[bwr827]

I have owned K702 and DT990. Subbass on X2 is greater than K/Q701 but less impressive than DT990's elevated bass which I find excellent for electronic music but too much with other genres. 

Thanks for the contrast between the X2 and dt990! How do they compare in soundstage? I'm looking for movie performance, and I've got the dt990 now. Had the hd600, but its soundstage was too small.

 

[MrPanda]

I listened to a lot of complex choral music yesterday -- C.P.E. Bach's Magnificat (Alte Musik Berlin and Hans-Christoph Rademann), Mozart's requiem (Suzuki), and Handel's "Messiah" Dunedin and John Butt -- those were all recordings that I found problmenatic on the X1.  A choir is a really complex amalgam of sound at all kinds of simultaneous frequencies.  The X1 was muddy and unpleasant, the X2 is clear as a bell.  I haven't tried anything to listen for bass specifically yet, but I hope to get to it today   The lower registers of piano sound great, listening to Jeremy Denk's Beethoven Opus 111 now. 
 Soundstage is very much improved over X1 I have to say also.

 

[MrPanda]

   
You mean sound like?..

It would be interesting to hear a comparison to planar magnetics.   I'll go for a 'bass run' later this morning.   I also decided to try Tidal's service this week so if anyone has any favorite bass tracks for testing they might be within easy reach on that service.

 

[obsidyen]

This sounds great with X2s... Vocals are crystal clear.

 
 

 

[ptaaty]

I just love the X2s.  I have spent hours and hours this weekend just listening....I can't remember enjoying music this much in ages.  I can hardly pull myself away....I grabbed stacks and stacks of old CDs and ripped them to FLACs (55GB at compression 8 so far).
 
With an extremely eclectic taste....for example, Mark Knopfler, Skrillex, David Elias, NIN, The National, SOAD...can be played in one session...I am so happy to find cans that just work with all.  Great recordings, poor ones, all sound near the best I have heard them.  Still too gushy to write any review .  

 

[ptaaty]

 
It would be interesting to hear a comparison to planar magnetics.   I'll go for a 'bass run' later this morning.   I also decided to try Tidal's service this week so if anyone has any favorite bass tracks for testing they might be within easy reach on that service.

I will do one of these soon - it will be against the HE-400 (same price class), nothing on the high end.  Anything specific?  
 
I am interested to contrast:
1. Something with heavy bass and overcooked treble (thinking Skrillex Summit as a good track)
2. Vocals (Mark Knopfler maybe Shagri-La and Dave Matthews).  
3. Detail resolution - undecided...maybe REM man on the moon.

 

[MrPanda]

  I will do one of these soon - it will be against the HE-400 (same price class), nothing on the high end.  Anything specific?  
 
I am interested to contrast:
1. Something with heavy bass and overcooked treble (thinking Skrillex Summit as a good track)
2. Vocals (Mark Knopfler maybe Shagri-La and Dave Matthews).  
3. Detail resolution - undecided...maybe REM man on the moon.

The problem I was trying to get away from on the X1's and on the AKG K712's I have was stridency on high midrange, particularly evident in choirs and things like that, also sopranos.  But I love organ music also which really goes LOW...    On the X1, there was a kind of "breakup" going on in the treble that is much improved on x2.   My X2's aren't really broken in yet, but I'm curious about treble 'breakup" and the bass below 60 hz.  I'm kind of impressed already with X2 even though I've only broken them in a few hours.  They roll off, but smoothly.  Also they're comfortable.
The biggest thing I've noticed between the X1's and X2's so far is that the X2 is less fatiguing.  That stridency (or maybe hyper accuracy in the case of the K712's) made me take them off much sooner, and I don't its just curiosity about the X2 that is keeping my listening.  It's early on Sunday, I could have my speakers on!

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I thought he meant look like...:wink_face:

Leaks like* a planarmagnetic. Damn autocorrect.

The X2 doesn't sound like a planar. It's just as open as any I've heard. The sound travels throughout the entire house, which means I have to lower it at night.

 

[ThurstonX]

Leaks like* a planarmagnetic. Damn autocorrect.

The X2 doesn't sound like a planar. It's just as open as any I've heard. The sound travels throughout the entire house, which means I have to lower it at night.

 
+1 on that.  I'm using the X2s to burn in some tubes on my Lyr (gotta have a load, and might as well put some hours on the cans), and last night my wife and I heard the X2s from upstairs behind a closed door.  The Lyr's volume knob was only slightly above 9 o'clock.  Must've been a loud track, as that's fairly unusual.  They do leak a lot, but my HiFiMAN cans are even more like mini desktop speakers 

 

[liraop]

Have anyone tried these with the Vali Amp ? I'm curious to know if they can fit well. 

