[jerg]

Quote:

 
I agree E..  To me the treble of the LCD-2.2 is shelved.  I need to turn the volume up to get at the level I want.  IMO the treble of the HE-400s are opposite, something like Miles Davis Trumpet would be very hard.  The treble of the HE-500s are very smooth but still can bite a tad bit.  I find the treble of the Mad Dogs to play in the same ball park as the HE-500s with out the bite.

With velour pads? In that configuration I would agree. It was part of the reason why I got riled up about pad-fi late last year.

 

[Clemmaster]

Quote:

I actually agree with you. While the Mad Dogs are dark overall it does have edgy treble at times. The problem presents itself almost randomly in certain tracks. I know it's weird because how can a dark headphone have annoying treble, but this problem also occurs in the LCD-2. There is a edginess/roughness to the treble at certain times while the phones are very dark overall. Weird, but this is how I experience it with my Mad Dog 3.1 and LCD-2 R2.
 
Just to be clear this "problem" isn't all that noticeable or a big deal. The Mad Dogs are amazing at their price point and you just have give up some things at this price point. But it did bother me so I have to be honest and agree with Uchiya.
 
Just wanted to add that Dan's a super nice guy and it was pleasure to audition the Mad Dogs. Might even get the balanced 3.2 if finances allow in the future. Would love to try it on my Emotiva.

 
That's your concero 

 

[Kamakahah]

Was just enjoying some sweet tunes on the Mad Dogs while making a new cable for the upcoming Los Angeles meet, and then *BAM* power outage all over freaking south OC. Boo.

Luckily I have my portable rig handy to power these MDs and keep the music flowing while I braid.

 

[M-13]

Quote:

That's your concero 

No I didn't have the Concero for either the Mad Dogs or the LCD-2. Trust me I'm not the first and not the last to notice a slight harshness with the LCD-2 treble. I've been with the LCD-2 thread nearly since it's conception (lurking at first and then joining in on the conversation later, on both the original thread that was shut down after 1200+ pages and then the new one). There have been several others who feel like me. I'm of course not talking about the overall treble energy. The LCD-2 are shelved big time and I understand how dark it is. I had them with Lyr/Bifrost for over a year, tried them a variety of setups and sources (not a huge variety of course). The treble with the LCD-2/Mad Dogs are edgy/harsh at times. Depsite the overall energy being very shelved. Hey if you don't hear it then good for you man. And if you don't get what I'm saying good for you as well. You get a free cookie. Happy life. Yey!
 
On a side note you and I need to have a conversation at the Concero thread because I totally disagree with your accusation. Concero's treble is incredibly smooth/netural for me (much smoother than any of the Schiit DACs)

 

[M-13]

Quote:

I just can't imagine anyone thinking the LCD-2.2 treble is edgey/grainy...
 
I guess we all hear different, in this case very different.

I think with Uchiya, myself and Mad Lust Envy. (Can't remember the others, but there have been others. I just won't to waste time to look them up). There are people who indeed hear different from you. No offense, but I can't imagine you not noticing this after owning the LCD-2/Mad Dogs for a long term period from my point of view. So guess we're both rolling our eyes at each other.

 

Quote:

There is a bit of hardness and aggressiveness to the lcd2 treble. It's not as nimble and soft as some other open headphones I've heard. For example, both he-400 and dt990 have a softer treble, even though their treble responses are way more elevated in comparison.

 
 
Quote:

+1
 
I actually preferred the Q701s to the LCD-2. I'm incapable of explaining exactly why but I felt the Q701 offered a smoother treble... In addition to the wider soundstage, I imagine that's why I sold the LCD-2s.

 

[Clemmaster]

Quote:

No I didn't have the Concero for either the Mad Dogs or the LCD-2. Trust me I'm not the first and not the last to notice a slight harshness with the LCD-2 treble. I've been with the LCD-2 thread nearly since it's conception (lurking at first and then joining in on the conversation later, on both the original thread that was shut down after 1200+ pages and then the new one). There have been several others who feel like me. I'm of course not talking about the overall treble energy. The LCD-2 are shelved big time and I understand how dark it is. I had them with Lyr/Bifrost for over a year, tried them a variety of setups and sources (not a huge variety of course). The treble with the LCD-2/Mad Dogs are edgy/harsh at times. Depsite the overall energy being very shelved. Hey if you don't hear it then good for you man. And if you don't get what I'm saying good for you as well. You get a free cookie. Happy life. Yey!
 
