[Mad Lust Envy]

It's late... I'm gonna have to re-define this at a later date, lol.

 

[thune]

  I just added my EQ settings to make the Alpha Dogs sound most neutral to my ears. I used sine wave tests to help me to perfect the EQ.
 
EQ settings details:

1. Section 1: Low shelf, 84hz, -4.9dB, Q factor 0.70

 
   The AD doesn't roll off in the low and sub bass like the AKG 701 or the Sennheiser 600, but that doesn't mean it is bass heavy. In fact, in a post Olive-Welti curve world, this AD type of bass is most likely considered lean/too-flat. 
 
Suggesting the AD is bass heavy casts suspicion your other conclusions.

 

[swspiers]

   
   The AD doesn't roll off in the low and sub bass like the AKG 701 or the Sennheiser 600, but that doesn't mean it is bass heavy. In fact, in a post Olive-Welti curve world, this AD type of bass is most likely considered lean/too-flat.
 
Suggesting the AD is bass heavy casts suspicion your other conclusions.

Okay, you're suspicious.  Why?

 

[vipervick]

How do these fare with Symphonic, Speed, Black and Death Metal?

 

[preproman]

  ^^ Interesting perspective on imaging, ssrock64 .. I tend to feel what you're describing is clarity rather than imaging.  Being able to hear a 'defined' tambourine, snare, saxophone, guitar, etc. are instances of clarity.. where those instruments are spatially positioned within a soundstage is what I consider imaging.

 
+1  I agree with this.

 

[MattTCG]

^^+2
 
This is why it's often better to add a definition when discussing nuances in the sound signature. Semantics can often be difficult to understand when there are no predefined definitions accepted by the whole community. 

 

[swspiers]

  ^^+2
 
This is why it's often better to add a definition when discussing nuances in the sound signature. Semantics can often be difficult to understand when there are no predefined definitions accepted by the whole community.

+1.
 
This adds to misunderstanding, which leads to argument, which tends to derail the thread.
 
One last thing would like to add is that I think it would be a good idea to temper our language when responding to the reviews.  Everyone has a bias- it is an inescapable reality.  Ultimately, even the most objective attempt to measure or describe results is subjective.  For some, neutral or flat may be ideal, but that remains a subjective choice, and what one of us finds appealing, another may find appalling, if I may steal a phrase from another member.
 
My preference for the AD at this point may not make sense, considering my appreciation for other headphones, especially when compared to the wall of awesome that the 5LE provides.  I have my own reasons for pursuing a more neutral headphone that others may not share.
 
I also hope that the folk that may be lurking instead of posting their impressions of AD choose to post, regardless of the inevitable criticism for doing so.  Some of us are really interested!

 

[MattTCG]

^^ Well said. 

 

[ethan7000]

I am constantly revising my Alpha Dog review as I answer more questions and do more tests. Please keep the questions coming because I want to help people get a better idea of what the Alpha Dogs sound like.

I just added my EQ settings to make the Alpha Dogs sound most neutral to my ears. I used sine wave tests to help me to perfect the EQ.

I could see how this would sound more neutral to you, but I would also add more boring. You're removing some bass impact and intimacy of the mids - maybe your goal is to align better with the 600. In any case, the AD is one hp I would absolutely not touch with eq of any sort, nor would I adjust the bass screw. I feel like Dan really hit the nail on the head with it.

 

[campj]

  How do these fare with Symphonic, Speed, Black and Death Metal?

Most likely really really good. I don't have the AD, but I have modified T50RP, so I have some familiarity with the drivers, and they do really well with metal. The detail and clarity really help with instrument separation, and you will be able to easily pick out riffs that are occurring simultaneously. I have mine modded a little darker sounding and not so neutral, but they're still super clear.
 
I'm not sure what kind of black metal you listen to, but basement style recordings will sound like garbage. I'd prefer to listen to some of that stuff on a tape player boombox type stereo instead of very clear sounding headphones. I think that was the aim when they made it (or should that be present tense? Are people still making that type of black metal? haha).

 

[kstuart]

  ^^+2
 
This is why it's often better to add a definition when discussing nuances in the sound signature. Semantics can often be difficult to understand when there are no predefined definitions accepted by the whole community. 

And again, everyone's ears are physically different which means that what they actually perceive, in their brain, is different.
 
This is something that people really don't want to acknowledge, but it is true.
 
So, a pair of headphones that works for one person may not work for other people.   Dan (MrSpeakers), Schiit, Amazon, and Headroom all allow returns for that very reason.
 
These threads are good for identifying which headphones you might want to try - not which ones you will definitely like.
 
Also, sometimes you can find someone who seems to have the same sort of taste in sound, and that can be helpful (for example, I find that Mike Ting usually has the same taste that I do, so I often investigate products that he likes - but that is still not a sure thing.)

 

[kstuart]

Someone out there who owns the Alpha Dogs, and who has a wide variety of amps, should do a comparison of the "open" quality on different amps.
 
Maybe the open quality in the Alpha Dogs requires a powerful, sophisticated (and expensive) amp ?

 

[grizzlybeast]

^not buying it

 

[swspiers]

  Someone out there who owns the Alpha Dogs, and who has a wide variety of amps, should do a comparison of the "open" quality on different amps.
 
Maybe the open quality in the Alpha Dogs requires a powerful, sophisticated (and expensive) amp ?

Gawd, I sure hope not!

 

[wolfetan44]

  Someone out there who owns the Alpha Dogs, and who has a wide variety of amps, should do a comparison of the "open" quality on different amps.
 
Maybe the open quality in the Alpha Dogs requires a powerful, sophisticated (and expensive) amp ?

I tried it on the setup MrSpeakers uses, and thats where I got my soundstage impressions from. The setup if I'm not mistaken was the Mojo/Gungir and the Burson Conductor.