[wrecked_porsche]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...and the Lambda Signature is the resolution king but they have to used with a powerful amp to keep the upper midrange etch in check. Also their tone is slightly different to the SR-Lambda/L-Pro's due to the lack of damping.

Indeed. I love the Lambda Signature driven by the 717.

Quote:

Originally Posted by edstrelow /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a Lambda Sig coming in the mail soon and hope its as good as many people say. I expect to run it from an SRM1Mk2. If it's better than a Lambda Nova Classic, the Nova will be sold. If it's not as good as the 404 the Sig will be sold.

Oooh... they are good alright. I have a 717 (and T1). I ditched my O2mk1 after owning both headphone(O2mk1 and L.Sig) side by side. I've got another backup Lambda Sig coming my way in a week. Go figure.

IIANM, you have owned a few Grado RS1s in the past right? Did you like em? I love the pink driver RS1, and IMO, the Lambda Signature takes away the occasional treble peak/shouty~ness of the RS1, adds tons of details/resolution, a nicer head stage(diffuse, not extreme L/R separation like the RS1). Also, as much as the RS1 has great mids, the Lambda Sig betters them.

Use your 717 to drive them. Don't bother with your SRM1Mk2. Even when going from the T1 to the 717 I noticed a difference. So going from SRM1Mk2 to 717 must be an even bigger jump.

 

[Michgelsen]

What's all this praise for the mids of the Lambda Signature about? Compared to the HE60 it's nothing really.

Doing side by side comparisons, I always have the feeling that something is missing in the mids of the Signature. Even after very long uses of the Signature (weeks of Signature and no HE60) this feeling stays, and putting on the HE60 always feels and sounds like a revelation. In my opinion, the HE60 is the better sounding headphone, both in the (smoother) highs and the mids. On the other hand, the amount of bass of the Signature is just right for my tastes, so there it wins. A little bit less maybe couldn't hurt.

 

[spritzer]

I do agree that the midrange on the HE60 is better but at 3 times the price, it should be.

 

[wrecked_porsche]

Well, unfortunately, I have never owned nor tried the HE60. If funds allow, I'd actually love to buy/try one just for the heck of it. My praise for the Lambda Signature mids was in comparison with the RS1 and also to make things clear, the Lambda Sigs comment was when driven by the 717.

I also want to clarify that when I say the mids of the L. Signature is great, I don't mean that they are in-your-face kinda mids. They are there, but they don't force you take notice. I think the lower minds are not as prominent as the higher minds on the Lambda Signature. The slightly brighter nature of the lambda Sigs might also take away a little from noticing the mids too.

When moving from T1 to 717, the thing I noticed is the bass became less fuzzy and impact was a little more. I can very well see someone perceiving the reduction in bass fuzziness as reduction in bass quantity. *shrugs* Details definately increased, but the drawback is the sound is not as fuzzy/smooth and relaxing as being driven by the T1 and that can be a problem for those whole like a smoother sound. Although I prefer the 717, I could live with the T1 if I had to.

Anyway, I find the Lambda Sig to be a nice all rounder. Some people might think the sound is a little too aggressive or has too much excitement or sense of urgency to it, but that's the way I like it. If you want minds, try the W11jpn, I owned that sometime back... and oooooh smoooov mids, mids, and MOAR mids...

The mids of the HE60 may be awesome, but most guys here say they lack bass?

Oh... and the price of the HE60...

I have a question for you though Michgelsen, since you own both the HE60 and Lambda Sigs, which do you find more fun to listen to and which do you reach for most often? A simple comparison/compare contrast of the headphones would be great. I ask because I want to get a rough idea of how they stack up to each other. You see, because back when I had the O2mk1 side by side with the Lambda Sigs, I could appreciate the fact that the O2mk1 was better from a technical standpoint but somehow I kept using the Lambda more. Is this the case with your He60 and L.Sig too? Thanks for your input Michgelsen.

 

[Currawong]

wp: I get where you're coming from. I'm in the same situation. The LNS are damn fun. The mids aren't as smooth as would be ideal, but it's a small thing. What pushed it over the edge for me into deciding to keep the O2s is getting a DAC that is ultra-detailed and the tube dampers pushing the 007t to new levels.

 

[Dexon]

I've replaced the fuse in my srm252 and it works like a charm

After some 40 hours of burning in I took a listen.

I would say 2050a is more transparent with both of my sources (Sony XA20ES and stock Zhaolu 2.5c) than the Zero/HD600 set I use in office. Stax textures are more refined and bit more detailed. It is indeed very fast sound, although, it's hard to appreciate it fully as the transients are so soft that I'm not sure will I be able to accustomize to this issue ever. At this stage is very annoying. Whole sound is nicely balanced with just right amount of bass and it's very easy on the ear but I really miss the drama of Senns when it comes to large dynamic swings and orchestral music. Mids are sometimes beautiful but sometimes they obviously lack structure and body itself is too thin compared to HD600.

