JM Audio Editions XTC Headphones
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Patswalker
500+ Head-Fier
As Head-Fiers and proper obsessive headphone lovers, I'm curious as to what you all are collecting? Are you sticking with JM Audio headphones only? If so, what models and what tunings? Have you amassed a collection of other headphones and possibly IEMs that are good compliments to JM Audio headphones in a robust collection? Ifo so, what headphones do you feel are good collection partners with JM Audio headphones?
I was walking this morning thinking about my collection and got to wondering what others on here have.
I was walking this morning thinking about my collection and got to wondering what others on here have.
IMO, there are two distinct camps of headphone sound. One is speed, detail, transparency, and spaciousness. The other is bass and dynamics. I have two headphones that are configured to the first type of sound: my Dan Clark Audio Stealth with its planar magnetic drivers, the second being my RAAL SR-1b with its ribbon drivers. For the bass and dynamics camp, there is the JM Audio Editions XTC-C 2.5 phones. Not saying that one camp has absolutely no characteristics of the other camp but that one camp primarily consists of that type of sound. I usually rotate the three phones regularly but on certain recordings, one type of phone usually benefits the sound on that recording. For most jazz, for instance, I typically reach for phones like the Stealth and SR-1b that bring out the detail of the recording. For most pop and rock recordings, the JMAE phones have that bass and dynamics underpinning that serve that type of music.
Rip Van Winkle
New Head-Fier
I couldn't agree with you more! That is exactly my thinking for my two separate head-fi rigs. For my critical listening, primarily in the morning, I'm reading and listening to Dan Clark E3's or Focal Stelias. (they have to be closed back because my wife is usually still asleep) driven by a Mytek Liberty II DAC and THX amp. I almost always run an Audiolab 6000 CD transport as a source, but I also have an Auralic Altair 1.1 for streaming. This is Classical or Jazz time.
Downstairs in my office area, which overlooks the backyard, is my JM Audio XTC 2.5 or 2.0's (I picked these up from a board member). I asked John to tune the 2.5's to be great for rock and roll (and old R&B etc). That's being driven by a Burson Conductor 3X GT and another Audiolab 6000 CD transport. This desk space is also exactly the right place for a couple of guitars and a practice amp with a view of the backyard. John really nailed the tuning on my 2.5's and I couldn't be happier!
FWIW....I also just picked up a pair of Adam's Audio DV3 mini studio monitors to allow me to stream from my office laptop. I'm really diggin' the sound of those little guys. I can even crank them up, open the sliding doors and have tunes out on the patio.
andrewchoppa
1000+ Head-Fier
This may be far from what you were talking about but I have literally just started collecting "vintage" headphones. I'm finding a number of them in excellent condition, selling for at or well under $50 USD on Feebay, Faceahce and local community groups. I'm not doing doing it for resale value (although I know I'd be able to sell for a lot more than I'm paying (for some anyway), I'm doing it because I'm super keen to find out what the "olden" cans sounded, felt and paired like. I'll share photos (but I will not hijack any groups) if people want. I just received my first pair today - Koss vintage KV/H - they are STUNNING!!!
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seevip
New Head-Fier
that stand looks awesome raw/sanded with the plug holder too
andrewchoppa
1000+ Head-Fier
Ahh, thank you very much kind sir - I make them!!! I've just started. I call myself "Rustic By Design" or "Rustic Stands". I don't have any fancy machinery - they're all hand crafted from recycled timber from Bunnings. I see you're in Melbourne - about an hour from me (or so, depending on where in Melb.) I love wood, I love different types of stands and they're bloody expensive, so I started making my own and selling to friends. I now have an Etsy store which I'll shamelessly promote (sorry John!!!)
Feel free to browse (and buy of course). I will have lots more like the one in the picture - that's my new direction.
I realised that audiophiles (particularly me) hate dangling cords and risking damaging the connector, so I came up with what I call the "Vel Stjorn" range ("well managed" in Norse). No one else seems to be doing it so maybe that will help my business grow??
Anyway........
https://www.etsy.com/shop/RusticStands?ref=dashboard-header
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Patswalker
500+ Head-Fier
Friends! I'm going to be listing my XTC2 Biowool heaphones in the next couple days. I'm moving at the end of the year so I'm going a giant grand sell off of everything that is more of a want instead of a need. I teach so I need all the $$$ I can get to help with this move.
I love this community so so so much, it's one of the only Headfi threads I still communicate in these days so I wanted to offer this up to you all before I decide where I am going to list it.
If you are interested please private message me and we can chat. I do not want to take up space here discussing business stuff aside from offering them to the community here before I post it.
I love this community so so so much, it's one of the only Headfi threads I still communicate in these days so I wanted to offer this up to you all before I decide where I am going to list it.
If you are interested please private message me and we can chat. I do not want to take up space here discussing business stuff aside from offering them to the community here before I post it.
andrewchoppa
1000+ Head-Fier
Good luck with the move and the sale mate - hope it goes well for you!
Patswalker
500+ Head-Fier
I'm sure it will. I'm keeping my NRG and 300ohm xtc2. Slowly downsizing the while collection is not as easy as it seems.
OleksandrShapiro
New Head-Fier
I recently received the jm audio xtc 1.0 model.
I listened to them for three days and changed different ear pads, I can say one thing, they have good bass, good high frequencies, but the mid frequencies are recessed , they sound like they lack something.
The headphones sound good in general, but damn, the mid frequencies in headphones for 250 pounds, the same Denon D5200, I like more.
What I didn’t like most was changing the ear pads, another challenge..
