[flatmap]

  Adding mass to a loudspeaker driver will change its performance characteristics (changing the total moving mass changes the total mechanical compliance of the driver.)  Ofter it results in a smoother, flatter frequency response that exhibits slightly extended low end output and is more rolled off at the high end, and it will reduce driver efficiency.  It usually makes the speaker sound "darker."  There are often other effects such as changing driver resonances.

Ableza, I didn't realize that the dots are applied directly on the driver.  They aren't simply installed on the foam covering in front of the drivers?

 

[joeq70]

Hey all, a few thoughts I want to share:
 
I just spent considerable time listening to a ton of headphones. Among them were the Alpha Dog and Alpha Prime. I compared them to the HD800, LCD-3, LCD-XC, LCD-2, Beyer T1, Grado PS1000....and to my ears the Alpha Dog is bested by only two of the headphones--the HD800 and the Alpha Prime. I mean, at $600...you are talking serious value.
 
If I could pick only one of these to complement my current headphones it would be the Alpha Prime, but I must say that HD800 destroys every headphone I've heard except in the bass department. The Audeze headphones were a disappointment...they are great is some aspects but...the top is not clear enough and they have compressed vocals.
 
Bringing it back to the Mr. Speakers headphones...Yes, the Alpha Prime is worth the upgrade if you can afford it. But man, the Alpha Dog is rock solid, too.

 

[Ableza]

 
Ableza, I didn't realize that the dots are applied directly on the driver.  They aren't simply installed on the foam covering in front of the drivers?

I thought they were applied to the driver but I could be mistaken.  I've never used any on my Dogs or Primes.

 

[Ableza]

  Yes, the Alpha Prime is worth the upgrade if you can afford it. But man, the Alpha Dog is rock solid, too.

Agreed.  I thought the Alpha Dogs were the best I'd ever heard until I heard the Alpha Primes.  They are now my absolute favorite all-around headphone.

 

[john57]

  I thought they were applied to the driver but I could be mistaken.  I've never used any on my Dogs or Primes.

The dots(small square foam blocks) are applied(stick on) to the magnet structure of the driver.   Moving the dots around does change the sound response in my tests. Just like if you are trying different ear pads on the headphone.

 

[Schopenhauer]

I thought I'd post some thoughts I shared a few days ago on another thread about the Alpha Dog + Gustard H10 pairing. The Alpha Dogs are my primary focus, although I have some nice things to say about the H10. I am so glad I pulled the trigger on the Alpha Dogs. Wow.
 
Quote:

  The first serious headphones I got – unless you count both variations of firstgen the MOMENTUM – were MrSpeakers’ Mad Dogs (MDs). This was after the Alpha Dogs (ADs) had been introduced. Certainly there were times in the lead up to my buying the MDs when I considered going whole hog, as it were, getting the ADs instead of the MDs. I was more reasonable back then; now, I package an item together with its first upgrade. If I’m reasonably confident I’ll like the standard, that’s reason to be confident, all things considered, I’ll like the deluxe. So I pick the latter and that saves me money in the long run. Or so I tell myself.
 
The MDs are a great headphone, especially for the price. My experience is limited, of course, but I think they’re about the best you can do for 299USD. And the fact that Dan offers an upgrade path including the ADs is all the more reason to consider the MDs. For the time being, upgrades to the flagship Alpha Primes are on hold until Dan figures out the right way to do them. I’m certainly signing up for an upgrade once they’re available. If it turns out that uprgrades in this case simply aren’t feasible, I may very well buy the Prime outright. I’m that confident in what Dan is doing.*
 
But I want to say something about the AD + H10 pairing. Sharing some of my general thoughts on the AD should indicate what I think the H10 is capable of. Someone earlier on this thread said that a new flagship headamp from Gustard is in the offing. If that’s the case, then I may very well make the upgrade. I’m that confident in what Gustard is doing.
 
