Quote:
Originally Posted by LedZeppelin
thanks for all the input.. did anyone try Little Dot Micro+ in HD 580? its price is lower even than PA2V2, with battery and AC adaptor too..
I may get it within $40.. hehe..
kramer5150,
we have same taste in prog metal..could you give me some hint how is HD 580's performance with dream theater CDs with your personal opinion?
|
Ooooh.... If led zep and prog rock are in your blood IMHO you'd be better off with a more colored / lively headphone, with a stronger center image. Koss KSC, portapro, Grado, MS1, K240 (m or s depending on how much bass you want), A500, SA1000, D66. Something along those lines. Up the ante to an SA5k, MS2 or HF1 from there.
I think youre going about it backwards, by focusing on a very distant sounding HD580, and trying to amp that signature up within a very limited budget. Unless you have already decided that you prefer the very relaxed, almost subdued sound of the HD580. IMHO you'd be better off getting a rockin' can and amp that up.
For DT, the HD580 sounds too distant and not explosive enough. upper mids dont snap out of the recording. Mike portnoys snare tone sound flat and distant. Petruccis guitar tone is equally boring and doesn't jump out of the mix enough, like yore listening to his mesa cabs off axis and from across the room, and youre hearing room reflections more-so than thte fundamental cabinet tone. The HD580 upper mid recession tends to exagerate James Labries (already excessive) vocal sibillance. John Myung disappears through the HD580.
The HD580 does have good image separation from far righ to far left. But its at the expense of a center image. Center stage is empty.
My grados are my main prog rock cans. There are times I tire of the grado slam though, and go anti-grado with my HD580... when I want to listen to something much less in my head.
IMHO the HD580 is my fave can for Enya and new age jazz... the HD580 is opening me up to all kinds of different music that I most likely wouldn't find too interesting through my Grados.
HERES THE CATCH!! THESE impressions made with an OPA2132 in my pimeta. Its a dull, almost boring sounding OPamp IMHO, that works decent for Grados.
Dropped the AD823 back in and the HD580 springs to life. James Vocals are much more alive and foreward. Center stage that once was non-existent is now sufficiently filled in. Certainly the HD580 is a rocking can with this OP amp. Petruccis tone, previously unlistenable is now very neutral sounding and sufficiently foreward. Guitar tones still don't have that immediate Grado-slam, but still its certainly foreward enough. Drum transients are improved, but not yet to RS1 / HF1 levels.
SO.... where does that leave you?... Can / amp synnergy is a tricky thing. A simple OPamp swap can really transform a can. Conversely choose can / amp wrong and you'll be wanting more. I still think youre better off with a more aggressive can and amping that up within your budget. The HD580 really needs an aggressive OP amp and a buffered circuit to rock out.
I cant find my LD micro???? I'll PM you my HD580 / LD impressions.
Garrett