[rudyae86]

Thats pretty good. X1 and boom mic...too bad thats over my budget ...

 

[1llest]

   
I don't have the 2013 mixamp.  I use my M-stage with the Mixamp 5.8 and the Ear Force DSS v1, and it works great with both of them.
 
Try testing your M-stage on your computer by listening to some binaural audio/virtual surround sound videos with it and then compare it to your soundcard/motherboard audio HP jack or a USB DAC.  See if adding the M-stage still screws up the positioning with compared to the un-amped audio.

 
I've tested it again and this time I had the M-Stage hooked up longer and noticed that the positinal queue is still there, just the fact that the soundstage is so big! and I wasn't used to that. I prefer the soundstage the mixamp provides.
Can you recommend me an AMP that doesn't have as big as the soundstage like the M-Stage? 

 

[DADDYDC650]

Awesome combo 1llest. Lucky guy.

 

[1llest]

Thats pretty good. X1 and boom mic...too bad thats over my budget

...

 
The boom pro is very good. Picks up the voice very well too! I don't have to talk as loud. Start saving!
 

  Awesome combo 1llest. Lucky guy.

 
Thank you! I love them!

 

[chicolom]

   
I've tested it again and this time I had the M-Stage hooked up longer and noticed that the positinal queue is still there, just the fact that the soundstage is so big! and I wasn't used to that. I prefer the soundstage the mixamp provides.
 
Can you recommend me an AMP that doesn't have as big as the soundstage like the M-Stage? 

 
You want a smaller soundstage?
 

 
Well, pretty much any other amp under $250 will probably have a smaller soundstage than the M-stage.  E09K, Magni, O2, iCan, Asgard, etc.  Take your pick, as all are likely a bit smaller.
 
I like the iCan for it useful sub-bass boost and 3D effect switches, both of which I use all the time.  It's a nice sounding amp, and it will be plenty powerful for the X1 (a Magni would probably be too powerful).  It also has 0.5 ohm output impedance, which is theoretically nice for controlling the 30 ohm X1s.

 

[Change is Good]

For smaller soundstage, the E12 and iCAN (on default) are my suggestions...

 

[1llest]

   
You want a smaller soundstage?
 

 
Well, pretty much any other amp under $250 will likely have a smaller soundstage than the M-stage.  E09K, Magni, O2, iCan, Asgard, etc.  Take your pick, as all are probably a bit smaller.
 
I like the iCan for it useful sub-bass boost and 3D effect switches, both of which I use all the time.  It's a nice sounding amp, and it will be plenty powerful for the X1.  It also has 0.5 ohm output impedance, which is theoretically nice for controlling the 30 ohm X1s.

 
Not necessarily smaller, but something similar to the mixamp soundstage. I'll check out the iCan, Im curious how that 3D effect switches will sound with the mixamp. Thanks @chicolom 
 

For smaller soundstage, the E12 and iCAN (on default) are my suggestions...

 
Will give the iCan a try! 
 
 
 
 
 
--
 
Have any of you guys tried the X1 with the Vali?

 

[chicolom]

If you go with the iCan, I recommend picking up some kind of outlet switch to go with it.  The iCan doesn't have a power switch, so you'll want an external switch to power it ON and OFF.  I wouldn't recommend simply yanking the cord out, because I have a theory that that kills the iCan's PSU after a while.

 

[chicolom]

 

 
 
Wait, do you have TWO X1s??

 

[rudyae86]

^^ I actually meant as in getting the fidelio x1. The mic price is pretty good. Im still wondering if i should get the Beyer COPs althoigh i jave been told they wont be good for gaming. And getting the V moda boom mic as opposed to the beyer gooseneck, is actually cheaper and has in line controls as well..

 

[1llest]

   
 
Wait, do you have TWO X1s??

 
Yes I do lol, I thought it was broken at first so Amazon sent a replacement, might keep it because my lady loves it very much.
 
Do you have any experience with the Schiit Vali? I wonder how it will pair with the X1.

 

[Fegefeuer]

After spending some time with the AKG I'm really surprised with it. First I was skeptical of them doing something years after the K701 and it's derivates, even suspected them being a former shadow of themselves (my father had the K340, K501) and just releasing their last best work forever and only being there for the name (for Harman's benefits). I appreciated the K701's technicalities and improvements with later models (I hated the headband) but after I left mid-fi towards HD 800 and Co. they weren't interesting anymore. While I still could hear that they stayed in the game very well it was no comparison. Sometimes I wanted to go back and build myself a sexy headset but the oval soundstage with a weak phantom center always stayed in every model. It just wasn't acceptable anymore to me.
 
