[cel4145]

The NAD's target FR (Harman-Olive curve) is separate from the RoomFeel. RoomFeel is the creation of natural "echoe", which I notice on the mids. Maybe this is what dakanao hears and describes as upper mids boost. I susoect his source exagerrates this, hence seems like a "boost".

This is how Innerfidelity explains it: "Here Barton's long expertise in matters acoustic come into play, and he has developed a very well reasoned headphone target response curve that takes into consideration low-frequency room gain and a number of other characteristics of a speaker's sound in a room, which has been labeled "Room Feel" by the company."
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/i-love-these-headphonesthe-nad-viso-hp50#Kr0hWrME6D3jklwR.99

Here's another source explaining it somewhat similarly

"Viso HP50 is designed with this Room Feel-principle, but the headphones do not change character when turning your head. Instead, they try to create a sense of space with the help of a carefully calculated response curve that is tailored to a subjective view of what is considered a balanced sound."
http://www.soundvisionreview.com/headphones/nad-viso-hp50-review/

That source also notes that Barton was building on the work that he and Sean Olive had done when working on a project for the Canada’s National Research Council. So yeah. Olive has his curve. Barton apparently has his version of it that he's implementing.

I would be surprised if they have some kind of added "echo." Has Barton said that they did?

 

[diamondears]

This is how Innerfidelity explains it: "Here Barton's long expertise in matters acoustic come into play, and he has developed a very well reasoned headphone target response curve that takes into consideration low-frequency room gain and a number of other characteristics of a speaker's sound in a room, which has been labeled "Room Feel" by the company."
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/i-love-these-headphonesthe-nad-viso-hp50#Kr0hWrME6D3jklwR.99

Here's another source explaining it somewhat similarly

"Viso HP50 is designed with this Room Feel-principle, but the headphones do not change character when turning your head. Instead, they try to create a sense of space with the help of a carefully calculated response curve that is tailored to a subjective view of what is considered a balanced sound."
http://www.soundvisionreview.com/headphones/nad-viso-hp50-review/

That source also notes that Barton was building on the work that he and Sean Olive had done when working on a project for the Canada’s National Research Council. So yeah. Olive has his curve. Barton apparently has his version of it that he's implementing.

I would be surprised if they have some kind of added "echo." Has Barton said that they did?

On this interview by Jude, Paul says the RoomFeel technology is "on top" of the FR curve that they've adopted.

 

[YamaVega]

That's why the mids are airy on the nad. Compare them to other same level cans, and you will hear the difference

 

[diamondears]

Remember, if your source or amp is lacking in bass, the mids will always sound boosted on a Harman-curvish HP.

 

[cel4145]

On this interview by Jude, Paul says the RoomFeel technology is "on top" of the FR curve that they've adopted.

That may simply mean that he has adjusted the compensation curve based upon his experience.

 

[dakanao]

That may simply mean that he has adjusted the compensation curve based upon his experience.

How are you liking your HP50s compared to your Soundmagic HP150s?

 

[cel4145]

How are you liking your HP50s compared to your Soundmagic HP150s?

I haven't directly compared them yet. The sound signatures are quite different, though.

 

[diamondears]

That may simply mean that he has adjusted the compensation curve based upon his experience.

Could be. But he's quite clear he said "ON TOP" of it (the Harman curve), he added their technology. Could be the cups/acoustics behind and around the diaphragms/drivers.

 

[cel4145]

Could be. But he's quite clear he said "ON TOP" of it (the Harman curve), he added their technology. Could be the cups/acoustics behind and around the diaphragms/drivers.

Nothing wrong with speculating, but you stated this as fact: "RoomFeel is the creation of natural 'echoe.'" That's why I asked. I'm interested in what's known about Room Feel, not guessed at.

 

[dakanao]

1 day after owning them.
 
I think they improved since yesterday (they don't seem as dark as yesterday. But they're still too dark for me to enjoy them) and that uppermids harshness I hear with clap instruments has reduced a bit, but it's definitely still evident and annoying.
 
