kuma
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2003
- Posts
- 1,842
- Likes
- 10
PLAYLIST:
1.Donald Fagen ‘Snowbound’ ‘Florida Room’ ‘Walk Between The Raindrops’
2. Doobie Brotheres ‘how do the Fools survive?’‘Rio’
3.Dzihan & Kamien ‘After’ : Freaks and icon
4. Pet Shop boys: ‘Footsteps’ (Nightlife)
5.Marissa Monte: ‘Ainda Lembro’ (Mais )
6.Stephen Scott: ‘I Love Lucy’
7. Bare Essential: ‘Blow My Mind’
8. The Maxwell Implosion: ‘L’Homme en Peluche’
9. Junkie XL: ‘ No Remorse’
10. Kenny Rankin: ‘Have We met?’
11. Sara K: ‘Fortune Lady’s eyes’
12. Slam: ‘Bass Addiction’
Gilmore V2/Alessandro Music Pro:
• Metallic sounding leading edges are present on almost all electronica and rock especially at a high SPL. At moderate level, it stays in check, however.
• A slight congestion in upper midrange is heard. Rim shots on drums sound somewhat congealed and not well resolved. It’s probably the biggest faults with the Music Pro. On certain programs, I could not turn up the volume as much as I would like as Headline. It hits the ceiling pretty quick before the congestion happens. ( it’s a certain frequency in upper presence region somewhere ) It is particularly problematic with soprano sax and massed strings.
‘Dzien & Kamian’s After’ was too raw of presentation to groove. Plenty upbeat yet, incisive congested trebles become a deficit on a long run. Spitty vocals and splashy cymbals on the Doobie Brothers tracks,too.
• A threshold of tolerating bad recordings on Music Pro/Gilmore is pretty low. It actually exasperate Gilmore’s truncated trebles and uppermids congestion even more.
Yet the downside is that it lets go of midbass control and somewhat became dynamically constipated in uppermids.
Treble characteristics, while it has a lighter feel, they can sound thin and brittle at times. Typical resolution gained, but loss in musicality.
• Splashy metallic trebles are heard on Junkie XL ‘No Remorse’ or ‘Footsteps’. This is not a good combo for this sort of material. RS1/Gilmore combo is not completely innocent in this area either. However, the latter combo is less objectionable.
• Gilmore V2 has a slightly better treble extension than Headline2. I hear more air after initial impacts. Notes are not obscured into the background.
• Music Pro is excellent for live recording. Its ability to resolve acoustical ambiance helps Gilmore’s somewhat liliputian soundstage.
• A nice polished studio recording such as ‘Takin’ it to the streets’. this combo shines. Plenty of subtle ambient air coming out of the music give better intimacy and enhanced sense of acoustics. This is where Music Pro does better over RS1. Trebles are staying in check in material like this. Or Kenny Rankin’s ‘Haven’t we met’ or Stephen Scotts piano solo. These are better quality recording that the combo absolutely shines. It brings out all the nuances and a sense of space unheard from RS1. ( this is without tube amp, mind you )
• A bass definition and authority are better on this paring. Music Pro’s slightly compromised midbass is helped by Gilmore’s iron fisted control.
Naim Headline2/ Allesandro Music Pro, RS1
• Trebles are mellower and vocals have more natural presence. Background hi-hat on the ‘Florida Room’ does not sound pronounced as with Gilmore.
• Less treble energy yet it does not sound rolled off. It stays in the right plane as the rest of the frequency.
• A slight loss of midbass grip and low bass over Gilmore. Explosive nature of RS1 is not present. A tention in midbass line is scaled back on MS Pro. It shows up on programme like Miguel Migs ‘Night’ or walking bass line on ‘Florida Room’ or ‘Snowbound’ are blurred with Headline2. Better definitions are heard via Gilmore V2.
• This is a more forgiving amplfier than Gilmore. It works to Music Pro’s advantage for pop and electronica that are less than ideal recording. Opening track on ‘Snowbound’, trebles take on more back view which complement Music Pro’s slightly forward characteristics in high frequency area.