On a side note you and I need to have a conversation at the Concero thread because I totally disagree with your accusation. Concero's treble is incredibly smooth/netural for me (much smoother than any of the Schiit DACs)

 
That was a joke huh 

I liked the Concero a good bit, even though it didn't quite suit the rest of my setup and I'm certainly not going to bash it 

 

[M-13]

Quote:

 
That was a joke huh 

I liked the Concero a good bit, even though it didn't quite suit the rest of my setup and I'm certainly not going to bash it 

Fine

 LOL (I'm highly biased of the Concero. I think it's because I'm impressed by it so much. It's like a child I never thought I would have)

 

[Uchiya]

Can't go day without using these cans.  Though I should, I have a bit of ringing from 4 days ago caused by going to the theater to watch Pacific Rim.  I seriously need to stop going to the theaters, the loudness nowadays is making me cringe.

 

[M-13]

Quote:

Can't go day without using these cans.  Though I should, I have a bit of ringing from 4 days ago caused by going to the theater to watch Pacific Rim.  I seriously need to stop going to the theaters, the loudness nowadays is making me cringe.

What wait... I thought you didn't like them? LOL. They've been growing on you huh?

 
+1 for the whole theater thing. I feel like my ears are getting hammered everytime I go. Are modern people deaf or something?

 

[mrspeakers]

Quote:

Can't go day without using these cans.  Though I should, I have a bit of ringing from 4 days ago caused by going to the theater to watch Pacific Rim.  I seriously need to stop going to the theaters, the loudness nowadays is making me cringe.

 
I go to a lot of performances, protecting my ears is a big deal.  I use ETY Plugs, they allow the full sound spectrum through with a 12-18dB noise reduction (roughly) so you can hear without fear of ringing, and still hold a conversation.
 
Regarding highs, I think the reason we all perceive them so uniquely is that these are frequencies most affected by ear canal shape and geometry.  So with headphones, the standing waves and modalities for resonances are all at slightly different frequencies for different people's ears.  It's a good sound-science topic, maybe when I have some time....

 

[aamefford]

Quote:

 
I go to a lot of performances, protecting my ears is a big deal.  I use ETY Plugs, they allow the full sound spectrum through with a 12-18dB noise reduction (roughly) so you can hear without fear of ringing, and still hold a conversation.
 
Regarding highs, I think the reason we all perceive them so uniquely is that these are frequencies most affected by ear canal shape and geometry.  So with headphones, the standing waves and modalities for resonances are all at slightly different frequencies for different people's ears.  It's a good sound-science topic, maybe when I have some time....

It is a good sound science topic!  That would explain a bunch of things - why I heard as a child and occasionally still hear a high pitched drone in some large stores (like old warehouse appliance stores) that I'm pretty sure came from the HVAC systems, and why at 54, I am still quite sensitive to high frequency sounds, and still have quite acute hearing of the upper registers (up to 18k pretty well and 20K at least to the point of knowing that there is sound and energy there via sound generator apps for the iPhone - admittedly suspect...).  It would also explain why my very strongly preferred sound signature is that of the Mad Dogs, HD650's, D7000's, shure SE530 and other slightly "darker" (I am beginning to hate that term, as it is so often perceived negatively) headphones with smooth, detailed highs, but without the bright, brittle, shrillness  (to me) that others greatly prefer - Ultrasone and Grado - I am looking directly at you, and Beyer, you get at least a sideways glance...
 
To bring it back full circle, I am in Denver for the annual National Down Syndrome Congress Conference (say that 5 times real fast) without my Mad Dogs, and I'm jonesin' for them big time!  I do have my 1964 Ears Quads (CIEMS that are really similar to the D7000's) so that helps a bit.  Mostly I have my lovely wife and beautiful 8 year old daughter.  Neither let me wear headphones much on a trip like this

.
 
Oh, EDIT - I use these at work (industrial equipment repair facility - loud machine shop).  Not that great for music, they roll the top end way off.

 

[Fearless1]

Dan,
 
Great job on the Alpha Pads! I just picked up a couple of sets to try with my Denon D5/7K (like very much),  But wow!, they are stellar with the Kenwood KH K1000's they turn them into monsters. The sound stage is much better, the mids are more prevalent  and the bass is explosive!
 I was hesitant  to use the angled pad with an angled driver, but in this case it works very well. Exactly the comfort level and sound change I was looking for.
 
Thanks!

 

[Change is Good]

Anyone have any comparisons between these and the MDR-1R? I was looking for something more portable than the MD to have on the go with my IEMs, while staying as close to the MD sound as I can.

 

[gikigill]

Having owned both concurrently, they are very different and I would rate the Maddogs higher. The 1R sounds alright but pales in comparison to the MD.

 

[MattTCG]

That will tough to do. I'm trying to think of portables that I've tried that are close in signature. I almost bought the mdr-1r, but passed on it so I can't help you there. I recently tried the Momentum and it was nice but different than the MD. It was quite dark and colored on the sub bass...a fun listen though. 
 
You might have an easier time for something similar in a IEM. The vsonic mkii is in the same ballpark and a great IEM at $150. Like the MD it has a whole lotta bang for the buck and competes with IEM's costing 2x as much.
 
gL!!