[Grumpy Old Git]

'Walk on the wild side' by Lou Reed. Another nice little bass test for your cans.
'Montego Bay' by Bobby Bloom...........Just give it a spin.

 

[sennsay]

'Walk on the wild side' by Lou Reed. Another nice little bass test for your cans.
'Montego Bay' by Bobby Bloom...........Just give it a spin.

Hmm, I reckon my pal here might have Lou Reed's album on LP

I also really love the New Sensations LP.

 

[quimbo]

Finally had a chance to catch up on some things. First, the HD 540 Ref I that I have are 300 Ohm, same as the Ref II. Tonight I received a pair of HD250-13 (2909) Linear 600 Ohms that I purchased on Friday. From some quick listening tests thru a Schiit Asgard 2 (Yes South Side Of The Sky and Allman Brothers Melissa), 30 minutes or so, with swapping out the headphones and rewinding back to the same spot I prefer the sound of the HD 540 as it sounds a tad fuller. Even though there are no pads other than the thin white one directly over the drivers, the 540s appear to have a bit more bass. I have some pads coming soon and I would expect that to add even slightly more bass to the 540s. What makes it hard to subjectively test is the 300 .vs 600 ohms, is that it is difficult to get the exact same output level on each.

I like both the 540s and 250s and will plan to switch them out when listening to other genres such as jazz, jamgrass, dead, roots, classical, etc to see if one is decidedly better than the other for specific genres.

I did plug both into my portable setup Fiio X7 Gen 1 > Fiio A5. It was able to drive the 250s but the ceiling was limited. The sound was great. i don't use my portable rig very often anymore (only when infrequently traveling it seems) and probably will stick to using my RHA-T20s with that

It was suggested that an OTL amp will really make the 250s dance so I look forward to picking one of those up in a few months.

I will try the 250s tomorrow at work with the Schiit Magni 3 to compare to the 540s with that setup. Maybe these are better suited to the Magni 3 and will turn into my work headphones?

Thanx to everyone who has helped educate me about these headphones, really pleased with both 540s and the 250s. Next up to discover are the AKG K240 sextetts to see how they are

 

[sennsay]

Finally had a chance to catch up on some things. First, the HD 540 Ref I that I have are 300 Ohm, same as the Ref II. Tonight I received a pair of HD250-13 (2909) Linear 600 Ohms that I purchased on Friday. From some quick listening tests thru a Schiit Asgard 2 (Yes South Side Of The Sky and Allman Brothers Melissa), 30 minutes or so, with swapping out the headphones and rewinding back to the same spot I prefer the sound of the HD 540 as it sounds a tad fuller. Even though there are no pads other than the thin white one directly over the drivers, the 540s appear to have a bit more bass. I have some pads coming soon and I would expect that to add even slightly more bass to the 540s. What makes it hard to subjectively test is the 300 .vs 600 ohms, is that it is difficult to get the exact same output level on each.

I like both the 540s and 250s and will plan to switch them out when listening to other genres such as jazz, jamgrass, dead, roots, classical, etc to see if one is decidedly better than the other for specific genres.

I did plug both into my portable setup Fiio X7 Gen 1 > Fiio A5. It was able to drive the 250s but the ceiling was limited. The sound was great. i don't use my portable rig very often anymore (only when infrequently traveling it seems) and probably will stick to using my RHA-T20s with that

It was suggested that an OTL amp will really make the 250s dance so I look forward to picking one of those up in a few months.

I will try the 250s tomorrow at work with the Schiit Magni 3 to compare to the 540s with that setup. Maybe these are better suited to the Magni 3 and will turn into my work headphones?

