haloxt
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2008
- Posts
- 3,644
- Likes
- 69
Edit, October 1st, 2009: I deleted a complaint, guess no point for it to stay up I think I made my point and I hope things are better now, I appreciate the advice given in later posts on this thread, good info.
Edit, June 26th, 2009: This is probably my last edit to this review because yesterday I hardwired a new blue dragon cable to balance my Pro 900's. I'd like to say that the blue dragon IS capable of properly conveying the emotion of highs but low and mid range are still its strongest points and you are more likely to see improvements there rather than highs. With better equipment the highs improve to a more acceptable level. I like the cable, and I feel safe in recommending it with the caveat that low and mid range are the blue dragon's strong point.
End edit
I've had this cable for two months and since then I've been testing it on the HFI-2200 and Pro 900. The cable compared to stock gives a full/warm/smooth sound, greatly improved soundstage, and incredible bass detail.
The sound signature is not for people who need more highs or speed, but for people looking for an unirritating and intimate sound. Vocals are angelic, instruments know not to be too intrusive, but if you try to listen to discordant violins they become smoothed like the violin players are a little distracted by how beautiful their violins sound and forget they are supposed to make screechy noises.
I think the blue dragon improves the sound-placement so much I had wondered for the few months of owning the HFI-2200 with stock cable what s-logic was until I tried the blue dragon that suddenly made everything fuller and presented perfectly "even" and in-focus, then I knew what s-logic was. But the music feels MUCH closer (I suspect mainly due to better cable and partially due to less prominent highs), like music just flows straight into your mind, again not something for all, but specifically those looking for a relaxing sound. The soundstage sounds much more "even", which allows for higher volume without fatigue in comparison to the stock cable exaggerating some things and muffling others, like a balloon filled with water getting distended.
The best part is the bass I get from blue dragon and Pro 900, it is so real and true it should be illegal. I'm drowning in a sea of bass and I am constantly in awe of how the headphones can give notes such accurate and powerful physical sensation without blowing up, I literally feel lows/mids/highs as much as I hear them. The new large earcups of the Pro 900 are capable of far more bass than what the stock cable allows, stock causes an intermittently weak/powerful bass which IMO may be why some Pro 900 owners say highs and lows occasionally sound metallic. Blue dragon makes the felt bass very powerful, but it actually lets you decipher music better with its bass because what ought to be felt is felt, and what ought to be heard is heard, something the stock Pro 900 with its larger earcups and very accurate drivers tried to do and only half-achieved because of its stock cable.
Conclusions: HFI-2200 and blue dragon gives the most beautiful vocals, so musical and smooth it can be hypnotic, maybe a bit too much for some people. Pro 900 and blue dragon has such amazing bass I have nicknamed my Pro 900 Subsones
, but, especially with the Pro 900 I've noticed the mellow speed of the blue dragon which would turn off people who are seeking highs/speed. Those looking for a mellow sound signature, I would highly recommend the blue dragon cable.
My test gear was H120 mp3 player (straight out), HT omega claro halo sound card with lm4562's, audio-gd compass dac/amp+custom power cable+Furman AC-215 power conditioner, and various ASIO/H120 optical out as source. And a detachable cable still uses the internal wiring inside the Pro 900, so I can't comment on a hardwired blue dragon cable.
Edit, June 26th, 2009: This is probably my last edit to this review because yesterday I hardwired a new blue dragon cable to balance my Pro 900's. I'd like to say that the blue dragon IS capable of properly conveying the emotion of highs but low and mid range are still its strongest points and you are more likely to see improvements there rather than highs. With better equipment the highs improve to a more acceptable level. I like the cable, and I feel safe in recommending it with the caveat that low and mid range are the blue dragon's strong point.
End edit
I've had this cable for two months and since then I've been testing it on the HFI-2200 and Pro 900. The cable compared to stock gives a full/warm/smooth sound, greatly improved soundstage, and incredible bass detail.
The sound signature is not for people who need more highs or speed, but for people looking for an unirritating and intimate sound. Vocals are angelic, instruments know not to be too intrusive, but if you try to listen to discordant violins they become smoothed like the violin players are a little distracted by how beautiful their violins sound and forget they are supposed to make screechy noises.
I think the blue dragon improves the sound-placement so much I had wondered for the few months of owning the HFI-2200 with stock cable what s-logic was until I tried the blue dragon that suddenly made everything fuller and presented perfectly "even" and in-focus, then I knew what s-logic was. But the music feels MUCH closer (I suspect mainly due to better cable and partially due to less prominent highs), like music just flows straight into your mind, again not something for all, but specifically those looking for a relaxing sound. The soundstage sounds much more "even", which allows for higher volume without fatigue in comparison to the stock cable exaggerating some things and muffling others, like a balloon filled with water getting distended.
The best part is the bass I get from blue dragon and Pro 900, it is so real and true it should be illegal. I'm drowning in a sea of bass and I am constantly in awe of how the headphones can give notes such accurate and powerful physical sensation without blowing up, I literally feel lows/mids/highs as much as I hear them. The new large earcups of the Pro 900 are capable of far more bass than what the stock cable allows, stock causes an intermittently weak/powerful bass which IMO may be why some Pro 900 owners say highs and lows occasionally sound metallic. Blue dragon makes the felt bass very powerful, but it actually lets you decipher music better with its bass because what ought to be felt is felt, and what ought to be heard is heard, something the stock Pro 900 with its larger earcups and very accurate drivers tried to do and only half-achieved because of its stock cable.
Conclusions: HFI-2200 and blue dragon gives the most beautiful vocals, so musical and smooth it can be hypnotic, maybe a bit too much for some people. Pro 900 and blue dragon has such amazing bass I have nicknamed my Pro 900 Subsones
My test gear was H120 mp3 player (straight out), HT omega claro halo sound card with lm4562's, audio-gd compass dac/amp+custom power cable+Furman AC-215 power conditioner, and various ASIO/H120 optical out as source. And a detachable cable still uses the internal wiring inside the Pro 900, so I can't comment on a hardwired blue dragon cable.
