[Mad Lust Envy]

I wanted no bass screw adjustments for the touring Alpha Dog because people later in the tour might not hear what the stock, factory-tuned Alpha Dog will sound like. This unit is travelling internationally too, so it wouldn't be courteous for people outside of the USA to receive an altered unit when the point of the tour is for people to hear it as if it was from the factory. I bet people who have already heard the Alpha Dog at meets didn't adjust the bass screws for that exact reason.

It's as simple as Dan giving an image or something as a point of reference of where the AD is in it's default state.

If I'm gonna demo $600 headphones, I for damn sure want to test what it's capable of. If people are gonna be that OCD about demoing a headphone, they should just buy it. It's an adjustment, not a permanent one. I'm sure Dan will have guidelines on how to adjust it, where it's at it's most neutral, it's most bassy, etc.

Being courteous has nothing to do with it. I doubt Dan won't have some guideline.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Damn, as if on cue, it seems the mid bass on the X1 is giving me bass fatigue.

I mean, it was always borderline on being problematic (it has nothing to do with how much of it there is, but how the bass impact sounds), but now I'm noticing that it's giving me headaches. As if I needed a real reason to sell the X1.

Again, I even got the same bass fatigue even from the Q701 (the Annie didn't because the bass is broader and fuller) and DT990 Pro, and other headphones that don't even consitute as bassy. The Pro 900 and XB500 both have MUCH more mid bass, and neither give me bass fatigue. Meh...

I'm wondering if it's a specific region of mid bass that my ears just can't handle well....

 

[Change is Good]

See what happens when you get used to one sound over the other? I bet those mids on the X1 sound recessed, now?

This is why I try to keep my cans to have similar tones (with one having a bigger soundstage for gaming/movies/classical/jazz and the other being closed for better bass impact).

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Well, I'm used to wildly varying sound signatures (I've always preferred to have two headohones, one with a balanced tone, one with an aggressive one). Y

The X1 has always had some slight mid recession to me. But yeah, next to the MA900, the mids are lacking.

I have always had some mild bass fatigue from the X1, but it was borderline. But now, I'm really noticing it.

Guess I have to add it to my list of headphones that I personally can't use.

I'm REALLY headache-prone. It's hereditary. It's a shame. Because there are probably a million headphones that sound great but I couldn't personally handle. I'm gonna have to start looking at headphone with linear bass. That or target where exactly my problem lies.

Probably one reason I loved the D7000. The bass was strong in the lowest depths, but mid bass was relatively in line with the mids and not overwhelming.

 

[Fegefeuer]

Since I have the Mixamp for 2 years now I thought I'd finally pair it with the HD 800 and throw in a round of Killzone 2. 

 At 1 o'clock it's already loud enough for gaming and sounds good actually with excellent imaging, positioning and the soundstage is amazing as always. I wish more console shooters would have rendered as well as the KZ series with real elevation.
 
This is just a short info about how loud it gets, though of course this is by no means an indication how authority, control, balance and clarity "measure."

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Yeah, the Mixamp has never lacked in volume for me with anything other than the HE-4 for me (lol, the HE-4 ate up the Mixamp like nothing else). Only when you add in voice chat did the volume fall off a cliff.

Not ideal and there is much better, but the Mixamp gets the job done alone for most gaming use with any dynamic headphone, even the 600ohm Beyers, though it does clip at times with them.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Hey guys, selling my X1, if anyone is interested.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/679783/f-s-philips-fidelio-x1

Comes included with that expensive low resistance silver cable.

It pains me to sell these, as they are basically the ultimate headphone for my preference in sound, but I have an aversion for specific frequencies in the mid bass section which I can't handle, even off headphones with less bass, like the AKG Q701. The X1 hits me right where it induces headaches. This is a PERSONAL, so don't think it'd be a problem for the rest of you. I've used headphones with much stronger mid bass which don't bother me.

I've been battling with that bass fatigue since I've bought the X1, but it's won the battle.

Looks like for now, I'll be downgrading to just the MA900.

 

[chicolom]

Quote:

I think after the revelation that is the MA900 for me, I won't be buying any other full sized headphone that doesn't match it's weight and comfort.

Better sound is worthless if you're constantly missing the comfort of something cheaperthat still sounds great.

 
 
Call me crazy, but I prefer the long-term comfort on the K712 over the MA900.  I know it's counter intuitive, but let me explain...
 
The MA900 pads aren't exactly soft and fluffy like the velour on the other too.  They're not scratchy, but I am conscious of them.  The material seems to "grip" my skin and hair a little more when I move, which makes me want to adjust them when that happens.  They also have that unique and unusual open design, but it comes with a smaller pad surface area.  YES, I know the MA900s barely have any clamp, but regardless I'm always more aware of there being that smaller "ring" around my ear - more so than the larger fatter pads which blend in more.  Lastly, my ears are touching the drivers more with the MA900.  The K712 is like the Q701 angled pads where it either doesn't touch or it's so slight that I don't really notice. 
 
