[Dubstep Girl]

i always watched movies with LCD-2, i still have to watch something with LCD-3. HD 800 is pretty good too 

 

[RedBull]

I used to watch movies with LCD2, but HD800 is just clearer with vocal in movies

 

[hekeli]

Quote:

I'd love to try a Realiser sometime-but don't think I'd have the time/patience for it's relatively high learning curve.

 
Oh yeah Realiser all the way. How do you have time to spend here all the time?

 
LCD-3s were maybe a bit better with Realiser, but I'm happy with my HD800s.. definitely LCDs have more bass/dynamic potential..

 

[persona1138]

Unrelated note... Anyone tried listening to "Einstein on the Beach" with these puppies?  Totally overwhelming (in a good way).

 

[FatmanSize48]

The JH13Pro Freqphase.  It's absolutely phenomenal... and very much on par with the HD800 when it comes to resolution, clarity, tonal accuracy, frequency bandwidth, soundstage, imaging, and all that.  I've owned the UM Miracle, Heir 4.A.. among (many) other custom & universal IEMs, btw.. IME, the JH13 is head and shoulders above every single one of them.  In fact, the JH13 has single handedly ended my (seemingly never-ending) search for an IEM that delivers everything I want in an IEM in terms of technical ability and a neutral (but not boring/sterile/clinical) signature.  
I've owned a ton of IEMs and 
still anticipate listening to/reviewing them, but I don't have the desire to buy a single one for the foreseeable future.. thanks to the JH13.  It'
s the only IEM that I would 
(heaven forbid) 
actually part with the HD800 over.  It brings me that level of technical satisfaction and musical enjoyment.. in some ways, it's a better investment than the HD800 (for around the same price) since the JH13 doesn't demand the kind of upstream investment that the HD800 requires (to get the most out of it).

I'll say this for the ALO Green Cable with the 4-pin XLR addition (at least, when used with my HDVD 800)... The 1/4" stock cable that came with my Sennheiser HD 800's sounds smaller in comparison.  Now, the thing I love (and find amusing) about audiophiles is that we're willing to spend $378 (+tax for the Green Cable and 4-pin XLR... Plus an additional $149 if you want the Green Line extension to give you - rather than 6 feet in length with the standard Green Line cable - an extra 4 feet [equal to the 10 foot 1/4" plug cord that comes with an HD 800]) for a minor but still noticeable difference in sound quality.  There is an appreciable difference between the standard 1/4" cable and the Green Cable w/ 4-pin XLR... Bass is deeper, the treble is clearer, and the sound stage (at least, to my ears) seems more pronounced and separated.

...The question is, is it worth $378 (or $527 with the extension cable, not including tax) worth the difference?  For my part, I've been going for a pure reference system with as much transparency as I can get.  I'm a film and television editor and while many HD 800 users want to temper the headphone's so-called "brighter" qualities... I personally find it has the right balance (when paired with the right amp... I highly recommend the HDVD 800 for an even, transparent sound)... I prefer when I can hear recordings for either personal or professional reasons as they were initially intended to be heard.  And for that purpose alone, I think that the ALO Audio Green Line cable was worth the price of admission.  It instantly elevated the quality, sound stage, and balance of my HD 800 headphones... Which are notoriously finicky. The standard cable is totally fine... The Green Line cable is way better (I haven't yet tried it with the 1/4" plug addition... I'm speaking solely about the 4-pin XLR, at least when paired with an HDVD 800 amp... Although, I have a 1/4" plug addition on order for use at work, and I have a sneaky suspicion that it will also sound better than the stock cable.  I also would prefer to not continually replace the Green Line cable jacks into my headphones with the stock cables just to get a 1/4" plug.)

One of the advantages - for my part - is that I'm taking my headphones between work and home.  My HDVD 800 stays at my place, but the mixing boards at work have 1/4" jacks.  With the Green Line cable, I can just swap out the connectors to whatever device I want to connect my headphones to.  It seemed like the most versatile but (relatively) affordable cable.  I looked at some other XLR third-party cables for the HD 800 and most went for $600 or more... And didn't include the option to swap out the plugs like the Green Line cable.  I can't speak to Cardas cables or most others - which I understand are excellent - but what I wanted was a high-end yet affordable cable, and the Green Line happened to also fit my needs with its flexibility of plug additions.

Anyway, long story short, I think the Green Line cable w/ 4-pin XLR addition sounds appreciably better than the standard HD 800 1/4" plug cable (at least, when using it with my HDVD 800).

Hope that helps and sorry to trouble your wallet, man.

In terms of clarity, my JH16's are as close as I have found to the HD800's.

You will find many owners of both HD800 and Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors. I own both and they are similar.

I appreciate the time you all have taken for your responses. I've contacted both JH and UE about demo models, and I hope I'll be able to listen to both the JH-13 and UERM side by side.