Stax's speed and lightness of notes are fun and easy to listen but from this point I would say HD600 has more accurate timbre, especially with simpler material. For instance, piano sounds livelier and more precise on stax but lacks weight and focus on it and thus seem somehow unreal. With fortepiano situation is less obvious and sound is very good indeed. What is night and day difference between the two is how they handle quiet passages. There is something very distinguished with estats when it comes to microdynamics and subtle shifts down there. What should be quiet is really quiet. I'm surely not comfortable with English enough to describe it, but all those gentle violin solos and andantes are far more realistic with Stax.

BTW, In my whole audiophile carrier I never had volume knob set higher than 11-12 a clock on any amp for comfortable listen. With srm252 I need to put it at least at 12 to get enough volume. Is that common with stax, where do you set your?

 

[wrecked_porsche]

@CW,

Indeed. The Lambdas are for fun while the O2 is for serious listening. That's how I see it anyway.

The DAC you got has been on my watch list ever since you mentioned it had some similarities to the Nakamichi (Dragon, wasn't it?) DAC you mentioned last time. Did Craig listen to your new DAC yet?

 

[manaox2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrecked_porsche /img/forum/go_quote.gif The mids of the HE60 may be awesome, but most guys here say they lack bass?

Yeah, they don't lack bass, the bass is very nice. Its just that the Lambda Pro has some very strong bass in general to me and some recessed mids in comparison. The Sigs bass is still punchy, clear, and strong (just not as strong).

 

[Michgelsen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrecked_porsche /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a question for you though Michgelsen, since you own both the HE60 and Lambda Sigs, which do you find more fun to listen to and which do you reach for most often? A simple comparison/compare contrast of the headphones would be great. I ask because I want to get a rough idea of how they stack up to each other. You see, because back when I had the O2mk1 side by side with the Lambda Sigs, I could appreciate the fact that the O2mk1 was better from a technical standpoint but somehow I kept using the Lambda more. Is this the case with your He60 and L.Sig too? Thanks for your input Michgelsen.

Let me start by saying that both headphones are similar in presentation: fast, detailed, open and with a somewhat bright nature.

The most important difference for me is that the HE60 sounds more real and thus more engaging. Especially voices touch me more when I'm using the HE60. It's the timbre that feels/sounds natural to me. Not only voices, but instruments too. Its PRaT is also better, probably due to the fast and tight bass. Overall I describe the HE60 as very fast, catchy, bouncy while at the same time very real, engaging and intimate.

The Lambda Signature has a little bit different of a presentation of voices and instruments. In comparison it feels as if the Lambda Signature has a little dip somewhere in the midrange. Maybe it actually is the more neutral of the two and the HE60 has a boost, who knows. Furthermore, it sounds a bit 'hollow' in comparison. Voices are a bit farther away. I have no clue where this comes from, but that in combination with the dip in the midrange makes it the less engaging 'phone of the two, although it still does very well in that aspect. It's all relative.
It does have more bass (but still quite precise and controlled) than the HE60, with the result that the music sounds fuller. For some genres this is very important. Blues for instance, is better represented by the Lambda Signature, because it needs a solid bassline. I never listen to jazz, but I suspect it's the same. For classical it can be a great thing as well, although the HE60 still wins here because of the better timbre of the wind and the strings.

Both have a good soundstage, albeit different from each other. The HE60 has an airy, transparent quality to it, but the total soundstage of the Lambda Signature is larger and more convincing.
Their highs are in both cases prominent. I think the HE60 has a greater emphasis in the highs that the Lambda Signature, but the Signature can sting more. This is probably what is generally referred to as the 'etch'. The HE60 can have this too, but higher up I think. Right now I'm at my parents' so I don't have my CDP nor my SRM-T1/Lambda Signature here, only the HEV70/HE60. I'm using the PC, with an M-Audio Delta 2496 and crappy wire. Interestingly, there is no sting in the highs whatsoever while the smoothness remains, and the bass seems somewhat fuller. That shows what a difference the source can make.

Now, which one do I find more fun? The HE60, absolutely. It has more PRaT and a more engaging midrange, which does it for me. It sounds so divinely precise! The funny thing is, I actually think that a big part of this is the light, but fast and tight bass. At first you think you will miss some of the bass you're used to from the Lambda Signature, but you won't, you adapt quickly. For me, this does not work the other way around when it comes to the midrange. Conclusion: I use the HE60 way more, but the Lambda Signature is a great second/backup 'phone.