Thanx to everyone who has helped educate me about these headphones, really pleased with both 540s and the 250s. Next up to discover are the AKG K240 sextetts to see how they are

I'd only rarely heard of the AKG250's and certainly had no idea that they were so technologically interesting. I would be fascinated to hear a pair with my current set up! Seems like there were some extraordinary headphones created thirty odd years ago. It must have been one of those creative boom times in the field of headphone development. Brilliant. I'm just happy to have a set of the HD540 Ref1s still sounding so wonderful

 

[sennsay]

A message from Massdrop saying the HD6XX have arrived early and are just being checked for QC as we speak. Might even get mine before the end of the month. I'm fascinated to find out how my upscaled HD540 Ref1s will shape up compared to the much newer HD6XX. I am already a little sceptical that my long time favourites will be usurped from the throne of musical joy, so eagerly provided by the Ref1s. We shall see, the HD6XX will probably take some time to break in, as did the original 650s.
The whole system had a mighty blast last night with a big dose of that great Aussie rock group, The Angels, Live. Wowza! Try "Take A Long Line" for a massive blast of fabulous high speed knock out Aussie rock and roll from the very best years of the genre! Followed by "I Ain't The One"!! Imagine THAT in a very smoky, small, rowdy and packed out pub (bar) with a bunch of rather drunk punters ... actually, VERY drunk punters, this is where Aussie rock was born in 70's. There's been nothing quite like it since. This is also where AccaDacca (AC/DC) was born. Sometimes I've just gotta go back there for a while

 

[Hofy]

Sorry if I have not been active lately. 10-12 hour days 6 days a week do not help.
I received my second pair of HD 540 Ref I this week.
Not really clean since they have all the original dust. LOL
They are however, in great original shape except for the ear pads. After market velvet crap. They did come with original plastic pad mounts.
Definitely 600 Ohm but the stamp is weird. See photo.

DCG00??? ED600???

This is my other pair of HD540 600 Ohm.

 

[sennsay]

Sorry if I have not been active lately. 10-12 hour days 6 days a week do not help.
I received my second pair of HD 540 Ref I this week.
Not really clean since they have all the original dust. LOL
They are however, in great original shape except for the ear pads. After market velvet crap. They did come with original plastic pad mounts.
Definitely 600 Ohm but the stamp is weird. See photo.

DCG00??? ED600???

This is my other pair of HD540 600 Ohm.

I see some nice pleather pads there The old ones got the boot pretty quickly, eh?

 

[Hofy]

I see some nice pleather pads there The old ones got the boot pretty quickly, eh?

They are already in the trash dumpster at the end of the road!

This pair sounds as good as my other 600 Ohm Ref I pair. Almost mint head band so I can build a clean pair and a beater pair.

 

[sennsay]

They are already in the trash dumpster at the end of the road!

This pair sounds as good as my other 600 Ohm Ref I pair. Almost mint head band so I can build a clean pair and a beater pair.

Excellent! I'd love another pair or two a little later in the year.

 

[Grumpy Old Git]

Got a pair of HD 250 Linear II's due next week, looking forward to hearing them with the AZS.
My Mogami cable arrived last Friday. I had a quick listen with a few tracks before I started burning it in, first thing I noticed was an improved smoother more textured treble.
I am burning the cable in for 100 hours (it will be ready tomorrow evening) the serious listening commences tomorrow night!

 

[sennsay]

Got a pair of HD 250 Linear II's due next week, looking forward to hearing them with the AZS.
My Mogami cable arrived last Friday. I had a quick listen with a few tracks before I started burning it in, first thing I noticed was an improved smoother more textured treble.
I am burning the cable in for 100 hours (it will be ready tomorrow evening) the serious listening commences tomorrow night!

Excellent news on both counts! I'll be fascinated to hear your comments, the smooth treble texture is on the money

Have looked into the HD250 Linear IIs. Blimey, maybe I'll trade in my brand new HD6XX for a pair! Apparently QC was variable, some not so good, others simply magnificent. The Mogami cable might just smooth out the V shaped (dip) mids and run them even more deliciously into the treble Or at least provide a little more meat to the mids. I've read Cardas cable for the HD650s upgrade the HD250s a right treat.
Hmm, funny how I prefer the 90's and early 2000 headphones over many of the new models. Reviews I've read of the HD250s and HD250IIs tell of the superbly lively communication and bouncy rhythms, this is the same trait as the HD540 Refs and I don't blame anyone at all for hanging on to them and not letting them out of their sight. My own Ref1s are going nowhere!