It’s by now obvious that the H10 is a little ridiculous with planars. I haven’t heard another headamp with such a vicegrip on this sort of driver. One of the things I’ve always loved about planars is that, in contrast to many of the dynamic models I’ve heard, the headphone’s SPL can often outstrip its volume setting. In this way, you can get plenty of slam without pushing the volume to the point at which distortion becomes noticeable. Usually to achieve a similar effect with dynamic drivers one turns to closed cups, which – according to the lore – tends to compromise overall sound quality.
 
The ADs sound like what you’d get by putting a planar driver in a cup that’s supposed to mimic the strengths of planar drivers. Imagine a planar headphone perfectly mimicking a planar headphone. I don’t mean that negatively. Two of the oft vaunted strengths of planar drives are bass and female vocals. I want to appeal to a particular album as showing that the Alpha Dog + H10 pairing excels in these areas – Data Romance’s Others. Auditory Canvas’ “Solace of Remembrance”, a test track taken from their Earth by MrSpeakers&Co. over on the ADs’ thread, is exemplary. The track, featuring Shawni, efficiently showcases the ADs’ virtues.

Take, for example, timbre – something for which I admire the HE-500 + H10 pairing. To a certain extent, I think of the ADs as a closed back HE-500, i.e. an HE-500 with more slam and isolation. Tonality is also perceptibly similar, with each having a dip in the mid bass and some sparkle in the treble. This makes the ADs well suited for dubstep, given their, so to speak, “dogmatically vigilant” mids.  What can often become glare and/or etch in the upper mids with the T50RP driver is absent here. Instead you get an incredible sense of presence because of an emphasis in the upper mids renders the timbre of female vocals so realistically. Voicing is perhaps the central ingredient in a headphone’s timbre. Because the ADs’ voicing is top notch, the overall perceived timbre excels.
 
If an amp is transparent, then it’s supposed to give you your headphones as they are. If they’re colored, the sound will be colored; if they’re neutral, the sound will be neutral. The H10 is transparent. If your headphone sounds great, the H10 doesn’t get in the way of the greatness. In fact, it makes them sound all the greater. And that means, in this case, that the H10 is itself a great piece of kit. Conder the O2. While it’s adept at getting out of the way of your headphones, there’s only so much you can wring from e.g. the HE-500 with the O2. The HE-500s are exceptional headphones, but they sound better with the H10 than they do with the O2.
 
It’s difficult to present all at once and accurately what you think are an amps strengths. So I’m happy to answer specific questions about this pairing. As a DAC, I paired the HRT microStreamer exclusively with the H10. My current second-string chain is an E18 feeding a Cayin C5. Either way, the source material is primarily Tidal and sometimes Spotify.
 
* In point of fact, I didn’t upgrade from the MDs to the ADs but bought the latter outright. I no longer own the MDs. They were sold before purchasing the ADs. 

 

[Sappy]

Is there a list of those MrSpeakers test tracks like the mentioned “Solace of Remembrance”? It sounded quite good. Would like some more stuff that people regard as acoustically stunning

 

[MrSpeakersPeter]

  Is there a list of those MrSpeakers test tracks like the mentioned “Solace of Remembrance”? It sounded quite good. Would like some more stuff that people regard as acoustically stunning

Exponential Sweep 16Hz-1600Hz, 1_f^2 power spectrum         
 
Old Enough by Rickie Lee Jones from the album Balm In Gilead (Sibilance Test Track)  
 
Ballad Of The Runaway Horse by Rob Wasserman from the album Duets (Sibilance Test Track)  
 
The Sweetest Taboo by Sade from the album Promise, Japan 1st Press (Sibilance Test Track)  
 
Freak Trip by Kinky Movement from the album Seven Jazz EP
 
Solace of Rememberance by Auditory Canvas from the album VA: Lostinsound.org First Quarter            

 
Desafinado by Ana Caram from the album Blue Bossa
 
Three To Get Ready by The Dave Brubeck Quartet from the album Time Out    
 
Monkey on My Deck [studio version]  by Booka Shade from the album The Sun & The Neonlight 

 