You said something about one being better from a technical point of view. Well, I do feel that Staxen are more reliable for sure. Stax stuff feels solid and acts solid too. Both my HEV70 and my HE60 have been back to Sennheiser because of problems: the first time because the HEV70 developed a nasty hum and something was loose on the inside of the HE60. The second time (very recently) the HE60 had a slight channel imbalance that luckily was easily fixed (no new drivers or something necessary). Apparently something was loose again. The best part of the story is that everything was fixed under warranty, else it would have been pretty expensive. It also gave me a chance to listen to the Lambda Signature for a few weeks on its own.

 

[wrecked_porsche]

@Michgelsen, thank you for that comparison. I can totally understand where you're coming from now.

I listen mainly to chill out, jazz and blues with a healthy dose of bluegrass, Celtic, trance/progressive house/dance music, 80s synth pop(Alphaville, Modern Talking) as well as acoustic centric stuff such as Guns 'N Roses, Alejandro Escovedo and Lee Hazlewood.

That's probably why I like the Lambda Signature soo much, IMO, its a match made in heaven for most of the music I listen to. It has a slight syrupy texture to it that sometimes either works for it or against it depending on song type. FWIW, I do feel that the Lambda Signature is not the best for my Classical collection. Not saying its horrible or anything like that, but just that its not the best I've heard for that genre. The k1000 does classical soo much better.

You said "the HE60 has an airy, transparent quality to it" and "the HE60 still wins here because of the better timbre of the wind and the strings". I can see why you think the HE60 is better, because when I listen to classical music, those are the exact attributes that I look for too. I need the headphones to be very quick on its feet/very fast, have tons of PRAT, and have that "airy, transparent quality to it" for me to enjoy a headphone with that genre. These are the very reasons why I like the K1000 for classical.

Sometimes I feel that the slight "syrupy fullness" that the Lambda Sig has that I like soo much with my Chill out and Jazz collection is the exact same thing that holds me back from being blown away with it when I listen to classical music. For example, Beethoven's "Symphony No.7 Op.92 - II Allegretto" sounds nice enough on my Lambda Sig but is stunning on the K1000. Engaging. Especially apparent to me is the airiness and dynamic range. Then again, this airiness and PRAT of the K1000 works against it sometimes. So yeah, sources, cables, music genre... etc... the list goes on. Every headphone has its place.

Do you have any Jessie Baylin tracks? I'm listening to "Was I On Your Mind" on the Lambda Sigs.... its just simply wonderful.

@manaox2, The Lambda Signature bass is more than enough for me, if the bass is any less on the HE60 it should still be enough. Textured, clean bass over quantity any day... well "most days" anyway.

 

[Michgelsen]

I don't have any Jessie Baylin tracks, but after youtubing a little, I can totally understand that it sounds gorgeous on the Lambda Signature. That headphone can let such music roll out so effortlessly and controlled. 'Syrupy fullness yet crispy' is a good description I think.

 

[wrecked_porsche]

Yeah, and that's the kinda music I predominantly listen to.

You nailed it spot on, "syrupy fullness yet crispy" is what I'd call them too.

 

[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrecked_porsche /img/forum/go_quote.gif I ditched my O2mk1 after owning both headphone(O2mk1 and L.Sig) side by side.

What the..? And the Mafia didn't kick you out yet? Isn't there supposed to be a hierarchy? Didn't Spritzer set the O2Mk1 at the top and everything else follows?

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrecked_porsche /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Lambdas are for fun while the O2 is for serious listening.

Do you mean that I wasn't really having fun listening to Rihanna - Umbrella (Remixes) with the O2Mk2?

Oh well, it doesn't matter anymore, I got sick of the song after play count 40+.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrecked_porsche /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do you have any Jessie Baylin tracks?

Damn, I checked my library and I saw Jessica Simpson followed by Jessy J.

I can't help it, I have bad taste in music.

 

[manaox2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrecked_porsche /img/forum/go_quote.gif @manaox2, The Lambda Signature bass is more than enough for me, if the bass is any less on the HE60 it should still be enough. Textured, clean bass over quantity any day... well "most days" anyway.

You act as if the two are mutually exclusive. I like the Sig's bass fine and wouldn't call it a fault, it is plenty for me to be happy with. The pro does have a little more bloated bass, but certainly not horrendous.

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrecked_porsche /img/forum/go_quote.gif @MichgelsenThe k1000 does classical soo much better. You said "the HE60 has an airy, transparent quality to it" and "the HE60 still wins here because of the better timbre of the wind and the strings". I can see why you think the HE60 is better, because when I listen to classical music, those are the exact attributes that I look for too.

For me, classical had better instrumental timbre and micro-texturing via HE60 over K1000, which is why I sold both my K1000's and kept HE60. Not that K1000 wasn't great or lacked its own charms; I kind of miss it, but heck, it was too much $$$ tied up in 'phones I rarely use...