what would you say, how does the XTC2 open compare to the Fostex th900 km2,
especially in the bass
JM Audio Editions XTC Headphones
- Thread starter rlawry
- Start date
especially in the bass
UberHaxorMarty
100+ Head-Fier
I wouldn't support a scummy company like subpac personally. They lied countless times and accepted money for products they knew were nowhere near ready. Even if they deliver a proper product, it still feels wrong. I have a woojer vest 3 since release, just waiting for another company to make something, and I can't make myself support subpac even though I like their old products
Last edited:
What you say may be true as they have had my money for almost 3 years now with continual unfulfilled promises of delivery, although they seem to have a good track record. I actually have a letter written excoriating them for their ineptitude and/or deception and asking for a full refund, but since there is little else out there in terms of these products I just let it go just in case they ever deliver. I might rue my current decision but I sincerely hope not.
UberHaxorMarty
100+ Head-Fier
They almost went bankrupt recently so you would have likely lost your money if not for some additional investment they got (probably in exchange for ownership in the company and product). I'm assuming they will deliver at this point since why would someone invest if they didn't see something there? The subpac reddit page has all the info on what has been happening with them
Audio Addict
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2001
- Posts
- 4,853
- Likes
- 1,407
I received my Mahogany XTC 2.5 back Friday from John. I had the tuning changed from Bliss to Heavy Bliss which is what I had done on my XTC 2.0. Wow is about I can say. Even John thought the revision took the XTC 2.5 to another level above the Bliss Tuning.
Thanks John.
Thanks John.
Could someone explain to someone clueless like myself the sonic characteristics of bliss and heavy bliss tuning and how it compares to earlier tunings like nearly scapel or Wolf Hawk? Thanks.
Can someone compare the NRG with the 1.5? I have the 1.5 and I really love it, was thinking if the NRG will be an upgrade or a side-grade since there is minimal price difference.
I love everything about the 1.5, just that if it had a bit more midrange body while keeping everything else same - it would have been perfect.
I love everything about the 1.5, just that if it had a bit more midrange body while keeping everything else same - it would have been perfect.
Patswalker
500+ Head-Fier
What driver is in your 1.5 and how is it tuned?
32 Ohm Beryllium, Warm with elevated details.
UberHaxorMarty
100+ Head-Fier
If no one answers I probably could provide this information at some point. I'm waiting on materials for the 2 new headphones I'm getting though so it will take at least a few weeks I'm thinking
Patswalker
500+ Head-Fier
Wanted to share a bit of feedback I shared with John about the NRG vs XTC2.5....
"Now that my XTC2.5 are burned in I can assess the differences.
The best way to describe them for me is that with your open backs, the XTC2.5 is like the closed back equivalent of the XTC2 Berryllium 300 ohm and the NRG is the closed back equivalent of the XTC2 Biowool you made me.
XTC2.5- Much more focused on the details and audiophile-like accuracy and precision. Wonderful deep soundstage for a closed back but it still feels like a closed back which I like. This is the model someone who is obsessed with perfect detail and analyzing music should listen to. The behavior of the headphones is the same no matter what volume which is cool. Soundstage is 3d but more left and right.
NRG- Much more focused on the lows. More the party headphone to get lost and wrapped in the music, not to obsessively hyperanalyze the music. This needs more power than the 2.5. While the 2.5 sounds amazing on everything, the NRG much like the 2.0 biowool sounds nice on lots of stuff but when it is given a lot of raw power it SHINES. That's when the soundstage expands, detain truly shines and the bass hits. This is a slightly more intimate soundstage but much more all around 3d soundstage than the 2.5 This to me is my favorite of the two."
* to add to this, I was listening to the XTC2.5 on my Woo Audio WA6 (current gen) connected to the Geshelli Dayzee and it sounded wonderful. Tamed some of the beryllium flavor, added a little liquid to the notes, opened the soundstage a tad, brought a bit more naturalness into it the game, everything you want a tube amp to do. I REALLY love the 2.5. It deserves all the praise for sure. It's spectacular.
Then I connected the NRG to the Woo WA6 and it's A M A Z I N G. This is where I will be listening to the NRG for the foreseeable future.
