[creyc]

I admit I've been playing around a bit lately and experimenting with expensive audio equipment.

Today I really stumbled on something awesome though!

I have UM2's and Sony MDR-7506s. I like certain aspects of both, but I love them together!

Thats right, together.

It started when I wanted to watch a movie on my laptop. Problem is it's really noisy inside right now, meaning not even closed comfy Sony cans will cut it. UM2's it is, for a movie. Yea I wasn't too keen on that idea. I popped in the UM2s and decided hey, these fit pretty flat I wonder how the Sony's would feel ON TOP of these?

Well, I can't even feel them! That must be why its so easy to sleep with these UM2s.

Now for the magic. I'm using an Echo Indigo DJ card in my laptop, this thing has two outputs. One a line and the other a headphone port. I just figured out how I can control the volume on the line port and get better highs and mids by using the ECHO software app. So the UM2s are in the line out. The Sonys get the adjustable headphone port, which have a lot more power than the line out, which I crank up all the way. Because both cans are playing the same signal and the UM2's isolate just about everything high or mid, the only thing I get is crazy amounts of bass from the Sonys! I can literally feel these things vibrating on my ears, and I can only imagine how LOUD they must be. The UM2's attenuate this to perfectly comfortable levels however and supply the wonderful highs and mids.

This is the headphone equivalent of a subwoofer, I'm positive. Gobs and gobs of bass (lol @ the 'lil DT770 by comparison!) and crystal clear sound from the UM2s. Because of the attenuation of everything but real solid BASS, almost all of the boominess is gone. I can toggle the external sonys on and off using the Echo application and there's a HUGE amount of bass addition. It's just nuts. And perfect for my movie I was about to watch anyways!

 

[dave al'orange]

Hahahaha YES

That's what this hobby is all about, for me.
Senseless inventiveness, hedonic madness.

O-M-G teh BASS!!

tee-hee
love it

 

[nsjong]

Interesting find. Hope you don't blow out the drivers...

 

[kramer5150]

I tried that with my e2c and DT770 (2 of th ebassier phones I have owned). the shures isolated too much for it to really be worth the effort, although there was even more bass

 

[RockinOut]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Simply exquisite.

 

[creyc]

lol, have I hit the head-fi "bass-groove"?

As for blowing them out, on a Indigo soundcard?? hehe, these are MDR-7506's we're talking about. According to Sony they will take 1-watt, which is frankly, nuts. There is also no distortion to speak of, I've heard many drivers pushed beyond their limits in my experience and these sound far from it.

We shall see I suppose, they are cheap-ish though.

And easily serviceable.

 

[flamerz]

Wow. Pretty cool, except my circumaural cans are a bit smaller than I'd like for this, and the drivers sit close to your ears, so they kind of smash my UM1's into my head. Once I get my DT770's, if I ever do, I'm sure this will be much better.

 

[creyc]

you know...you could always toss an amp on the external cans for even more

Ah..this is bass is getting a bit ridiculous though.

 

[hembergler]

I wonder what the super.fi EB's + DT770's would be like...

 

[HeavyBassMan]

^ I have both the EBs and DT770s.. problem is I don't have a soundcard to use both at the same time. hmmmm... but I could try the iHP-140, it has line out and headphone out...probably not a good idea for the hearing though.


edit: I just hooked up the iRiver with the above combo. I also included a PA2V2 to control the volume of the EBs. Interesting experience, but, I won't be repeating it again. I couldn't really tell if I was getting much from the DT770s? since the EBs isolated so well.

 

[creyc]

No, EB's plus 770's doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

The EB's stick out really far and wouldn't fit well with any can on top of them. The 770's would likely be good. They key is the IEM used, you want something well balanced, or at least great in the highs and mids. And Ety would likely be perfect.

I see U.E. makes a hybrid IEM thats somewhat "open". I bet that would be great for this purpose, anyone have one that would be willing to try it?

(once again I find myself really enjoying the extra isolation in such a loud environment. only problem is the awkward looks you get when people try talking to you only to find you have to spend 5 minutes taking your audio gear off!

)

 

[creyc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeavyBassMan edit: I just hooked up the iRiver with the above combo. I also included a PA2V2 to control the volume of the EBs. Interesting experience, but, I won't be repeating it again. I couldn't really tell if I was getting much from the DT770s? since the EBs isolated so well.

Yea I'm using the Echo software to manage the pcmcia soundcard. I can easily toggle both cans either on or off, and change volume of each. I'm also using the relatively mild isolating Shure ultra soft silicone tips. Comply longs would likely block everything.

By the way, put the amp on the 770s. The idea is to drive the external headphones louder than normal and rely on the protective isolation of the IEM's to keep the volume in check.