[LostnAmerica]

I have to use closed-back phones as I listen to music through them early in the morning in my living room that is just outside our bedroom where my wife is still asleep with the door open. Since she is easily awakened by any noise whatsoever including the booming crash of a feather hitting the floor I need good isolation from music leaking out of the headphones. I have never received any punishment for waking her up with the XTC-Closed ^2.5 (or the ^1.0 when I previously owned a pair), so my take is that they don't leak much sound nor do I hear much outside the phones while listening.

You too? My wife sleeps, but doesn't...the "booming crash" is exactly what I've experienced for many years now. The closed seem like the perfect answer for me. Same reaction on the XTC opens I had, and so I sold them...Cheers

 

[Kiba No Ou]

Hi All, Right now I'm listening to a Fostex TH909 that i really like but the piercing highs and the hot mids are an issue for me.
I've found a XTC Open for a really good price and i was wondering how it competes with the XTC 2.5 and if can be a good replacement for my TH909.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bjorn154]

You are not going to get that with either. More a matter if you prefer closed vs open. The drivers are the same so sound wise similar.

 

[bobo64]

Hi, I might've missed something in this thread, but I couldn't find any information on differences between xtc 1.5 closed and xtc 2.5 closed. Since 2.5 is much more expensive I need to know what I would get with that upgrade. Thanks!

 

[rlawry]

I have not heard the 1.5 but had a 1.0 and now own a 2.5 so the comparisons should be similar. Since both of my phones had beryllium drivers, similar impedance (64 ohms for the 1.0 and 32 ohms for the 2.5) and tuning (nearly scalpel and Wolf Hawk), the only other difference was the increased cup size for the 2.5. The sound was of the same family, slightly warm with great bass, good midrange body, and sweet highs. The 2.5 has a bigger soundstage and tighter and deeper bass with slightly more overall detail. You can't go wrong with either phone.

 

[bobo64]

Thank you very much for your comments. Much aprreciated!

 

[Kiba No Ou]

You are not going to get that with either.

What do you mean?

I have not heard the 1.5 but had a 1.0 and now own a 2.5 so the comparisons should be similar. Since both of my phones had beryllium drivers, similar impedance (64 ohms for the 1.0 and 32 ohms for the 2.5) and tuning (nearly scalpel and Wolf Hawk), the only other difference was the increased cup size for the 2.5. The sound was of the same family, slightly warm with great bass, good midrange body, and sweet highs. The 2.5 has a bigger soundstage and tighter and deeper bass with slightly more overall detail. You can't go wrong with either phone.

So the 2.5 is overall better even if it's closed?

 

[rlawry]

What do you mean?

So the 2.5 is overall better even if it's closed?

The 2.5 is better overall than the 1.0 in my opinion, being more refined with a bigger soundstage and better bass with slightly improved dynamic range. Both are closed models.

 

[Bjorn154]

What do you mean?

So the 2.5 is overall better even if it's closed?

Piercing highs or hot mids are not going to happen with the XTC’s no matter which one you get.

The differences are more in the size of the soundscape and if you can use an open back in your environment. For a closed back the 2.5 is probably as close as you are going to get to that open back big perceived soundstage.

 

[ozz007]

I solation on the 2.5 is amazing. None of my other Cloease Headphones came close to it.

wife loves that I don't have music playing while she is trying to watch her shows.

 

[Bjorn154]

XTC2 Review: https://bytes-bull.com/2024/03/23/jm-audio-xtc2/

I give it a half hour until John tells me I said something wrong haha.

Since you are getting sibilance on every ultra expensive HP, including the almighty $6K Susvara, has it ever occurred to you that the problem may be with your system and not the HP’s?

 

[oldson]

anyone else struggle getting pads on their XTC?
and yes i have seen the video

 

[Bjorn154]

It does require a little patience!

 

[saMWyz]

anyone else struggle getting pads on their XTC?
and yes i have seen the video

You gotta slip one part in and then just pull it hard across the other edges. You gotta get rough with the pad. It won't rip or stretch if you pull it hard.

 

[phoneslave86]

anyone else struggle getting pads on their XTC?
and yes i have seen the video

I did for a while, like it was a struggle, don't feel bad. Eventually I got good at it with a bunch of practice and it's fairly easy and fast now. Just put lip in on one end and hold it on there with a finger and go around. Spin the pads to align and finish getting the lip in.