[Chefguru]

Quote:

By far, my source component is the most expensive purchase in my audio system. I believe in the source first philosophy first and foremost.
 
Resolution Audio Opus 21 CD Player and Power Centre: $3,500.00 USD
Resolution Audio Opus 21 Extra Sources: $1,500.00 USD
Resolution Audio Opus 21 S30 Power Amplifier: $2,500.00 USD
Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline HR-2: $875.00 USD
Balanced Power Technology BP.Jr II Ultra: $700.00 USD
Balanced Power Technology 9 gauge Litz power cord: $100.00 USD
Cardas Golden Reference Power: $534.00 USD
Cardas Golden Reference Interconnect RCA: $816.00 USD
Sennheiser HD-650: $500.00 USD
Moon Audio Blue Dragon Cable for Sennheiser HD-650: $240.00 USD
DNM Reson RCA cable: $150.00 USD
 
Grand Total: $11,415.00 USD

 
Do you really think that this system would sound better than this one? 
 
Switch all the cables for cheap $50ish ones > A cd player at half the cost > m-matrix amp (250) > hd800 with stock cable (1500)
 
Sure getting better components will improve the sound, but its all relative to what you're using. Even on the a 500 cdp and 250 m-matrix or lovely cube amp i'd argue the hd800 would sound faster, more detailed, with a bigger soundstage and more realistic presentation. 
 
 
 

 

[jcx]

and that's left out a major piece of equipment for "sound stage", "realism" - since most music recordings are produced for loudspeaker/room reproduction all headphone listening is severely compromised in the soundstage, imaging domain without processing
 
the current best is the Smyth SVS Realizer - lets you "copy" a real room/loudspeaker sound by measuring/calibrating your personal hrtf in the "sweet spot" over a range of angles
 
then the reproduction with head tracking over your headphones really, really, sounds like the speaker/room system - true outside your head spatialization
 
you can "collect" calibrations in world class audio studios, at the mastering desk for the cost of an hrs rental - or dealer showrooms, friends, audio club members setups - anywhere you can get into with the Realizer box, mics to calibrate

 

[obobskivich]

Your post got me to re-read his/hers; am I to understand that someone has actually spent around $11,000 USD to listen to a pair of HD 650s? 

Quote:

 
Do you really think that this system would sound better than this one? 
 
Switch all the cables for cheap $50ish ones > A cd player at half the cost > m-matrix amp (250) > hd800 with stock cable (1500)
 
Sure getting better components will improve the sound, but its all relative to what you're using. Even on the a 500 cdp and 250 m-matrix or lovely cube amp i'd argue the hd800 would sound faster, more detailed, with a bigger soundstage and more realistic presentation. 
 
 
 

 

 

[Maxvla]

Dear lord, I hope not.

 

[dyl1dyl]

My golden ratio is 40% headphones, 40% source (not including music), 20% amp. For example, for $5000, I would get something like an LCD-3, a SPL Auditor and maybe a W4s DAC2. If I have any extra budget then I would recommend getting some good solid core silver cables.

 

[Radio_head]

Quote:

Resolution Audio Opus 21 CD Player and Power Centre: $3,500.00 USD
Resolution Audio Opus 21 Extra Sources: $1,500.00 USD
Resolution Audio Opus 21 S30 Power Amplifier: $2,500.00 USD
Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline HR-2: $875.00 USD
Balanced Power Technology BP.Jr II Ultra: $700.00 USD
Balanced Power Technology 9 gauge Litz power cord: $100.00 USD
Cardas Golden Reference Power: $534.00 USD
Cardas Golden Reference Interconnect RCA: $816.00 USD
Sennheiser HD-650: $500.00 USD
Moon Audio Blue Dragon Cable for Sennheiser HD-650: $240.00 USD
DNM Reson RCA cable: $150.00 USD
 
Grand Total: $11,415.00 USD
 
To be honest and truthful, I traded my Audio Technica ATH-W5000 "Raffinato" headphones for the Sennheiser HD-650 headphones and the Moon Audio Blue Dragon Cable so that did not cost me any money, but I did pay full MSRP for everything else and I have the receipts as proof.
 
I think that this qualifies me to play in the high end audio sub-forum from time to time.
[snip]

Phoebe, I don't know if you are averse to buying slightly used or demo units, but you could have purchased most of the components in your system for close to half the price you paid for them.  For instance, here are two items you spent $6,000 on for less than $2,000 in 9/10 condition (perfect physical condition with light use.)  Just an option to keep in mind when buying speakers/amps/sources.
 
 

 

[PhoebeFairchild]

To tell the truth, my next purchase may be the ZU Omen Bookshelf speakers and the Blue Jeans Cable Belden 5000 10' long Spades to Spades speaker cables. I think that I am done with my headphone system for a long time. I am not even sure if I will buy the ZU Omen Bookshelf speakers and the Blue Jeans Cables for my birthday next month as I am thinking about spending about $200 USD to get myself a Seagate Barracuda 3.5" 3.00 terabyte 7,200 RPM 64 MB cache internal hard disk drive. I am running out of storage capacity.

 

[Asr]

Quote:

My golden ratio is 40% headphones, 40% source (not including music), 20% amp. For example, for $5000, I would get something like an LCD-3, a SPL Auditor and maybe a W4s DAC2. If I have any extra budget then I would recommend getting some good solid core silver cables.

The SPL Auditor doesn't have the electrical characteristics necessary to properly drive low-impedance headphones like the LCD-3. When I owned the Auditor, the only headphone I owned that it seemed to properly drive was the Beyerdynamic T1. It was mediocre, at best, for every other headphone I owned, including the LCD-2 r1 that I also had at the time.

 

[David1961]

Because my source is the K-01, at the moment my ratio is 70% source and 30% shared between amp and headphones. That might change when I receive the BHSE I've ordered to drive my SR-009's.

 

[MorbidToaster]

So you'll be running K-01, BHSE, and 009s? Talk about TOTL. Hnnnnngh
 
Quote:

Because my source is the K-01, at the moment my ratio is 70% source and 30% shared between amp and headphones. That might change when I receive the BHSE I've ordered to drive my SR-009's.

 
 

 

[David1961]

Listening to music via headphones has become a very big part of my life, something I enjoy immensely. While I've heard the K-01 with me owning one for about six months, I've never heard either the BHSE or the SR-009's even though I got the SR-009's around two months ago, so I'm only going by what I've read about the two. I have also read that the BHSE + SR-009's need a good source to get them to reach their potential which I believe the K-01 will do.

 

[dyl1dyl]

Quote:

The SPL Auditor doesn't have the electrical characteristics necessary to properly drive low-impedance headphones like the LCD-3. When I owned the Auditor, the only headphone I owned that it seemed to properly drive was the Beyerdynamic T1. It was mediocre, at best, for every other headphone I owned, including the LCD-2 r1 that I also had at the time.

Oh, cool, didnt know that. I actually havent tried that combo, was just thinking of an amp that ran about 1k. Haha, my personal setup is heavily weighted to source since its the same source as my primary setup. Its a Moon 750D>Woo WA5/Littledot MK6+>LCD-3 so my source is about 4 times more expensive than my amp or headphones.
 

 

[Magick Man]

No such thing. Get the best cans/speakers you can afford and then fill in around them until you get the sound you desire. It varies according to preference and how far you're willing to go for the last 0.5% and psychological satisfaction.