Oh, and I forgot to tell, but the comfort is outstanding. They're right up there with my CAL comfort wise.

 

[mandrake50]

Just curious, what is a "clap" instrument. I wonder because I don't hear any harshness at all with my setup. I find the HP 50 to actually be on the laid back side in it presentation overall.
I listened some last night to see if I could hear what you are describing. Then it cam to me... maybe I don't listen to "clap" instruments. Using Foobar, no EQ, Emotiva DC1>Polaris as the audio chain. I also tried using the line out from my GO 1000 into the Polaris. It has been described as analytic if not bright, thinking this would possibly highlight the kind of thing you are describing. I just did not hear it. Again, maybe I just don't have any recordings of "clap" instruments. Let me know the definition so I can see if I can reproduce the effect.
Now I really don't think that it makes much difference, but I have had my set for over a year. They probably have at least 250 hours on them.

 

[dakanao]

 
Just curious, what is a "clap" instrument. I wonder because I don't hear any harshness at all with my setup. I find the HP 50 to actually be on the laid back side in it presentation overall.
I listened some last night to see if I could hear what you are describing. Then it cam to me... maybe I don't listen to "clap" instruments. Using Foobar, no EQ, Emotiva DC1>Polaris as the audio chain. I also tried using the line out from my GO 1000 into the Polaris. It has been described as analytic if not bright, thinking this would possibly highlight the kind of thing you are describing. I just did not hear it. Again, maybe I just don't have any recordings of "clap" instruments. Let me know the definition so I can see if I can reproduce the effect.
Now I really don't think that it makes much difference, but I have had my set for over a year. They probably have at least 250 hours on them.

This song is a very good example:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QzKJJRQrrM
 
It starts at 0:25 and continues the whole song. It sounds very irritating on my ears on the HP50s.
 
Btw, I agree with you that the treble is laid back. BUT instead they're too shouty with those instruments like I described before, and that coupled with the laid back upper treble, gives me a hard time enjoying music.

 

[mandrake50]

I will take a listen, but I still would like to know how you define a "clap" instrument. A Google search comes up with some references to Castanets, claps ticks, or Clappers.  
Is this what you mean?
 
I did listen... not sure what instrument is making the sound. I could not decide whether it is a snare drum or synth... do you know what it is?

 

[cel4145]

This song is a very good example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QzKJJRQrrM

It starts at 0:25 and continues the whole song. It sounds very irritating on my ears on the HP50s.

Sounds like one of those crappy drum synths. The particular FR of the HP50s tends to emphasize it more over my Soundmagic HP150s. So I think the harshness you hear is the actual recording just foregrounded more in comparison to your other headphones. Sort of in a similar vein, I don't like how the HP50s render the highly distorted guitar in Kasabian compared to my other headphones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5up8kJoCsJM.

However, in other instances it's marvelous and do a better job. IME, this is often the case. Some headphones do a bit better with some sounds than others and vice versa.

 

[bgentry]

This song is a very good example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QzKJJRQrrM

It starts at 0:25 and continues the whole song. It sounds very irritating on my ears on the HP50s.

Btw, I agree with you that the treble is laid back. BUT instead they're too shouty with those instruments like I described before, and that coupled with the laid back upper treble, gives me a hard time enjoying music.

That sound you call "clapping" is a snare drum. It's almost certainly from a drum machine and sounds like it has gated reverb applied to it as well. But definitely a snare drum. It sounds very "normal" to me on HP50s. But normal is a little hard to define for something that's essentially synthesized, since it's just a triggered programmed musical element. As opposed to someone actually hitting a snare drum with a drum stick.

I don't hear what you hear at all with respect to it being both "shouty" and "laid back" at the same time. Sounds like you think it's very midrange heavy with very poor high frequency response. Your preferences are yours and mine are mine. It sounds to me like you want a headphone with WAY more highs than the HP50s. You probably would have *loved* the SoundMagic HP150s I used to have.

Good luck on your headphone search.

Brian.