[Sappy]

  Exponential Sweep 16Hz-1600Hz, 1_f^2 power spectrum         
 
Old Enough by Rickie Lee Jones from the album Balm In Gilead (Sibilance Test Track)  
 
Ballad Of The Runaway Horse by Rob Wasserman from the album Duets (Sibilance Test Track)  
 
The Sweetest Taboo by Sade from the album Promise, Japan 1st Press (Sibilance Test Track)  
 
Freak Trip by Kinky Movement from the album Seven Jazz EP
 
Solace of Rememberance by Auditory Canvas from the album VA: Lostinsound.org First Quarter            

 
Desafinado by Ana Caram from the album Blue Bossa
 
Three To Get Ready by The Dave Brubeck Quartet from the album Time Out    
 
Monkey on My Deck [studio version]  by Booka Shade from the album The Sun & The Neonlight 

thanks a lot! will give them a listen on WiMP in CD quality.

 

[sonitus mirus]

  Monkey on My Deck [studio version]  by Booka Shade from the album The Sun & The Neonlight 

 
FYI, for anyone looking for this track to purchase or stream.
 
The album with Monkey on My Deck is called "The Sun & The Neon Light (The Vinyl Mixes)".
 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sun-neon-light-vinyl-mixes/id284846003
 
A bit different than the album "The Sun & The Neon Light"
 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-sun-the-neon-light/id279702560

 

[MrSpeakersPeter]

   
FYI, for anyone looking for this track to purchase or stream.
 
The album with Monkey on My Deck is called "The Sun & The Neon Light (The Vinyl Mixes)".
 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sun-neon-light-vinyl-mixes/id284846003
 
A bit different than the album "The Sun & The Neon Light"
 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-sun-the-neon-light/id279702560

http://www.discogs.com/Booka-Shade-The-Sun-The-Neon-Light-Limited-Edition/release/2525297

 

[wahsmoh]

Hey all, a few thoughts I want to share:

I just spent considerable time listening to a ton of headphones. Among them were the Alpha Dog and Alpha Prime. I compared them to the HD800, LCD-3, LCD-XC, LCD-2, Beyer T1, Grado PS1000....and to my ears the Alpha Dog is bested by only two of the headphones--the HD800 and the Alpha Prime. I mean, at $600...you are talking serious value.

If I could pick only one of these to complement my current headphones it would be the Alpha Prime, but I must say that HD800 destroys every headphone I've heard except in the bass department. The Audeze headphones were a disappointment...they are great is some aspects but...the top is not clear enough and they have compressed vocals.

Bringing it back to the Mr. Speakers headphones...Yes, the Alpha Prime is worth the upgrade if you can afford it. But man, the Alpha Dog is rock solid, too.

Wow joe really great to hear your impressions. These were mine all along but if I went about saying this in an Audeze forum where "more $$$ and omg wood" can end up blinding ones judgement I would be laughed at. Either way it's better to know we have one of head-fi's precious gems or best kept secrets at $600 and with badass black pearlescent paint to match (or claret red )

When I heard the Alpha Prime next to the AD I wasn't expecting the difference in soundstage or treble clarity. It really takes things up a notch and makes the ear cups sound like more air and space were magically created around the driver(something that modification of the driver itself probably created)

My opinion was that the Alpha Prime was like listening to a closed SR-009 without having the need to sell my organs or live on the street begging for money and then crawling into my cave at night in Tijuana. Really the best headphone I have ever heard at any price.

The AD is only 2-5% away from the AP but the difference seems like more when we are talking about a headphone that gets vocals done absolutely perfect and is just so enjoyable with all types of music

 

[olegausany]

Exactly why that little difference worth the money

 

[Ableza]

Exactly why that little difference worth the money

For the same reason the Turbo is worth more than the 911.

 

[wahsmoh]

Haha I'll admit I'm a little bit biased cause I'm from San Diego like Dan is. But you know who else is from San Diego? The guy who invented the Go Pro camera. People from San Diego are cool