[joshjp]

Ok guys so here is my comparason, i listend to Anne Bisson cd Blue Mind an AMAZING cd, and i will keep this short and sweet, the Sennheiser HD600 sound smoother, the vocals sound much better, the cocals on the AKG K702 sound harsh and not in a good way, also the HD 600 sounds more intimate while the K702 sounds more distant,. I do like the HD 600 much more as i like my vocals to sound nice and natural, but i think the AKG K702 is a good headphone for the price, i just dont like its vocal presentation. The comfort goes to the HD600 also, they have i tighter grip on your head, but the band on the AKG is a little tight for me, I'm sure it will loosen up overtime.

 

[ccash]

  Enlighenment comes at a price. Your friend will now begin to truly enjoy music, once he dumps the Beats and learns to spend his money on better stuff. So which of your cans did he like the best?

He liked the 650s, which is no surprise since he likes a bassy sound. He asked me more than once, "So how much are these?".
 
The Beats sounded honestly pathetic against these other phones. I don't know what the hell is going with their frequency response. I was expecting a lot more. Even Snoop Dog -- which would seem to be the music these were designed for -- didn't sound better (or even good, to me).
 
He couldn't see the merit of the DT 880's sweet treble because it didn't outweigh its thinness. We both agree that the 880 can get harsh, but it impresses me so much when it's good.
 
The 600s and the 650s are new to me, and I've been intensely comparing them. So far the 600s are going to be my keepers and my new go-to's. I'll be posting about it soon, but I'm giving the 650s a final listen right now after a 200 hour burn-in. I wanted to give them every opportunity to shine before I gave up on them.

 

[krismusic]

Sounds like the 650's have found their new home!

 

[bbmiller]

Have any of you observed an increase of dynamic range with your systems of sufficient quality?
 
Hello
the only audiophile quality headphone system I have owned is my present one which includes a little dot IV headphone amplifier and the Sennheiser HD 600 headphones along with a DAC also by little dot. 
 
I have been observing a phenomenon with this set up when I play the sonically best files in my music collection increasing volume is no longer having just the effect of increasing volume, but has the effect of increasing the dynamic range of the performance I am listening to as well as helping me here every instrument individually and improving the soundstage. This phenomenon I'm describing only seem to happen once my headphone amplifier had over 150 hours on it and is becoming even more pronounced with more burn-in of my headphone amplifier.
 
So I have a question to you all have any of you experienced widening of dynamic range with your set up either with a good solid-state amp immediately or with burn-in or a good tube amp with sufficient burn-in? And have I been hearing this described on these forms again and again but in some different language that I am not familiar with? Perhaps clarity or preciseness or something else. 

 

[StanD]

  Have any of you observed an increase of dynamic range with your systems of sufficient quality?
 
Hello
the only audiophile quality headphone system I have owned is my present one which includes a little dot IV headphone amplifier and the Sennheiser HD 600 headphones along with a DAC also by little dot. 
 
I have been observing a phenomenon with this set up when I play the sonically best files in my music collection increasing volume is no longer having just the effect of increasing volume, but has the effect of increasing the dynamic range of the performance I am listening to as well as helping me here every instrument individually and improving the soundstage. This phenomenon I'm describing only seem to happen once my headphone amplifier had over 150 hours on it and is becoming even more pronounced with more burn-in of my headphone amplifier.
 
So I have a question to you all have any of you experienced widening of dynamic range with your set up either with a good solid-state amp immediately or with burn-in or a good tube amp with sufficient burn-in? And have I been hearing this described on these forms again and again but in some different language that I am not familiar with? Perhaps clarity or preciseness or something else. 

 
If your previous setup had low dynamic range or a high noise floor than with your new improved setup, now you will be able to turn up the gain and realize the increased DR. I'll assume that when you turned up the volume in your previous setup you were able to hear more noise during quieter passages. If your previous system did not have enough power to provide sufficient headroom for your cans then that too would impact the dynamic range and clarity at louder listening levels as you might experience clipping on peaks and possibly higher distortion levels at higher power levels. Better equipment will usually have less transient distortion, something that is rarely specified but heard by good ears.
Generaly SS amps have far less noise than tube amps and hence greater dynamic range. Some people just prefer the even harmonic coloration of tubes and that is more important to them. I'm not a big fan of the burn in of amps, in particular SS amps. IMO, tube amp burn in may be debatable.

 

[palmfish]

It sounds to me like a simple volume issue. If you listen to a recording that has 90 dB of dynamic range, that means you must listen at high volume to hear all of the details. If you listen quietly, the softer sounds will not be audible.

