[Mortalcoil]

Most likely due to the fact that McIntosh is more synonymous with speaker rigs (full blown audio exotica) while the HI-FI Man brand is associated with headphone tech.
 
Shame really considering the McIntosh pedigree.

 

[money4me247]

might also be the preference of open headphones over closed (especially at the luxury price point). My personal ideal set-up would include a high-end open and a mid-fi closed portable. I don't personally have the need for a closed at home pair of headphones though I know many user's needs differ.

 

[WraithApe]

  might also be the preference of open headphones over closed (especially at the luxury price point). My personal ideal set-up would include a high-end open and a mid-fi closed portable. I don't personally have the need for a closed at home pair of headphones though I know many user's needs differ.

 
Yeah, quite possibly. I always felt the same way... till I heard it 

 
 
I have no need of isolation when listening at home either and always imagined my top headphone would be an open back, but there ya go!

 

[agooh]

Magnetic Circuit: still One Tesla  they should make Two Tesla , fostex Th900 : 1.5
how is MHP1000 compare to lcd 3 and beyer T1 ?

 

[WraithApe]

 
how is MHP1000 compare to lcd 3 and beyer T1 ?

 
I have only heard the LCD-3 very briefly so couldn't offer any impressions there, but I do own a pair of T1 and did some A-Bing with MHP1000 so I'll share my findings. As always, purely subjective impressions - that should go without saying, but folk sometimes seem to take things personally so I add the caveat! I'm also aware that several factors influence impressions, from choice of music to choice of source gear... it really is very subjective.
 
Anyway, the first thing I noticed going head to head was that the 1000 had the edge in terms of transparency - the T1 sounded a touch grainy by comparison. Also, with certain recordings, I find the T1 can occasionally sound a little too bright. The 1000 by contrast, always sounded smooth at the top end, but never lacking in detail.
 
The T1s treble extension is greater - at least according to the specs 5Hz-50kHz for the T1 compared with 5Hz-20kHz for the 1000 - but since the limit of human hearing is 20kHz, extension beyond that is surely irrelevant. That said, I suppose the real question is where roll-off occurs with the respective 'phones. I'm not aware of any FR graphs for the 1000, so all I can say is that I didn't notice any treble roll-off - the high frequency reproduction was incredibly detailed. In terms of bass extension, I'd say they were pretty similar, both going extremely low, but I felt there was more impact and body with the 1000. 
 
Overall, the 1000 just had a tighter, more refined yet impactful sound but not really at the expense of having a narrow stereo image as can often be the case with closed backs. I would definitely say I perceived the T1 to have a wider, more open sound (hardly surprising) and that is perhaps its trump card, but the 1000 is still surprisingly open-sounding.

 

[agooh]

   
I have only heard the LCD-3 very briefly so couldn't offer any impressions there, but I do own a pair of T1 and did some A-Bing with MHP1000 so I'll share my findings. As always, purely subjective impressions - that should go without saying, but folk sometimes seem to take things personally so I add the caveat! I'm also aware that several factors influence impressions, from choice of music to choice of source gear... it really is very subjective.
 
Anyway, the first thing I noticed going head to head was that the 1000 had the edge in terms of transparency - the T1 sounded a touch grainy by comparison. Also, with certain recordings, I find the T1 can occasionally sound a little too bright. The 1000 by contrast, always sounded smooth at the top end, but never lacking in detail.
 
The T1s treble extension is greater - at least according to the specs 5Hz-50kHz for the T1 compared with 5Hz-20kHz for the 1000 - but since the limit of human hearing is 20kHz, extension beyond that is surely irrelevant. That said, I suppose the real question is where roll-off occurs with the respective 'phones. I'm not aware of any FR graphs for the 1000, so all I can say is that I didn't notice any treble roll-off - the high frequency reproduction was incredibly detailed. In terms of bass extension, I'd say they were pretty similar, both going extremely low, but I felt there was more impact and body with the 1000. 
 
Overall, the 1000 just had a tighter, more refined yet impactful sound but not really at the expense of having a narrow stereo image as can often be the case with closed backs. I would definitely say I perceived the T1 to have a wider, more open sound (hardly surprising) and that is perhaps its trump card, but the 1000 is still surprisingly open-sounding.

''sometimes seem to take things personally'' : when I wrote my impression ,I didn't think about other opinions. I just put what I believe is true . They accept or not . it's not my job to do that .
I agree the T1 is not very clear sound ,the distortion level is high . my fostex is clearer than T1 .
 
Fostex Th900  vs Mc 1000 .

 

[musicman59]

   
I have only heard the LCD-3 very briefly so couldn't offer any impressions there, but I do own a pair of T1 and did some A-Bing with MHP1000 so I'll share my findings. As always, purely subjective impressions - that should go without saying, but folk sometimes seem to take things personally so I add the caveat! I'm also aware that several factors influence impressions, from choice of music to choice of source gear... it really is very subjective.
 
Anyway, the first thing I noticed going head to head was that the 1000 had the edge in terms of transparency - the T1 sounded a touch grainy by comparison. Also, with certain recordings, I find the T1 can occasionally sound a little too bright. The 1000 by contrast, always sounded smooth at the top end, but never lacking in detail.
 
The T1s treble extension is greater - at least according to the specs 5Hz-50kHz for the T1 compared with 5Hz-20kHz for the 1000 - but since the limit of human hearing is 20kHz, extension beyond that is surely irrelevant. That said, I suppose the real question is where roll-off occurs with the respective 'phones. I'm not aware of any FR graphs for the 1000, so all I can say is that I didn't notice any treble roll-off - the high frequency reproduction was incredibly detailed. In terms of bass extension, I'd say they were pretty similar, both going extremely low, but I felt there was more impact and body with the 1000. 
 
