Strange thing with my headsix (recessed mids)

[quinten7]

Hi,

I recently bought a LOD from qables for my zen vision m to go with my meier audio headsix and my senn hd595. But i am noticing a strange thing, although the sound is noticably different and better coming from the line-out with the lod, the mids are very recessed, it's like they are put a few meters back in the background...

now my question is, will this go away with burn-in of the lod? Or is it maybe so that the line-out of the zen vision m places the mids a lot more in the background than the stereo-jack ? (perhaps because line-outs are used most for speakers... ?)
The headsix is already burned in (bought it second hand)...

This is quite a letdown because the thing i most enjoy about music are the vocals, i really want to hear them closely

thanks for your time!

 

[Agnostic]

I can't help you with the LOD but if you like good mids and vocals buy an Audio Technica ATH-ES7 for portable use. You won't regret it.

 

[quinten7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agnostic /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can't help you with the LOD but if you like good mids and vocals buy an Audio Technica ATH-ES7 for portable use. You won't regret it.

my wallet has left the building sinds i bought the headsix so i won't be buying anything soon

Does anybody with a zen vision m and a lod cable can confirm these recessed mids ?
thanks

 

[Paddy855]

I have a iPod Touch and used a 2Move (basically the same amp like the Headsix plus cross-feed) with a Qables LOD. Same problem. Vocal/Mids turned out to be too far in the background for my personal taste. It won't change with additional burn-in time. I guess it won't get any better with a different LOD or source either. You could just try some EQ'ing, of course. If you want the most beautiful mids that are just perfectly forward, sell the Headsix and save for a Pico.

 

[quinten7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paddy855 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a iPod Touch and used a 2Move (basically the same amp like the Headsix plus cross-feed) with a Qables LOD. Same problem. Vocal/Mids turned out to be too far in the background for my personal taste. It won't change with additional burn-in time. I guess it won't get any better with a different LOD or source either. You could just try some EQ'ing, of course. If you want the most beautiful mids that are just perfectly forward, sell the Headsix and save for a Pico.

damned did not know that...
The mids and highs are not recessed when listening without the lod, using the headphone jack and the headsix... this is rather strange

Where your mids also recessed with 2move/ headphone jack or only using the lod ?

I've just wasted 35 euro on a lod that makes my mids recessed

 

[Paddy855]

Yeah, I was very disappointed too. I also bought the Performance Line Qables LOD from Jan. Perhabes it's indeed the cable. However, I have never heard of a cable that is able to make mids sound recessed. I didn't try another LOD though and I didn't use any of the mini-to-mini cables to connect with the 2Move either because you then amp twice which just cannot be the optimum.

 

[MaloS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paddy855 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, I was very disappointed too. I also bought the Performance Line Qables LOD from Jan. Perhabes it's indeed the cable. However, I have never heard of a cable that is able to make mids sound recessed. I didn't try another LOD though and I didn't use any of the mini-to-mini cables to connect with the 2Move either because you then amp twice which just cannot be the optimum.

Easily, some of the 'high end' cables are just passive equalizers, and the midrange recession would be in spirit of some impressions of other Qables equipment I heard.

 

[quinten7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaloS /img/forum/go_quote.gif Easily, some of the 'high end' cables are just passive equalizers, and the midrange recession would be in spirit of some impressions of other Qables equipment I heard.

do you know other lods that do not have this problem ?

 

[quinten7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gig /img/forum/go_quote.gif Strange - the HD595 is no midrange-shy headphone. However, the AD8610 opamp used to drive the headphones in Meier Audio's portable amps has a somewhat recessed-dryish midrange.

It's so strange because before i bought the headsix i've read on this forum numereous times that the mids were warm and quite forward...
I've also notices now that even with a mini-to-mini from the headphone jack, the mids are more recessed than my hd595 straight out of the map

The LOD only makes the mids a bit more recessed...

 

[quinten7]

Ok, i've just noticed the strangest thing. I've read somewhere on a forum you can use the white adapter that comes with your zen vision m to get digital audio line out from the input to connect audio/video signal for tv-connecting...

So the thing is, it works strangely enough and the sound i get has less recessed mids than either the headphonejack-mini-to-mini-headsix or the LOD-headsix

There is an overall quality difference, it lies in between the headphone jack mini-to-mini and the lod cable. But because of my mid-favoring this will be the way to go

 

[donunus]

my headfive was also a little recessed and dry sounding which is the main reason i got rid of them

 

[quinten7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif my headfive was also a little recessed and dry sounding which is the main reason i got rid of them

damned, next time even more extensive research on headfi

 

[donunus]

and the headfive was supposedly meiers warmest amp

 

[quinten7]

Hmm, i need to restate some things...
After listening in a relaxed and quiet room with the headsix it became apparent to me how good this amp actually is. There is so much detail everywhere when listening to classical or instrumental music, it's incredible.
The mids are quite alright when i listen using the sync adapter with the video/audio out. It's sounds actually more organice and lively than with the qables lod. The downside is a less wide soundstage and some more "bloom" in the bass, the lod sounds also a lot more "clean", sometimes too clean actually...

So if somebody has been reading the previous posts, i have to say now that the headsix is quite good, it justs needs some getting used to

(had the same with al my previous equipment, didn't like my ep630, senn hd595, superfi 5pro or pa2v2 at the beginning neither

)

 

[WolfyWolf Von Wolfenstein]

I have a zen, too and was wondering if you use the sync adapter, what cable do I use? Are you, quinten7, using a mini to rca adapter like the one you can buy at the creative store? I am guessing you aren't plugging the phones directly to the adapter. But could one also use a mini to mini cable for a direct connection to a portable dac/amp? And does that bypass the onboard dac/amp on the zen?