[sonitus mirus]

I appreciate the concern.  You are definitely one of the admired members for the reviews and excellent advice offered, but it seems like I am growing accustomed to the Mad Dog signature the more time I spend with them, similar to Matt's experience.
 
I basically had a library of music best suited to my D5000, and now that I have spent about 8 months with the Mad Dogs, I have an increasing number of songs and genres better suited to their signature.  It seems that a song I love on the Denons sounds equally great on the Mad Dogs more often than a song I love on the Mad Dogs sounds great on the Denons.  The Denons are still super fun, but I don't always want that in my headphones over technical excellence.

 

[SpyderRoll]

  I was fortunate enough to attend the RMAF and try most of the headphones in CanJam.  I should start off by saying that Dan was by FAR the most mannered and professional vendor within the CanJam.  Not to say that other vendors were rude, but Dan just came off as one of the vendors that really wanted to be there, actively tried to engage in conversations, by asking his customers how the enjoyed the Alpha dogs.  Honestly, if it wasn't for the great experience I had, I probably wouldn't even be posting here.  Some of the vendors were complete ******** and came off to me as if they didn't give two craps about their headphones, and that meant a lot to me.
 

I second that as well. Dan came across as very knowledgeable with all things headphone related, and best of all, he was very personable. I don't own a pair of Mad Dogs or Alpha Dogs, but now I know what the rage is all about. It's good to know that when I do purchase a pair, there's someone like Dan standing behind their products.

 

[hojomojo96]

   
Well said Matt - I agree with you 100%  However, you had better call a planar a planar and not an ortho around these parts.  Some folks will get upset..  

Wonder who those people could be? 

 

[kstuart]

For me, I honestly do not really know what ideal audiophile quality sounds like.  When I hear a bass guitar play, it is in a bedroom, garage, bar, or a stadium built to seat fans at a basketball game.  I've never been in anything remotely close to a quality listening environment or sound studio.

Okay, well I have been in plenty of sound studios, and I've recorded music from microphone to mastering.  I've even played bass guitar in an (unreleased) recording.  (I can play just about any instrument ... poorly

)
 
And it is simpler than you think - to discover what ideal quality sounds like.
 
Go to a wedding reception or an art gallery reception, and you will probably find a string quartet playing Mozart.   Listen to what all four instruments sound like.   Go to a coffee bar that has someone singing and playing an acoustic guitar.   Listen to what the voice sounds like and what the acoustic guitar sounds like.
 
Now find recordings of a string quartet and someone singing and playing acoustic guitar.  Ideally, the people you heard in person, have a CD for sale.  Otherwise, find a well recorded string quartet and/or singer-songwriter (Griller Quartet, for example, and/or Bob Dylan or Joni Mitchell or any personal favorite).
 
Of course, for bass quality, the string quartet has the advantage in having a bassist.

 
Now you have a reference point, and you can use those recordings to compare to your memory of the instruments in person.  Thus use those and your personal musical favorites to judge equipment.
 
As far as bass guitar, like on Steve Miller, there is no reference point.  A highly regarded engineer, like Bob Clearmountain, will mix the album, including the bass on a pair of speakers in the studio, then play it back on a second pair with a different response.  Then he will take the mix out to his Honda Accord (actual story) and listen on the cheezy factory car stereo, because he knows millions of people will be listening that way.
 
The same bass guitar will be miked and mixed differently when Steve Miller plays in concert, and it will sound quite different....

 

[jerg]

   
Well said Matt - I agree with you 100%  However, you had better call a planar a planar and not an ortho around these parts.  Some folks will get upset..  

Planar magnetic, more specifically. Planar alone could refer to both magnetic and electrostatic types of tensioned membrane tranducers.

 

[mrspeakers]

Just an FYI, the office will be closed Thursday and Friday of this week.  A number of phones are shipping T/W, and we'll resume shipments Monday. 

 

[preproman]

  Planar magnetic, more specifically. Planar alone could refer to both magnetic and electrostatic types of tensioned membrane tranducers.

 
Thanks for the tutorial - I think we're good though...

 

[jerg]

   
Thanks for the tutorial - I think we're good though...

 ..
 
 
hypocrite 

 

[nick n]

whut no ISOdynamic... c'mon now.
 
* runs and puts on flamesuit *

 

[sonitus mirus]

I think the issue with me and bass levels is that I am trying to reproduce the entire body experience of low frequencies using only my ears with headphones. I was a sonar technician in the Navy for nearly a decade, so you might think I'd be a little better at critical listening and identifying issues with sound quality, but I must have drank too much mojo and beer.

 

[martybm5]

Okay, well I have been in plenty of sound studios, and I've recorded music from microphone to mastering.  I've even played bass guitar in an (unreleased) recording.  (I can play just about any instrument ... poorly :rolleyes: )


And it is simpler than you think - to discover what ideal quality sounds like.

Go to a wedding reception or an art gallery reception, and you will probably find a string quartet playing Mozart.   Listen to what all four instruments sound like.   Go to a coffee bar that has someone singing and playing an acoustic guitar.   Listen to what the voice sounds like and what the acoustic guitar sounds like.

Now find recordings of a string quartet and someone singing and playing acoustic guitar.  Ideally, the people you heard in person, have a CD for sale.  Otherwise, find a well recorded string quartet and/or singer-songwriter (Griller Quartet, for example, and/or Bob Dylan or Joni Mitchell or any personal favorite).

Of course, for bass quality, the string quartet has the advantage in having a bassist.

Now you have a reference point, and you can use those recordings to compare to your memory of the instruments in person.  Thus use those and your personal musical favorites to judge equipment.

As far as bass guitar, like on Steve Miller, there is no reference point.  A highly regarded engineer, like Bob Clearmountain, will mix the album, including the bass on a pair of speakers in the studio, then play it back on a second pair with a different response.  Then he will take the mix out to his Honda Accord (actual story) and listen on the cheezy factory car stereo, because he knows millions of people will be listening that way.

The same bass guitar will be miked and mixed differently when Steve Miller plays in concert, and it will sound quite different....

I understand what you're saying but there are a number of us who listen to electronic music/bass ... I'm not certain the same rules can be applied to that type of music.

 

[Wyd4]

Pop quiz.
Has anyone used the mad dog or alpha dog with the alo pan am?
Just wondering how well the synergy works. Also how well it powers them.
I an in the market for a new portable however if this combo works well I might settle for transportable if it's good enough.
I listen on the train so I could almost do the pan am while commuting.

 

[john57]

I grew up listening to acoustical music that normally is not amplified in a concert setting.  In a concert were music is amplified the bass tend to be thicker when amplified and the treble boost is less than the bass since the ear cannot handle loud treble sounds for long. I understand that live sound engineers will equalized the sound for the show and that is what some concert goers are used to.  Another issue with headphone that in a loud concert the body becomes like a receiver for the bass and more of a total body experience with the music. That why I will use my speakers at times and prefer my bass to be true to the recordings as intended.

 

[mrspeakers]

FYI, by Wed morning we'll have shipped all orders placed by Aug, 21.  We expect to get close to the end of August by the end of next week.

 

[dyang]

  FYI, by Wed morning we'll have shipped all orders placed by Aug, 21.  We expect to get close to the end of August by the end of next week.

 
Dan, 
 
When/what estimated date are you planning on knocking out all pre-orders and have AD available on mrspeakers.com?  j/w