[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by akwok /img/forum/go_quote.gif From my memory it sounded similar to the HE90, but brighter (it was a bit sibilant on some tracks). The sound stage is quite forward (like the HE90). The bass was absolutely perfect, but it seemed to fade away as the meet went on (maybe that's my mind fooling with me).

The SR-Omega isn't brighter than the HE90. Their tonality and tonal balance are very close, close enough that I consider them roughly equivalent relative to other headphones.

Sibilance is due to associated gear, not the SR-Omega itself.

Quote:

General consensus was that the Omega 1 was a bit too loose (it seemed like it would keep on falling off the head), so no headbanging!

The plastic headband probably loses its elasticity over time and clamping force will be reduced. Replacing the plastic headband part should make it clamp harder.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas /img/forum/go_quote.gif The SR-Omega isn't brighter than the HE90. Their tonality and tonal balance are very close, close enough that I consider them roughly equivalent relative to other headphones. Sibilance is due to associated gear, not the SR-Omega itself.

I do find them a bit sibilant at times. It's not really something that bothers me but there is some extra bite from time to time.

 

[Elephas]

If you're hearing sibilance with the SR-Omega and not with other headphones, then that's different from my experience.

If there's sibilance with the SR-Omega and also with other headphones, some more than others, then the issue could be associated gear. Of course, this is assuming the recording itself has very little to no sibilance. If most or every headphone exhibits sibilance with various gear combinations, then I would tend to conclude the recording itself is sibilant and the gear is just revealing what is on the recording. Short of trying many different combinations of headphones, amps, etc. with different tracks, it's difficult to say what's causing the sibilance or if the recording is sibilant. With some tracks, it's more obvious the recording was the cause of the sibilance.

I would agree that the SR-Omega, and also the 4070, Airbow SR-SC1, HE60 and HE90, tend to exhibit sibilance more readily than the O2, with the HE60 being most sibilant, then the SR-Omega, then the HE90. But rather than say they are more sibilant than the O2, I would say the O2 is darker and has a more rolled-off upper-midrange and treble.

The main reason I prefer the HE90 and SR-Omega over the SR-007 is because they are brighter and closer to "neutral-sounding" for me. If the SR-007 is the "reference," then most other headphones will seem to have extra treble emphasis. The Grado PS-1 and RS-1 might even seem ear-piercingly bright and be very sibilant. The Ultrasone 2500 would be basically unlistenable.

 

[spritzer]

It's the phones and not the gear, that I'm sure of. There is a small upper midrange anomaly with both the HE90 and SR-Ω that emphasizes sibilance on recordings. The phones aren't bright by no means but under certain circumstances they increase what was there before. It's easy to tame it though with cables and tubes so it isn't a problem for most.

 

[akwok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas /img/forum/go_quote.gif The SR-Omega isn't brighter than the HE90. Their tonality and tonal balance are very close, close enough that I consider them roughly equivalent relative to other headphones. Sibilance is due to associated gear, not the SR-Omega itself. The plastic headband probably loses its elasticity over time and clamping force will be reduced. Replacing the plastic headband part should make it clamp harder.

The amp was an ES-1, and a new headband was installed.

 

[Elephas]

The SR-Omega's plastic headband does seem flimsy and cheap. I bought a used SR-Omega with a broken headband and it came with a new replacement I installed. This unit feels firmer and clamps better than another unit that appears to have its original, old headband. I assumed the new plastic headband was the reason.

I haven't heard an ES-1...yet. Maybe the tubes or another part of the playback chain could have been at fault?

Or maybe your ears and spritzer's are more sensitive to the SR-Omega's relative brightness and resulting sibilance.

My point was that brightness, harshness and sibilance can have many causes, and it takes a lot of time, experimentation and switching gear around to isolate the cause in a system. The question, "Is this headphone sibilant, or is it more revealing and just reproducing what's on the recording?" is not easily answered, and if an answer is found it is really only applicable to the individual listener.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's the phones and not the gear, that I'm sure of. There is a small upper midrange anomaly with both the HE90 and SR-Ω that emphasizes sibilance on recordings.

This was my point about the O2 vs. the HE90 or SR-Ω (<- had to copy/paste, where is that key?)

I think most people agree that the O2 is darker and has less upper-midrange and treble emphasis than either the HE90 or SR-Ω.

The O2 and SR-Ω can't both be neutral and most accurate to the same listener. So if the O2 is the reference, then the HE90 or SR-Ω will seem bright and have upper-midrange emphasis.

For me, the HE90 seems just very slightly brighter than neutral, and the SR-Ω is just a little bit brighter than the HE90. The 4070 sounds closest to neutral to me and darker than both the HE90 or SR-Ω.

 

[morphsci]

I agree with Elephas' assessment. I do not consider the SR-Ω to be sibilant at all. This may be a function of the music I listen to as most of it is acoustic and/or my half-century old auditory system

I am listening to the same pair of SR-Ω that was part of the original comparison. I am also listening to it via an ES-1, but not the same one used in the original comparison.

Anyway, I am still going back and forth between the SR-Ω and SR-ΩII as to which I consider the best phone. Hopefully, I will never decide.

 

[spritzer]

Age is certainly a rather large factor here as I can hear the same effect on all of my amps with many different sources but always the same records.

The SR-007 wins out for me as they are better controlled so more focused soundstage, cleaner top end and better bass.

 

[coolshot]

where are the pics are they being rehosted?