Overall, the 1000 just had a tighter, more refined yet impactful sound but not really at the expense of having a narrow stereo image as can often be the case with closed backs. I would definitely say I perceived the T1 to have a wider, more open sound (hardly surprising) and that is perhaps its trump card, but the 1000 is still surprisingly open-sounding.

I agree with your impressions with the exception that IMO the MHA1000 has a bigger soundstage than the T1. I used to own the T1 recabled with the Zeus cable but sold it after I got the MHA1000.

 

[groovyd]

you guys waiting till I finally pull the trigger on the MHP1000 before you start posting how off they are lol?  Always seems to happen, I buy into the hype and the second I get it the world decides it now isn't all that
 
i'm trying to give it time to fade haha and was also holding off on any new purchases to see how the LCD-Z comes along, but not so such that is even happening anymore... oh wait, I get it now Audeze is waiting for me to buy the MHP1000 before releasing the Z 

 just can't win in hifi

 

[WraithApe]

  ''sometimes seem to take things personally'' : when I wrote my impression ,I didn't think about other opinions. I just put what I believe is true . They accept or not . it's not my job to do that .
I agree the T1 is not very clear sound ,the distortion level is high . my fostex is clearer than T1 .
 
Fostex Th900  vs Mc 1000 .

 
I'm surprised you say the T1 has a high distortion level - I don't think that's inherently true; it's certainly not something I've heard. I'd be inclined to suggest that was a problem with the amp driving them. As for TH900 vs Mc, I gave a couple of impressions on that earlier in the thread. I only spent an hour or so with the 900 though, so others may have a more detailed comparison to offer.

 

[musicman59]

  you guys waiting till I finally pull the trigger on the MHP1000 before you start posting how off they are lol?  Always seems to happen, I buy into the hype and the second I get it the world decides it now isn't all that

To me they are not off. To me they are the best closed headphones I have heard and that includes from the old D7000, TH900, LCD-XC, T1, etc. Obviously everybody has different taste and appreciate different sound signatures. Hopefully you will like them as much I do.
Right now they are the ones getting the most head time in my collection (but burning in the HE1000, will see later... 

).

 

[money4me247]

  you guys waiting till I finally pull the trigger on the MHP1000 before you start posting how off they are lol?  Always seems to happen, I buy into the hype and the second I get it the world decides it now isn't all that
 
i'm trying to give it time to fade haha and was also holding off on any new purchases to see how the LCD-Z comes along, but not so such that is even happening anymore... oh wait, I get it now Audeze is waiting for me to buy the MHP1000 before releasing the Z 

 just can't win in hifi

hahaha!!! SOO TRUE. I remember sniping the Alpha Primes just to see a random bit of critical feedback hit the threads (would have thought impressions would have stabilized after the crazy amount of time the Primes have been on the market) & then Dan goes and drops the Prime's pricing right after I missed the deadline.
 
gahhh!! this hobby sometimes hahah.
 
lesson in a nutshell... it NEVER hurts to wait! =P

 

[groovyd]

  hahaha!!! SOO TRUE. I remember sniping the Alpha Primes just to see a random bit of critical feedback hit the threads (would have thought impressions would have stabilized after the crazy amount of time the Primes have been on the market) & then Dan goes and drops the Prime's pricing right after I missed the deadline.
 
gahhh!! this hobby sometimes hahah.
 
lesson in a nutshell... it NEVER hurts to wait! =P

 
yeah, i am learning that the hard way too... the best thing the 1000's got going for it sight unseen is being of the McIntosh name it should maintain it's value better over time since for example they don't resell through massdrop like Beyer or others do and instantly drop their prices by half like Philips and others.  They stay the course and maintain their market value through price fixing which I guess isn't all that bad depending on if you are the buyer or seller.  Today's buyer is tomorrows seller, unless it truely is that good of a headphone and stands the test of time.  another reason waiting makes sense, does it stand the test?
 
got a T1 right now hooked up to my D100 just waiting to be replaced by something better... T1 is too thin sounding to me and the efficiency is not good enough for the D100 to really shine...  assuming this MHP1000 is a perfect match for her. Love the D100, great DAC but starting to think letting it drive a MHA100 + MHP1000 is where its at.  Really wish they made a tube based MHA without the DAC to pair with a D100.  That would make me sell my WA7 and double down on the Mac brand. I like the tube sound and at the moment the WA7 is taking care of that for me.
 
got a ton of old headphones and amps collecting dust if anyone wants a deal on what used to be considered the best of the best and no one talks about anymore

 

[preproman]

May be interested in these.  Has anyone compared them to the HD600s?  I'll look around for the Fostex TH900 comparisons.

 

[leftside]

   
Love the D100, great DAC but starting to think letting it drive a MHA100 + MHP1000 is where its at.  Really wish they made a tube based MHA without the DAC to pair with a D100.  

 
Same here. Even a solid state MHA without the DAC would be fine by me.
 
I bought a C2300 + D100 over the C2500 as I wanted a separate DAC.

 

[magneto1964]

I have not but do have the HD600, and will go for a MHP1000 test drive this weekend or next. i have the HD600 and MHA100 and the combination is excellent. There is nothing left wanting in my opinion. However I need a closed HP so looking at MHP. Just wish it were a bit less expensive.