[indihka]

I dig the analogy. I appreciate the reference of the cardas to the mercedes. You can "drive" those cans around for hours and continuously marvel at the smoothness of the ride,and the presence of the detail without it being "in your face",it's just there. It could be that I'm just infatuated with something new except for the fact I have the option of going back and listening to those other " favorites" again,but return to the cardas eventually.The enjoyment I seem to be getting from the cardas points more to the emotional content of whatever piece of music I happen to be listening to at the time, and it does a really nice job in that regard. Some of the other cables may be more detailed to my ears, more analytical, but the cardas seems to flesh out more of the music overall (harmonics?)with an ease and a flow that I find truely addicting.

 

[Hirsch]

I was listening to the ZOTL using the HD-600/Cardas combo, which I've been using pretty much exclusively for the past week. On one recording, admittedly less than audiophile, I noticed what seemed to be excessive smoothness, possibly due to restraint of dynamic range. I switched back to the Clou, and dynamics were better, but it was very clear that artifact was involved. The integrity of the sound was slightly off...rather than a natural extension at the increased frequencies, it sounded forced. No better way to explain it. The differences between the Cardas and the Clou are much more noticeable after a week of nothing but Cardas.

(I wound up plugging in the HP-1, and all of these issues went away

)

 

[shivohum]

So Hirsch, what do you think of your HP-1 in comparison to the HD600/Cardas on the ZOTL?

 

[Neruda]

Quote:

Originally posted by shivohum It depends on how the mids were evened out: The "<"s indicate frequency ranges that were altered, and they were the same ones that you flattened in your graph. The treble may still roll off a bit, but there goes the mid-bass exaggeration. Overall that's now a very accurate flat phone, really.

I guess I just wonder about where "flat" is on that graph. I also wonder about how much difference a cable might be making to the frequency response; if it were only messing with the mids, I don't think it could boost them by 3db or more to make the bass sound tighter.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by shivohum So Hirsch, what do you think of your HP-1 in comparison to the HD600/Cardas on the ZOTL?

The tough part of answering this is staying on topic for this forum...

They're both very good headphones. The HD-600 is smooth, and has a very delicate sense of detail. This could in part be to restricted dynamic range...what we have been calling "laid back" in regard to the HD-600. The Cardas allows more detailing within the dynamic restrictions of the HD-600...but I can still hear them as restrictions. The HP-1, directly after the HD-600, just sounded right...unfettered and neutral. It should...the HP-1 cost almost as much as a pair of HD-600/Cardas combos. There are going to be other times when I may feel the HP-1 is being unsubtle and overly aggressive. At that point, going back to the HD-600 will also be an improvement. Both are great headphones. The Cardas actually accentuates the differences between the presentations of the HD-600 and the HP-1, IMO

 

[shivohum]

Thanks Hirsch... and which pads are you using with your HP-1?

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by shivohum Thanks Hirsch... and which pads are you using with your HP-1?

Bowl pads are all I've got.

 

[Gord SW Ont]

Whoops ... posted this in the wrong thread (blush) ...

Well ... I got my Cardas headphone cable ... a day after ordering it which is unheard of up here where I live.

Unfortunately that's almost what I got ... "unheard" (grin). Actually what happened was that I got a RS 1/4 to 1/8 inch adapter which I found won't fit my Corda properly (jack is inset somewhat) so I couldn't listen to the cable from my headphone amp.

It sounds very good from my CD player HP jack so I knew the cable was okay. I spent the rest of the evening running all over town trying to get an adapter that'd fit with no luck 8^P.

The ideal solution would be the Grado adapter with a six inch cable on it but I haven't been able to find a supplier around here and on top of the item cost Headroom usually charges $30 US for shipping products up here and we often get caught with a custom broker fee on top of that.

Hopefully I'll find some way to listen to this cable from my Corda in the near future.

Gord.

 

[Gord SW Ont]

Well ... I finally got the Grado adapter and listened to my HD600's with the Cardas cable and all I can say is ... WOW!!!

I'll leave the descriptions/comparisons up to those who are more eloquent and have more/better equipment but to me it gave all the CD's I listened to (classical, jazz, modern popular, etc) a lot more realism and everything seemed to be improved and sounded wonderful!

When music gives you goose bumps you know something is right and that's what happened to me - and I gotta tell you ... I'm definitely not a goose bump type of guy .

Anyways thanks to the folks on the forum for their usual great advice.

Gord.