[BoogieWoogie]

Finally I got access to the internet and I still haven't made the decision.

So you say the EF2 wouldnt do it if I decide to upgrade the cans.

Okay, then what would do ?.
having in mind that will too with the ms1.

 

[BoogieWoogie]

I had more time to test the MS1 and I came to the conclusion that what rlly bothers me is that the instrumental part / electric guitars sound is good but it lacks in the vocals where they sound so distant and lack clarity , this is where my 10€ headphones are better but of-course the spacial sound and quality aren't better.

I'm really pondering to go for the Compass, is this the right choice ?

 

[catscratch]

A few possibilities.

If you're listening to music that's dynamically overcompressed, which a lot of modern music is, then yes when you crank it on a high-rez headphone it will sound like a distorted mess. That's because "distorted mess" is exactly what it is.

Your source could be not up to par, as others have said, though somehow I doubt it.

Your files could be really poorly encoded, and a more revealing headphone will sound worse than a cheap one since it shows you that something's wrong.

It could simply be broken. A working MS-1 should not be getting bested by random $20 cans.

Or, you could simply be hearing the inherent distortion present in all dynamic drivers. If you're listening to really fast and dense stuff, like death metal or very complex electronica, then most dynamics simply can't keep up. Here you will need electrostats, or orthodynamics at the very least. I also think that with most dynamics stuff like Nile turns into a distorted mess. But before you commit to a 'stat system (which doesn't have to be very expensive, check out the Stax SR-001, SR-005a, and 2050 systems, or a Koss ESP950), you should rule out all of the possibilities above.

 

[BoogieWoogie]

The Music source isn't one of the possibility's, I only buy my music from a very quality demanded private community derivative from OinK and even some albums I have in FLAC.

About they being broken I can't tell since its the first I own and I don't know any one who has it to compare, all I know Is that I find me raising the volume to uncomfortable lvl to get a decent vocal.

Concerning to the music type, I listen to stuff like Led zeppelin, phish, Bob Dylan, White Stripes, radiohead.

And I can clearly say that Hipop and Trance/Electronic sounds are what sound really good and I dont like this kind of style..

For example right know I'm listening one of my favorites bands RadioHead - Ok Computer and the sound is so distant and blurry I don't feel that Music Immersion I would like to.

 

[BoogieWoogie]

The compass has been discontinued :\

what are the suggestions for 300$ that will work too on future update for a can like the Sennhesier HD65 ?.

 

[Drubbing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoogieWoogie /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had more time to test the MS1 and I came to the conclusion that what rlly bothers me is that the instrumental part / electric guitars sound is good but it lacks in the vocals where they sound so distant and lack clarity , this is where my 10€ headphones are better but of-course the spacial sound and quality aren't better. I'm really pondering to go for the Compass, is this the right choice ?

I've never found this with the MS1. They're a very good, clear headphone across the sound spectrum, but they can only give you what they're fed.

Your 10euro phones may only be able to resolve vocals reasonably well, and little else - chances are they're masking the quality of the source and recording quality. Good phones won't.

As per previous suggestion: Get a DAC if you want to clean up the sound. Amping a poor source is only going to make nay issues more apparent.

 

[BoogieWoogie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drubbing /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've never found this with the MS1. They're a very good, clear headphone across the sound spectrum, but they can only give you what they're fed. Your 10euro phones may only be able to resolve vocals reasonably well, and little else - chances are they're masking the quality of the source and recording quality. Good phones won't. As per previous suggestion: Get a DAC if you want to clean up the sound. Amping a poor source is only going to make nay issues more apparent.

Yes I already decided to get a DAC but I dont see DAC suggestions and I would appreciate them.

 

[aimlink]

How about the HeadRoom MicroDac?

Or you go with one of the many Dac/Amp combo's out there, like the Fubar III, Total Bithead or some other offering.

 

[BoogieWoogie]

I'm going for the NuForce Icon Mobile headphone amplifier and USB DAC 99$.

If the problem is the DAC this should be enough right ?