• A tonal balance of headline is warmer than Gilmore. It fleshes out thread bare recording yet with Music Pro, frequency transition does not become unbalanced as it can with RS1. Make no mistake, Music Pro isn’t that far from RS1 as far as tonal balance goes. This is not any more neutral than RS1. What differs is that frequency transition is slightly improved. It still has the forward sounding treble as RS1 albeit, it sounds thinner and has more delicate feel to ‘em.
• With Headline, the music does not sound quite a raw sounding as Gilmore. I don’t mean they are veiled in anyway than Gilmore. It has more relaxed and natural feel than Gilmore.
• Gilmore sounds upfront and upbeat all the time. Lack in slight finesse over all. After awhile, this becomes a cumbersome affair. Headline keeps just enough interest to avoid a boring listening experience.
• This combo makes the most out of voices. Simply more presence and breath life into human voices.
• Initial bass impact on ‘After’ is slightly attenuated. Trade off here is a more civilised trebles on the whole track. It grooved all the way and Headline/Music Pro actually have a better overall balance than Gilmore.
• This combination has a less polarised view on the music it plays. It feels probably more at home with rock/pop/electronica, but does also well with anything else you put on. The music does not have to be pristine clean to sound its best. If you are worry about the resolution and clarity, it’s there.
• MS Pro is less heavy-handed than RS1. Even a landing of transients has slightly better finesse. It looks into the music deeper, perhaps, and gives out subtle ambient clues.
Looks like RS1 and smells like RS1. I doubt this is anymore neutral than RS1. in fact tonal balance is essentially unchanged.
Music Pro is not necessarily a better ‘fones than RS1. It affords the better frequency transition, less heavy handed feathery trebles and a sense of ease to otherwise your usual ‘upfront’ Grado. Think this is a little more sedate and grown up version of RS1. This is indeed a nicely balanced headphones.
I was highly skeptical of the use of Grado headphone for a studio use. After listening to the pair, I see it is perfectly feasible for the task. Whilst It’s still colored, an overall even balance is maintained with Music Pro.
Music Pro, in general, does better on acoustic material, jazz and classical. It does eletronica and pop/rock or anything else well as RS1, but it falls down badly on mediocre recordings than RS1. Particularly true with Gilmore as an amp in my system. It does not help to smooth things out. It makes perfect sense for pro use for monitoring.
I doubt that it has any more resolution than RS1. Initial impression is so vastly different from RS1, it might be mistaken for more information coming through Music Pro. However, in longer listening, what it’s doing is that Music Pro places the treble farther back than RS1 as well as shift in frequency transition make certain information more pronounced than others. This is simply a different priority applied for its intended use. I.e. monitoring purpose. Is Music Pro more transparent than RS1 and just letting me know how bad some of the recordings are? Or this is simply a bad combination with my system? Possible.
Still, I struggle largely on any gear that pick a recording for me. This is a dilemma with most pro-centric gear yet, I know damn well, it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right partnering equipment, they can be one kick-ass all rounder for anything you throw at them. In fact, Music Pro and Naim Headline2 combo is pretty darn close. Gilmore/Music Pro combo gave me too many wild cards in various music choices. I want to listen to ‘More Human than Human’ without wincing.
So, my conclusion so far is that Music Pro complements RS1 rather than replacing it.
Note that my impression is with solid state amplification only. Knowing RS1 shines with tube amps, Music Pro probably does even better with it. Also, it feels lighter in weight than RS1. Even the headband feels gentler on my head and well-suited for a long term listening.
You want to infuse a little bit of ease and natural-ness yet not completely ruin what RS1 offers? Or want to have slightly relaxed and even balance on the music, Then, Alessandro Music Pro is it.
visit engrish.com
system:
[size=xx-small]AIFF files off Mac G4 -> Bel Canto DAC2-> Nagra PL-L ->Headline2/Gilmore V2
Power cord: Siltech G5 (Gilmore ) Stock Naim pc (Headline )
IC: NBS & Chord Chrysallis hardwired to the headphone unit.
