level compared to most headphones and in that regard, many don't like their lack of bass weight and extension. So you either like this type of sound or you don't. You can futz around with the angle that the earspeakers make with your ears but if you try to get them to make more bass the soundstage suffers.
The XTC-C has a completely different type of sound with a more closed-in presentation while much more bass-prominent and has much more bass dynamics. My Kennerton Rognir Planars split the difference between the SR-1b and the XTC-C. I posit that the phones I reach for often depend on the type of music I am listening to. Certain rock and jazz recordings need that bass weight to sound realistic so the XTC fits that bill almost perfectly: great bass quality without overwhelming bass that colors the music, especially in the midrange.
The XTC-C has a completely different type of sound with a more closed-in presentation while much more bass-prominent and has much more bass dynamics. My Kennerton Rognir Planars split the difference between the SR-1b and the XTC-C. I posit that the phones I reach for often depend on the type of music I am listening to. Certain rock and jazz recordings need that bass weight to sound realistic so the XTC fits that bill almost perfectly: great bass quality without overwhelming bass that colors the music, especially in the midrange.
eugene2
100+ Head-Fier
I had some monstrous speakers by Vapor Audio that had Raal ribbons tied to Dueland caps, they were amazing. I spent another long listening session at the store and listened through the DCS stack with Susvara, new Utopia, He 1000 SE, Meze Elite, Stellia, ZMF Atrium and newly updated and retuned XTC open. At 1K XTC is well worth the money, especially in it's revised format. I don't think I can go ack without buying something especially since they let me bring in my 3 phones. The store was empty so I got to play.
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