[sinofsins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acix /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, as well the GMP 435-S that is an open design and they share the same drivers as the GMP 8.35.

Thanks for the tip. I've now narrowed down to 2 headphones; GMP 8.35 and Audio Technica ESW9. The types of music that I listen to includes Portishead, Depeche Mode, Muse, Arctic Monkeys, The Decemberists plus some indie rock and some classics like Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. Which of the 2 headphones is more suited for the types of music I listen to?

 

[Dogbane]

My 8.300ds arrive tomorrow. Full report after I hear them.
I chose them over 450s for the isolation, and over 8.35s for the higher impedance.

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogbane /img/forum/go_quote.gif My 8.300ds arrive tomorrow. Full report after I hear them. I chose them over 450s for the isolation, and over 8.35s for the higher impedance.

Congratulations...photos are welcome too.

 

[Dogbane]

am very impressed with the 8.300ds.

My immediate impression was simply "wow, great sound!" After that, I began focusing on the particulars.

Overall frequency balance is very neutral, with no excessive emphasis or deemphasis on any particular part of the spectrum.

While I have heard more "sparkling" highs, those have always come at the cost of brightness. 8.300d highs are extremely clear and detailed, but with no brightness or sibilance whatsoever.

While it is physically impossible for closed phones to duplicate the inherently huge soundstage and airiness of open phones, these get about as close to that goal as I have yet heard. There is no sense of congestion or claustrophobia, and instruments have plenty of "breathing room" without the cavern effect.
Retrieval of ambient cues is so good that when the recording itself is very spacious, it sounds that way on these.

The midrange is utterly lifelike. The overall presentation is rather upfront, as though the singer is sitting right next to me. The effect can be rather startling with spoken-word passages, almost making me look to see if someone is there!

I now understand what people mean by "fast"! Percussive transients are razor-sharp, creating the best PRT that I have yet heard. Dynamics are also extremely lifelike, on both large and small scales.

I never knew that any headphones were capable of such flawless bass reproduction. Every sublety of bass timbre is so precise that I am sure a musician could identify the specific make and model of instrument used in any given passage.

Isolation is above average. With no music playing, I can hear some outside sounds, but only the loudest ones and even then strongly attenuated. No outside sounds are audible at all during even the quietest musical passages.

Comfort is acceptable. They are certainly not as fabulously comfortable as some Audio Technicas, but no worse than HD650s and they can be worn for long periods without too much irritation. Like all closed phones with pleather pads, they can get a bit warm.

Simply excellent overall. I give them a 9/10 (with the one point docked for comfort.) Since I specifically needed isolation, I believe that these meet my needs as well as or better than any other phones on the market.

 

[oqvist]

Wow you make them sound better then the 8.35D monitors. What earpads do they use is it the same as on the 8.400 thinner round pads rather then the thicker oval pleather pads?

A bit surprised about the speed comment. Does it use the same driver as on the 450 Pro/400? They seemed to be about the same as the 650/K701 for me and quite a bit slower then the Pro 900.

 

[Dogbane]

I am not prepared to make comparisons with other German Maestro headphones, because the 8.300ds are the only model I have heard from that brand.
What I can say, however, is that the pads are circular rings, rather than having an oval cutout like the 8.35ds. They are thick enough to prevent the drivers from touching my ears, and they are fully circumaural (for me, at least.)

It is my general impression that when two pairs of phones are very similar except for impedance, the model with the higher impedance sounds better overall. That is why I chose the 300 Ohm version.

To me, the 8.300ds do sound faster than my HD650s, and indeed faster than any other phones I have heard. The transients on percussion instruments were one of the first things that I noticed and appreciated about the sound.

 

[oqvist]

Is there any reason why higher impedance headphones would sound better except if you have hiss issues? More then that they are not being designed with performing unamped in mind like the 8.35Ds are? I mean K701 is hardly designed for that purpose and is relatively low in impedance. Ultrasones Pro series as well.

GMP 450 Pro/435S 300/35ohms I did pick the latter.
Is there anything more into it then impedance matching with the amps?

Otherwise I tried the 435S and it mates very well with the Goldpoint headphone Pro. Probably just due to synergy reason since they are as mentioned quite efficient.

This amp have a very clinical hifi sound with my 900. Often to clinical. Pro 900 have speed and this amp seems to speed up all my headphones even further so there is tons of silence in between notes lol. It´s an amp that certainly doesn´t add any extra warmth it seems.

However I am already in love with it with the 435S with the default pads. You get the detail of the 435S with the round pleather pads but you keep the warmth and balance and the smoothness of the stock pads. Seemed like I gained some bass extension as well I have yet to find something missing down there. And the bass tone Is just to adore

They surely gained some PRaT on this amp as well due to it´s speed. Quite a bit faster than the Slee Solo I have on the side.

This may be the best combo I have ever heard looking at the big picture. Pro 900 I actually often found sounding better on the Slee Solo so may have to do such a comparison I suppose

 

[Dogbane]

To give just one example, it is said that the 250 Ohm version of DT770 sounds so much better than the 80 Ohm version that it might as well be a completely different product.

I do not know the technical reasons for it. Perhaps someone else here does?

 

[Chu]

Just searched this entire thread for the word Denon . . . and found nothing! Can anyone compare these with the D2000's in terms of isolation/sound/comfort?

 

[UtzY]

Anybody knows from where I could buy German Maestro headphone parts? at a good price?

I'm interested in ear pads for the model reviewed in this thread.

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oqvist /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is there any reason why higher impedance headphones would sound better except if you have hiss issues? More then that they are not being designed with performing unamped in mind like the 8.35Ds are? I mean K701 is hardly designed for that purpose and is relatively low in impedance.

The differences between the 35 and the 300 ohm drivers can be mostly in the dynamic, and yes it's effect on the hiss issues too. The 300 ohm supposed to have a better maneuvers, but this what make them more of amp dependent.

One thing I'm sure about, they are very natural and balance.

 

[Acix]

Dogbane, great review...sounds like the 8.35 to me, lol, and of course the 435S.

 

[Dogbane]

Now that I have spent some time with my 8.300ds, I am convinced that they are quite simply the best headphones I have ever heard, period. Certainly not the most comfortable, though (or even the most isolating, for that matter.)

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogbane /img/forum/go_quote.gif Now that I have spent some time with my 8.300ds, I am convinced that they are quite simply the best headphones I have ever heard, period. Certainly not the most comfortable, though (or even the most isolating, for that matter.)

You can still mod them with different pads.

 

[kool bubba ice]

I really need to try the 8.3000. But been on a PC binge buying the BOK/Mother MK2.. Snake oil. blah.. And spending money on my new hobby..Forearm/hand strength.. Weights can get expensive. Still need to tear a phone book in half..(half way serious)Or at least a deck of cards(totally serious).....Torn between two hobbies.. One hurts my wallet.. The other just burns my wrist to hell raiser type pain.