I'm running them off the 4.4mm output on the HA-3A which is actually the lowest power output jack on the amp. It gets loud quite quickly but it's the same with everything I've tried on this amp(Atrium, Empyrean, Liric, HD650, 109, and several IEMs). I'm running XLR in from the DAC and read yesterday that using RCA might be preferred for the sake of volume adjustment. There shouldn't be any sound quality difference on the Cayin between RCA and XLR due to the design. In fact, RCA is the most direct path since the amp isn't actually balanced.
What amplification do you use with HE1K, they are harder to drive than SE which can explain bass difference, which in my book is plentiful on HE1K, it's pretty much Harman target with slight drop in subbass, but yes, Monarch MK2 bass is boosted, perhaps too much, I wouldn't use them as a reference.
I need a lot more time with both on this amp before I can say. I only tested a few tracks with the 650s when I was cycling through the different outputs/impedance settings. I've only had it a few weeks and most of my listening on it before today was with the Atrium and Empy.
I’m actually a bit worried about the exposed drivers…
Search for "grattle" on this forum, all it takes is one little hair piece to get through to start making driver buzzing. Not sure why they left it like that, to make it sound more detailed, may be the material of the driver is resistant to this sort of thing unlike typical mylar, but still all that dead skin, dust, and hairs ending on the driver is quite concerning?
They are open like that in Empyrean too. I read in an Empyrean review that Meze recommends that you put the headphone back in its case after every time you use them. Which is obviously laughable.
I consider it highly unlikely to find any headphone at a 60% Discount After only 1 year.
Focal with similar metal grill cover is using thin transparent mesh for extra protection.
