[AudioDuck]

Hey, very much. appreciated! You have shared some great insights across various threads regarding headphones and tube amps which have been very helpful to me, particularly as I don't have options to trial any gear or participate in any meet ups in my area. Thanks kindly!

I don't recall ever getting a reply, but in the interim I fell for the shiny new toy syndrome myself ( once again) and pulled the trigger on the Bokeh...it hasn't arrived yet, so unable to compare to my Eikon or others...but I see this as a reasonable option financially for me at present as I have come to the realization that I can't really afford/ justify cans much over $1,000 given my financial reality, so the Bokeh at release price seemed like a more realistic expense (there's that sweet, sweet self-justification again!!!).

Mind you, I am getting to the point where I may start downsizing and consolidating - and at that point look to reduce in order to step up in tier...but hopefully that will be a while away as I get to cycle through my current collection to learn more about differences and preferences.

I do also have my first OTL coming shortly (entry level, TA-26) and a few tubes so I'm going have quite a bit to play with for a while hopefully...

Thanks again for reaching out and all the sharing in the fora... enjoy the music!

I appreciate the kind reply, and am glad to hear my posts have been helpful. So many folks here have helped my reach my “end game” that I’m happy to share.

Great to hear that you had the opportunity to order a Bokeh. Clearly it’s a winner of a headphone, and I may eventually get one as a desk-side daily driver when my Shure workhorse eventually gives up the ghost. Congratulations on that front!

I can virtually guarantee that your inbound OTL amp will add a certain magic to your ZMFs. It’s hard to articulate why or how this happens, but there is a realism or natural/organic “presence” to the sound that some OTLs conjure up with ZMFs. So congratulations again- may your new amp give you endless hours of joy!

If you were to want to consolidate in a year or two and find the biocellulose drivers in your Eikon to be represent a sound you want more of/in a more evolved form, you could sell another headphone and your Eikon to fund an Atrium Closed. I know that would require a significant leap of faith, but I’ll say this: I never reach for my Eikons now with my main setup, but I’m very glad I have them for occasional deskside (work hours) listening, as my DAP drives them nicely. The Atrium Closed can easily be the last headphone you buy- or at least the last one for many years.

It isn’t inaccurate to call it a “super Eikon”, though it is a bit of a generalization. The main thing is that if you love the Eikon, the Atrium Closed is 95-99 percent likely to amplify that by an order of magnitude. At least it did for me, and from what I’ve read I am not alone.

That said, if Zach and team had not developed the Atrium Closed, I would have been happy with the Eikon.

Enjoy the new gear!

 

[Rakyan]

What do you think guys: i sending back my D9200, it was too in my face sounding with little soundstage. I know now, that i need a laid back presentation, vocals far away from me, and big soundstage as possible. As i have to think in closed backs, i have a narrow list, so curious to your opinions, for the same price which one u would choose:
LCD 2 CB or DCA Noire? I know the simple traits, probably the LCD has bigger soundstage, but is it much bigger? Worth the extra weight and worse tonality? If somebody can compare thair soundstage i would be glad. Just with plain simple metrics, like on shoulder line or 30cm from shoulder outwards, etc. The D9200 was really just sounded right next to my ears and just before my forehead, i didnt like that.

 

[krenky]

What do you think guys: i sending back my D9200, it was too in my face sounding with little soundstage. I know now, that i need a laid back presentation, vocals far away from me, and big soundstage as possible. As i have to think in closed backs, i have a narrow list, so curious to your opinions, for the same price which one u would choose:
LCD 2 CB or DCA Noire? I know the simple traits, probably the LCD has bigger soundstage, but is it much bigger? Worth the extra weight and worse tonality? If somebody can compare thair soundstage i would be glad. Just with plain simple metrics, like on shoulder line or 30cm from shoulder outwards, etc. The D9200 was really just sounded right next to my ears and just before my forehead, i didnt like that.

Check the XTC 2.5, big soundstage for closed back, customized tuning for your liking, great timbre and details. I am very happy with them.

 

[Halimj7]

What do you think guys: i sending back my D9200, it was too in my face sounding with little soundstage. I know now, that i need a laid back presentation, vocals far away from me, and big soundstage as possible. As i have to think in closed backs, i have a narrow list, so curious to your opinions, for the same price which one u would choose:
LCD 2 CB or DCA Noire? I know the simple traits, probably the LCD has bigger soundstage, but is it much bigger? Worth the extra weight and worse tonality? If somebody can compare thair soundstage i would be glad. Just with plain simple metrics, like on shoulder line or 30cm from shoulder outwards, etc. The D9200 was really just sounded right next to my ears and just before my forehead, i didnt like that.

