RichieLitt
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I got the upgraded raytheons
REVIEW: Head-direct.com HiFiMan EF2 tube Hybrid Amp with USB DAC
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Quote:
Interesting. This is one argument for not selling anything ever, because now I can't try my long gone HFI-780 with my EF2.
| Originally Posted by RichieLitt /img/forum/go_quote.gif I got the upgraded raytheons |
Interesting. This is one argument for not selling anything ever, because now I can't try my long gone HFI-780 with my EF2.
Crazy*Carl
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colored sound? please explain what that means...
| Originally Posted by BryanP /img/forum/go_quote.gif Equipment synergy. The colored sound from the tubes probably doesn't yield to your likings. |
colored sound? please explain what that means...
BryanP
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The tubes can make the sound warmer or brighter (and this is inherent by design). Mullard M8100 tubes for example (yay, I got mine finally) sound relatively warm compared to the stock tubes that come with the EF2.
You can tell this almost immediately when you listen to the high frequencies. The stock tubes just pierced my ears much more than I liked (they're not bad, others may like this for certain type of music).
It's very apparent with my more neutral headphones such as the SRH440 or even the KSC75s.
When I used the Hytron tubes (and more recently, Mullard tubes), the overall sound was changed. It's more warmer, with the highs not so piercing as with the other tubes. The bass is punchier as well, the punchiest out of all the tubes I own.
| Originally Posted by Crazy*Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif colored sound? please explain what that means...
|
The tubes can make the sound warmer or brighter (and this is inherent by design). Mullard M8100 tubes for example (yay, I got mine finally) sound relatively warm compared to the stock tubes that come with the EF2.
You can tell this almost immediately when you listen to the high frequencies. The stock tubes just pierced my ears much more than I liked (they're not bad, others may like this for certain type of music).
It's very apparent with my more neutral headphones such as the SRH440 or even the KSC75s.
When I used the Hytron tubes (and more recently, Mullard tubes), the overall sound was changed. It's more warmer, with the highs not so piercing as with the other tubes. The bass is punchier as well, the punchiest out of all the tubes I own.
Crazy*Carl
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ok, what is "warm" sound. I wish we could use normal terms here, not the silly "audiophile" ones, like warm or colored sound...
Last time I check warm and colored in the dictionary it didn't mention anything about sound
Last time I check warm and colored in the dictionary it didn't mention anything about sound
Henmyr
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Quote:
There is a very good glossary for these words. It's not perfect as every person has his/hers own interpretation.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/des...0/#post2673350
| Originally Posted by Crazy*Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif ok, what is "warm" sound. I wish we could use normal terms here, not the silly "audiophile" ones, like warm or colored sound... Last time I check warm and colored in the dictionary it didn't mention anything about sound |
There is a very good glossary for these words. It's not perfect as every person has his/hers own interpretation.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/des...0/#post2673350
BryanP
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A lot people actually use those terms to describe sound...
It's confusing at first, but hey, that's the way some people talk here so might as well absorb the language right? (I'm pretty sure everyone here had to at one point lol
).
In the most general manner, I like to think of cold as being "thin." This is very subjective because it requires a certain reference point ("cold in comparison to what?"). I like to think about it this way:
It's just like being in front of a sound source producing both treble, mids, and bass. If you're directly right in front of it, you may be more sensitive to hearing the higher frequency noises if you're not obstructed by anything (like a wall). They may sound very defined, to the point where it might even drown the balance with the bass frequencies. If an instrument requires bass frequencies (in combination with the other freqs) to produce a certain tone, the other freqs might dominate the sound of the bass because of your location in respect to the source. This gives an impression as if the bass is "weaker." Because of this, the instrument's sound might not be "full bodied." Take in note that the sound is full bodied in nature (that's how the instrument works by design), the point is that it's your distance to the source that is altering the perception of it's true sound.
Now if you step back more, what happens? It may sound more and more balanced. The farther you step away, there may be a point where the bass overpowers. This can occur due to many factors, but one good factor is that bass has the ability to travel longer distances due to it's wave. Air/objects dampens high frequency noises much more than low frequencies. Therefore, the farther you step away from a source, the more the bass "sounds like" it's taking over. If you step away too far, it will sound like the bass has completely taken over, only hearing bass "thumps" (you can even hear this maybe in cars with loud sub systems or outside of a club, where the mid-highs are completely obstructed only giving way to bass thumping). This is considered "warmer" sound in comparison to the other sounds.
That is why with "warm sound" headphones, the bass may sound may seem "spilled" over other frequency ranges, where in "cold sounding" headphones, users usually talk about a "thin" or "analytical sound." If you think about why cold headphones may be relatively "analytical," it's mainly because you can hear miniscule high frequency/mid details more since the bass isn't clouding the sound. This is like revving a car engine. From within the car it may sound loud and bassy, but if you open the car hood and rev the car from in front of the engine (inducing throttle from the engine bay), the "bass sound" generally gets lighter because now your'e right in front of the engine and you're hearing how it "really" sounds... not clouded by the bass added by being inside the car.
As you can tell though, these are all subject to a certain /reference point/. That reference point is basically the taste of the listener! That ratio of cold:warm where the user is happy with the sound differs between everyone. That is why cold and warm has to be in respect to something else. In this case, it's safe to say the Mullards are "warmer" than the stock tubes. To me the brightness has been rolled off in favor for a more bodied mid and bass. I personally like it that way, but others may feel that it is too "warm" for them, where they may look for tubes that put more emphasis on the higher frequencies.
| Originally Posted by Crazy*Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif ok, what is "warm" sound. I wish we could use normal terms here, not the silly "audiophile" ones, like warm or colored sound... Last time I check warm and colored in the dictionary it didn't mention anything about sound |
A lot people actually use those terms to describe sound...
