[Sorrodje]

  (If memory serves me correct I think I may have said something you didn't get in another thread; maybe a "Metrum" thread as
I had an Octave, now a Hex)

 
Maybe. I don't remember sorry. Forgive my english , it is indeed not my native language and I struggle sometimes ( may I say often ) to understand what people write , especially where technical language, slang or connotations are used.
 
I understand what you 're saying,. what i don't achieve to understand is to link what you said wit the transparency/grado/HD 800 debate ;à)

 

[knowhatimean]

 

  (If memory serves me correct I think I may have said something you didn't get in another thread; maybe a "Metrum" thread as
I had an Octave, now a Hex)

 
Maybe. I don't remember sorry. Forgive my english , it is indeed not my native language and I struggle sometimes ( may I say often ) to understand what people write , especially where technical language, slang or connotations are used.
 
I understand what you 're saying,. what i don't achieve to understand is to link what you said wit the transparency/grado/HD 800 debate ;à)

Aha ! I thought that it might have been interruption to the "ongoing" transparency debate ! (which I had a little time to think about; so
I'll comment on that also)
 
Everyone assigns different qualities to what they call "transparent". The real problem begins with where the "transparency" really
starts. Does it go all the way back to how something was recorded or are somethings changing as the music passes through each piece of equipment before you hear what's coming out of your headphones ?
 
The real truth is we all prefer the way certain things sound more than we do others. He, he, he... everyone really has to decide for
themselves because things like "brightness, darkness, openness,sibilance etc" are not musical qualities but "mechanical" properties
that were added during the recording or being created as the signal passes from one component to the next.
 
"Transparency" is only important to what you're listening to ,it's really not a transferable value between other people ! You may feel
that something is or isn't "more" transparent, but this is not a measurable degree of value, only an individual value.
 
& that's it ! Debate solved !

 

[TonyNewman]

For the ultimate in transparency I use these.
 
 

 
Total HD800 killer.

 

[Nudel]

Ultimate transparency...

 

 

[ruthieandjohn]

  Ultimate transparency...

 

For ultimate transparency, *I* look forward to the emerging Sennheiser 1000 (shown below... seems they will continue to use the HD 800 box), for which details are revealed here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/650510/the-new-hd800-impressions-thread/16950#post_11322223
 

 

[knowhatimean]

If it's ultimate "Transparency" you're after it's really pretty simple !
 
All you have to do is re-read the last three postings (read it carefully now: as I know some of you are big on *details)
add up all that information & think about it for several days !
 
& then you'll achieve the "ultimate"
 
*(        ) You expected something to be there ???.............. It's "Transparent"

 

 

[Blackmore]

Transparency is when your equipment let you hear every possible thing from the source ( record ), without marking or coloring a lot. I don't believe in pure transparency, but thats my very subjective and personal opinion.

 

[pearljam50000]

The K1000 and HD800 are the most transparent that I have heard, but haven't tried many, but I know good sound when I hear it.

 

[knowhatimean]

  Transparency is when your equipment let you hear every possible thing from the source ( record ), without marking or coloring a lot. I don't believe in puur transparency, but thats my very subjective and personal opinion.

Exactly, there are no "degrees" of it & "it is" by nature  very subjective & personal (no need to call a fact, an opinion)
 
(I didn't want to use the word "subjective" as that might have been too many syllables for some to understand here)

 

[knowhatimean]

The K1000 and HD800 are the most transparent that I have heard, but haven't tried many, but I know good sound when I hear it.

Is that the AKG K1000 ? (which someone is now making "again" I believe !)

 

[ubs28]

To me, transparency is heard in how clean and clear it sounds. You simply hear the source. That is in my opinion the biggest difference between a mid-fi headphone like the Shure SRH 1840 and a high-end headphone like the HD800.
 
I always found Balanced Armature IEM's superior in this area over full sized headphones. Hence why I was so surprised when I heard the Sennheiser HD800. 

 

[pearljam50000]

Yes, AKG K1000, but it was an old pair, I didn't hear about anyone making them again.

Is that the AKG K1000 ? (which someone is now making "again" I believe !)

 

[knowhatimean]

  David Mahler would disagree..
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared-update-audeze-lcd-2-revision-2-6-4-13
 
Quote (PS1000):

 TRANSPARENT?: The PS1000 is not a transparent headphone per se. Its frequency response is far enough from flat that I cannot commend it for being a transparent headphone. However, I don't find the sound to be particularly grainy.

 
Quote (RS2 & RS1):

 TRANSPARENT?: I am convinced that none of Grado's offerings are definitively transparent. However, all of the ones which I have heard get very close.

 
Quote (HP1000):

 LACKS ULTIMATE TRANSPARENCY: While the HP2 is a very transparent sounding headphone, it feels somehow lacking when compared against other headphones at a similar price point (such as the LCD-3 and Omega 2).

 
Quote (HD800):

 TRANSPARENT?: The HD800 functions as a very transparent window into the music. That said, I would not say that the HD800 is the most transparent headphone on the block. It is definitely near the top tier with regard to transparency, but there can sometimes be a slight edginess in the treble that makes it fall just slightly short of ultimate perfection.

I think David's conclusion's were a bit colored by the DAC he used & the fact that the line conditioning he was using really didn't
appear sufficient enough to hear far enough into the "noise floor" to hear how transparent the phones were.
 
The thing that bothered me the most I suppose was even talking about "Ultimate Transparency" some of those opinions are definitely
due to how certain phones sound on "that DAC" (& if there were other DACs they were of the same type I believe !)
 
Oh! the stock HD 800 may not be at the top tier, "modded" I would say it's a lot closer !

 

[knowhatimean]

Yes, AKG K1000, but it was an old pair, I didn't hear about anyone making them again.

Is that the AKG K1000 ? (which someone is now making "again" I believe !)

Look at Stereodesk.com ! (I was wrong but they claim to be able to get them for interested customers & of course offer upgrades to
them (so it's worthwhile for them to continue the trade-in market! they're asking $3200 before upgrades. What were they new ?)

 

[Blackmore]

USD 3200, nice

, but these are old stock, not new production.