 

[tomb]

Sorry to say, but most Grado/Allessandros are current monsters. Generally speaking, that's easier to provide by most portable and battery-driven sources, but that often doesn't include sound cards. That makes them adequate and quite nice sounding out of many sources without additional amplification, but not yours, apparently. Just MHO, but I'm actually quite surprised at some of the comments about needing a DAC. Your symptoms point exactly to lack of amplification:
Quote:

... the sound is awful when there's allot of instruments and "fast" music specially with rock, I raise the volume to fix this but instead It gets to loud and distorted, the voice dissipates and everything around gets messy

Again just MHO, but as a solid devotee to FLAC, I also don't understand some of those comments. MP3 will actually be easier to play - lacking some of the extended frequencies and detail. So if adequate amplification is there, the MP3 has a greater chance of sounding "OK" than a FLAC file which may tax the system even more than a compressed/chopped/frequency-deficient MP3 file.

Get an amp, preferrably one that provides good current (two-stage with a buffer, discrete or otherwise). As some of the others have said - going to a K701 is about the worst thing you can do at this point. Again, just MHO.

 

[Bilavideo]

I have an HP Pavillion, which handles my computing needs but whose sound card can't hold a candle to any decent amp. As my iTunes library is on the HP, I've listened to music on it. For some music, it works fine. For others, it cuts out. It can't handle iTunes' crappy EQ, especially if there's any preamping or low-low bass involved.

Don't blame the headphones. Blame the crappy sound card.

As for amps and Grados (or in this case, Alessandros), you don't need an amp to drive Grados, which have very low impedence (32 ohms) but the open-air design of the Grado/Alessandro architecture lets bass leak out. Grado isn't the only maker of open-air cans that has such an issue. Just look at AKG. In the loudspeaker world, the cabinet-free Magnepans have a similar transparency but no bass to speak of. Maggie owners simply have to buy a subwoofer to go with their Maggies. Likewise, Grados do sound better with a good amp. With a decent amp you can get back the bass the open-air design kisses off, and you can keep your transparent sound, for the best of both worlds.

It's not about "fancy" amps, just adequate ones. A Grado without an amp is only half a Grado.

 

[BoogieWoogie]

Its a Recent Laptop Toshiba Satellite A500 to be more precise, but I already decided to buy a dac/amp to put a end on my suspicouses of a defected ms1.


iBasso D2+ Boa (Silver) - 169$
Hifiman Ef2 - 199$
HeadRoom Total BitHead - 159$
NuForce Icon Mobile headphone amplifier and USB DAC 99$.

Which one would be the best buy ?

 

[Drubbing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoogieWoogie /img/forum/go_quote.gif Its a Recent Laptop Toshiba Satellite A500 to be more precise, but I already decided to buy a dac/amp to put a end on my suspicouses of a defected ms1. iBasso D2+ Boa (Silver) - 169$ Hifiman Ef2 - 199$ HeadRoom Total BitHead - 159$ NuForce Icon Mobile headphone amplifier and USB DAC 99$. Which one would be the best buy ?

In my limited experience of cheap DACs, I'd wouldn't bother with the nuforce. My local seller thinks the EF2 is reasonable value, if a little bright. But that's an opinion, like anything else. You may get a more value out of the pure solid state amps at that level.

 

[SgtPepper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickchen /img/forum/go_quote.gif I doubt that a new source will help, as you experienced it to sound insufficiently out of the MP3 player. IMO you get more than 95% of what is possible out of those player thingies, the Gradessandros only profit only to a very minor extend from big balls amplification or other show-off electronic devices. What I don't understand is that you bemoan inclarity - the MS1 is a damned fast proband. There aren't many other products available that beat it significantly in the speed section (maybe the SA5000, the Ad2K and some estats). But talking of soundscape, I have the suspicion that it's the direct bang onto your eardrums that causes your dislike and feeling of lacking clarity, as things are displayed in a too small space. I suggest getting yourself a K701 or doing the MS1000 mod.

I agree with everything here. If you don't like the sound signature of the MS1 straight from an mp3 player, amping or updating the source is not going to radically change your opinion. If we were talking about an HD600 or K701, that might be a different story. There is a possibility that your headphones may be faulty, but you may just not be a Grado person, and that is perfectly fine.

 

[BoogieWoogie]

I guess you are right guys for what I have seen here the ms1 sounds good right from the mp3 and who bought a dac/amp dint notice big differences.

So I'm going to return it and buy a new one, don't know which though.