[longbowbbs]

Maybe its the tubes, but I have not found a need for an EQ with my Decware....One less link in the chain...

 

[MorbidToaster]

Maybe its the tubes, but I have not found a need for an EQ with my Decware....One less link in the chain...

I've never found a tube amp I thought needed EQ with the HD800. Just SS.

 

[extrabigmehdi]

Quote:

You guys aren't using the right EQs.

I will say I haven't found a software EQ I liked though.

Fab filter pro q, is my current favorite eq. Convenient interface, and clean sound.

 

[preproman]

With the GS-X mk2 and the Master 7 - no EQ is needed IMO.

 

[nigeljames]

+1 Same here with NFB-7 & Master-6 running single ended.

 

[extrabigmehdi]

Quote:

I've never found a tube amp I thought needed EQ with the HD800. Just SS.

Well, if someone is interested, there's a dsp that is intended to imitate the tube sound.
Off course, use a SS for source.
I'd be interested by impression from people already familiar with tubes:
http://wavearts.com/products/plugins/tube/
Oh and take a little time to tweak it, don't bash it too fast.
It's cpu heavy.

 

[JWahl]

I personally feel the HD800 benefits more from good crossfeed than eq, but it could be because the crossfeed takes out some of the treble edge along with it.  For me though, it's mostly for the center image.  After adjusting to the crossfed signal, it almost hurts my brain to listen to it without.  Almost like everything is shouting at me from the sides.
 
I'd be interested to hear the new Taboo III.  I know it uses their "lucid mode" which is supposed to be some variation of crossfeed.  And I've also read that some tube amps have better center image in general.

 

[Solude]

GS-X mk2 and PWD2... if anything I would EQ some treble IN not OUT.  And I would never dream of using crossfeed on the HD800.  It already has pinpoint staging left to right top to bottom and front back.  Why would I want to push everything closer to the middle?  Crossfeed is useful for material that is hard panned to only left or right or for headphones that are only capable of three blob staging.  Beyond that it's just one more thing in the chain altering the original.

 

[MorbidToaster]

GS-X mk2 and PWD2... if anything I would EQ some treble IN not OUT.  And I would never dream of using crossfeed on the HD800.  It already has pinpoint staging left to right top to bottom and front back.  Why would I want to push everything closer to the middle?  Crossfeed is useful for material that is hard panned to only left or right or for headphones that are only capable of three blob staging.  Beyond that it's just one more thing in the chain altering the original.

I found the 009 more accurate staging wise. It's not as wide but it's more precise.

 

[longbowbbs]

Speaking specifically about Decware's Lucid mode. It recreates the hearing perspective of natural sound. Our left ear can hear things from the right and the right ear from the left in natural space. Lucid does an interesting job of creating that perception within its headphone presentation. It is not intended for or recommended to be optimal for every recording. For some recordings it can be a revelation. Others it is just annoying. The main thing is you can turn it on or off as desired. I enjoyed Lucid Mode and found it was an interesting addition to the listening experience. As with anything it is a "YMMV" thing....

 

[paradoxper]

Like there are hard and fast rules, do what pleases your ears.

 

[longbowbbs]

Quote:

Like there are hard and fast rules, do what pleases your ears.

+1

 

[extrabigmehdi]

Quote:

I personally feel the HD800 benefits more from good crossfeed than eq, but it could be because the crossfeed takes out some of the treble edge along with it.  For me though, it's mostly for the center image.  After adjusting to the crossfed signal, it almost hurts my brain to listen to it without.  Almost like everything is shouting at me from the sides.

 
I totally agree , crossfeed is almost a must have with the hd800. This "dissociated" sound between left and right, is just too jarring for me.
I didn't have this problem with other headphone, perhaps because a layer of muddiness makes the separation less obvious.
Regarding treble, you are right, that some crossfeed tame it.
 
Here's what I get , when I analyze the default setting of BS2B:

 
You see that the frequencies are tamed by almost 2db, which in he case of hd800, is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
I wanted to analyze the side channel too , which represent the stereo separation ( (left-right)*0.5 ):
 

 
You see that the stereo separation is heavily reduced for the bass , below 500  hz.
 
I still think that crossfeed doesn't sound perfect, so it's a bit a frustrating experience, to decide either you turn it on or not.

 

[palmfish]

I find so much of my music is mixed in such a wide variety of curves that EQ is a must sometimes. Some recordings are so bright that it's like nails on a chalkboard to listen to them. Other recordings are so dull and bloomy that they need the mids and bass turned down. It's not the amp or headphones I'm adjusting for, it's the recording.

 

[JWahl]

Quote:

GS-X mk2 and PWD2... if anything I would EQ some treble IN not OUT.  And I would never dream of using crossfeed on the HD800.  It already has pinpoint staging left to right top to bottom and front back.  Why would I want to push everything closer to the middle?  Crossfeed is useful for material that is hard panned to only left or right or for headphones that are only capable of three blob staging.  Beyond that it's just one more thing in the chain altering the original.

Perhaps my current gear doesn't resolve that level of soundstage accuracy so it's a useful for me.  I should get to hear an Apex Peak/Volcano at meet later this month, which you've said in the past has a pretty good soundstage separation and accuracy so that will be interesting to hear.  
 
The SA-31 has a very good sense of space but it's difficult to judge it's accuracy without a proper frame of reference.