[plonkersaurus]

I have a EMU 0404 PCI at home but not at work! Is it just my poor amplification or do the W5000's have recessed mids?

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plonkersaurus /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a EMU 0404 PCI at home but not at work! Is it just my poor amplification or do the W5000's have recessed mids?

It's definitely your setup as the W5000 is midrangy if anything. However, I've never experienced any recessed mids with any amps and dacs.

 

[XXII]

I agree with ^

The lower mids might be slightly recessed compared to the upper mids but overall the mids should be quite forward.

 

[moonboy403]

What the W5000 has is a upper midrange peakiness which one can love or hate. If you wish to get more bass and reduce the peakiness, you can look into the updated Fitz mod (F5005).

 

[olblueyez]

To the curb.

 

[plonkersaurus]

Hmm, I'm not a huge bass fan, I just find the k501's mids to be much more forward and the W5000's to sound a bit raspy, kinda like the raspyness you get with badly encoded mp3's except the files are flac/wma lossless ripped from cds.

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plonkersaurus /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm, I'm not a huge bass fan, I just find the k501's mids to be much more forward and the W5000's to sound a bit raspy, kinda like the raspyness you get with badly encoded mp3's except the files are flac/wma lossless ripped from cds.

Having owned the K501 also, I think I know what you mean. The K501 is even more midrangy than the W5000 as the K501's bass is very light and there's a lower treble emphasis which can be perceived as the highs being rolled off. As a result, the mids are much more prominent on the K501.

Moreover, one of K501's strength is how smooth its midrange is. However, it doesn't have the last word in terms of resolution which is why I think the W5000's mids sound more raspy in comparison as it's much more resolving hence its doesn't glance over/smooth over details and texture like the K501 does.

Those are all IMO by the way.

 

[plonkersaurus]

Hmm, still no idea if i should just get the beresford or if i should go tube

 

[anadin]

The headphone amp in the Beresford even with a op-amp and power supply upgrade is mediocre at best, where the Beresford shines is in the DAC department.

 

[plonkersaurus]

Mediocre compared to what? What would you say is comparable and what would be a good step up?

 

[plonkersaurus]

Hmm whats the beresford going to be like compared to something like a Meier Audio MOVE or a Mini3?

 

[olblueyez]

I think I rather have a Meier product than a Beresford even if it is portable. There is a Meier Cantate 2 for sale in the used section. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f42/fs...1/#post5764382

 

[number1sixerfan]

The beresford would be a substantial upgrade to the EMU(have owned both) imho, but in this case you may want to grab an amp first. The W5000's does a decent job with the beresford, but this is one headphone that you have to play around with various amps as no one can agree on the best way to amp them. Most people can't even agree on whether or not they are actually good.

I have amped the W5000 with the following:

RSA HR2
Singlepower PPX3 SLAM
Beresford TC-7510
Eddie Current Zana Duex
Woo Audio 6

Of all of them, I preferred the Woo Audio 6, as it gave them the warmth and tube magic they needed. To me they are slightly over analytical so a good tube amp does them justice. I thought I would prefer them on the Zana Duex, but for some reason I just didn't like the sound that much. It was good, but it didn't feel as magical as every other can I used on the ZD or as magical as when I used them on the Woo 6.

 

[plonkersaurus]

Bah WooAudio 6 looks impossible to get hold of in the UK its not too cheap either! Any other suggestions? Are the W5000's going to suck through the beresford or will it at least sound better than driving them with a cmoy

?

 

[number1sixerfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plonkersaurus /img/forum/go_quote.gif Bah WooAudio 6 looks impossible to get hold of in the UK its not too cheap either! Any other suggestions? Are the W5000's going to suck through the beresford or will it at least sound better than driving them with a cmoy ?

They will sound pretty good. There will be plenty of power and the beresford is warm sounding, which I think compliments the W5000. It definitely won't suck, especially since they are low impedance. I've found that all of the low impedance cans I've tried with it do very well.