 

[Grumpy Old Git]

Just completed the 100 hour burn in for the Mogami cable, I have played just one track so far, 'Wind cries Mary' from Gary Moore's live album 'Blues for Jimi'.
Wow! Bass is tighter and seems more extended.Cymbal's have taken on a new life, more detailed and life-like. And I am a cable cynic! This cable certainly out-performs the more expensive Cardas cable that I owned.

 

[seanc6441]

Just completed the 100 hour burn in for the Mogami cable, I have played just one track so far, 'Wind cries Mary' from Gary Moore's live album 'Blues for Jimi'.
Wow! Bass is tighter and seems more extended.Cymbal's have taken on a new life, more detailed and life-like. And I am a cable cynic! This cable certainly out-performs the more expensive Cardas cable that I owned.

That’s the cable from ebay you linked right? I’m going to get one of those, just double checking!

 

[sennsay]

Just completed the 100 hour burn in for the Mogami cable, I have played just one track so far, 'Wind cries Mary' from Gary Moore's live album 'Blues for Jimi'.
Wow! Bass is tighter and seems more extended.Cymbal's have taken on a new life, more detailed and life-like. And I am a cable cynic! This cable certainly out-performs the more expensive Cardas cable that I owned.

Crikey, I didn't expect that! I know the Mogami's good but out-performing Cardas? Well that's just jolly brilliant then, isn't it (Sorry, a little bit of British mimic comes out in me at times). I certainly do know how the Mogami behaves with my Ref1s and the Schiit stack and astonishing bass depth it certainly will do if the signal's there in the first place. I'm almost aghast at what it might do with the apparently knee quaking bass of the HD250 Linear IIs ... almost drooling at the though of it, eyes wide at what might happen with that gorgeous live bass guitar on the Larry Carlton/Robben Ford disc, even with the Ref1s it's like being on stage in front of the bass bin
Look forward to more from you, Mr Git.

 

[sennsay]

Finally had a chance to catch up on some things. First, the HD 540 Ref I that I have are 300 Ohm, same as the Ref II. Tonight I received a pair of HD250-13 (2909) Linear 600 Ohms that I purchased on Friday. From some quick listening tests thru a Schiit Asgard 2 (Yes South Side Of The Sky and Allman Brothers Melissa), 30 minutes or so, with swapping out the headphones and rewinding back to the same spot I prefer the sound of the HD 540 as it sounds a tad fuller. Even though there are no pads other than the thin white one directly over the drivers, the 540s appear to have a bit more bass. I have some pads coming soon and I would expect that to add even slightly more bass to the 540s. What makes it hard to subjectively test is the 300 .vs 600 ohms, is that it is difficult to get the exact same output level on each.

I like both the 540s and 250s and will plan to switch them out when listening to other genres such as jazz, jamgrass, dead, roots, classical, etc to see if one is decidedly better than the other for specific genres.

I did plug both into my portable setup Fiio X7 Gen 1 > Fiio A5. It was able to drive the 250s but the ceiling was limited. The sound was great. i don't use my portable rig very often anymore (only when infrequently traveling it seems) and probably will stick to using my RHA-T20s with that

It was suggested that an OTL amp will really make the 250s dance so I look forward to picking one of those up in a few months.

I will try the 250s tomorrow at work with the Schiit Magni 3 to compare to the 540s with that setup. Maybe these are better suited to the Magni 3 and will turn into my work headphones?

Thanx to everyone who has helped educate me about these headphones, really pleased with both 540s and the 250s. Next up to discover are the AKG K240 sextetts to see how they are

I take it you have the HD250 1s then and from what I've read about the two models, the first series has less bass than the Linear IIs while allowing the midrange a little more clarity with that. I reckon a good set of pleather pads just might bring in the extra bass to balance up the cans. I'm also told that the Linear I/IIs need and deserve a really punchy amp to control the bass, especially in the Linear IIs, otherwise it can become a tad over-full, a touch bloomy. I'd like to hear how you go with the Linear/Magni 3 match up.