[aamefford]

Yeah, kind of impolite, sorry about that. More "unbiased" May surface. More reliable? I doubt it. I'm pretty sure Tyll, Purrin and Dan could set their measurement setups up right next to each other, hand the same headphone off from one to the other after making their best measurements, and get 3 significantly different results.

That's my long winded opinion that lead to my glib and impolite post. Don't get me wrong, I like colored graphs, I just can't hear them.

If any single measurement rig were to measure headphones I know well, then measure something new, that might be more informative. That said, when reviewing graphs and then listening, I still don't always hear what I see.

 

[Fearless1]

Don't get me wrong, I like colored graphs, I just can't hear them.

 

Well said.

 

[jerg]

One last post on the subject, the ill back off, I promise. I understand what you are after. I am an engineer, and typically look for the same type of thing you hope to find in the FR graphs. I've found that with headphones, FR graphs miss a whole bunch of the story for me. I'm generally an objectivist, and yet whether or not I like a headphone is still very subjective, regardless of FR plots. I'll still study any plots that come out, though. I just won't base a purchase decision on them.

Ok, backing off now...

 
 
 
That's why these measurement sites also have square wave responses, total harmonic distortions, impulse responses, impedance measurements, cumulative spectral decay plots, etc etc.
 
You point about FR being a very incomplete picture of how headphones sound is valid, but it is countered by the fact that the measurement guys know it too and are trying hard to give more perspectives via all this plethora of other methods.

 

[emertxe]

One last post on the subject, the ill back off, I promise. I understand what you are after. I am an engineer, and typically look for the same type of thing you hope to find in the FR graphs. I've found that with headphones, FR graphs miss a whole bunch of the story for me. I'm generally an objectivist, and yet whether or not I like a headphone is still very subjective, regardless of FR plots. I'll still study any plots that come out, though. I just won't base a purchase decision on them.

Ok, backing off now...

 
FR graph comparison with headphones I am well aware of is essential for me... I can easily find out what headphones could possibly satisfy me, and which definitely not. That's all - I am not saying that FR graph tells the whole story or that I could evaluate the whole headphone based on graphs
 
An example - Just looking at the FR graph of TH900 or many Audio-technica headphones tells me that I wouldnt like them. So no need to bother with. That's all.

 

[ethan7000]

FR graph comparison with headphones I am well aware of is essential for me... I can easily find out what headphones could possibly satisfy me, and which definitely not. That's all - I am not saying that FR graph tells the whole story or that I could evaluate the whole headphone based on graphs

An example - Just looking at the FR graph of TH900 or many Audio-technica headphones tells me that I wouldnt like them. So no need to bother with. That's all.

I hear you, but I still think it's completely possible that you could then later hear the TH900 and find out you actually do like it.

 

[TMRaven]

I heard those Alpha Dogs are pretty good.

 

[emertxe]

I hear you, but I still think it's completely possible that you could then later hear the TH900 and find out you actually do like it.

 
I dislike D7000.

 

[aamefford]

I heard those Alpha Dogs are pretty good.

Thanks for bringing us back! For many of us, they are about as good a closed phone as one can get.

 

[swspiers]

  I heard those Alpha Dogs are pretty good.

they really are.  But this is the FR, HD800, Abyss thread- isn't it? 

 

[sunneebear]

they really are.  But this is the FR, HD800, Abyss thread- isn't it?  :devil_face:

That's the other thread. This is the Emotiva Mini-X thread.

 

[swspiers]

That's the other thread. This is the Emotiva Mini-X thread.

thanks!  I knew I was lost.
 
But seriously folks, there are some heavy-weight headphone  enthusiasts weighing in on this thread, and I really do appreciate it.  While I've been here too long to truly be a noob, it is exciting to see how much interest the AD's are generating, while at the same time people who have or have heard them are being very, very cautious.
 
I have a feeling that the overall community does not know what to make of these headphones.  They don't really have direct competition, as there is no other closed-back planar anywhere near their price range, and it seems as if the intent was a neutral character without a 'house-sound' like the Audeze.

 

[john57]

One last post on the subject, the ill back off, I promise. I understand what you are after. I am an engineer, and typically look for the same type of thing you hope to find in the FR graphs. I've found that with headphones, FR graphs miss a whole bunch of the story for me. I'm generally an objectivist, and yet whether or not I like a headphone is still very subjective, regardless of FR plots. I'll still study any plots that come out, though. I just won't base a purchase decision on them.

Ok, backing off now...

In general unless the frequency plot is way off I do not find much correlation with the sound that I am hearing. I find better correlation with the headphone cumulative Spectral Decay once I learn how to interpreted it. backing off now...

 

[koiloco]

Yeah, kind of impolite, sorry about that. More "unbiased" May surface. More reliable? I doubt it. I'm pretty sure Tyll, Purrin and Dan could set their measurement setups up right next to each other, hand the same headphone off from one to the other after making their best measurements, and get 3 significantly different results.

That's my long winded opinion that lead to my glib and impolite post. Don't get me wrong, I like colored graphs, I just can't hear them.

If any single measurement rig were to measure headphones I know well, then measure something new, that might be more informative. That said, when reviewing graphs and then listening, I still don't always hear what I see.

+1.  I could not have said it any better.  Thx.

 

[martybm5]

  I just heard the Alpha Dogs along with several summit-fi headphones for the first time at the Philly headphone meet and all I can say to Dan is BRAVO! 
 
Not only did I feel the Alpha Dogs held their own against some VERY expensive headphones, I actually preferred their sound to some and am reluctant to even name models for fear of losing credibility.  I love the finish on the cups and thought the pads are incredibly comfortable.  In deference to some of the other headphones, they are open and there was a fair amount of noise as the meet was in a large, open room.  Regardless, I consider the Alpha Dog to be the best headphone value I heard at the meet.

You and I share similar tastes in sound signature, so coming from you this is big .....
 
Looks like I'll be making the jump to the AD's myself at some point ....
 
My wallet says thanks for nothing man ... LOL

 

[Craigster75]

  You and I share similar tastes in sound signature, so coming from you this is big .....
 
Looks like I'll be making the jump to the AD's myself at some point ....
 
My wallet says thanks for nothing man ... LOL

My pleasure.  As my taste skews toward a beefier low end, please keep in mind I consider the Alpha Dog as a complement to my Ultrasone Sig DJ when I want a more balanced sound rather than a replacement for them.