[adydula]

I use gear far better than what the Empyreans are capable of showing off.

You as well as others enjoy what the Empyreans present, so much the better.

The far better part is debatable and it will never end.
Glad you have "good" stuff...but there is a lot of good stuff out there....at all levels...

Enjoy the music.....

 

[paradoxper]

The far better part is debatable and it will never end.
Glad you have "good" stuff...but there is a lot of good stuff out there....at all levels...

Enjoy the music.....

The point was the Empyeans aren't transformative from great sources, speaker amps, current amps.

It's also why I said it's cool you and others enjoy them.

We all have different references of sound.

 

[ThanatosVI]

The point was the Empyeans aren't transformative from great sources, speaker amps, current amps.

It's also why I said it's cool you and others enjoy them.

We all have different references of sound.

The Empyrean scale very well with better source and amplification though.

 

[paradoxper]

The Empyrean scale very well with better source and amplification though.

Sure. As do most headphones.
They also simply do not measure to the Abyss.
This is my bias and also my reference.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Sure. As do most headphones.
They also simply do not measure to the Abyss.
This is my bias and also my reference.

This accurate I'd say

 

[adydula]

Abyss are indeed TOTL for sure...many think the same for others like the EMPY's and others...

So many great choices out there for all tastes and "bias"...

This is why I have a dozen cans and amps in house...

Alex

 

[PopZeus]

I'm so over conversations about measurements being a proxy for describing how something sounds. Are they important? Sure. But measurements only tell a portion of the story, and were never meant to chart the entirety of the listening experience. And measurements cannot speak to personal taste in music beyond some generalized clichés. Is the Empy as detailed as the Abyss or Utopia? Is detail the only thing that matters? (Who cares and not to me.)

 

[adydula]

I'm so over conversations about measurements being a proxy for describing how something sounds. Are they important? Sure. But measurements only tell a portion of the story, and were never meant to chart the entirety of the listening experience. And measurements cannot speak to personal taste in music beyond some generalized clichés. Is the Empy as detailed as the Abyss or Utopia? Is detail the only thing that matters? (Who cares and not to me.)

Could not agree more!!

 

[paradoxper]

I'm so over conversations about measurements being a proxy for describing how something sounds. Are they important? Sure. But measurements only tell a portion of the story, and were never meant to chart the entirety of the listening experience. And measurements cannot speak to personal taste in music beyond some generalized clichés. Is the Empy as detailed as the Abyss or Utopia? Is detail the only thing that matters? (Who cares and not to me.)

Very funny. Measure was in context of compare. Just a little hasty.

 

[adydula]

A lot us can just put on a set of headphones and tell right off if its a good or spectacular performer across various source material.
Without looking at a chart or graph. Many reviewers seem to have to have a chart or graph to help them, understand what they are hearing etc. That often becomes the consensus and gospel...then when someone comes around a likes a less than stellar charted can...its like the consensus mass comes down like a ton of bricks and well....sad.

Then there are the folks that unless u spend megabucks to them you have no idea of what your missing again sad.

I rotate thru my stuff once a week or two...and each time I re-appreciate the positive attributes on my stuff and it makes me smile. Dwelling on the negative stuff just takes too much time, valuable time in life away from the reason I like this stuff and thats to enjoy the music!

Enjoy it while you can!

 

[betula]

I'm so over conversations about measurements being a proxy for describing how something sounds. Are they important? Sure. But measurements only tell a portion of the story, and were never meant to chart the entirety of the listening experience. And measurements cannot speak to personal taste in music beyond some generalized clichés. Is the Empy as detailed as the Abyss or Utopia? Is detail the only thing that matters? (Who cares and not to me.)

This quote is from another Head-Fi member. I discovered it in a third Head-Fi member's signature. I think it is pretty accurate:
"Using some measurements to define audio equipment performance, is similar to using a tape measure to define how good looking someone is."

A lot us can just put on a set of headphones and tell right off if its a good or spectacular performer across various source material.
Without looking at a chart or graph. Many reviewers seem to have to have a chart or graph to help them, understand what they are hearing etc. That often becomes the consensus and gospel...then when someone comes around a likes a less than stellar charted can...its like the consensus mass comes down like a ton of bricks and well....sad.

You are absolutely right and I find this trend quite scary. This will encourage manufacturers to tune with machines and not with ears. Just look what is happening at the more affordable headphone amp market. Insanely measuring new amps are coming out, level of distortion is way beyond the ability of human hearing and yet those products don't always sound that pleasing.

 

[PopZeus]

Very funny. Measure was in context of compare. Just a little hasty.

I'm not trying to pick on you or anyone in particular. This is a much bigger issue with the hobby than the few of us in this thread.

 

[paradoxper]

I'm not trying to pick on you or anyone in particular. This is a much bigger issue with the hobby than the few of us in this thread.

Sure. I was just clarifying the context of my language as I don't subscribe to measurements providing very meaningful insight to sound quality.

 

[scottshields]

This quote is from another Head-Fi member. I discovered it in a third Head-Fi member's signature. I think it is pretty accurate:
"Using some measurements to define audio equipment performance, is similar to using a tape measure to define how good looking someone is."

You are absolutely right and I find this trend quite scary. This will encourage manufacturers to tune with machines and not with ears. Just look what is happening at the more affordable headphone amp market. Insanely measuring new amps are coming out, level of distortion is way beyond the ability of human hearing and yet those products don't always sound that pleasing.

Reflecting on this I can't tell you how many times I've read reviews on the Empy that note a mid bass bump that bleeds into the mids and muddy them and there is usually a reference to a measurement. This is totally just my experience and my ears but I don't know what that comment means and I've not heard anything I would describe as that with my set. A long winded way of saying that reviews and both a blessing and a curse sometimes. In my opinion of course.

 

[betula]

Reflecting on this I can't tell you how many times I've read reviews on the Empy that note a mid bass bump that bleeds into the mids and muddy them and there is usually a reference to a measurement. This is totally just my experience and my ears but I don't know what that comment means and I've not heard anything I would describe as that with my set. A long winded way of saying that reviews and both a blessing and a curse sometimes. In my opinion of course.

I agree. Reviews (and measurements to some extent) are helpful as long as they are not taken too seriously. Also there are many factors that can alter a reviewers first impression on headphones: different amps, DACs, cables, earpads, sound signature preference and so on.