[R-Audiohead]

This was more of a non-shalant listening session I did with the 940s, but it made me think that maybe they DO require a lot of amping and/or are picky with the amps they're hooked to.
 
I noticed a substantial decrease in SQ going from the E9 (on low gain) to the E7.  Bass lost texture, the smooth transitions I was speaking of before got choppier, and the mids and treble really thinned out.  The sound became grainy and dry.
 
If you'd like me to elaborate, I'd have no problem selecting some tracks and more specifically describe what I am talking about.
 
I'm beginning to think these might need some handsome power to get the right sound out of them 

 

[Robobandit]

I agree that the 940s sound better connected to the E9.. I don't know if it is a power thing or just the particular amp.. but I do think they sound better than they do hooked to the E7.

I'm tempted to try an E10 for when I'm away from home.. (I don't really travel anywhere that my notebook doesn't go too.. so the battery in the E7 isn't necessary)

 

[DarkAndroid]

when you were using them with the E9, were you using the E9 straight from the source or using it with the E7 docked? even if the headphones sounded better from the E9 than they did with the E7, I think if you own both the E7 and E9 it doesnt really matter which one sounds better since they are meant to be used together, right?
 
 
Quote:

 
 
I noticed a substantial decrease in SQ going from the E9 (on low gain) to the E7.  Bass lost texture, the smooth transitions I was speaking of before got choppier, and the mids and treble really thinned out.  The sound became grainy and dry.
 
 

 

[donunus]

You can use the e9 with other sources too. I'm using the E9 with the D3 right now and I feel they are much better than using the e9 with the e7 for example.

 

[vinland029]

i'm tempted to get a pair but i just blew my money on SE425s. probably gonna pair them with an E7. any idea how this combi sounds like? i'm coming from shure/UE sound signatures here, never really loved alot of the rest...

 

[R-Audiohead]

Quote:

when you were using them with the E9, were you using the E9 straight from the source or using it with the E7 docked? even if the headphones sounded better from the E9 than they did with the E7, I think if you own both the E7 and E9 it doesnt really matter which one sounds better since they are meant to be used together, right?

I've done it both with the e7 docked and straight from the source, but that source is currently onboard so the DAC in the e7 is a nicer unit.
 
For those of us that actually use the e7 as a portable amp (it is slightly better than the POS on the iPod) there may be numerous times the SRH940 would be plugged into the e7 logically.
 
I've played around with the setup, running the e7 via micro USB and then a 3.5 male-male into the e9 and as I suspected it wasn't as clean of a signal as when docked (of course, very subtle).  As it should be my experience is that the dock is the best interface for the wolfsen DAC and the E9.  I'm honestly quite happy with the unit.
 
I own a Pioneer Receiver (Elite SC-35) that utilizes some high end Burr-Brown DACs, I may try my cans out of both the integrated headphone amp and as a source option (via line-out to the E9) and see if the supposed drastic difference between this entry level wolfsen chip and the high end Burr-Brown makes a difference on my mid-fi headphones.
 
Curiously, I may even hook up the wolfsen chip in the e7 to the Pioneer Elite SC-35 (probably docked to E9, using the E9's line out) and run the analog signal into the unit to be pumped out on my Canton loudspeakers to see if I notice a difference between the DACs on my babies.  Seeing as I noticed a difference switching from optical to HDMI on the Cantons (believe me or not), I wouldn't be surprised if I heard a difference there.
 
Now I'm just getting sidetracked...
 

 

[Robobandit]

When I test the E7 by itself, it doesn't sound as good as when my headphones are plugged into my E9 and the E7 is docked.

The source is the same.. my macbook pro w/ ALAC files.. In both instances the E7 is handling DAC duty, but when the E9 is amping the sound is noticeably better to my ears.

 

[R-Audiohead]

Comparisons to Grado?
 
Everyone seems to be describing the treble as emphasized and bright at times....

 

[kiteki]

 
Quote:

i'm tempted to get a pair but i just blew my money on SE425s. probably gonna pair them with an E7. any idea how this combi sounds like? i'm coming from shure/UE sound signatures here, never really loved alot of the rest...

The SE425's sound really really good with the Teclast T51

, however... that's the only source I tried them with.
 
 
For reference... the SRH-940's I had the Teclast on MAX volume.... and it sounded really good... but I felt like they need just a tiny bit more juice to get the bass flowing.
 
For reference... I'm now using my Beyer Teslas and I have the T51 on HALF volume..... these are amazing!!
 
 

 

[vinland029]

Call me a crazy dude kiteki, but i'm not parting with my ipod as a source 

 I once considered the fostex but the price is just STAGGERING. that's probably why i'm investing in an amp. the DAC bypasses for fostex and the cypher sound good in theory, never heard them though. looks interesting, but i'm not sure about audio editing purposes in the future: are these good for that? i won't call it studio monitoring but more like editing on the go, mainly for films and related music.
 
Quote:

 

The SE425's sound really really good with the Teclast T51

, however... that's the only source I tried them with.
 
 
For reference... the SRH-940's I had the Teclast on MAX volume.... and it sounded really good... but I felt like they need just a tiny bit more juice to get the bass flowing.
 
For reference... I'm now using my Beyer Teslas and I have the T51 on HALF volume..... these are amazing!!
 
 

 

 

[kiteki]

 
In my opinion the SE535's are closer to stage monitoring, and the SRH-940 are much closer to studio monitoring.
 

I mean, I couldn't imagine a musician using the SRH-940 on a stage..... that just doesn't seem right... but a film editor? definitely, very good headphone there, from what I can tell!
$
_______________
 
Fostex HP-P1 is crazy expensive... I know, but it's the first time Fostex has sold an expensive product like that... makes you wonder, doesn't it? Consider the T50RP... that headphone costs less than $100, and it seems like a lot of people consider it the best headphone under $500!
 
Really... I think the HP-P1 is a portable junkie product... I mean do you REALLY need portable sound quality that good... or can you spend the money on the [better] Fostex HP-A7? That is the vital question, in my take on it.
 
 

 

[DrTone]

Well after 2 months, i have to quit using the 940s. They are just to harsh for my ears. I'm back to using my 535s day to day.

My observations are similar to most others, they are detail monsters but I find them just a little thin for my liking. I end up turning them up too much to get some body back into the music and the extra volume and highs are killing my ears.

I think my ears are just too sensitive to the extra sound pressure created by cans compared to highly isolated buds.


.02

 

[Player1josh46]

Quote:

If anyone else thinks these are too bright and brilliant sounding on a lot of recordings, especially when some ass is just whaling on cymbal, try EQing down about 3db at 10k. Only way I've been able to EQ them without wrecking their sound, and to me it makes them sound perfect. Try it!

Do the 940s respond well to equalization? I use the EQu app for iPod Touch. Does it butcher the music or make it unnatural at all? Tried to equalize the m50s and didn't accomplish much.

 

[miceblue]

I think it does respond to EQ's without much distortion (I've only EQ-ed the low end though).

 

[Player1josh46]

Quote:

I think it does respond to EQ's without much distortion (I've only EQ-ed the low end though).

Well I've tried to lower the bass and up the mids in the M50s and It kinda worked but the bass still reigned over a bit. EQu has a feature to put it on a "safe" mode and there is no distortion at all. In return though volume is lowered a little. The thing is that not all headphones respond well to equalization i.e M50s. Perhaps the 940s will have some more luck, I hope.