[Enverxis]

MS-Pro ?

 

[xenithon]

Funny, I have heard and read different things on the RS1, quite contrary to "they are crap"

Will only be able to tell when I listen to them and will report back.

In terms of others - as mentioned previously, availability is very limited here so there are only certain ones I can try before buying. I cannot take the chance of buying overseas and importing (which is what I would have to do) without listening beforehand

Also have read about potential issues with the W5000/other AT 'phones regarding their leather pads which form to shape of previous owners' ears and do not change afterwards. That, and the fact that I tried the W1000s and had a headache after 10 minutes which put me off them

 

[mulveling]

Everyone welcome head-fi's newest troll, umsowhat

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulveling Everyone welcome head-fi's newest troll, umsowhat

Welcome! haha

Seriously, RS-1s are great.

(and yes, I am flirting with DT990s, but that's just because of the price!

)

 

[Zorander]

Between the stock HD650 and a "SD"-HD650, it's the former for me all the way.

 

[xenithon]

Hi all and thanks for your comments. It seems the HD650 with aftermarket cable is catching up

For those that think that may be the winner, what cable would you recommend? From what I have read, the Mobius can be a bit too bright (changes the character too much); the Silver Dragon is ok but not the best, so looks like the viable options are the Cardas and the Equinox.

I will get the RS1s to test tomorrow. Will let you know how it goes. I may also, in the coming weeks, test the ATH-W5000. Anything I can expect from those?

Cheers,
X

 

[Audiofiler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VR6ofpain I don't miss the 650's. I have only heard the 580 and 600. I dislike them both. The 600 is better than the 580, but neither can compete with the reality of my K601. Sure the 600 has a little more punch, but if I wanted punch I would have stuck with Grado. I sold em, because I wanted quality. Live and breath AKG, you will be much happier.

vr6 has a point, and one I care to elaborate on..I am the polare opp of vr6 in the Senn world, and tried the 600/650 with very nice amplifcation...and still to my ears prefer the sound sig of the 580...call me nuts.

There are many that are on each side of the fence with senns dynamic offering..so try and hear both before you buy new, etc

 

[Patu]

Definitely HD650. With aftermarket cable or stock cable, doesn't matter. HD650 is a perfect complement for RS1.

 

[xenithon]

Hi there. I am leaning that way, but specifically with a cable. Just some more about what I found through various searches and reviews I read (bear in mind that I cannot test these cable living all the way in South Africa

)

- Cardas: good cable, but makes the sound leaner (takes away the punch and thickness of the bass a little too much); a bit more dull
- Zu: great cable but can be too bright and "shouty", thus changing the warmth of the HD650 too much perhaps
- Silver Dragon: good cable but not as detailed as it should be
- Equinox: the right choice as it keeps the sonic signature of the HD650 while helping clean up the few faults of the Senns (slow, thick bass; not enough air on top etc.)

Anything you guys have to add would be most appreciated!

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by umsowhat grado was a good brand..... but the RS-1s aint ****!!!!

*Slaps*

Seriously though, the RS1 can be thin and brittle out of solid state amps and bright sources. That's the way it works. If you really want to hear what it can do, a beefy tube amp is in your future. You'll get all the weight and versatility you need out of the RS1 if it's properly driven.

 

[xenithon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio Seriously though, the RS1 can be thin and brittle out of solid state amps and bright sources. That's the way it works. If you really want to hear what it can do, a beefy tube amp is in your future. You'll get all the weight and versatility you need out of the RS1 if it's properly driven.

That I can now believe....this is a good time for some RS1 initial impressions

First and foremost - I thought the whole comfort issue was blown out of proportion. But after 25 minutes of listening, it was not really a question of discomfort/pain - more along the lines of numbness on the part of my ears

And to go with that, someone in the house thought I was having an allergic reaction due to how red my ears were!

I ran it through the same setup I ran all previous cans through - foobar-->GCHA-->RS1. The most dramatic thing I noted was the presence and slam, the "in your face" attitude. I know I know...sounds cliched....but it't the truth! On numerous tracks, sounds and background instruments I had previously categorized as nuances become fundamental elemtents. Whether that is how they were meant to sounds is a different story altogether.

On some tracks this can be a good thing, but on many it means that there is almost too much information, such that you cannot layer things into forefront and background and they sound as if they are all on the same acoustic layer. This does NOT however affect detail...on the contrary, it allows you to hear very fine details and minutiae in the recordings.

Now I know what people meant when they said "Grados ROCK". I found myself flipping through numerous classic rock albums I had almost forgotten about - Bon Jovi, Queen, Def Leppard, Roxette....they sounded fantastic. And that actually summarizes it for me: great for rock...

...what I mean is that, if my primary listening material were those, these would fit the bill without a doubt. However, I am having doubts on whether I will make too much use. They did not fare too well on Jazz ("screech" comes to mind) or light operatic/vocal ("earbleed" comes to mind)....the voices were TOO "loud". On new age/chillout music it was great for its detail, but lacked the spaciousness that those recordings required...you cannot listen to Cafe Del Mar type music being front row IMO

In conclusion, I think that for those who listen primarily (read entirely) to rock....or those lucky ones that have 3, 4, 5 etc. 'phones in their collection, these are a crucial and great addition. However, I do not think I will be able to justify it seeing that they may only be called upon on the rare occassion or for 5% of the albums I have.

Who knows...these are just initial impressions...more listening needs to be done. I am also awaiting a tube amp and will see how it fares with that. But of importance also is the fact that I like to listen for 1-2 hours at a go, so comfort may be another barrier.

Cheers,
X

PS. I am going to the UK this week and upon my return (after giving my ears a well-deserved and well-required breather) I will be testing the '06 DT880 and the ATH-W5000...both of which have tremendous reputations and are threatening an entrance into my collection

PPS. I am taking this opportunity to punt my WTB advert....looking for an Equinox cable for the HD650s, so if anyone has one they may want to part with please PM me ASAP

 

[Jonathan Griffin]

Would it be heresy to suggest the HD600? If you already have the RS-1, it'll contrast even more than the HD650, and do a lovely job on all that classical and jazz. And for the perfect tonal balance (IMVHO), try the Blue Dragon cable.

Cheers,
Jonathan.

 

[fureshi]

imo, i'm not so sure that the k701 is a good compliment to the rs1. having had all three cans at the same time, the k701 was the one that was always left behind. it didn't have the weight and full sound of the other two. the rs1 and hd650 i thought were great with almost everything. they just presented music differently from one another. the k701 always took some time to adjust to. it would always begin with the feeling that they were thin and hollow. once i had adjusted to the k701, they didn't sound too bad but once i went back to either the rs1 or the hd650, i was surprised by how much fuller they sounded.

they're all great cans but just depends on what your preference for sound is. all three are very popular here so you can't go wrong. if you find that you don't like your second selection, they should be fairly easy to sell.

btw, i ended selling the k701 because i never used them. i also sold the rs1 but not because i didn't like them but to fund an alternate purchase. the hd650 is still getting significant listening time as my main office cans.

 

[xenithon]

If only I could change the poll

Seems like the RS1 may not be a keeper. Just ordered an Equinox for the HD650 - I just don't think I could part with the Senn, and the cable will hopelly help with the few small quibbles I have with it (but which I could live with either way).

I am really looking forward to the W5000 test upon my return, as well as the DT880 (but a little more so to the W5000 as having "partner potential").

X