Why not hd820? It’s almost complete opposite of 9200. Big soundstage, a lot separation, distant lower mids.

 

[ozz007]

Why not hd820? It’s almost complete opposite of 9200. Big soundstage, a lot separation, distant lower mids.

If the hd820 don't fit you ight it won't sound good at all.
I had the hd820 I had to sell it cause it wont seat right on my face so It never sounded good.

Xtc2.5 it seals really good and they sound amazing

 

[Halimj7]

If the hd820 don't fit you ight it won't sound good at all.
I had the hd820 I had to sell it cause it wont seat right on my face so It never sounded good.

Xtc2.5 it seals really good and they sound amazing

They have a warm signature right?

 

[Rakyan]

Check the XTC 2.5, big soundstage for closed back, customized tuning for your liking, great timbre and details. I am very happy with them.

I cant buy the XTC in my country, even not found it on thoman.de. Its really LCD vs DCA, they much cheaper than the HD820. (here its half the price)

 

[Halimj7]

I cant buy the XTC in my country, even not found it on thoman.de. Its really LCD vs DCA, they much cheaper than the HD820. (here its half the price)

I would pick Audeze. DCA has very little dynamics.

 

[Rakyan]

I would pick Audeze. DCA has very little dynamics.

I leaning towards the audeze too, as a complete package it looks nicer. Better dinamics, bigger soundstage, only the tuning or the weight are the cons (maybe), but tuning wise i dont think its any worse than my D5200 and thats already good enough for me, and the weight is hardly a problem for me, im not a comfort nagger at any means. Like, for the Denons ppl say they utterly unconfortable, because of the heatspot on the headband, and although i see what are they talking about, it is a veery minor thing in my eyes, not a problem at all.

 

[Rhamnetin]

DCA has very little dynamics.

Not true of the E3 at least. Better sound stage/spatial effects than Audezes too (especially below the LCD-5) due to Audeze upper frequency recession.

 

[Waddiewadkins]

If the hd820 don't fit you ight it won't sound good at all.
I had the hd820 I had to sell it cause it wont seat right on my face so It never sounded good.

Xtc2.5 it seals really good and they sound amazing

But isn't there a way to increase seal and clamp

 

[Waddiewadkins]

Next time write it in all caps for more impact

They're not deaf. They just sleeping.

 

[AudioDuck]

They have a warm signature right?

Depends on what you ask John (Massaria) for. He can tune his headphones to different signatures, unless he’s moved to a larger scale production now- but he’s wonderful, so I’m sure he will help work it out with you.

 

[Terriero]

What do you think guys: i sending back my D9200, it was too in my face sounding with little soundstage. I know now, that i need a laid back presentation, vocals far away from me, and big soundstage as possible. As i have to think in closed backs, i have a narrow list, so curious to your opinions, for the same price which one u would choose:
LCD 2 CB or DCA Noire? I know the simple traits, probably the LCD has bigger soundstage, but is it much bigger? Worth the extra weight and worse tonality? If somebody can compare thair soundstage i would be glad. Just with plain simple metrics, like on shoulder line or 30cm from shoulder outwards, etc. The D9200 was really just sounded right next to my ears and just before my forehead, i didnt like that.

I had the same experience with the 9200s with a lot of albums (with other albums I enjoyed them a lot) and, at the end, I decided to sell them with no regrets at all...

Right now, I'm in the "open back camp" with my Sennheisers which I'm enjoying a lot... But I want to try soon the classical AKG K371 to hear a true "harman tuning" presentation... Then, if you want a TOTL with "harman tuning" you have the recent DCA E3...

I've tried a lot of headphones and the Sennheisers are the ones that give to me the best presentation of the music I like/love, maybe because their naturalness.

 

[Rhamnetin]

I had the same experience with the 9200s with a lot of albums (with other albums I enjoyed them a lot) and, at the end, I decided to sell them with no regrets at all...

Right now, I'm in the "open back camp" with my Sennheisers which I'm enjoying a lot... But I want to try soon the classical AKG K371 to hear a true "harman tuning" presentation... Then, if you want a TOTL with "harman tuning" you have the recent DCA E3...

I've tried a lot of headphones and the Sennheisers are the ones that give to me the best presentation of the music I like/love, maybe because their naturalness.

The K371 has some severe deviation from their own tuning curves curiously enough. ASR's PEQ profile takes care of them, but try with and without (and with and without the bass shelf).

Compared to previous DCA headphones (prior to Stealth/Expanse), the E3 is a 180 - no more upper frequency recession, and no more flat bass response. This is what gives it the "dynamics" that were missing from many of the older DCAs.