REB
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2008
- Posts
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It’s one of those days. My wife and child are with my in-laws for the weekend and I should be finishing a paper, so I am stuck behind the computer. Which is OK, given that I just received some nice new music (World’s End Girlfriend, Japanese post rock
). So in between the writing I was switching headphones, trying to determine which one I like best for World’s End Girlfriend (turns out to be the AKG K500). Then I realized (well, it’s probably just my unconscious coming up with devious ways not to finish the paper and do fun stuff
) that a while ago I had written in a post that I would test my Sennheiser PXC450 noice-cancelling cans as normal headphones. So, out they came and I put them on, despite the sweltering heat (they’ve got leather pads).
I did some listening with my normal reference music (Tord Gustavsen Trio, Tom Waits, Ella Fitzgerald, Glenn Gould’s Goldberg Variations), starting with the phones in the passive mode. I noticed immediately that they sounded really good. Detailed, balanced, reasonably fast, no real soundstage, but hey, they’re closed Sennheisers, so what do you expect? The only thing I didn’t like was the bass. It was all over the place, uncontrolled, no texture, just whoomphy impact. I use the Zero Dac and the Graham Slee Solo, which usually do a very good job of producing tight but extended, textured bass, but not with the PXC450. Then I switched to the NC-mode. Immediately the bass decreased (as did the volume). It’s an often-made complaint that the bass disappears once you switch on the NC. But when I adjusted the volume, I noticed something funny, which went against my previous experiences with the PXC450. The bass does decrease, but it actually wins in quality
. It’s more controlled, textured and, dare I say, almost AKG-like.
Now I am left wondering whether the paper I am supposed to finish this weekend has eaten away my brains (or at least that part that deals with headphonic experiences)
. Or am I hearing this correctly? Is there anyone else who can corroborate this experience? Or perhaps show me my ears have been wrong? Well, better get back to the paper now…
I did some listening with my normal reference music (Tord Gustavsen Trio, Tom Waits, Ella Fitzgerald, Glenn Gould’s Goldberg Variations), starting with the phones in the passive mode. I noticed immediately that they sounded really good. Detailed, balanced, reasonably fast, no real soundstage, but hey, they’re closed Sennheisers, so what do you expect? The only thing I didn’t like was the bass. It was all over the place, uncontrolled, no texture, just whoomphy impact. I use the Zero Dac and the Graham Slee Solo, which usually do a very good job of producing tight but extended, textured bass, but not with the PXC450. Then I switched to the NC-mode. Immediately the bass decreased (as did the volume). It’s an often-made complaint that the bass disappears once you switch on the NC. But when I adjusted the volume, I noticed something funny, which went against my previous experiences with the PXC450. The bass does decrease, but it actually wins in quality
Now I am left wondering whether the paper I am supposed to finish this weekend has eaten away my brains (or at least that part that deals with headphonic experiences)
