[Hageatama]

That's only a few hours away from where I am studying. It is a small world. And thank you! Still early on in my collection phase, but it has already been such a fun ride.

Spending a lot of money is never necessary, but I don't regret the purchase at all.

Thank you. I am currently studying law. Are you currently a student too?

Nah, I graduated with a BA in PR & Advertising in 2017, and now I'm a Computer Operator... Oh well. I didn't discover high-end audio till I was bored at work, wanting to get the most out of Hellblade, which led me to DACs, which led me to Zeos, which, well you get the picture. Now, I'm getting to the point where I need to purge some stuff out. ZMF's line is really something I'd like to audition, because I have no frame of reference for summit-fi. Should tell me more about your babies!

Hello everyone, I'm a college student who loves audio! I'm from Upstate NY and want to attend some audio meets in the future.

Apparently we're coming out of the woodwork today lol. I have a buddy who lives up in Rochester, Welcome!
==========================================================================
Unrelated to the above, but I guess I'll make my own welcome post in here too:

Hi, I'm 28 and bald...ing (hence my username). Shave my head normally. Anyways, as above, I was playing Hellblade with some closed back Razer's, I forget which, and I decided I wanted more. Figured a DAC would clean up my audio, and while researching I came across Z-Reviews. These days, I try to pay attention to what reviewers are saying, but I generally do more research than just a single review/er before purchasing. That said, I find Zeos entertaining.

I've written a few reviews for headphones on Amazon/Newegg under different names, and I think at this point, I have enough reference material/headphones that my opinions might be worth something to someone lol. Expect to see some reviews from me soon.

I went through the wringer with gear, started with the HE-350's for serious cans, which then led to HE-4XX, HD 58X, HD 6XX, T50RP, IE80, Pinnacle PX, and M40x. I lent or gave away most of those as gifts. Wave 2 was HD 600, T60RP, Argon Mk-3, MH755, iSine LX, and Massdrop Plus. I've also auditioned/given as gifts, MDR-1A, Mobius, Polaris, EDC, HD 559, and HD 579.

My current stable for headphones is filled out by:
HD 600, HD 660S, T60RP, Argon Mk-3, MH-752, ATH-M60x, Campfire IO, Massdrop Plus, IE80, and the iSine LX.

Amp/DAC Stable:
SMSL M6, Micca Origen G2, Aune X1s + X7s, Grace SDAC, BasX A100, and an AAA 789. Also have a Shanling M0.

I've built a few cables as well. They're kinda crap, but I'm only building for me right now lol. Anyways, that's me. Any questions, I'll do my best to answer!

 

[headphoneloverinNY]

Nah, I graduated with a BA in PR & Advertising in 2017, and now I'm a Computer Operator... Oh well. I didn't discover high-end audio till I was bored at work, wanting to get the most out of Hellblade, which led me to DACs, which led me to Zeos, which, well you get the picture. Now, I'm getting to the point where I need to purge some stuff out. ZMF's line is really something I'd like to audition, because I have no frame of reference for summit-fi. Should tell me more about your babies!



Apparently we're coming out of the woodwork today lol. I have a buddy who lives up in Rochester, Welcome!
==========================================================================
Unrelated to the above, but I guess I'll make my own welcome post in here too:

Hi, I'm 28 and bald...ing (hence my username). Shave my head normally. Anyways, as above, I was playing Hellblade with some closed back Razer's, I forget which, and I decided I wanted more. Figured a DAC would clean up my audio, and while researching I came across Z-Reviews. These days, I try to pay attention to what reviewers are saying, but I generally do more research than just a single review/er before purchasing. That said, I find Zeos entertaining.

I've written a few reviews for headphones on Amazon/Newegg under different names, and I think at this point, I have enough reference material/headphones that my opinions might be worth something to someone lol. Expect to see some reviews from me soon.

I went through the wringer with gear, started with the HE-350's for serious cans, which then led to HE-4XX, HD 58X, HD 6XX, T50RP, IE80, Pinnacle PX, and M40x. I lent or gave away most of those as gifts. Wave 2 was HD 600, T60RP, Argon Mk-3, MH755, iSine LX, and Massdrop Plus. I've also auditioned/given as gifts, MDR-1A, Mobius, Polaris, EDC, HD 559, and HD 579.

