THE COMPOSER OPEN BACK FLAGSHIP by AUSTRIAN AUDIO

[Not so fat head]

Listening the way the artist intended is hilarious at best….

 

[plakat]

Listening the way the artist intended is hilarious at best….

Thats without question impossible since you won't have the same chain anyway...

For me not using EQ is a simplification: I don't need to select equipment for supporting certain EQ characteristics and I can freely move my cans around between my sources. I currently use my iPhone, an old iPod Classic, an M17 or a Macbook Air as a source... hardly an environment where I could replicate EQ settings, and even less so considering that I have too many headphones I want to use.

 

[FritzS]

Thats without question impossible since you won't have the same chain anyway...

For me not using EQ is a simplification: I don't need to select equipment for supporting certain EQ characteristics and I can freely move my cans around between my sources. I currently use my iPhone, an old iPod Classic, an M17 or a Macbook Air as a source... hardly an environment where I could replicate EQ settings, and even less so considering that I have too many headphones I want to use.

There is no player where you can store many EQ profiles for different headphones and where you can easily switch between profiles. Unless you use additional tools such as Sonarworks.
And that certainly doesn't work if you switch between different devices, as you rightly write!

 

[ThEvil0nE]

Seems like a solution for a problem that shouldnt exist. How is foam getting torn and why use a driver so bright? Assuming foam was torn accidentally under normal circumstances. If the foam was torn when the pads were off then that’s different but still a concern assuming headphones were handled reasonably.

The only logical reason I can find for the newly developed driver to be that bright is it could have been developed with a roadmap for future models to use same driver.

 

[DarginMahkum]

For dongle users that need multiple PEQ settings and even virtual surround (and further DSP features in the future), this is I think the best dongle money can buy at the moment:

https://www.qudelix.com/products/copy-of-qudelix-t71-usb-dac

 

[shabta]

For dongle users that need multiple PEQ settings and even virtual surround (and further DSP features in the future), this is I think the best dongle money can buy at the moment:

https://www.qudelix.com/products/copy-of-qudelix-t71-usb-dac

The problem I have is that not all PEQ are created equal. Some noticably degrade the sound, the RME is an exception. So until I can demo it, I won't know. Most people don't use dongles with highly revealing gear, or don't need high dynamic range, so you can't tell from what most people say. With high impediance cans or low sensitivity high current gear (the Susvara is an extreme example) the amp that worked without eq might be clipping with eq.

Anyway, this is way off topic. The good news is that the composer is highly efficient. But I haven't found eq to be necessary.

 

[nfandi]

There is no player where you can store many EQ profiles for different headphones and where you can easily switch between profiles. Unless you use additional tools such as Sonarworks.
And that certainly doesn't work if you switch between different devices, as you rightly write!

I guess you haven’t heard of Roon.

 

[plakat]

I guess you haven’t heard of Roon.

Interesting possibility, yet I don't need EQ anyway and would not pay another subscription for a system I consider much too complex for what I actually want to do.

Plus I don't pay for some rather expensive headphone to then correct it via EQ. If it doesn't fit my taste, I prefer to look for another model that does. Thats much more fun to me if I want to play around with gadgets, but nowadays I spend more time listening to music than trying out headphones and DACs.

 

[nfandi]

For dongle users that need multiple PEQ settings and even virtual surround (and further DSP features in the future), this is I think the best dongle money can buy at the moment:

https://www.qudelix.com/products/copy-of-qudelix-t71-usb-dac

Have you compared it to the L&P W4?

 

[nfandi]

Interesting possibility, yet I don't need EQ anyway and would not pay another subscription for a system I consider much too complex for what I actually want to do.

Plus I don't pay for some rather expensive headphone to then correct it via EQ. If it doesn't fit my taste, I prefer to look for another model that does. Thats much more fun to me if I want to play around with gadgets, but nowadays I spend more time listening to music than trying out headphones and DACs.

I guess you also haven’t read all of the body of work written by Resolve and the contributions made by various Audiologists and other people engaged in sound engineering, recording, producing etc. Yes, I agree that Roon can be overkill for people who do not have a large local library of music and want to seamlessly integrate that library with e.g. Quobuz or Tidal streaming. I just wanted to correct your statement that started with “no player…….” Etc. Roon can do all of the things you said no player can do.
If you also would take time out to read about the development of the original Raal-Requisite SR1a/b and CA1a, both excellent transducers at their respective price points, you would also learn that there is a completely alternative view to EQ and its uses for TOTL headphones. Alex developed those phones to be the best they could be from a technical point of view at their respective pricepoints knowing that EQ these days is free and is an easy way to tune a headphone to meet each individuals preferences. The alternative would have been to reduce the technical capabilities to try to make the sound more acceptable without EQ. The second of those approaches it seems would have been more acceptable to you, but the first approach is the one that has given us 2 TOTL phones at much lower prices than their direct competitors. Paying more for a headphone doesn’t decrease the need for EQ. In fact it‘s more likely these days to increase the need for EQ so that you can fine tune the sound to perfectly meet YOUR preferences. It’s not possible to produce ONE headphone that will meet the needs of every individual; but it is much easier (for a small number of very skilled individuals) to produce one very technically proficient headphone that can be tuned by EQ to meet the needs of a much larger number of individuals.