I am curious to know which recordings bbmiller is listening to and noticing this effect. My guess would be classical music which typically has higher dynamic range than popular music.

 

[StanD]

It sounds to me like a simple volume issue. If you listen to a recording that has 90 dB of dynamic range, that means you must listen at high volume to hear all of the details. If you listen quietly, the softer sounds will not be audible.

I am curious to know which recordings bbmiller is listening to and noticing this effect. My guess would be classical music which typically has higher dynamic range than popular music.

That damn pop music, the only quiet passages are the gaps between songs.

 

[madwolfa]

  That damn pop music, the only quiet passages are the gaps between songs.

 
That's where it sounds good too.

 

[StanD]

  That damn pop music, the only quiet passages are the gaps between songs.

 
 

   
That's where it sounds good too.

Well there has to be some dynamic range in T&A music, somewhere.

 

[bbmiller]

I am curious to know which recordings bbmiller is listening to and noticing this effect. My guess would be classical music which typically has higher dynamic range than popular music.

The recordings that I am seeing this effect to the greatest degree are the music videos of John Williams BBC proms concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. But I am also hearing it on other music videos I listen to a lot of music videos. The old midnight special videos, which are compilation from the 1970s of this music program, are taking up this effect to a great degree though the clapping is not becoming crisp like in the John William prom videos. However I have not been observing a big dynamic range increase in everything I have. I love Sondheim  musical performances which are in the same American songbook wheelhouse as the John Williams I mentioned earlier. And none of the magic I am hearing in the John Williams is there in Sondheim  musical performances.

 

what I am most interested in knowing is if any of you all have observed this with a very long burn in of a headphone tube amp? I mean being able to hear your recordings with more dynamic range than you have ever heard them before.

 

[guy3134]

   
Not yet but if the Cantate.2, Headfive, Stepdance, and that portable one with the PC USB DAC are any indication (the first and third version, all before the PC-Step), I'm sure I'd like it. Meier amps have really good power supply designs for their price points or purpose (ie portable or desktop), and can supply both voltage and current to nearly any headphone you throw at it, but especially the the HD6x0. They're also reasonably transparent - I once spent an afternoon on the Cantate.2 and every CDP I  tried with it sounded different (with a lot of surprises too - I found a solid state source I hated and kind of loved an entry-level tube source).  Honestly the only reasons why I don't have one is because my Cantate.2 is still fully functional (not that I'd actually trash it if it breaks down) and because I only need one set-up at home and only IEMs on the go.
 
You can get more details on it here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/593197/new-meier-corda-rock
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/meier-audio-corda-rock-budget-headphone-amplifier

holy.. this looks like a really solid amp, anyone here have it with their hd600?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
holy.. this looks like a really solid amp, anyone here have it with their hd600?

 
You should also post this question on the Meier Rock thread.

 

[imackler]

   
You should also post this question on the Meier Rock thread.

Really wish there were more headfiers who have heard the Rock. 

 

[palmfish]

The recordings that I am seeing this effect to the greatest degree are the music videos of John Williams BBC proms concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. But I am also hearing it on other music videos I listen to a lot of music videos. The old midnight special videos, which are compilation from the 1970s of this music program, are taking up this effect to a great degree though the clapping is not becoming crisp like in the John William prom videos. However I have not been observing a big dynamic range increase in everything I have. I love Sondheim  musical performances which are in the same American songbook wheelhouse as the John Williams I mentioned earlier. And none of the magic I am hearing in the John Williams is there in Sondheim  musical performances.

what I am most interested in knowing is if any of you all have observed this with a very long burn in of a headphone tube amp? I mean being able to hear your recordings with more dynamic range than you have ever heard them before.

Dynamic range is a function of (and limited by) the recording and your source. For example, a recording from 1965 might have a maximum dynamic range of only 70 dB due to the limits of analog master tape (or vinyl cutters) of the era. Today, a digital recording might have a dynamic range of 120 dB or more but after downconverting to redbook CD and maybe going through EQ in your computer you may only get 80dB.

 

[bbmiller]

Originally Posted by palmfish /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Dynamic range is a function of (and limited by) the recording and your source. For example, a recording from 1965 might have a maximum dynamic range of only 70 dB due to the limits of analog master tape (or vinyl cutters) of the era. Today, a digital recording might have a dynamic range of 120 dB or more but after downconverting to redbook CD and maybe going through EQ in your computer you may only get 80dB.

Well then do you or anybody know how that same reasoning would apply to either the capture of music television broadcast over the air or on cable television both in the USA and the UK by amateurs and put on the Internet for our enjoyment? Could that process exceed what we usually see with the process you describe above?