SRH840 impression
Dec 29, 2009 at 8:57 PM Post #1,456 of 2,135
........ Quote:

Originally Posted by electropop /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Oh yes, you do make some good points.

Though to my knowledge, the headphone out of iPods is exactly the same when you are using the line-out (the pins that give you a signal with the volume control disabled), which is what I used for convenience. Impedance issue and power is one thing, as you stated, but I really hear no improvement with the use of LOD over 3,5mm out of the headphone plug (volume max) to an external amp.

Interesting measurements on some older ipods. iPod Measurements

And yes, you are correct seems the attenuation of the signal along with impedance is the HP out jacks biggest issue on the older models. I can confirm that the newer ones like Nano and Touch sound way better through HP out.

Try using a specific LOD using the pinouts on the "Botttom" of the ipod not the HP out to feed your amp, I am pretty certain you will hear an improvement.


And using closed "portable" or DJ-phones that are efficient enough, I can't say that I'm hearing much, if any, improvement in the sound-quality per se.

Again, you will not using a cable from HP out!

But what you are saying, is that an iPod's volume controls are not based on digital attenuation, but something analogue, like a potentiometer? So using an LOD you skip an OPamp, or what? Point me to a source where I can learn, since I'm not certain of this either.

Not certain of the exact topology but there is a difference, noted by many. try google and of course here at headfi

You're right, I don't have much experience with different iPods. I currently have the 160gb classic (not the very latest one), 40gb ancient one and a shuffle. Maybe I need to dig the others up for some reference..



 
Dec 29, 2009 at 9:47 PM Post #1,459 of 2,135
Quote:

Originally Posted by bixby /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Try using a specific LOD using the pinouts on the "Botttom" of the ipod not the HP out to feed your amp, I am pretty certain you will hear an improvement. ........


This is my point. I have an LOD cable that bypasses the volume control. Using this cable to my voyager versus using a 3,5mm one from HP out (volume full on ipod) I hear no difference. And I have to say that sound quality wise, I hear no improvement using an external amplifier vs the iPods headphone jack either. Sure you can improve the oomph and alter the frequency response, but the sound quality doesn't improve. I stand by my words on this. You can dub me either as placebo-free or deaf.

I have to say that I'm not too keen on the sound quality itself, but more about pitch accuracy of notes. I haven't seen measurements that indicate this "musicality". It is the most easily heard difference between audio components though.
 
Dec 29, 2009 at 10:37 PM Post #1,460 of 2,135
Quote:

Originally Posted by electropop /img/forum/go_quote.gif
This is my point. I have an LOD cable that bypasses the volume control. Using this cable to my voyager versus using a 3,5mm one from HP out (volume full on ipod) I hear no difference. And I have to say that sound quality wise, I hear no improvement using an external amplifier vs the iPods headphone jack either. Sure you can improve the oomph and alter the frequency response, but the sound quality doesn't improve. I stand by my words on this. You can dub me either as placebo-free or deaf.

I have to say that I'm not too keen on the sound quality itself, but more about pitch accuracy of notes. I haven't seen measurements that indicate this "musicality". It is the most easily heard difference between audio components though.



I guess you are lucky. Those of us who can hear a difference (or think they can) end up spending the money for amps, etc. Those who cannot are very lucky indeed. Much more money for tunes.

Then again, I am one who went from very high end portable with an exotic lod and amp to a Nano without an amp. And I enjoy the sound today immensely. It had a lot to do with the right headphones for the Nano and not wanting to carry around all that stuff.
 
Dec 29, 2009 at 11:20 PM Post #1,461 of 2,135
Yes, finding differences is just silly. What matters the most to me is how well it plays pitches of different notes. While being resolving, fast and impactful, the SRH840s still play notes, which is good. With the hm801 you can hear hidden melodic structures in track-rich recordings from the 70s. I couldn't care less for details if I can't hear the correct pitch of that detail. Even the HM801, while superior to an iPod in every regard, has difficulties in this, when comparing against a proper Linn-source, for instance. But it shows how much the can gains from a good source. And yes, maybe amping. The Voyager is just that transparent, however, that it makes the iPod (with LOD) sound very bad in comparison to the HM801 with it's TRUE line out
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Source is everything. Amp is just another link in the chain that has to deliver the goods.

I actually do hear differences and it's a bad thing financially. I still think that using the HP out of an iPod is just fine for the SRH840s though, and using an amp (at least my Voyager with the Shures) doesn't improve things at all. Hmmm, maybe the amps just that transparent?
 
Dec 29, 2009 at 11:26 PM Post #1,462 of 2,135
I just got my pair today, they sound wonderful. I'm just connecting it to my uDAC's headphone out and it gets plenty loud. I also heard beats that I wasn't able to hear before on my Philips HP910 and ATH-ES7.
 
Dec 29, 2009 at 11:27 PM Post #1,463 of 2,135
From my poor memory, amping the SRH840 GREATLY improved the bass. It became much tighter and this was important for the rubbish I listen to. Listening from an iPod [mind you 5Gen] just smeared complicated parts. I know there were other things but my mind only remembers the one thing that stands out the most. I have a notebook and a phone to help me get through life but I'm sure I wrote that down in one of my note books and I don't have it with me atm.
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Dec 30, 2009 at 1:59 AM Post #1,464 of 2,135
Just got my 840's today. Futureshop (yes, Futureshop of all places) had them on for $199, down from $250. I wish we could get US prices here in Canada. Everything is more expensive here dammit. Anyway they sound pretty awesome out of the box. I already like them way more than my MS1's. I am looking forward to post-burn in improvement. I am running them out of a Zune. The Zune has great sound. Most of my songs are wma lossless. I am also using a Practical Devices XM4 amp. I know this amp is on the lower end of the price scale but it's all I've got.

I have read most of this thread and to be honest, it doesn't matter about amp vs unamp, ipod vs whatever. All that matters is that YOU are happy with the sound. I really think you can't go wrong with these cans.

PS. Can anybody point me to a good burn in program?
 
Dec 30, 2009 at 3:17 AM Post #1,465 of 2,135
Just wanted to chime in with my 840 purchase from a fellow headfier. Glad someone else took the time to burn the cans in because they sound great unamped from my Nano!

As for the burn-in program, there's a website regarding burn-in:

Burn-in wave files: white noise, pink noise, frequency sweep, channel mix

Thinking of spending a few days adjusting to the headphones unamped and then I'll amp them and see if there's a difference.

Anyhow, this thread is too long...got up to 70s and realized there were over 20 pages left...sheesh!

Happy like a new born baby with these headphones.
 
Dec 30, 2009 at 8:54 AM Post #1,468 of 2,135
Thanks Kees and Frank for pointing me to the burn in program
 
Dec 30, 2009 at 9:30 AM Post #1,469 of 2,135
My 840s arrived at 8:30 this morning, and I've been listening to them non-stop
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At first I was concerned that the top end was lacking, but then I compared to my E2Cs, and my god, these cans make them sound like ibuds in comparison. I've been so used to how biased towards the high end they are I'd forgotten what properly balanced 'phones sounded like, yet the 840s continue to resolve details in songs that I couldn't hear before. Little forward in the mids like others have said, but nice and smooth.

Can't wait to hear how they break in, if the bass is going to get even tighter I'll be chuffed, but even if they don't change a bit I'll be happy. Top marks Shure.

I've ordered all the bits for a mini3 aswell, so I'll update with how they get along.
 
Dec 30, 2009 at 10:09 PM Post #1,470 of 2,135
BTW if somebody would like to sell his SRH840..please pm me.. I'm from Poland.
 

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