[Jelic]

Hah actually very similar, I have [size=small]Audioengine's DS1 stands. [/size]
 
http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-DS1
 
It boggles my mind that they're $30, but oh well haha. I guess I'll be using them forever... 

 

[Jelic]

Oh, another quick random question... I was thinking of getting a pair of Senn HD650's to pair with my Denon AVR 1910 amp... how does that sound to you? Do you have any other recommendations? I prefer headphones with a strong/tight bass response... I have the HD 595s at the moment, but the low end is just disappointing. Heh, people tell me you're the guru of reviews around here, so I'd love some advice =) Hopefully my DE7's will be here soon as well, I ordered over the weekend though with 7 day shipping sigh... 

 

[project86]

Those stands should work fine, as far as I can tell. They might be a little narrow if you tried to use a bigger speaker, but the DE7 should be small enough.
 
What other headphones have you tried? The HD650 is a solid performer, but you might be able to get by with spending less. Also I'm not sure how good the headphone output on your Denon would be. Just because it is a surround receiver, doesn't mean it is automatically crap (as some people would have you believe).... but the 300 ohm HD650 is somewhat difficult to drive. 
 
Have you ever tried Grados? The lower models like SR80 are available for cheap (or even cheaper on the used forum here), and they do have a nice bass punch to them. Not the most refined sound in the world but certainly enjoyable. Best of all you can really go crazy messing with modifications, which can be a fun way to get even more bass. 
 
 
 

 

[allyl]

As you can see, I've sold Jelic on a number of items (his disposable income is much higher). Out of curiosity, would you surmise that the LA-200 would do a considerably better job (both in the technicalities of its DAC and the integrated function) than his receiver?

 

[project86]

Quote:

As you can see, I've sold Jelic on a number of items (his disposable income is much higher). Out of curiosity, would you surmise that the LA-200 would do a considerably better job (both in the technicalities of its DAC and the integrated function) than his receiver?

Probably.
 
I don't want to sound like a snob, because Denon makes great receivers. But it is hard for any surround receiver to compare to a more dedicated unit like the Lead Audo LA-200.
 
I think the 191X models usually sell for $500-600. At that price they have to do 7 channels of amplification, all the proprietary DSP stuff, D/A conversion for all channels, video processing/upconversion/transcoding, AM/FM and XM radio, licensing fees for DTS, Dolby, and Audyssey.... the list goes on. I'm sure Denon leverages their massive size to get low prices from their suppliers, but the sheer number of parts going into each box means it isn't really fair to compare it to an integrated receiver or dedicated DAC/amp device. 
 
So I'm fairly confident that the Lead Audio unit would be a significant improvement. But that doesn't preclude the Denon from sounding pretty good too.

 

[Jelic]

Hmmm thanks for the thoughtful reply! I'll definitely consider the LA-200, but I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the headphone out from my AVR 1910's. When powering my 595's, the sound quality is markedly improved vs the audio out from my Xifi Titanium HD's built in headphone amp, and significantly better than the amped headphone out from the AV40's. So far, I'm very happy with it, so we'll see how things go. I wonder if other people have had good experiences using their receivers as a headphone out? I have an E11 that was gifted to me by Allyl (thanks man!), so I'll do some back and forth testing and see which one I prefer when I get my 650's I suppose... 

 

[WarriorAnt]

Wait a second.  Are you saying these speakers only cost $349?   They look to have an AMAZING build for that price.  

 

[Jelic]

Yep, only $349... I particularly liked how project86 had that Q&A with the founder. At first I glossed over it, but after reading the entire review thoroughly I was even more impressed. I can't wait for these to come in... 
 
One more random question, did you get a tracking # for the shipment? So far I've gotten payment confirmation, but no shipping info yet... 

 

[Jelic]

Ugh one final question as well, HD 650 vs Ultrasone Pro 900? I found the HD 650 for around $325 and the Pro 900's for around $379... the Pro 900's are easier to drive, but I haven't been able to find nearly as much information on them... what's your opinion on the bang for the buck? 

 

[Jelic]

Hah okay, never mind with the shipping issue, I e-mailed them and Scott Lightner replied within 15 minutes with my tracking info. My speakers are scheduled for delivery tomorrow =) Sooo excited haha, these guys at Octet Matrix are pretty awesome. Props to them for having excellent customer service... now we'll see how good the speakers actually are =) 

 

[project86]

Quote:

Hmmm thanks for the thoughtful reply! I'll definitely consider the LA-200, but I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the headphone out from my AVR 1910's. When powering my 595's, the sound quality is markedly improved vs the audio out from my Xifi Titanium HD's built in headphone amp, and significantly better than the amped headphone out from the AV40's. So far, I'm very happy with it, so we'll see how things go. I wonder if other people have had good experiences using their receivers as a headphone out? I have an E11 that was gifted to me by Allyl (thanks man!), so I'll do some back and forth testing and see which one I prefer when I get my 650's I suppose... 

Take your time, no rush to buy more and more.... enjoy what you have and then take it from there.
 
Receivers headphone outs seem to vary wildly from terrible to pretty darn good. There seems little rhyme or reason to them: NAD tends to sound pretty good but I have heard a few that were not. Mass market receivers (lower end Onkyo, Denon, Pioneer, etc) are likely to sound acceptable but not great, yet I've also heard some that were pretty impressive. It really comes down to your particular model and headphone combo. I will say that they tend to have an easier time with low impedance headphones like Grados, but that's another generalization.
 


Quote:

Wait a second.  Are you saying these speakers only cost $349?   They look to have an AMAZING build for that price.  

Right? If you walked into my living room and I played some music on them, you would have no clue they cost much less than $1k based on sound and appearance. And then to hear that they are not just less than $1k but significantly less.... I'm interested to see what this company does next. If they made a "statement" speaker that sold for $500-750 or so, that could be trouble for many other manufacturers. 


Quote:

Ugh one final question as well, HD 650 vs Ultrasone Pro 900? I found the HD 650 for around $325 and the Pro 900's for around $379... the Pro 900's are easier to drive, but I haven't been able to find nearly as much information on them... what's your opinion on the bang for the buck? 

I haven't heard the Pro900 myself. People seem to either love them or else hate them with a passion. HD650 is probably a more likely fit for many people. 
 

 

[Jelic]

I see I see, thanks for your helpful replies! I think my speakers should be getting in today. I'll do a comparison vs my AV40's and let you guys know how it goes. I'll try taking some pics too, I should have a decent review up by tomorrow... 

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

I see I see, thanks for your helpful replies! I think my speakers should be getting in today. I'll do a comparison vs my AV40's and let you guys know how it goes. I'll try taking some pics too, I should have a decent review up by tomorrow... 

Looking forward to your review.

 

[project86]

Quote:

I see I see, thanks for your helpful replies! I think my speakers should be getting in today. I'll do a comparison vs my AV40's and let you guys know how it goes. I'll try taking some pics too, I should have a decent review up by tomorrow... 

Sounds good, but no rush - take your time to enjoy them and figure them out.... worry about the rest of it later.

 

[jisu]

How do these fare against the PSB Imagine Mini's?