The bottom line is: the K712 disappears more on my head, I'm less conscious of it being there, and I don't feel OCD to keep adjusting it.  That's true despite the MA900s lighter weight, weaker clamp, and more open cups.  For every step forward the MA900 has for comfort, there was also a small step back for me.
 
 
This is just MY personal experience.  I accept that I'm an outlier and for others the MA900 can/will be the most comfortable.  So take it with grains of salt.

 
 
Regardless, even if the MA900s were more comfortable, the sound quality improvement on the others would still be worth it for me, as their comfort is already amazing and more than enough.  I can (and already did - for science) use the K712s for 8 hours straight with no issues - isn't that good enough?

  
 
So for me, better sound comfort is worthless if you're constantly missing the comfort sound of something that still sounds feels great.
 
 
Quote:

You might get spoiled by the MA900's comfort and decide to sell off everything else and be happy with just that.

I'm of the type to wanna sell off everything and get the MA900 if I were in your shoes. It's left that kind of impression on me.

 
 
I sort of doubt that will happen for Change, since it didn't happen for me.  And If he did that, he would no longer be following in my gear-footsteps! 

 
The main sonic issue that kept coming up for me with the MA900 was that for acoustic music like classical and Jazz, the timbre and refinement just wasn't quite there.  With electronic genres and what not, the MA900s could sound very nearly as good as the others, and I could probably live with them.  When I switched to something like classical though, that's hyper critical of a headphone's timbre and refinement, the MA900 just couldn't keep up.  The others were still on another level.  I couldn't justify keeping the MA900s when I knew they would never sound as good with those genres.  If you don't listen to a lot of acoustic stuff it probably won't be an issue though.
 
 
Quote:

After an extensive session with the MDs I can see the peak in the upper mids chico is talking about...
 
If the K712 fixes that... then I can justify the loss. But that's just me... too

 
I know it will still be there. What I'm saying is if the difference is subtle enough then I'm for the improvement. Even if its ever so slight.
 
I have no issue about the Annie except for the slight edginess in its mids. And that has only come up recently after extensively comparing the two. Overall the Annie's sound is better to me except for the slight peak as I mentioned. It was my favorite until then...
 
I believe the K712 will fix that, IMO... along with the dense pads issue as you mentioned. While comparing I then noticed my huge ears touch the drivers (not a big issue unless you obsess over it).

 
I'm the same. 
 
It sounds like your on the right track (which I've conveniently laid out for you

).
 
The slightly peak and edgy mids on the Anniversary was one of the main things that pushed me towards the K712.   When comparing them, I could hear the K712s were a bit less dry and peaky in that area.  Once I'd heard that I couldn't un-hear it.  I know the edgier mids can be nice with female vocals, but overall I prefer the K712's approach. 
 
The were a couple other things on the K712 that won me over, like the the greater overall body to the sound, the slightly more natural timbre and less fatiguing overall sound, and the deeper pads with their extra comfort the slightly more open sound.  I I made a pros & cons list, and the last holdout for the Anniversary was the more forward air.  If I could have the K712s signature with greater air, it would be awesome, but I can't.  I got over it though. 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

You're crazy and WRONG.

But really though, hey Chico, which has more treble, the K712 or MA900?

The X1 sounded veiled next to the MA900 at least when jumping directly from one to the other, lol.


And no way, the MA900 is <33333333333

 

[chicolom]

Glad to see your not letting subjectivity get in the way 

 
 
Hmmm...about the treble.   I heard the Anniversaries and X1 having more extension on either end -  the MA900's upper treble and sub bass were both less present to me.  I heard the others as being more fleshed out on both ends while the MA900s freq. range was bit more compressed.  (BTW, that lesser extension, along with the forward mids, was why I was saying they sounded slightly "n" shaped.)
 
Greater extension doesn't mean more treble though.  I remember the MA900s occasionally sounding a little sharp, but I didn't dig to deep to find out what was causing it. 
 
I don't think the X1s sounded veiled next to the MA900s though. 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Your dirty, DIRTY ears were causing it. :veryevil:

 

[chicolom]

Some say I have GOLDEN EARS.

 

[Mitchb2020]

Dt990s 275 au free shippen to aus and usa
E17 85 au free shippen aus and usa
All shippen shall be tracked

Are the good prices?

 

[Mitchb2020]

Too be clear im not technically selling
But inquiring as to what i should price them

 

[Mitchb2020]