Source variations: Krell kps 28c
Amp variations: Gilmore V2/ Naim Headline2[/size]
1.Donald Fagen ‘Snowbound’ ‘Florida Room’ ‘Walk Between The Raindrops’
2. Doobie Brotheres ‘how do the Fools survive?’‘Rio’
3.Dzihan & Kamien ‘After’ : Freaks and icon
4. Pet Shop boys: ‘Footsteps’ (Nightlife)
5.Marissa Monte: ‘Ainda Lembro’ (Mais )
6.Stephen Scott: ‘I Love Lucy’
7. Bare Essential: ‘Blow My Mind’
8. The Maxwell Implosion: ‘L’Homme en Peluche’
9. Junkie XL: ‘ No Remorse’
10. Kenny Rankin: ‘Have We met?’
11. Sara K: ‘Fortune Lady’s eyes’
12. Slam: ‘Bass Addiction’
Gilmore V2/Alessandro Music Pro:
• Metallic sounding leading edges are present on almost all electronica and rock especially at a high SPL. At moderate level, it stays in check, however.
• A slight congestion in upper midrange is heard. Rim shots on drums sound somewhat congealed and not well resolved. It’s probably the biggest faults with the Music Pro. On certain programs, I could not turn up the volume as much as I would like as Headline. It hits the ceiling pretty quick before the congestion happens. ( it’s a certain frequency in upper presence region somewhere ) It is particularly problematic with soprano sax and massed strings.
‘Dzien & Kamian’s After’ was too raw of presentation to groove. Plenty upbeat yet, incisive congested trebles become a deficit on a long run. Spitty vocals and splashy cymbals on the Doobie Brothers tracks,too.
• A threshold of tolerating bad recordings on Music Pro/Gilmore is pretty low. It actually exasperate Gilmore’s truncated trebles and uppermids congestion even more.
Yet the downside is that it lets go of midbass control and somewhat became dynamically constipated in uppermids.
Treble characteristics, while it has a lighter feel, they can sound thin and brittle at times. Typical resolution gained, but loss in musicality.
• Splashy metallic trebles are heard on Junkie XL ‘No Remorse’ or ‘Footsteps’. This is not a good combo for this sort of material. RS1/Gilmore combo is not completely innocent in this area either. However, the latter combo is less objectionable.
• Gilmore V2 has a slightly better treble extension than Headline2. I hear more air after initial impacts. Notes are not obscured into the background.
• Music Pro is excellent for live recording. Its ability to resolve acoustical ambiance helps Gilmore’s somewhat liliputian soundstage.
• A nice polished studio recording such as ‘Takin’ it to the streets’. this combo shines. Plenty of subtle ambient air coming out of the music give better intimacy and enhanced sense of acoustics. This is where Music Pro does better over RS1. Trebles are staying in check in material like this. Or Kenny Rankin’s ‘Haven’t we met’ or Stephen Scotts piano solo. These are better quality recording that the combo absolutely shines. It brings out all the nuances and a sense of space unheard from RS1. ( this is without tube amp, mind you )
• A bass definition and authority are better on this paring. Music Pro’s slightly compromised midbass is helped by Gilmore’s iron fisted control.
Naim Headline2/ Allesandro Music Pro, RS1
• Trebles are mellower and vocals have more natural presence. Background hi-hat on the ‘Florida Room’ does not sound pronounced as with Gilmore.
• Less treble energy yet it does not sound rolled off. It stays in the right plane as the rest of the frequency.
• A slight loss of midbass grip and low bass over Gilmore. Explosive nature of RS1 is not present. A tention in midbass line is scaled back on MS Pro. It shows up on programme like Miguel Migs ‘Night’ or walking bass line on ‘Florida Room’ or ‘Snowbound’ are blurred with Headline2. Better definitions are heard via Gilmore V2.
• This is a more forgiving amplfier than Gilmore. It works to Music Pro’s advantage for pop and electronica that are less than ideal recording. Opening track on ‘Snowbound’, trebles take on more back view which complement Music Pro’s slightly forward characteristics in high frequency area.
