[recarcar]

Hello Head-Fi!
 
Please excuse this posting if it has already been discussed somewhere else in the forum but I could not find anything with very specific information. I am really interested in getting one of these two closed headphones. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with both and if the could make any recommendations about the choice? I am most concerned with the following things:
 
1) Neutrality/Balance (I will be using the headphones for mastering and the like)
 
2) Isolation/Sound leakage (I often work in some not so quiet environments and also late into the night)
 
3) Soundstage/Clarity (For mastering purposes but I also do not want a headphone that sounds really closed in)
 
4) Amping - I Don't want to have to buy a new amp (I have a Fiio E17 and it has served me decently well for most things and I don't want to have to buy another amp - I know this might apply more to the alpha dogs)
 
As far as the other things like comfort and price the Alpha Dogs seem to be the better option but I was just wondering about any experience people might have with both. I am also not really concerned with portability because both of these seem to have some issues in that regard (though it would be nice to have the option of using the Pandora out as it does not require amping). Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Nekrosov]

I'm interested in this topic too.

 

[Nekrosov]

Anyone?

 

[the6step]

bump

 

[Massacare]

Pandora VI is good , but somehow I think it's too colored for your needs. Alpha dog seems to be a good choice. What amplifier you use to drive the alpha dog? From my experience, alpha dog needs a quite powerful and not-too-colored amp to drive it.

 

[recarcar]

Pandora VI is good , but somehow I think it's too colored for your needs. Alpha dog seems to be a good choice. What amplifier you use to drive the alpha dog? From my experience, alpha dog needs a quite powerful and not-too-colored amp to drive it.

Thanks for the input! I actually went with the Pandora out of pure curiosity and will just use my more linear iems for mastering. Thanks again!

 

[maharaja]

Hey there! I torn between these two cans...How are the Hope Vi's working out?!

 

[recarcar]

  Hey there! I torn between these two cans...How are the Hope Vi's working out?!

Hey! I had these for a few months and enjoyed them a great deal while I had them. They are fairly detailed, soundstage is good, and work very well with a lot genres. As has been highlighted in the thread, they are definitely not neutral or incredibly balanced. The reason I sold them was that ultimately they were a bit too warm for my tastes. But if you like a warmer sound signature that still maintains a good level of clarity and detail, these are great. 

 

[chicken beer]

I have both. They are quite different yet quite similar. Subjectively I like alpha dogs more, but only a little bit. 
 
The look and build quality the drivability makes Pandora a winner (Alpha dog build quality is crude).

 

[chicken beer]

Pandora VI is good , but somehow I think it's too colored for your needs. Alpha dog seems to be a good choice. What amplifier you use to drive the alpha dog? From my experience, alpha dog needs a quite powerful and not-too-colored amp to drive it.

 
You are quite right, a very neutral amp will drive Alpha dog the best.
 
Pandora, though colored to make the mids sound nice, is actually presenting quite a neutral feel on the overall sound. I personally like that very much.

 

[Dr Jekyll]

Coming from the Mad Dogs and comparing them to the VI's I had the misfortune of hearing, I'd definitely go for the Alpha Dog. They're a more detailed, neutral Mad Dog with an even bigger soundstage. The VI's try and sound open but end up horrible cupped, clarity isn't their strong suit and they're far, far warmer than the already (slightly) dark Mad Dog. Mid range is there, but drowned out by a boomy, unfocused low-end. They don't have the razor sharp precision and competence paired with a lively sound that the Mad Dogs do so well. The Mad Dog's successor are the clear choice. At least for me.

 

[KSB1978]

I've played around with both for a few weeks and decided to buy the Pandora.
There is a point in Pandora, when you feed it more power, where it really opens up. It also sounds a lot better with vocals than mad dog. It also seems to have a lot more dynamic feel about it than Mad Dog.
Mad dog , when using the same amp on the same volume setting, doesn't produce anywhere near the same sound level, is aesthetically crude and for me, the game killer was the big pads that threatens to crush your head. Also, I could buy the Pandora for $300AU less than Mad Dog when I bought it.
 
I guess it's each to your own.

 

[Headphoneslife]

Does somebody know about the differents of the final VI and IV ?