My current stable for headphones is filled out by:
HD 600, HD 660S, T60RP, Argon Mk-3, MH-752, ATH-M60x, Campfire IO, Massdrop Plus, IE80, and the iSine LX.

Amp/DAC Stable:
SMSL M6, Micca Origen G2, Aune X1s + X7s, Grace SDAC, BasX A100, and an AAA 789. Also have a Shanling M0.

I've built a few cables as well. They're kinda crap, but I'm only building for me right now lol. Anyways, that's me. Any questions, I'll do my best to answer!

Accidentally posted without my response included.

But that's all very cool.

A lot to respond to, so I'll just respond to a few things first.

Particularly of interest to me, what IEMs did you try before buying your respective IEMS?

I have been interested in Campfire's IEMS, but haven't tried them yet

 

[Hageatama]

Accidentally posted without my response, but that's all very cool. A lot to respond to, so I'll just respond to a few things. Particularly, what IEMs did you try, before buying your respective IEMS?

I have been interested in Campfire's IEMS, but haven't tried them yet

To be honest, I dove into IEMs with the Sennheiser IE80. I enjoyed them, but I shithoused the cable and they also have a very strange fit. I found them to be way better than what I was used to. More detail, more low end, and a really weird soundstage that I enjoyed. In the Virtual Barber Shop demo, when they tap the microphone, it feels like someone actually tapped your head with the IE80, and I haven't been able to replicate that feeling with any other IEM.

However, I definitely get a better fit and more clarity with the Massdrop Plus and Campfire IO, which I feel have at least a similar tonal balance, though the IO seems more resolving at times.

I basically just bought some cheap IEM and/or well-liked IEMs to see what I personally enjoyed. I tried the VE Monk before I realized my ears don't work with traditional buds, tried the Klipsch S4a (cat killed x2), Thinksound TS-02 (cat killed), and then the IE80, and PX (notice the theme of "Removable Cables Only"). I sold/gave away almost none of my IEMs.

I don't really have a process or a place close by to test things, I just tend to read as many impressions as I can and then see if the sound matches those impressions. Except the IO. I just kinda went ham and purchased the IO on a lark. But, I had the PX and IE80 and I decided I wanted something a bit higher tier... The MD+ was one of the more affordable A-Tier IEMs that was still neutral. I liked them a lot, and I didn't expect the IO to be as similar. The IO has less bass impact, but more detail, slight amounts on both, and they're both pretty intimate, to my ears. Though the IO might be a touch wider?

The widest sounding earphone I've ever tried has been the Campfire Polaris, which I sampled in NYC at Audio46 (real nice guys there btw). Now, I can't say I have $1500 to spend, but idk if the soundstage on the Polaris is worth it. Then again, I haven't tried Andromeda yet. *Edit:* My Finacee owns the Polaris, and I'm not sure as I like it. I haven't lived with it long enough tho.

If we ever meet up at a CanJam or you're in the capital region, PM me, you can come and try whatever you'd like!

 

[headphoneloverinNY]

To be honest, I dove into IEMs with the Sennheiser IE80. I enjoyed them, but I ****housed the cable and they also have a very strange fit. I found them to be way better than what I was used to. More detail, more low end, and a really weird soundstage that I enjoyed. In the Virtual Barber Shop demo, when they tap the microphone, it feels like someone actually tapped your head with the IE80, and I haven't been able to replicate that feeling with any other IEM.

However, I definitely get a better fit and more clarity with the Massdrop Plus and Campfire IO, which I feel have at least a similar tonal balance, though the IO seems more resolving at times.

I basically just bought some cheap IEM and/or well-liked IEMs to see what I personally enjoyed. I tried the VE Monk before I realized my ears don't work with traditional buds, tried the Klipsch S4a (cat killed x2), Thinksound TS-02 (cat killed), and then the IE80, and PX (notice the theme of "Removable Cables Only"). I sold/gave away almost none of my IEMs.

I don't really have a process or a place close by to test things, I just tend to read as many impressions as I can and then see if the sound matches those impressions. Except the IO. I just kinda went ham and purchased the IO on a lark. But, I had the PX and IE80 and I decided I wanted something a bit higher tier... The MD+ was one of the more affordable A-Tier IEMs that was still neutral. I liked them a lot, and I didn't expect the IO to be as similar. The IO has less bass impact, but more detail, slight amounts on both, and they're both pretty intimate, to my ears. Though the IO might be a touch wider?