As for the cables, I had no idea that HD800 cables are significantly harder to build. I always assumed the $20 premium over other cables was to cover the cost of the connectors themselves. If 18 gauge wire is the max size for the connectors, then it seemingly makes no sense to have a 14 gauge cable...

I looked into the Green Line back when I was using the LCD-2s. I was trying to find a modular headphone cable and, to my surprise, it was the only one that I could find. It's a beautiful shade of green...
My only apprehension was that the cable jacket material seemed a bit too rubbery--how does it feel to you, if I may ask?

 

[helljudgement]

I used to listen exclusively to iem since its easier to drive thus it ended up being cheaper in most cases and also more versatile due to its size. But ever since I've got my hd600 last year, I've always found it hard to go back to iem. I've heard universal models of customs which include jh13(pre-Freqphase), UM Miracle etc and other high end universal offering such as the k3003 but none can match my enjoyment with full size headphones. I was tempted to try the new jh13 but instead then decided to upgrade my set up to hd800. IMO I don't think there's any iem that could best the hd800. Closest you could get to the hd800? jh13(pre-freqphase) but still fall short imho. Would imagine the current version to be much better judging from innerfidelity review.

 

[FlySweep]

I've got a UERM demo right now, actually.. it's absolutely wonderful.  Almost complimentary to the JH13, actually.  The JH13 being warmer, more weighty, and intimate.. the UERM is brighter, more open, and possesses a very e-stat like sound.  I don't think you could go wrong with either.. hell.. I want to have both now.. LOL.

 

[longbowbbs]

Quote:

Avengers Blu-ray is awesome from oppo103->uber Bifrost -> Taboo MKIII
Whole new way to watch movies for me...

I love when I start looking behind me to see if something is there...

 

[bearFNF]

Quote:

I love when I start looking behind me to see if something is there...

 Yep, Or I keeping thinking someone is knocking on the front door.  Need to get a door bell with a remote light I can set in front of the TV...

 

[brunk]

Quote:

 Yep, Or I keeping thinking someone is knocking on the front door.  Need to get a door bell with a remote light I can set in front of the TV...

Hah! This has happened to me before 

 

[persona1138]

As for the cables, I had no idea that HD800 cables are significantly harder to build. I always assumed the $20 premium over other cables was to cover the cost of the connectors themselves. If 18 gauge wire is the max size for the connectors, then it seemingly makes no sense to have a 14 gauge cable...

I looked into the Green Line back when I was using the LCD-2s. I was trying to find a modular headphone cable and, to my surprise, it was the only one that I could find. It's a beautiful shade of green...
My only apprehension was that the cable jacket material seemed a bit too rubbery--how does it feel to you, if I may ask?

It's not cloth-covered like the stock cable, and while I prefer the tangible feel of that one, the build quality on the Green Line seems great! I wouldn't say it feels overly "rubbery."

Besides, how many times am I just caressing my cables?

Anyway, no complaints at all, and yeah... They're the only modular ones I could find.

 

[skeptic]

Quote:

As for the cables, I had no idea that HD800 cables are significantly harder to build. I always assumed the $20 premium over other cables was to cover the cost of the connectors themselves. If 18 gauge wire is the max size for the connectors, then it seemingly makes no sense to have a 14 gauge cable...
 

 
Sounds like Fragg can speak to this far better than I am able to, but note that a couple of posters in the other connector thread I linked above suggested that 24 or 26 guage wire is actually the largest that will fit.

 

[silversurfer616]

Do like the feel of the stock cable,nevertheless have just bought a Moon Audio Blue Dragon V3 from the classifieds.
Also,have the heavy ALO chain mail for LCDs connected to a Norse adapter but I think an adapter is really not helpful when it comes to optimal sound!?
Still,it sounds better than the stock cable and getting the V3 then it might even be better!
Crazy,I know!

 

[FatmanSize48]

I've got a UERM demo right now, actually.. it's absolutely wonderful.  Almost complimentary to the JH13, actually.  The JH13 being warmer, more weighty, and intimate.. the UERM is brighter, more open, and possesses a very e-stat like sound.  I don't think you could go wrong with either.. hell.. I want to have both now.. LOL.

I'm going to demo both the JH-13 and UERM on Thursday. It sounds like the UERM is a bit more in line with my preferred sound signature...
Have you made your choice yet? I suppose the JH-13 would be nice as a complement of sorts to the HD800, as listening to a single sound signature "reprograms" the brain's audio processing and listening to two different sound signatures could refresh the brain's audio pallet.

 

[FatmanSize48]

It's not cloth-covered like the stock cable, and while I prefer the tangible feel of that one, the build quality on the Green Line seems great! I wouldn't say it feels overly "rubbery."

Besides, how many times am I just caressing my cables?

Anyway, no complaints at all, and yeah... They're the only modular ones I could find.

That's good to hear--I'll be on the lookout for one in the FS section, as I hope to order my cable by the end of August/start of September.