When I connected the NRG to the Woo audio, oh man. The soundstage is awesome. The NRG on the WA6se connected to the Geshelli Labs Dayzee has one of the most intimate yet realistic 3d soundstage presentations I have ever heard in my life. I didn't really know the two could coexist like this. This is just magical. The bass response on the NRG with the Woo WA6 in that setup is incredible as well. Much better than on the XTC2.5. Bassheads, this combo isn't cheap but if you can pull it, its spectacular.
As I said above, the XTC2.5 takes the cake for the obsessive audiophile when I want to step into that space. No doubt. It is an amazing headphone, well worth the price. If you obsess about every note and love that deep dive, for sure lean into and get the xtc 2.5, you'll be amazed. I was and am gobsmacked when I listen to it. But for me, most of the time I don't care about critically analyzing every note looking for the perfect space between the blah blah blah...When I want to listen most of the time I just want to relax and have an auditory experince and good lord the NRG on the WA6 is brining the heat with that.
PLEASE don't get it twisted. I LOVE my xtc2.5, not in any way am I criticizing it. And if you are focsed on the very detailed search for all the last nuances in your music that is the one for you. I imagine people who love the higer end Focal headphones will LOVE the xtc 2.5. And honesly, gun to my head if I had to chose between only one open back and only one closed back forever there is a super high likelyhood I would pick the XTC 2.5 for the closed back, it just does so much so well. It's that good.
As a collector though, the NRG should be considered a necessity. John's use of the biowool driver in the open back XTC2.0 was the same mind melting expeirnce in when I found my personal synnergy, when I found the system that seems to flow best with it, it's one of the most incredible things I have ever heard.
"Now that my XTC2.5 are burned in I can assess the differences.
The best way to describe them for me is that with your open backs, the XTC2.5 is like the closed back equivalent of the XTC2 Berryllium 300 ohm and the NRG is the closed back equivalent of the XTC2 Biowool you made me.
XTC2.5- Much more focused on the details and audiophile-like accuracy and precision. Wonderful deep soundstage for a closed back but it still feels like a closed back which I like. This is the model someone who is obsessed with perfect detail and analyzing music should listen to. The behavior of the headphones is the same no matter what volume which is cool. Soundstage is 3d but more left and right.
NRG- Much more focused on the lows. More the party headphone to get lost and wrapped in the music, not to obsessively hyperanalyze the music. This needs more power than the 2.5. While the 2.5 sounds amazing on everything, the NRG much like the 2.0 biowool sounds nice on lots of stuff but when it is given a lot of raw power it SHINES. That's when the soundstage expands, detain truly shines and the bass hits. This is a slightly more intimate soundstage but much more all around 3d soundstage than the 2.5 This to me is my favorite of the two."
* to add to this, I was listening to the XTC2.5 on my Woo Audio WA6 (current gen) connected to the Geshelli Dayzee and it sounded wonderful. Tamed some of the beryllium flavor, added a little liquid to the notes, opened the soundstage a tad, brought a bit more naturalness into it the game, everything you want a tube amp to do. I REALLY love the 2.5. It deserves all the praise for sure. It's spectacular.
Then I connected the NRG to the Woo WA6 and it's A M A Z I N G. This is where I will be listening to the NRG for the foreseeable future.
When I connected the NRG to the Woo audio, oh man. The soundstage is awesome. The NRG on the WA6se connected to the Geshelli Labs Dayzee has one of the most intimate yet realistic 3d soundstage presentations I have ever heard in my life. I didn't really know the two could coexist like this. This is just magical. The bass response on the NRG with the Woo WA6 in that setup is incredible as well. Much better than on the XTC2.5. Bassheads, this combo isn't cheap but if you can pull it, its spectacular.
As I said above, the XTC2.5 takes the cake for the obsessive audiophile when I want to step into that space. No doubt. It is an amazing headphone, well worth the price. If you obsess about every note and love that deep dive, for sure lean into and get the xtc 2.5, you'll be amazed. I was and am gobsmacked when I listen to it. But for me, most of the time I don't care about critically analyzing every note looking for the perfect space between the blah blah blah...When I want to listen most of the time I just want to relax and have an auditory experince and good lord the NRG on the WA6 is brining the heat with that.
PLEASE don't get it twisted. I LOVE my xtc2.5, not in any way am I criticizing it. And if you are focsed on the very detailed search for all the last nuances in your music that is the one for you. I imagine people who love the higer end Focal headphones will LOVE the xtc 2.5. And honesly, gun to my head if I had to chose between only one open back and only one closed back forever there is a super high likelyhood I would pick the XTC 2.5 for the closed back, it just does so much so well. It's that good.