The widest sounding earphone I've ever tried has been the Campfire Polaris, which I sampled in NYC at Audio46 (real nice guys there btw). Now, I can't say I have $1500 to spend, but idk if the soundstage on the Polaris is worth it. Then again, I haven't tried Andromeda yet. *Edit:* My Finacee owns the Polaris, and I'm not sure as I like it. I haven't lived with it long enough tho.

If we ever meet up at a CanJam or you're in the capital region, PM me, you can come and try whatever you'd like!

I really need to check those Sennheiser IE80s out then. Always nice to have headphones that provide certain qualities that your other headphones don't, even if it is done with the loss of some clarity. I love some of those headphones with weird soundstages.

I wonder if you have checked out the Audioquest Nightowl. It is a closed, over-ear headphone, and I was so impressed by how its soundstage made music sound so different and like you experienced, how a tap really felt like it was so close to your ear, even though other sounds sounded far away with the headphones. I haven't heard another headphone like it. (Tonally, there were some issues with it, and I found the headphone to sound too tinny/artificial, but still, it was a very fun headphone.)

The fact that you have kept most of them is a testament to your value of them of course. My concern with IEMs is always that they will be damaged easily. Besides the cat damaging one, have any of them broke down on you or have you not had most of them long enough to know if there were quality issues after, say, a year.

And I would love to try some! I really appreciate it. So do you tend to prefer a more neutral sound signature? Currently, what is your favorite headphone to listen to? I also forgot to ask what genre/genres of music do you typically listen to?

 

[Hageatama]

I really need to check out those Sennheiser IE80s out then. Always nice to have headphones that provide certain qualities that your other headphones don't, even if it is at the loss of some clarity. I love those weird soundstages. I wonder if you have checked out the Audioquest Nightowl. It is a closed, over-ear headphone, and I was so impressed by how its soundstage made music sound so different and like you experienced, how a tap really felt like it was so close to your ear, even though other sounds sounded far away with the headphones.

The fact that you have kept most of them is a testament to your value of them of course. My concern with IEMs is always that they will be damaged easily. Besides the cat damaging one, have any of them broke down on you or have you not had most of them long enough to know if there were quality issues after, say, a year.

And I would love to try some! I really appreciate it. So do you tend to prefer a more neutral sound signature? Currently, what is your favorite headphone to listen to? I also forgot to ask what genre/genres of music do you typically listen to?

Well, I've abused my IEMs, normally. The IE80 and the Pinnacle PX especially. I've owned both of them for 2+ years at this point. They're still trucking, though they both needed a new cable. Honestly, I'ma PM you about a thing in a minute, if I can...

Personally, I find myself reaching for the T60RP paired with the Emotiva BasX more than anything else these days. They're just so relaxing, but I do notice they have worse imaging then the Senns. For IEMs, I wanted something to reference from, so I went with the Plus as their tuned to be Diffuse Field Neutral with a slightly boosted bass. I like them, but sometimes I do want more soundstage than that. Because I don't use them for monitoring, I can basically run whatever I feel like running these days, although I've found myself curious about what the $1k+ products can accomplish. I've been testing out the IO and T3, but I generally reach for my iSine LX w/ Cipher BT Cable (Harman Neutral), or the MD+ (DF Neutral), though I tend to like the way the iSine's do things, honestly, with the Cipher cable, they sound so natural and open, it's strange. The MH755 is great for it's price, but it's a very in your head sound, the iSine honestly sounds to me like speakers.

The fact that I've kept stuff is because I'm a pack rat. I hate selling stuff, because I'm bad at haggling, so I try to give things away to make my friends and family happy, unless it "inspires joy" lol. IEMs at least take up less space than full size cans.

 

[headphoneloverinNY]

Yes, sounds good. PM if you can.

And that sounds very interesting to me. I have always favored the headphones that sound more like speakers than the in-your-head type sound, but the diversity in sound always makes you appreciate other headphones more. And this has always been interesting to me, because technically Harman Neutral is supposed to be the preferred sound signature according to studies compared to DF neutral right? (Admittedly, I am not very knowledgeable in this area, so I may be wrong.)