So now after years they bring out their K812 and ******* it's a superb headphone. I kinda understand the exotic "next-gen" remarks that were made in  the K812 thread as in easier-to-drive, much more efficient and to be honest I like it that way even when I am curious about the 2014 Violectrics that are coming up. As I mentioned there, future headphones are likely to follow that direction as in getting lighter and easier to drive. It's no threat for the amping world however, they can still continue as before, just with lesser gain in a few cases so all's fine.
 
It looks like we have the big three again. Before it was K701, DT880 and HD 600/650. Today it's T1, HD 800 and K812 (although 5 years too late) only that the T1 loses out. Totally.
 
It's a superb headphone and clearly Beyer's best but it got overshadowed by the HD 800 already for good reason, though not in worlds of course. Naturally we'd expect a headphone like the K812 to batter them all after 5 years of work but in reality it doesn't. This can be a dissapointment in an upgradist's eyes but the realist in me says it's all about nuances and incrementals in the high end but still you gotta reach there first (Hey Ultrasone and Grado!). What I can definitely say as a conclusion from my own experience that the K812 deserves to be on the same podest as the HD 800. Yep,  that's right. And there it is where they are battling it out to me.
 
Bass: K812 bass is very detailed and doesn't lack the power or "physical presence" like the HD 800's (which is detailed as well but thinner, less exciting). In no way is the K812 a bassy headphone. In comparison with the Fostex it's pretty clear. No matter how much I love the Fostex though the bass detail really goes to the K812. Yep. It's pretty exciting for a open headphone with large soundstage to have such a delicate bass reproduction. 
 
Beautiful Midrange: I always loved the HE-500 most for vocals and while the HD 800 did everything right in technical matters (as in authentic reproducing) it didn't have the same emotion but as it's a very neutral headphone it is uncolored and you may not like it. The K812 is similar as in uncolored but I prefered it for voices somehow. Actually I was amazed and expect something going on there. They are authentic as a neutral reference headphone should be (though admittely music is made for speakers) but still a hint more euphonic. Harmonics? I don't know. 
 
High and Details: both are marvellous and at the same time unforgiving, both can annoy you with ancient black metal. Both are not sharp as a T90 or a Pro Ultrasone. In no case. That tizzyness is overstated to me (unless you really listen to a lot off mediocre recored stuff, that's where both will dissapoint you) and if you look at the data of my amp you can't have something more neutral than that. And some of you know that I can be sensitive to fatigueing highs as the HE-400, T90, Pro (2)900 and others gave me.
 
Soundstage: Here is where the Sennheiser still has the biggest size of all while not losing any cohorence. The AKG's is smaller but in no way inferior, in fact it would be the king if the HD 800 just died out. It's that good. No phantom center weakness, superb depth and layering, also having that weird 3d space effect (which I only had with the HD 800) where you turn around and wonder where that came from. AKG practically erased everything that was weak in the soundstage of their old ones.
 
I could write much more but my English is not good enough. I had some other impressions German forums, I could maybe write up something more fluid sometime.
 
Anyway, I did some gaming on them and unsurprisingly they were outstanding. Yes, the Fostex rumbles more and hits harder but the K812 is more authentic. I played 20 hours of Borderlands 2 + OpenAL on them and thank god for that game to actually not have bad samples, especially in its music. 
Yes, there's the general thought that such headphones are overkill for gaming and I agree on that for sole gaming purposes (that would be crazy) but their technical superiority still can be noticed if the game samples allow.
 
When the track "ICE" (nice exciting battle music) for instance appeared ingame the MMX 300 couldn't reproduce the bass textures as well, it was more of a 1-2 layer bass getting lost into one note while the K812 showed all layers in perfect balance (naturally the Fostex exaggerated here). Neither could the HE-500 loaner.
 
All in all I think the ultimate dream of a universal headphone both for music and gaming/movies is the K812 before the HD 800.

 

[chicolom]

   
Do you have any experience with the Schiit Vali? I wonder how it will pair with the X1.

 
I don't.
 
Keep in mind the Vali comes with a few caveats like tube microphonics and a less than stellar SNR (you might hear a faint background hiss with the X1s).  Also, a 6.5 ohm ouput impedance.
 
IMO the X1s are already on the warm side with inoffensive treble, so I don't think they need any kind of tube smoothening.  That's something more popular with the highly detailed, neutral, and analytical sounding headphones.
 
I think the X1s would pair better with a tight sounding solid state amp.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I agree. I feel the X1 could do with as much tightness and sharpening as it can get, usually off a good SS amp. I'd say the Vali probably wouldn't be ideal in any shape or form.

 

[Chubtoad]

I agree. I feel the X1 could do with as much tightness and sharpening as it can get, usually off a good SS amp. I'd say the Vali probably wouldn't be ideal in any shape or form.

such as the cheaper magni? I kind of need a 2nd amp and don't want to spend as much as I did for the A2. I'm looking at possible portable amps as well such as the E18 (android compatible) or just an E11/12