It's confusing at first, but hey, that's the way some people talk here so might as well absorb the language right? (I'm pretty sure everyone here had to at one point lol
In the most general manner, I like to think of cold as being "thin." This is very subjective because it requires a certain reference point ("cold in comparison to what?"). I like to think about it this way:
It's just like being in front of a sound source producing both treble, mids, and bass. If you're directly right in front of it, you may be more sensitive to hearing the higher frequency noises if you're not obstructed by anything (like a wall). They may sound very defined, to the point where it might even drown the balance with the bass frequencies. If an instrument requires bass frequencies (in combination with the other freqs) to produce a certain tone, the other freqs might dominate the sound of the bass because of your location in respect to the source. This gives an impression as if the bass is "weaker." Because of this, the instrument's sound might not be "full bodied." Take in note that the sound is full bodied in nature (that's how the instrument works by design), the point is that it's your distance to the source that is altering the perception of it's true sound.
Now if you step back more, what happens? It may sound more and more balanced. The farther you step away, there may be a point where the bass overpowers. This can occur due to many factors, but one good factor is that bass has the ability to travel longer distances due to it's wave. Air/objects dampens high frequency noises much more than low frequencies. Therefore, the farther you step away from a source, the more the bass "sounds like" it's taking over. If you step away too far, it will sound like the bass has completely taken over, only hearing bass "thumps" (you can even hear this maybe in cars with loud sub systems or outside of a club, where the mid-highs are completely obstructed only giving way to bass thumping). This is considered "warmer" sound in comparison to the other sounds.
That is why with "warm sound" headphones, the bass may sound may seem "spilled" over other frequency ranges, where in "cold sounding" headphones, users usually talk about a "thin" or "analytical sound." If you think about why cold headphones may be relatively "analytical," it's mainly because you can hear miniscule high frequency/mid details more since the bass isn't clouding the sound. This is like revving a car engine. From within the car it may sound loud and bassy, but if you open the car hood and rev the car from in front of the engine (inducing throttle from the engine bay), the "bass sound" generally gets lighter because now your'e right in front of the engine and you're hearing how it "really" sounds... not clouded by the bass added by being inside the car.
As you can tell though, these are all subject to a certain /reference point/. That reference point is basically the taste of the listener! That ratio of cold:warm where the user is happy with the sound differs between everyone. That is why cold and warm has to be in respect to something else. In this case, it's safe to say the Mullards are "warmer" than the stock tubes. To me the brightness has been rolled off in favor for a more bodied mid and bass. I personally like it that way, but others may feel that it is too "warm" for them, where they may look for tubes that put more emphasis on the higher frequencies.
Crazy*Carl
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Thanks, helps alot
mmd8x28
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I like the warm sound.. I HATE cold sound. 
I NEED MY BASS! Seriously, I like the bass tickling my ears (no, not loud).
My test song for amp and DAC quality is Right Here Waiting from Richard Marx. Don't laugh, I just think the song has wonderful dynamics (original CD release, not any form of re-release).
I NEED MY BASS! Seriously, I like the bass tickling my ears (no, not loud).
My test song for amp and DAC quality is Right Here Waiting from Richard Marx. Don't laugh, I just think the song has wonderful dynamics (original CD release, not any form of re-release).
boomy3555
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Quote:
Are you trying to pull off the long lost art of sarcasm, or are you just yanking our change. It looks like youv'e been around here long enough to know the lingo.
| Originally Posted by Crazy*Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif ok, what is "warm" sound. I wish we could use normal terms here, not the silly "audiophile" ones, like warm or colored sound... Last time I check warm and colored in the dictionary it didn't mention anything about sound |
Are you trying to pull off the long lost art of sarcasm, or are you just yanking our change. It looks like youv'e been around here long enough to know the lingo.
dmv915
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Hey, just wondering if anyone could list some compatible tube codes for the EF2.
Crazy*Carl
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Quote:
6AK5
| Originally Posted by dmv915 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey, just wondering if anyone could list some compatible tube codes for the EF2. |
6AK5
Stein
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Quote:
Sorry about the late response~
I'm actually pretty satisfied with the k701's through the EF2 and a uDAC. At first I was a bit unsure of the difference I was hearing between the EF2 dac and the uDAC, but after listening to each of them just now, the uDAC just sounds a good bit better. The sound with it is a fair amount warmer and seems to give the music a bit more presence, if that's the right word for it. My music just sounds a little more boring from the EF2's dac. Unfortunately, I can't really speak as to how these stack up to anything else, because I haven't really heard anything better.
Hopefully you find this helpful.
| Originally Posted by Crazy*Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Stein, How do you like the k701's with the EF2? Also what improvement do you get with the uDAC over the EF2's DAC? Thanks |
Sorry about the late response~
I'm actually pretty satisfied with the k701's through the EF2 and a uDAC. At first I was a bit unsure of the difference I was hearing between the EF2 dac and the uDAC, but after listening to each of them just now, the uDAC just sounds a good bit better. The sound with it is a fair amount warmer and seems to give the music a bit more presence, if that's the right word for it. My music just sounds a little more boring from the EF2's dac. Unfortunately, I can't really speak as to how these stack up to anything else, because I haven't really heard anything better.
Hopefully you find this helpful.
Stein
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After reading up a bit more in this thread, I just ordered myself some of those Mullard tubes. Very excited to hear those now.
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