Quote:
Originally Posted by dolifant
I think despite what we say, or how experienced we may be, the amount of bass that pleases you depends on your expectations. I own both the R-10 and Senn 650, and listen to both. There is no doubt that the atrticulation of the notes is better and more distinct with the R-10s. I am satisfied with the bass, but I primarily listen to jazz and classical. But there is indeed bass in symphonic works as well as in jazz. When I listen to Brian Bromberg doing a solo upright bass piece(his Wood albumn) or the SACD Super Bass I or II, I hear every note well articulated,down as low as he (they) is (are) playing. I don't have "slam" but I do not need slam. That, for me, is for speakers in my home theatre setup.
If I listen on the Senn 650s, I still enjoy the music. I do hear a louder volume of bass. But the entire presentation lacks a certain degree of accuracy. Mind you its not in any way horrible, just like I am listening with a subtle barrier between the headphones and my ears. This may be the "veil" everybody talks about.
I won't try to tell you they are worth $4K (new retail cost) in comparison. It is largely a matter of priorities. I have owned a Mercedes for $90K and currently drive a Toyota Prius (~29K), and enjoy both. I have a friend who had to have a $160K Ferrari. To me his desires are a waste of money. I am someone who apprecites the clarity and accuracy of the R-10s. I am happy owning them, but I would not tell my wife what I paid.
|
When I owned the R10s, I listened extensively to a wide variety of CDs, SACDs, and vinyl through the R10s with Meridian, HR Blockhead, Conrad-Johnson, Hafler, Mark Levison, Meitner, Ray Samuels, Gilmore (Dynamic Reference) gear... same for the HD650s, which I still own, and listen to often, with both Cardas standard and balanced cabling.
Hands down, the Senns produced, again and again, more articulated detail, balance, and speed, as well as tighter, more extended and better articulated bass than the R10s, in many different music/source/amp/headphone combinations. To say the Senns lack ".. a certain degree of accuracy..." compared to the R10s is inaccurate, pardon the pun. I suspect you want to hear a greater degree of accuracy in the R10s, therefore you do. Any number of audio pros who've heard both, with various rigs and with a variety of music that I've chatted with recently agree that the Senns, especially in 'balanced' mode, out-articulate and just plain more faithfully reproduce source than the R10s, and no amp manufacturer has to custom configure their amps to compensate for the Senns' sonic shortcomings, either...
To say that you 'still enjoy the music' when listening to music through HD650s, rather than the R10s, seems a tad affected, to say the least. A few headphones, past and present, that list for over $3k USD sound better than the HD650s, but the R10s, IMO, ain't one of them... and I've owned both since the HD650s first became available stateside; I sold the R10s to the ex not long ago.
IMO, the first thing to do with the R10s is sell them and buy better source and amp to go with the HD650s and either Zu Mobius or Cardas cabling; if you can afford it, get a nice dual-mono amp with balanced XLR headphone outputs and cabling for the Senns; a nice source and your favorite tunes and then, if you STILL can't 'enjoy the music', A/B some (CUSTOM) balanced-cabled K1000s, PS-1s, R10s and W2000s with said rig and choose between THOSE!...