New Beyerdynamic T1 (2nd Generation)

[knorris908]

  What song it is doesn't really matter right? I want to see if a song you listen to sounds off to me. A song you know well. Then I can point out what I'm hearing.
I guess I like the album 'The Switch' from Emily King'. But these songs sound good on the T1.2's. 
 
Edit:
Ok, just a random number from spotify top 50 in the world. Stitches, Shawn Mendes: harsh sounding. Hello, Adele: sharp voice that has artifacts and sometimes goes to the right or left. Light it up, Major Lasor: awfull also artifacts on the highs on the left side. 
I can be more specific about what I'm hearing, but it's mainly the sibilance and harshness. 

I know my list above may LOOK random, but they all have common themes of:
 
A-Being some of my favorite songs
B-Running the Gammut of strident highs, penetrating lows, crisp finger pops, special effects, or powerful brass hits.  
 
These are my favorite benchmark tracks for handling harshness and controlled bass.
 
EDIT:  Can't believe I missed "The Show Must Go On" by Queen!  Listen to the silent section just before the strings come in.  Resolving headphones reveal a lot going on, and good, controlled setups make that listening not "uncomfortable"...  

 

[Abupa]

Thanks! I'll give it a good listen tomorrow

 

[Abupa]

I think they do better with classical music, like the numbers from Hans Zimmer. They sound more engaging and full. All the songs you listed don't have any real sibilance or highs that aren't centered.
But the rest sounds a bit analytical and cold te me. Why me, Planet P Project: The high hats sound to loud and pinching in my left ear. It also seems almost no sound is coming from the right side, which makes it sound off to me. You don't have that? 
There are some good songs you listed btw! But the highs take to much of my attention. I still couldn't turn up the volume too much. 

 

[Walderstorn]

  I think they do better with classical music, like the numbers from Hans Zimmer. They sound more engaging and full. All the songs you listed don't have any real sibilance or highs that aren't centered.
But the rest sounds a bit analytical and cold te me. Why me, Planet P Project: The high hats sound to loud and pinching in my left ear. It also seems almost no sound is coming from the right side, which makes it sound off to me. You don't have that? 
There are some good songs you listed btw! But the highs take to much of my attention. I still couldn't turn up the volume too much. 

 
Interesting point of view (or should i say sound) that u have, these impressions have been very interesting indeed.
 
So to make things better u could give me the T1 2 .
 
I wonder how they would sound to me since im less high sensitive then most, but im bass sensitive as hell.

 

[knorris908]

I think they do better with classical music, like the numbers from Hans Zimmer. They sound more engaging and full. All the songs you listed don't have any real sibilance or highs that aren't centered.
But the rest sounds a bit analytical and cold te me. Why me, Planet P Project: The high hats sound to loud and pinching in my left ear. It also seems almost no sound is coming from the right side, which makes it sound off to me. You don't have that? 
There are some good songs you listed btw! But the highs take to much of my attention. I still couldn't turn up the volume too much. 

Well, I'm glad that you liked the songs! "Why Me" is an "experimental" piece, and they moved sounds around the soundstage, so yes, that is just in the music. Before giving up on your T1s, you may want to give EQ shaping a fair shot with them. I'm not that knowledgeable about EQ, and I just lower everything flat, then raise what I want until I like what I hear. Others will likely be much more helpful than me, and be able to specify specific Hz to target, etc...

EDIT: I came back to this because the "analytical and cold" comment bothered me. Are you by any chance into basshead music? I am as well, and despite traditional views, there is nothing sensible to me that says you can't be basshead AND "audiophile". True it may take an adjustment period, and there may never be songs/genre you are completely happy with, but it CAN happen over time. There is a HUGE difference between the styles of Zimmer, Quincy Jones, and say - Dr. Dre. Not to mention the ranges they typically work in. To this day, "Licensed To Ill" (ill) by The Beastie Boys still makes me smile because of how it broke the mold. Their voices and the instruments chosen, were part of a shift from "stale" preconceptions. See if you can dig-up an old copy of "Rockbox" or any late Run DMC, and tell me if the T1 still sounds cold to you. (If it does, try a more powerful amp! 600 Ohm, but "easy to drive" can be misleading. Loud enough does NOT equate to powerful enough. My iPad can get my T1s loud enough, but it sounds terribly thin and brittle...)

If you ARE basshead, join us here! ( "The EXTREME BASS Club") (http://www.head-fi.org/t/716711/the-hardest-hitting-headphones-are-the-extreme-bass-club)

There will be TONs of people who might advise you better than a part-time basshead like me. :basshead:

 

[Abupa]

I previously had the Sennheiser hd700, which also had an annoying peak.. So maybe my problem is buying too expensive headphones. 
I used an eq program on my computer (hd700), and I accidentally did something wrong with the in and output setting. The consequence was a real loud sound out of the headphones for 10 seconds, before being able to make it stop. It fried my headphones.. So a bit hesitant to use that stuff. And I can't eq my ps4. 
Thanks for the help, but I'm going to try to get used to it and avoid certain songs. If I decide to sell it, I can do it without too much losses since I bought them new for 700 euro's. 

