New Mapletree or used one? I've read good things about them...Tubes really complement nicely my XTC's...!
JM Audio Editions XTC Headphones
- Thread starter rlawry
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A used one from the classifieds here. It's OTL but it puts out 3 watts into 32 ohms if I remember correctly. I was a little concerned it would be too warm and syrupy with the Audio Note, but it's fantastic!
I just received these XTC ^2.5 Euphoric Xtreme Trip phones from John and am currently listening to them (after ogling them for some time). These are certainly the most beautiful phones I have owned, or seen, for that matter. They are a rare and exclusive African Blackwood high gloss wood and reportedly difficult to obtain and machine into the gorgeous cups you can see in the pictures (John took these). I had fun last night applying some carnauba wax to them.
Early listening reveals the music to be more detailed than that from the ^1.0 that I own with more extended bass and a larger soundstage. I have a lot of events going on this weekend, so unfortunately I won't get much of a chance to continue ogling and listening but will report back later.
Early listening reveals the music to be more detailed than that from the ^1.0 that I own with more extended bass and a larger soundstage. I have a lot of events going on this weekend, so unfortunately I won't get much of a chance to continue ogling and listening but will report back later.
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phoneslave86
100+ Head-Fier
Heck yea!!! I love what these do with smaller equipment and larger equipment. These are the most transparent thing I've ever heard. The old very detailed tuning 64 Ohm beryl XTC would be close or second. I miss that tuning but love the new larger taller closer soundstage and increased mid bass of the new tuning as well even though it's less detailed.
Using Weiss DAC 204 with Ferrum Hypsos > Jot 2 XLR > 2^5 with cut out leather perforated pads just whoa the mid and mid upper focus detail is insane to me but I'd guess is quite a bit less than your benchmark and ribbon phones ect. Using all cryo treated OCC cables made noticeable difference but still breaking in. Hearing even deeper fine textures here than ever before just wow it never ceases to amaze me how deep it can get seems endless or something!
Must note my system is a mess at the time... have 6 cables breaking in and stuff unplugged recently. My tube amp came back around better after a couple of days and got much more resolving yesterday. Seems the digital Weiss DAC and Jot 2 are much more resilient to this type of scenario than my R2R DACs and tube amp. Going to have 2 dedicated 20A lines next week and retest!!
Yes, the RAAL SR-1b ribbon and Kennerton Rognir Planar magnetic phones both use faster drivers than the dynamic drivers in the XTC ^2.5 phones, so detail is greater on these phones. I wanted the XTC phones for those recordings that need greater bass and dynamics that only a dynamic driver can produce, such as Thin Lizzy's Renegade that just doesn't have the same impact with planar magnetic or ribbon phones, at least the ones I have.
The ^2.5 phones I have use what John calls "Wolf Hawk" tuning, whatever that is, but I would characterize their bass as compared to the 1.0 phones (64 ohm, nearly scapel tuning) as having less bass weight and more extended and tuneful. Maybe this will change with break-in. Personally, I find most phones to have way too much bass that overwhelms the rest of the sonic spectrum and makes for a quickly fatiguing listen and makes all music sound similar, i.e. bass, bass, and more bass slightly seasoned with a small amount of midrange and treble thrown in. Bass is great but IMO not when it overwhelms the rest of the music where most instruments and voices reside, and I find the bass of the ^2.5 to be Goldilocks, not too much (Papa Bear) or too little (Mama Bear), but just right.
ozz007
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Man I wish my cups had the shiny finish
Yeah, I liked the shiny finish so much that I was willing to pay extra for it.
John Massaria
Member of the Trade: JM Audio Editions/Headphone Modifications
I should recommend using bees wax to keep the finish of any matte wood looking its best
I use Vans and it really is amazing at protecting non poly finish woods - hope this helps - John
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phoneslave86
100+ Head-Fier
I've noticed the bass tightening up a lot the last few weeks. Good to re test stuff if you building and learning like me. I can now use a 3rd set of ports open on my 2^5 which are the next biggest size. It's a lot more bass like that to me and about where it was at a month ago with only the 4 smallest ports open.
The new 1.0 openbacks can now almost use leather perf pads but still too much mid bass to my tastes. The first 1.0 beryl had very tight bass and similar to my 2.5 with mostly closed ports. Fuzzy really reduce bass. I think I might be able to use the perf leather once my system is done or I will have some bass reduced to use them as I love swapping to those pads. I don't like the soundstage as much but I love the clarity of the mid and upper main instruments.
I love the extra bass and closer soundstage of this new 1.0 tuning.. Never heard bass imaging like this. Chains of bass drum hits ect. Never heard sculpted bass extension till the last month or so. It's a whole song I could listen to all day by itself. I think bass really augments the mids in harps, brass, orchestras as well as long as there is no reverbing or muddling I'll take as much bass as I can get the better!
The new 1.0 openbacks can now almost use leather perf pads but still too much mid bass to my tastes. The first 1.0 beryl had very tight bass and similar to my 2.5 with mostly closed ports. Fuzzy really reduce bass. I think I might be able to use the perf leather once my system is done or I will have some bass reduced to use them as I love swapping to those pads. I don't like the soundstage as much but I love the clarity of the mid and upper main instruments.
I love the extra bass and closer soundstage of this new 1.0 tuning.. Never heard bass imaging like this. Chains of bass drum hits ect. Never heard sculpted bass extension till the last month or so. It's a whole song I could listen to all day by itself. I think bass really augments the mids in harps, brass, orchestras as well as long as there is no reverbing or muddling I'll take as much bass as I can get the better!
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Bee wax is really good... here is on the Brazilian Blackwood
ozz007
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Thank you I just ordered itI should recommend using bees wax to keep the finish of any matte wood looking its best
I use Vans and it really is amazing at protecting non poly finish woods - hope this helps - John
I am really happy with the bass with the ^2.5 as is. If it changes with break-in I will work on the ports as I did with the 1.0 but for now I am really enjoying them.
vikinguy
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andrewchoppa
500+ Head-Fier
Love the eq too!!! What’s the track please?
John Massaria
Member of the Trade: JM Audio Editions/Headphone Modifications
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