 

[plakat]

I guess you also haven’t read all of the body of work written by Resolve and the contributions made by various Audiologists and other people engaged in sound engineering, recording, producing etc. Yes, I agree that Roon can be overkill for people who do not have a large local library of music and want to seamlessly integrate that library with e.g. Quobuz or Tidal streaming. I just wanted to correct your statement that started with “no player…….” Etc. Roon can do all of the things you said no player can do.
If you also would take time out to read about the development of the original Raal-Requisite SR1a/b and CA1a, both excellent transducers at their respective price points, you would also learn that there is a completely alternative view to EQ and its uses for TOTL headphones. Alex developed those phones to be the best they could be from a technical point of view at their respective pricepoints knowing that EQ these days is free and is an easy way to tune a headphone to meet each individuals preferences. The alternative would have been to reduce the technical capabilities to try to make the sound more acceptable without EQ. The second of those approaches it seems would have been more acceptable to you, but the first approach is the one that has given us 2 TOTL phones at much lower prices than their direct competitors. Paying more for a headphone doesn’t decrease the need for EQ. In fact it‘s more likely these days to increase the need for EQ so that you can fine tune the sound to perfectly meet YOUR preferences. It’s not possible to produce ONE headphone that will meet the needs of every individual; but it is much easier (for a small number of very skilled individuals) to produce one very technically proficient headphone that can be tuned by EQ to meet the needs of a much larger number of individuals.

No, that I did not read. But I do have a background as a live sound engineer and limited background in studio work, so I think I do know how EQ is applied there (and much needed, no question about that). Having studio quality EQ available is an exception at home though (the already mentioned RME products would be fine I guess, some DAW plugins as well) and still much of an overkill. Like Roon.

Actually I was really referring more to hardware than software in my statements, but of course pure software could be understood with using the unqualified term "player" and then your correction is fully on spot. I would not have thought about it even if I had software players in mind though, since both my attempts to get familiar with Roon ended with my assessment of "too complex, too expensive" for my purpose.

I know such "complete systems" that consist of custom electronics together with a headphone or speaker, where the "active" concept is even older but shows some similar traits. For PA systems I always preferred active for small installations and passive for large systems, but line array is simply better implemented as an active system of course.

For headphones I'd never consider any of those. I've heard both Raal variants, disliked the open version (the one that reminds me of the K1000) but quite liked the one that looks more like a traditional headphone. I much dislike their need for specialized electronics though, both for their extremely low impedance and the corrections needed. I just don't want to have to build something completely around such a headphone... I long gave up to own "The One" and consider my changing collection fun in itself. But to actually use many different headphones each has to have a low barrier of entry/usage... i.e. grab it, plug it in, adjust volume and that's it. I don't want to have to change electronics and/or EQ profiles... because I know I would not do that again.

I also think that its simply impossible to create "The One" that works for everyone -- how should that be possible if it doesn't even work for me as a single person? But I don't need to make any model work for me: I'm not tied to any vendor (even if I have preferences). Its a competitive market, and another vendor will do something I like. Thats just how it should be in my view.

Another thing is EQ doesn't change other driver properties anyway. There are digital tricks trying to do that, but then we are in the realm of electronic+driver systems again.

Sorry for long OT. It's an interesting topic, and the mention of Roon and its capabilities is a valid argument. I'm still happy I like the Composer and the E3 as well as my recently growing Grado collection without any corrections.

 

[Rob80b]

In fact it‘s more likely these days to increase the need for EQ so that you can fine tune the sound to perfectly meet YOUR preferences.

I believe this has and will continue to make listeners a lot less tolerant to any imperfections in a recording, warts and all are not acceptable, similar to what air brushing did to the human body....

Another thing is EQ doesn't change other driver properties anyway.

So true, EQ only changes, manipulates the frequencies sent to said headphone, the headphones continue to sound the same just the recording has been altered, and as most EQ is done digitally the stream is no longer bit perfect, if that is a concern.
Not saying "Post EQ" is wrong just each to their own and be happy.....
Personally I take all the flaws and variations on a recording and how each headphone reproduces them with open arms, if the actually headphones are not to my liking that is something completely different, akin to the choice of shoes.

 

[Rob80b]

Back on topic...any ETA on the Composer arriving in Canada?

 

[Philimon]

The only logical reason I can find for the newly developed driver to be that bright is it could have been developed with a roadmap for future models to use same driver.

We’ve yet to see why AA used a bright driver in all of their models so I doubt AA has a roadmap. I doubt layers of foam bandages is anywhere near an ideal design.

 

[Nomax]

We’ve yet to see why AA used a bright driver in all of their models so I doubt AA has a roadmap. I doubt layers of foam bandages is anywhere near an ideal design.

Only speculations about ideal and not ideal

NOMAX

PS.Ultimately, however, it's about preventing reflections with the foam between the outer ear and the speaker plate
(A little bird from the forests of Vienna chirped this to me)
AA will certainly give you more detailed information about this at the upcoming Can Jam if you have any questions