 

[knorris908]

I previously had the Sennheiser hd700, which also had an annoying peak.. So maybe my problem is buying too expensive headphones. 
I used an eq program on my computer (hd700), and I accidentally did something wrong with the in and output setting. The consequence was a real loud sound out of the headphones for 10 seconds, before being able to make it stop. It fried my headphones.. So a bit hesitant to use that stuff. And I can't eq my ps4. 
Thanks for the help, but I'm going to try to get used to it and avoid certain songs. If I decide to sell it, I can do it without too much losses since I bought them new for 700 euro's. 

You may have read my reply before I went back & added my edit. I had a feeling that might be the case. Let me know what you think about what I suggested. I just want you to have the best shot at being happy with what you hear.

Ken N.

 

[Abupa]

My statement that they sound cold and analytic to me, I can take that back some. They can sound warm, but because of the spikes in the higher frequencies, I hear distracting instruments that have a higher tone. I don't think that I am really into bass songs, it's just that I don't like it when the higher frequencies are boosted too much. The songs of Dr. Dre have more bass and are mixed very well I think, but here too I feel like I can't turn up the volume too much. 
This headphone does have its advantages, and I think I will keep it! I'll use them for acoustic, jazz and classical numbers, for when I want to relax and appreciate the beautiful sound. They are also still great for video gaming and movies (maybe a bit overkill, but heck ). Just won't listen to them too loud. 
 
It must be just my personal hearing, where I am very sensitive to higher frequencies. Maybe also an explanation is that music through speakers makes the higher frequencies decay faster than the lower frequencies because of the longer listening distance. With headphones this effect is minimized because of the short distance. 

 

[Walderstorn]

Just sell them and trade for some hd 600 and u will be satisfied enough.

 

[Turrican2]

To answer my own question, hanselmann has confirmed that beyerdynamic do not plan to sell these connectors to the public. So if you are planning to buy these over the gen 1 model to cable roll (like I intended to) be warned. Looks like I'll be selling my lovely silver poison cable to fund the proprietary beyerdynamic xlr cable. I could have bought the modded gen1 with the mini xlr plugs for less if I'd known.

Update on my quest to find 3.5mm plugs to use with my Toxic cables Silver Poison balanced cable - finally found some plugs which apparently fit, courtesy of norne audio. They are Eidolic plugs and I've got a couple on the way, hopefully they do the job.

http://www.norneaudio.com/litzheim/Norne-Audio-Beyerdynamic-T1-Gen-2-Eidolic-3-5mm-diy-connector?search=T1

 

[Peter Hyatt]

I just got in the Beyerdynamic A20 amp and am speechless as to what my ears are hearing with the T1.2 headphones.  I did not think the quality could be any better.  The O2 has given lots of volume and I have also tried a host of portables, but I was not prepared for the quality of both soundstage and definition that this amp gives with the T1.2.  
 
I don't possess the audiophile vocabulary to express but suffice after thinking it could not get much better, this amp has brought even richer detail to the music.  I listened to a few specific songs mentioned in some of the reviews, in order to compare.  One review mentioned hearing fingertips against bongos in Amber Rubarth's "Sessions from the 17th Ward" and true enough, it feels like the bongo player is seated to my left, while the cello is in my living room, to my right.  
 
The London Philharmonic Orchestra is stunning, massive, yet detailed and personal.  
 
Sgt. Pepper's is stunning with particularly hearing (for the first time after decades of listening) harmonies in "Lucy in the Sky" I did not know was used.  
 
I checked the highs of Alison Krauss' voice...perfection.  
 
"Workingman Blues #2" from Dylan has his very breath, also as if playing before me in the living room.  Rich, deep, beautiful bass without imploding on itself, as if it could not handle the depth.  It is clean.  
 
Many thanks for the advice of matching the T1 with the Beyer amp.   Wow.  I wish I could do a better review for those interested.   

 

[henriks]

You make me search for the Beyerdynamic A20, so it is a fine review. What is your input?

 

[Peter Hyatt]

  Is the improvement worth it?

 

[nordkapp]

High rez files are well worth it imo. I use windows based software (JRiver). Was originally on itunes way back. Amarra seems to be popular w/the mac book crowd. The sonic differences of hi rez files is legit. Just mack sure your DAC is up to the dask. As I type this I am ripping my 500 cd collection into my library. Only 200 more to go. Lol.

 

[DangerToast]

I'm currently a T90 owner and have loved them for years. Thinking about pulling the trigger on the T1gen2 but from what I read earlier in the thread, I'm worried the T1gen2 might have too much in common with the T90 to warrant the purchase. Anybody own both and can comment more on the differences/similarities?