The pack rat mentality is a mentality I have with other items. With headphones, I sell only to upgrade to the next because there is just always that feeling of wanting to try more.

I am sure you know this, but also another avenue for trying some headphones is to use Amazon. Amazon has a fair return policy, so many great headphones you can try and then return for no restocking fee and a full refund.

 

[Hageatama]

Yes, sounds good. PM if you can.

And that sounds very interesting to me. I have always favored the headphones that sound more like speakers than the in-your-head type sound, but the diversity in sound always makes you appreciate other headphones more. And this has always been interesting to me, because technically Harman Neutral is supposed to be the preferred sound signature according to studies compared to DF neutral right? (Admittedly, I am not very knowledgeable in this area, so I may be wrong.)


The pack rat mentality is a mentality I have with other items. With headphones, I sell only to upgrade to the next because there is just always that feeling of wanting to try more.

I am sure you know this, but also another avenue for trying some headphones is to use Amazon. Amazon has a fair return policy, so many great headphones you can try and then return for no restocking fee and a full refund.

Oh for sure. I've bought used from Amazon a few times, and for sure on always wanting to try more. Though, I have been searching for something that's also enough. Even if I want to try a $1k+ product, it doesn't mean I want to own one, after all. That's a lot of pressure.

DF and Harman targets are both a researcher's ideal of what the response should look/sound like. DF is based on maths (iirc) and Harman was based on a large number of subjective impressions (again, iirc). Some may prefer one over the other, that's just how it is. I believe InnerFidelity has some articles on this topic.

 

[headphoneloverinNY]

That is definitely true. 1,000 dollars is certainly a big investment and obviously, you end up not wanting to/probably shouldn't bring 1,000 dollar headphones all over the place, which limits the utility for some.

I will have to check out those articles, so I can better discuss the topic then

 

[birdless]

Nah, I graduated with a BA in PR & Advertising in 2017, and now I'm a Computer Operator... Oh well. I didn't discover high-end audio till I was bored at work, wanting to get the most out of Hellblade, which led me to DACs, which led me to Zeos, which, well you get the picture. Now, I'm getting to the point where I need to purge some stuff out. ZMF's line is really something I'd like to audition, because I have no frame of reference for summit-fi. Should tell me more about your babies!



Apparently we're coming out of the woodwork today lol. I have a buddy who lives up in Rochester, Welcome!
==========================================================================
Unrelated to the above, but I guess I'll make my own welcome post in here too:

Hi, I'm 28 and bald...ing (hence my username). Shave my head normally. Anyways, as above, I was playing Hellblade with some closed back Razer's, I forget which, and I decided I wanted more. Figured a DAC would clean up my audio, and while researching I came across Z-Reviews. These days, I try to pay attention to what reviewers are saying, but I generally do more research than just a single review/er before purchasing. That said, I find Zeos entertaining.

I've written a few reviews for headphones on Amazon/Newegg under different names, and I think at this point, I have enough reference material/headphones that my opinions might be worth something to someone lol. Expect to see some reviews from me soon.

I went through the wringer with gear, started with the HE-350's for serious cans, which then led to HE-4XX, HD 58X, HD 6XX, T50RP, IE80, Pinnacle PX, and M40x. I lent or gave away most of those as gifts. Wave 2 was HD 600, T60RP, Argon Mk-3, MH755, iSine LX, and Massdrop Plus. I've also auditioned/given as gifts, MDR-1A, Mobius, Polaris, EDC, HD 559, and HD 579.

My current stable for headphones is filled out by:
HD 600, HD 660S, T60RP, Argon Mk-3, MH-752, ATH-M60x, Campfire IO, Massdrop Plus, IE80, and the iSine LX.

Amp/DAC Stable:
SMSL M6, Micca Origen G2, Aune X1s + X7s, Grace SDAC, BasX A100, and an AAA 789. Also have a Shanling M0.

I've built a few cables as well. They're kinda crap, but I'm only building for me right now lol. Anyways, that's me. Any questions, I'll do my best to answer!