 

[Uberclocked]

  Have anyone tried these with the Vali Amp ? I'm curious to know if they can fit well. 

 

No. But if the Magni 2 sounds anything like the Magni one, I wouldn't choose it for the X2, seeing as Schiit tends to like dry, fast sounding devices. The Modi and Magni were both a bit lean and quick for my taste, which I don't think suits the X2, personally. Asgard 2 wouldn't either (IMHO). The Vali, despite the higher noise floor, suits the X2 incredibly well. It'll be hard to return the loan. Love that sound.

I did hear the Magni 2 was a bit more musical and less analytical than the original which I didn't love, so that could make it fine for the X2.

The X2 responds to warmer amps. The X2 is quite literally neutral in tone, and I've noticed the treble sounding sparkly on my E17, and fluid/smoother on the Vali. If you want a smooth X2, the Vali makes it sound sooooo sweet.

Plugged the X2 to the Vali I have on loan, and it sounds damn good, impedance mismatch be damned.

Nothing fatiguing about the X2. You guys make it sound like its a Beyerdynamic. It is not. It is still leaning towards warmth in the bass (NOTHING passes the bass on the X2, but merely meets it).

Oh, the X2 with the Vali is quite tubey and pleasantly toned. Nothing, nothing fatiguing there.

I would just wait for the inevitable Vali 2 (and Vali 2 Uber???), which will probably be an improvement over the original.  Hopefully they release it soon, as they've already updated the Modi/Magni lines.

 

[Uberclocked]

  I listened to a lot of complex choral music yesterday -- C.P.E. Bach's Magnificat (Alte Musik Berlin and Hans-Christoph Rademann), Mozart's requiem (Suzuki), and Handel's "Messiah" Dunedin and John Butt -- those were all recordings that I found problmenatic on the X1.  A choir is a really complex amalgam of sound at all kinds of simultaneous frequencies.  The X1 was muddy and unpleasant, the X2 is clear as a bell.  I haven't tried anything to listen for bass specifically yet, but I hope to get to it today   The lower registers of piano sound great, listening to Jeremy Denk's Beethoven Opus 111 now. 
 Soundstage is very much improved over X1 I have to say also.

?  
I gotta check out the X2s then, the X1 doesn't really sound muddy to me.
You gotta slap a pair of B34t5 Pr05 on that panda though.

 

[obsidyen]

I auditioned Beats Solo 2 the other day in Apple Store. As Tyll said, they improved the SQ compared to Solo but it still sounded like someone farting mid-bass into my ears instead of music. Beats just suck. I cleansed my ears by listening to some music with B&O H6 for a bit and left.

 

[ThurstonX]

 
 
I would just wait for the inevitable Vali 2 (and Vali 2 Uber???), which will probably be an improvement over the original.  Hopefully they release it soon, as they've already updated the Modi/Magni lines.
 

 
You could check the Schiit Owners Unite thread, but IIRC Jason said there won't be a Vali 2.  Can't blame him.

 

[ThurstonX]

Just did a brief comparison between the stock pads and two versions of my HM5 velours mod (one with just the thin red foam mounting ring, and one with an extra ring of thick, stiffer foam under the red, up against the cups).  The stock pads have stiffer foam, a smaller opening and less depth.  The HM5 pads with the extra foam rings were too tight, as one would expect.  I ended up back where I started, and still happy.  Then I listened to some tunes 

 
No doubt the HM5 pads jack up the bass, and it can get a tad boomy depending on the mix, though I find that to be infrequent.  It doesn't take away from the mids, as far as I can tell.  The stock pads have less, but better controlled bass.  They also have a tendency to get a little glaring or harsh in the mids/upper-mids.  The HM5 pads tame that perfectly for me, and the extra bass is something I can live with, while the harshness is not.  So it's a compromise.  I'm sending 535 pairs to Capitol Hill.  I think they could learn something from my mod 

  If I want more controlled bass, not to mention other things, I'll grab one of my other cans.
 
I got these to be fun cans for when I'm not totally focused on the music.  For that I have the HE-560s.  I tried the HD 650s, but found them uncomfortable (must have a weird head or ears) and less lively than I wanted.  With the HM5 pads, the X2s have ended my search for go-to, easy-on-the-ears-and-brain dynamic cans.
 
I can see why people who are not bothered by the energy in the mids imparted by the stock pads would be put off by the added bass of the HM5 pads.  If you're after softer foam and a curbing of a perceived glare, or just want to try something different for $20, can't recommend these enough.