As a collector though, the NRG should be considered a necessity. John's use of the biowool driver in the open back XTC2.0 was the same mind melting expeirnce in when I found my personal synnergy, when I found the system that seems to flow best with it, it's one of the most incredible things I have ever heard.
Last edited:
can you tell me what is the synergy between Audio Gd R28 mk3 and NRG, because I have an R28 mk3 myself and I'm thinking of buying NRG
Patswalker
500+ Head-Fier
I will listen later today and report back in the next couple days. And just a heads up, I directly connect usb right from my iPad mini so I'll be letting you know about that chain. So if you have any DDC devices or usb re-clockers or anti-jitter devices it should still sound similar but could sound different.
My assumption is that it'll be amazing. The warmth, naturalness of the R28MK3 sound and the way the Audio GD amps have both a lot of power and a lot of drive tend to match extremely well with John's XTC models with the Biowool drivers which is what the NRG has. For example, the XTC2 with a biowool driver I have sounds so incredible with the Audio GD HE9LE. And yes, that's a insanely good amp way way way up the Audio GD chain, but the nature and behavior of the Audio GD amplification is similar, just more so the higher up the chain we go and less so down the chain we go, but it's still Audio GD amplification no matter where on the chain we are.
I'm also curious as to what the soundstage will do on the closed back NRG. The R28MK3 to me throws a very wide soundstage and sounds great on the XTC2 biowool, but the nature of the NRG being closed back, having the biowool driver, and having a much more intimate yet still incredible soundstage, that's what I'm curious about hearing with the R28MK3.
Last edited:
Most everything I buy needs to be driven with authority by portable gear. My tube DAP is on the way back to me, so I will do a comparison of the Beryllium 2.5 and the NRG, which is only Biowool, once I receive it.
I am listening to the 2.5 and NRG as I write this using Fiio BTR17 and it drives both with authority. I have quite a few DAPs, but prefer my Shanling with the tubes and this Fiio is an incredible little device.
The 2.5 has more air around the notes than the NRG, and creates a stronger sense of holography. The 2.5 is more detailed and a bit more forward in it's delivery. The bass is cleaner, but reaches deep. It is undoubtedly the flagship. The cups are big and comfy, just heavier than the NRG, which are also comfy.
NRG: Deeper bass, vocals a touch more recessed, with a warmer tonality overall. Spacious, great separation and is holographic as well, just not to the level of the 2.5.
Both headphones have a lot of spaciousness, considering they're closed-back without trying to emulate an open-back design. The tonality of both can't be equaled.
I am listening to the 2.5 and NRG as I write this using Fiio BTR17 and it drives both with authority. I have quite a few DAPs, but prefer my Shanling with the tubes and this Fiio is an incredible little device.
The 2.5 has more air around the notes than the NRG, and creates a stronger sense of holography. The 2.5 is more detailed and a bit more forward in it's delivery. The bass is cleaner, but reaches deep. It is undoubtedly the flagship. The cups are big and comfy, just heavier than the NRG, which are also comfy.
NRG: Deeper bass, vocals a touch more recessed, with a warmer tonality overall. Spacious, great separation and is holographic as well, just not to the level of the 2.5.
Both headphones have a lot of spaciousness, considering they're closed-back without trying to emulate an open-back design. The tonality of both can't be equaled.
Last edited:
Patswalker
500+ Head-Fier
Very well said. I would agree with 100% of this. Objectively the 2.5 would most likely be considered by most to be the more flagship of the two. Personally I like the NRG much more than the XTC2.5 but I'm just much more inclined to enjoy biowool driver headphoens then berryllium driver headphones. That's totally just my subjective silly opinion though. Both are incredible, just two flavors.
Not sure if you are a gamer but I am and playing on the NRG is wild. The soundstage for the NRG for me is pulled in a bit in comparison to the 2.5 but when I was playing games that I have played a billion times before I was hearing sounds coming from above, behind, all around. Sounds in new places I have never heard coming form games I have played so many times that I thought I knew like the back of my hand. I haven't watched movies with the NRG yet but I'll bet that sonic presentations where spacial sound is presented in a more 3d space will be amazing on the NRG. Has been so far with gaming.
Users who are viewing this thread