• A tonal balance of headline is warmer than Gilmore. It fleshes out thread bare recording yet with Music Pro, frequency transition does not become unbalanced as it can with RS1. Make no mistake, Music Pro isn’t that far from RS1 as far as tonal balance goes. This is not any more neutral than RS1. What differs is that frequency transition is slightly improved. It still has the forward sounding treble as RS1 albeit, it sounds thinner and has more delicate feel to ‘em.
• With Headline, the music does not sound quite a raw sounding as Gilmore. I don’t mean they are veiled in anyway than Gilmore. It has more relaxed and natural feel than Gilmore.
• Gilmore sounds upfront and upbeat all the time. Lack in slight finesse over all. After awhile, this becomes a cumbersome affair. Headline keeps just enough interest to avoid a boring listening experience.
• This combo makes the most out of voices. Simply more presence and breath life into human voices.
• Initial bass impact on ‘After’ is slightly attenuated. Trade off here is a more civilised trebles on the whole track. It grooved all the way and Headline/Music Pro actually have a better overall balance than Gilmore.
• This combination has a less polarised view on the music it plays. It feels probably more at home with rock/pop/electronica, but does also well with anything else you put on. The music does not have to be pristine clean to sound its best. If you are worry about the resolution and clarity, it’s there.
• MS Pro is less heavy-handed than RS1. Even a landing of transients has slightly better finesse. It looks into the music deeper, perhaps, and gives out subtle ambient clues.
Looks like RS1 and smells like RS1. I doubt this is anymore neutral than RS1. in fact tonal balance is essentially unchanged.
Music Pro is not necessarily a better ‘fones than RS1. It affords the better frequency transition, less heavy handed feathery trebles and a sense of ease to otherwise your usual ‘upfront’ Grado. Think this is a little more sedate and grown up version of RS1. This is indeed a nicely balanced headphones.
I was highly skeptical of the use of Grado headphone for a studio use. After listening to the pair, I see it is perfectly feasible for the task. Whilst It’s still colored, an overall even balance is maintained with Music Pro.
Music Pro, in general, does better on acoustic material, jazz and classical. It does eletronica and pop/rock or anything else well as RS1, but it falls down badly on mediocre recordings than RS1. Particularly true with Gilmore as an amp in my system. It does not help to smooth things out. It makes perfect sense for pro use for monitoring.
I doubt that it has any more resolution than RS1. Initial impression is so vastly different from RS1, it might be mistaken for more information coming through Music Pro. However, in longer listening, what it’s doing is that Music Pro places the treble farther back than RS1 as well as shift in frequency transition make certain information more pronounced than others. This is simply a different priority applied for its intended use. I.e. monitoring purpose. Is Music Pro more transparent than RS1 and just letting me know how bad some of the recordings are? Or this is simply a bad combination with my system? Possible.
Still, I struggle largely on any gear that pick a recording for me. This is a dilemma with most pro-centric gear yet, I know damn well, it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right partnering equipment, they can be one kick-ass all rounder for anything you throw at them. In fact, Music Pro and Naim Headline2 combo is pretty darn close. Gilmore/Music Pro combo gave me too many wild cards in various music choices. I want to listen to ‘More Human than Human’ without wincing.
So, my conclusion so far is that Music Pro complements RS1 rather than replacing it.
Note that my impression is with solid state amplification only. Knowing RS1 shines with tube amps, Music Pro probably does even better with it. Also, it feels lighter in weight than RS1. Even the headband feels gentler on my head and well-suited for a long term listening.
You want to infuse a little bit of ease and natural-ness yet not completely ruin what RS1 offers? Or want to have slightly relaxed and even balance on the music, Then, Alessandro Music Pro is it.
visit engrish.com
system:
[size=xx-small]AIFF files off Mac G4 -> Bel Canto DAC2-> Nagra PL-L ->Headline2/Gilmore V2
Power cord: Siltech G5 (Gilmore ) Stock Naim pc (Headline )
IC: NBS & Chord Chrysallis hardwired to the headphone unit.
Source variations: Krell kps 28c
Amp variations: Gilmore V2/ Naim Headline2[/size]
