[jordannn15]

So any luck trying another USB cable or hooking up the NFB-11 to a different USB input?

I will have to find or buy another usb cable but no luck trying other usb ports.

I recently owned the HD 650. It sounded pretty dark to me. The bass didn't have punch/impact as is more common in closed headphones, but it did sound more bassy than clear -- like, there was just more of a bass presence type of feel to it, even if the bass itself wasn't emphasized that much.

What do you think about the LCD-2's bass? Some versions of it have perfectly neutral bass, by the way! And all of them have nearly perfectly neutral bass. Not boosted at all.

The LCD-2's bass, I think, has great texture and extends low but still does not have just enough impact and presence.

 

[Music Alchemist]

The LCD-2's bass, I think, has great texture and extends low but still does not have just enough impact and presence.

 
Hmm. Which headphones have you heard that did have enough impact and presence?

 

[jordannn15]

Hmm. Which headphones have you heard that did have enough impact and presence?

I thought that the fidelio X1 had good weight and impact but it was somewhat loose. The fidelio X2 had even better bass and more weight but maybe too much so for that headphone almost made the mids sound more distant than they should have been. The Shure SRH1540 had great impact and bass (best bass I have heard) but it was also a bit too present making the mids more distant. So I would say somewhere in between the 1540 and the X2 for impact, 1540 for texture, and X2 for sub bass extension.

 

[Music Alchemist]

I thought that the fidelio X1 had good weight and impact but it was somewhat loose. The fidelio X2 had even better bass and more weight but maybe too much so for that headphone almost made the mids sound more distant than they should have been. The Shure SRH1540 had great impact and bass (best bass I have heard) but it was also a bit too present making the mids more distant. So I would say somewhere in between the 1540 and the X2 for impact, 1540 for texture, and X2 for sub bass extension.

 
And it needs to be an open headphone? These are some very specific requirements, hehe.

 

[jordannn15]

And it needs to be an open headphone? These are some very specific requirements, hehe.

It doesn't need to be, honestly I'm just looking for the best setup with some criteria (some hard to get I realize) for $1000 or so. That price is for headphones, amp, and dac.

 

[Music Alchemist]

It doesn't need to be, honestly I'm just looking for the best setup with some criteria (some hard to get I realize) for $1000 or so. That price is for headphones, amp, and dac.

 
The best setup I can imagine in that price range would be a used HIFIMAN HE-6, a decent but cheap speaker amp, and an optional DAC.

 

[jordannn15]

The best setup I can imagine in that price range would be a used HIFIMAN HE-6, a decent but cheap speaker amp, and an optional DAC.

And you think this should fit my criteria and music tastes well?

 

[Music Alchemist]

And you think this should fit my criteria and music tastes well?

 
Since I've heard more impressive things about it than almost any other headphone, it might. Look up reviews and/or talk to owners if in doubt. But you would have to find a good used price. It retails for $1,300.

 

[jordannn15]

Since I've heard more impressive things about it than almost any other headphone, it might. Look up reviews and/or talk to owners if in doubt. But you would have to find a good used price. It retails for $1,300.

Okay is there another setup somewhat cheaper new or easier to find at a good price used than that setup? I will look around for the he-6 in the meantime.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Okay is there another setup somewhat cheaper new or easier to find at a good price used than that setup? I will look around for the he-6 in the meantime.

 
I dunno, I mean, I haven't heard all these headphones myself.
 
I think the Focal Spirit Professional (my current favorite headphone) has really good impact and physicality, as well as many other of the usual check marks for sound quality. It has slightly boosted bass as well, despite being very close to neutral. It retails for $349 and doesn't even need an amp, but it's a closed headphone and has some potential comfort and build quality issues. I bought my second pair just yesterday. Really missed it when buying more expensive headphones that I didn't like as much. lol

 

[cel4145]

I will have to find or buy another usb cable but no luck trying other usb ports.

Don't give up yet. Could easily be something wacky going on with your computer. And if you try a different cable, and it doesn't work, I would post to the NFB-11 impressions thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/624517/audio-gd-nfb-11-32-nfb-11-2014-delivery-impression-thread. Tell them everything you have tried, and your OS version. Most likely someone would know how to help you solve it. Soundcards/external DACs can sometimes be tricky to install at first.

Also, does your motherboard have an optical output from your Realtek? That's another solution. Just grab an Amazon Basics optical cable (not expensive).

 

[jordannn15]

Don't give up yet. Could easily be something wacky going on with your computer. And if you try a different cable, and it doesn't work, I would post to the NFB-11 impressions thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/624517/audio-gd-nfb-11-32-nfb-11-2014-delivery-impression-thread. Tell them everything you have tried, and your OS version. Most likely someone would know how to help you solve it. Soundcards/external DACs can sometimes be tricky to install at first.

Also, does your motherboard have an optical output from your Realtek? That's another solution. Just grab an Amazon Basics optical cable (not expensive).

If I get an amazon basics optical cable, do I need the drivers? Will it be plug and play?

I dunno, I mean, I haven't heard all these headphones myself.

I think the Focal Spirit Professional (my current favorite headphone) has really good impact and physicality, as well as many other of the usual check marks for sound quality. It has slightly boosted bass as well, despite being very close to neutral. It retails for $349 and doesn't even need an amp, but it's a closed headphone and has some potential comfort and build quality issues. I bought my second pair just yesterday. Really missed it when buying more expensive headphones that I didn't like as much. lol

I've thought about that one but the ear pads won't fit my ears all the way inside I don't think.

 

[Music Alchemist]

I've thought about that one but the ear pads won't fit my ears all the way inside I don't think.

 
Measure your ears for me. I can tell you whether they will.

 

[cel4145]

If I get an amazon basics optical cable, do I need the drivers? Will it be plug and play?

No additional drivers. You do probably have to set your Realtek to output audio to spdif (it probably won't automatically do that). What happens is that the Realtek software/drivers are still used (it has to be installed correctly), but the audio is routed through optical instead of going to the Realtek dac/headphone amp.

 

[jordannn15]

Measure your ears for me. I can tell you whether they will.

Will do later lol. Thanks.

No additional drivers. You do probably have to set your Realtek to output audio to spdif (it probably won't automatically do that). What happens is that the Realtek software/drivers are still used (it has to be installed correctly), but the audio is routed through optical instead of going to the Realtek dac/headphone amp.

Okay I will probably do this then, thanks for the advice before I shipped it back.

Anybody know if this amp would be any good if I switched to an HD800?