In general, I wanted to know if there is a difference between the older 1.5 model in mid frequencies?
I listened to them for three days and changed different ear pads, I can say one thing, they have good bass, good high frequencies, but the mid frequencies are recessed , they sound like they lack something.
The headphones sound good in general, but damn, the mid frequencies in headphones for 250 pounds, the same Denon D5200, I like more.
What I didn’t like most was changing the ear pads, another challenge..
In general, I wanted to know if there is a difference between the older 1.5 model in mid frequencies?
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Since all of the pads, drivers, and tuning make a significant difference, could you please inform us on these aspects so that we might suggest options that might take these phones closer to your desired sound? Also your upstream components? This may be preferable to having to sell them and get something else. I would also suggest giving John Massaria a call to discuss options.
Ok now I have to say something,
So a brief backstory, I had spent my younger years building up an awesome home theater Soundsystem only to loose the ability to enjoy it after having kids and both my wife and I working from home. I need to get lost in music in order to function for my desk job. I would say I had decent headphones from BW and Audeze Mobius ( terrible Build had to be sent back for new parts every year ) and LCD2 ( ear pads kept falling off ). I thought they sounded alright but always leaned on my speakers for good sound I believed that I wouldn't ever be able to get the same enjoyment out of headphones ( Musically wise ) that I could out of my BW800s. A buddy of mine who works in the audio industry told me about Johns headphones and that I should trust him and take a leap of faith that I would end up getting lost into the world of Headphones after getting XTC2.5 built by John. So I ordered them and waited for the customization to begin. Let me just say this is something that impressed me the most, being able to customize my headphones the way I wanted make them 100% unique. No one else has them unlike the mass market variations. The build quality is superb they are solid but not heavy. I dont have to tell yall this because you all have them but im still going to rant on anyways.
Now this brings me to the most important part of my rant. The communication with John about my setup and recommendations is something that has proved to be to me the crowning jewel of the whole JM Audio Edition experience. This also ties be back around to by setup. I was thinking well if these are supposed to be as amazing as they have been hyped up to be by my friend then I'm going to need to sink some serious money into and DAC and AMP to drive these bad boys. Through my conversations with John he surprised the hell out of me by telling me to stop thinking of spending crazy $$$$ to get lost in music. If i was going to be disecting and creating music for a job sure if I wanted to enjoy and get lost, umm no. So he pointed me to this big setup killer the Woo Mini Tube + Power base. While not "cheap" ....... What folks. I got my box I plugged them in and couldnt believe what was being poured into my ears.
The sounds out of the headphones is incredible, the detail and the balance is superb. While i might not get they full body music impact of my big speakers, yall i dont long for them anymore. Eargasms galore I couldn't believe the quality of sound coming from such a small device, when I have gone and sunk a ton of money to drive my BW 800s.
Folks this is the American Dream right here. These are made by hand. The advice and the quality of service that he offers is not seen much if at all these days. Its good to see this has not been lost to time. Ill be honest I'm interested in what else he has to offer.
These are amazing... Keep it up John.
Question for this community: These are amazing and apparently easy to drive at 32 ohms. What would be the differences between these and the harder to drive drivers in the 300ohm range.
So a brief backstory, I had spent my younger years building up an awesome home theater Soundsystem only to loose the ability to enjoy it after having kids and both my wife and I working from home. I need to get lost in music in order to function for my desk job. I would say I had decent headphones from BW and Audeze Mobius ( terrible Build had to be sent back for new parts every year ) and LCD2 ( ear pads kept falling off ). I thought they sounded alright but always leaned on my speakers for good sound I believed that I wouldn't ever be able to get the same enjoyment out of headphones ( Musically wise ) that I could out of my BW800s. A buddy of mine who works in the audio industry told me about Johns headphones and that I should trust him and take a leap of faith that I would end up getting lost into the world of Headphones after getting XTC2.5 built by John. So I ordered them and waited for the customization to begin. Let me just say this is something that impressed me the most, being able to customize my headphones the way I wanted make them 100% unique. No one else has them unlike the mass market variations. The build quality is superb they are solid but not heavy. I dont have to tell yall this because you all have them but im still going to rant on anyways.
Now this brings me to the most important part of my rant. The communication with John about my setup and recommendations is something that has proved to be to me the crowning jewel of the whole JM Audio Edition experience. This also ties be back around to by setup. I was thinking well if these are supposed to be as amazing as they have been hyped up to be by my friend then I'm going to need to sink some serious money into and DAC and AMP to drive these bad boys. Through my conversations with John he surprised the hell out of me by telling me to stop thinking of spending crazy $$$$ to get lost in music. If i was going to be disecting and creating music for a job sure if I wanted to enjoy and get lost, umm no. So he pointed me to this big setup killer the Woo Mini Tube + Power base. While not "cheap" ....... What folks. I got my box I plugged them in and couldnt believe what was being poured into my ears.
The sounds out of the headphones is incredible, the detail and the balance is superb. While i might not get they full body music impact of my big speakers, yall i dont long for them anymore. Eargasms galore I couldn't believe the quality of sound coming from such a small device, when I have gone and sunk a ton of money to drive my BW 800s.
Folks this is the American Dream right here. These are made by hand. The advice and the quality of service that he offers is not seen much if at all these days. Its good to see this has not been lost to time. Ill be honest I'm interested in what else he has to offer.
These are amazing... Keep it up John.
Question for this community: These are amazing and apparently easy to drive at 32 ohms. What would be the differences between these and the harder to drive drivers in the 300ohm range.
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