Awesome!
You make my setup seem so crappy and small by comparison
I first started out with the Superlux 668b's from watching Tek Syndicate (back when they were all together). I then made my first big purchase by getting the Beyerdynamic 990 pros. After that, I found Zeos Pantera on YouTube as well, which made me get my Sennheiser HD 600's. After that, I got the Audio Technica M60x, and shortly after a 4xx.
I really wanna go to Canjam 2020, as I will be out of college by then (and have more money)
TL;DR:

*Headphones currently:
Beyerdynamic 990 premium (600 ohm)
Sennheiser HD 600
Hifiman HE-4XX
Sennheiser HD 424X (Borrowing a pair)

*Dac:
Schiit Modi 2

*Amps:
Schiit Magni 2 Uber
Little Dot Mk II with the following tubes:
Voshkod
RCA
Mullard
Chinese(stock tubes)
Telefunken

Speakers:
Onkyo sr373 (Receiver)
Phillips MCD708
Realistic Nova 6
Custom built speakers (8" full range with a piezoelectric tweeter)


Other than audio, I love doing car photography, working on computers and gaming.

 

[Hageatama]

Awesome!
You make my setup seem so crappy and small by comparison
I first started out with the Superlux 668b's from watching Tek Syndicate (back when they were all together). I then made my first big purchase by getting the Beyerdynamic 990 pros. After that, I found Zeos Pantera on YouTube as well, which made me get my Sennheiser HD 600's. After that, I got the Audio Technica M60x, and shortly after a 4xx.
I really wanna go to Canjam 2020, as I will be out of college by then (and have more money)
TL;DR:

*Headphones currently:
Beyerdynamic 990 premium (600 ohm)
Sennheiser HD 600
Hifiman HE-4XX
Sennheiser HD 424X (Borrowing a pair)

*Dac:
Schiit Modi 2

*Amps:
Schiit Magni 2 Uber
Little Dot Mk II with the following tubes:
Voshkod
RCA
Mullard
Chinese(stock tubes)
Telefunken

Speakers:
Onkyo sr373 (Receiver)
Phillips MCD708
Realistic Nova 6
Custom built speakers (8" full range with a piezoelectric tweeter)


Other than audio, I love doing car photography, working on computers and gaming.

Well that's awesome man! I just took a bunch of pictures from the NY Auto Show, but I'm kinda crap at taking photos lol, should PM some of your shots if you'd like, I'm a fan of 90's Japanese Imports, but I enjoy a little of everything!

Honestly, I tell people not to live my life, it's so expensive to live my life lol! Just keep doing what you do and build up what you can while you can. Honestly, if you're worried about owning a house, I wouldn't recommend getting too deep into this hobby, but hey man, definitely do what you love. It's a lot of fun! Besides, I don't have any tubes, and I'm kinda jealous of you for it tbh

 

[birdless]

Welcome to the crew Another Upstate, New Yorkian. Perhaps we will all meet each other at a meet sometime.

Thank you! Maybe we can meet up at can jam next year!

 

[jtesterman]

Hello everyone, I'm a college student who loves audio! I'm from Upstate NY and want to attend some audio meets in the future.

Welcome!

 

[TheAnalogueKid]

Greetings all! Been perusing the forums for some time now and finally decided to throw my name into the hat. I'm a newbie among all these seasoned ears, but I look forward to conversing with some of you and learning all I can. Cheers!

 

[KenMan85]

First timer here, both as far as on forums and as a user of beautiful audio equipment.

Going from Sennheiser 569s to 6xx with the balanced xlr and a schiit jot. I decided to go big or go home. I have never had decent gear before and while my stuff is currently shipping I am very excited to try it for the first time. As well, look2fwd being an active member of this community online. So thanks!

 

[Makiah S]

Greetings all! Been perusing the forums for some time now and finally decided to throw my name into the hat. I'm a newbie among all these seasoned ears, but I look forward to conversing with some of you and learning all I can. Cheers!

Welcome! What are you enjoying at this time

First timer here, both as far as on forums and as a user of beautiful audio equipment.

Going from Sennheiser 569s to 6xx with the balanced xlr and a schiit jot. I decided to go big or go home. I have never had decent gear before and while my stuff is currently shipping I am very excited to try it for the first time. As well, look2fwd being an active member of this community online. So thanks!

Oh nice, congrats! That's not a bad place to start! Have you received the units yet?