[Pharmaboy]

Anyone else here like the BE2 Hybrid pads for the VO? I just put them back on after living with the Universe Lambskin and BE2 Lambskin for a while, and they sound so, so smooth and punchy. Out of the Forge, these might be my endgame setup for a warm-tilting, still highly detailed sound. I'm blown away by how much these pads and tubes can tame any harshness these headphones might have.

I love my silkwood VO with the stock Universe perforated lambskin pads to the point that I've never pad-rolled this headphone.

But now I'm curious. Can you describe the differences you hear between stock Universe vs BE2 Lambskins on the VO?

(thanks)

 

[haasaaroni]

I love my silkwood VO with the stock Universe perforated lambskin pads to the point that I've never pad-rolled this headphone.

But now I'm curious. Can you describe the differences you hear between stock Universe vs BE2 Lambskins on the VO?

(thanks)

Sure! I'll say what I can, although this headphone is still a complete enigma to me.

I think the BE2 Lambskin might have more accurate imaging than the Uni Lambskin pads. Mids are closer in, but the stage seems more natural and holographic. They have slightly less bass weight, but slightly more tightness and texture. Overall the tone is a bit more mid-forward and "neutral" sounding. The Universe pads have an overall warmer tone, with more bass resonance and reverberation.

There are two reasons I don't use the BE2 lambskin: the fit of the pads, due to them being very flat and my big ears feeling very cramped (the hybrid BE2's fit a little better for some reason), and the slightly more bothersome treble. I don't know where the peak is that bothers me so much, but I hear it in voices on s, f, and t's, especially when listening to my favorite Mark Knopfler albums.

 

[Pharmaboy]

this headphone is still a complete enigma to me

Me, too!

(I mean that in a very good way)

Thanks for the detailed comments. But it's hard to imagine I'll ever swap out these stock pads. I just love the sound as is...

 

[RobertSM]

Me, too!

(I mean that in a very good way)

Thanks for the detailed comments. But it's hard to imagine I'll ever swap out these stock pads. I just love the sound as is...

That makes two of us. I'm happy and content with the stock pads.

 

[RobertSM]

I don't know where the peak is that bothers me so much, but I hear it in voices on s, f, and t's, especially when listening to my favorite Mark Knopfler albums.

I do know this is a thing, in recorded music. I actually just picked up a DAC that can handle this with a DSP algorithm known as a De-Esser. It's supposed to tackle this exact known issue in recorded music.

I look forward to sharing more information as I gain more experience with a new digital front-end, the Weiss DAC501 4Ch feeding into my ALO Studio Six and then into my ZMF Verite headphones

 

[Pharmaboy]

I do know this is a thing, in recorded music. I actually just picked up a DAC that can handle this with a DSP algorithm known as a De-Esser. It's supposed to tackle this exact known issue in recorded music.

I look forward to sharing more information as I gain more experience with a new digital front-end, the Weiss DAC501 4Ch feeding into my ALO Studio Six and then into my ZMF Verite headphones

That particular DAC is out of range for me. Interesting reading about it, though.

I know the recording anomaly of which you speak. I forget why it happens (read plenty about it in the past). When I had my big living room system with great vinyl going, I had certain recordings that I used almost as a litmus test for upper midrange brightness and exaggerated sibillance in this or that new component. The goal wasn't to erase the brightness and sibillance, but to make it less painful, less "nails on a chalkboard"y.

These days it's all digital, so I rely on NOS DACs to do the heavy lifting for me. They're not uniformly warm and goopy--not at all. But they do tend to reduce the awfulness of that recording issue somewhat.

 

[bpiotrow13]

But it's hard to imagine I'll ever swap out these stock pads. I just love the sound as is...

Same with me

 

[bpiotrow13]

These days it's all digital, so I rely on NOS DACs to do the heavy lifting for me. They're not uniformly warm and goopy--not at all. But they do tend to reduce the awfulness of that recording issue somewhat.

Once i heard NOS dac there is no going back for me. My MHDT Orchid sounds so beautiful with Verite.

 

[Chris Kaoss]

Me, too!

(I mean that in a very good way)

Thanks for the detailed comments. But it's hard to imagine I'll ever swap out these stock pads. I just love the sound as is...

Tried the BE lambskin perf for couple weeks, but they aren't for metal music, ime.
The Universe lamp perf are better for me to accentuate the vocals by quite a bit.

Good example for the change is Spirit box - Blessed be.
The difference is quite obvious.

But I like how the VO gives the different presentations with pad changing.

 

[johnnypaddock]

I've been 100% Universe lambskin with the VO over the last year or so, maybe longer. For me, the BE2 sacrifices too much in head stage. Agreed that it's nice to have options, of course.

 

[steve468]

Well, the VO has won another battle. I posted earlier in this thread my brief comparison of the Utopia and VO, in which I stated the VO makes me want to sell the Utopia; today, I listed Utopia for sale! I had a brief moment of seller's remorse, but then I put the VO on my head and all worries were washed away.

The VO may not be as neutral - I can hear the dip in the upper mids and lower treble, and the bass is emphasized - but at the end of the day, they just sound so right. I thought Utopia had a bit of a plasticky sound (just a bit), whereas the VO sounds like real instruments. I'm sure it's been said before, but it's the difference between hearing the recording and hearing the players in the studio.

Maybe it's just my hearing? The LCD-4 is also know to have a dip in the treble, and it's the most natural sounding headphone to me period. Anyone else have thoughts on this? What is it about the VO's wonky, dippy frequency response that makes it sound so realistic?

 

[haasaaroni]

Well, the VO has won another battle. I posted earlier in this thread my brief comparison of the Utopia and VO, in which I stated the VO makes me want to sell the Utopia; today, I listed Utopia for sale! I had a brief moment of seller's remorse, but then I put the VO on my head and all worries were washed away.

The VO may not be as neutral - I can hear the dip in the upper mids and lower treble, and the bass is emphasized - but at the end of the day, they just sound so right. I thought Utopia had a bit of a plasticky sound (just a bit), whereas the VO sounds like real instruments. I'm sure it's been said before, but it's the difference between hearing the recording and hearing the players in the studio.

Maybe it's just my hearing? The LCD-4 is also know to have a dip in the treble, and it's the most natural sounding headphone to me period. Anyone else have thoughts on this? What is it about the VO's wonky, dippy frequency response that makes it sound so realistic?

Awesome to hear! I am of no help here. Like I wrote earlier, this headphone is a complete enigma to me. Timbre, realism, frequency response, whatever combination of these three went into making this headphone, Zach really captured lightening in a bottle.

 

[skhan007]

General question: Once a person gets to this level of headphone, i.e. flagship level, is everything just personal preference? We see the Utopia, Atrium, Verite, etc. all get 10/10 reviews. I'm concluding at TOTL /flagship level, the differentiator between them is just personal preference, as build quality, performance, etc. are all off the charts good.

 

[Monsterzero]

General question: Once a person gets to this level of headphone, i.e. flagship level, is everything just personal preference? We see the Utopia, Atrium, Verite, etc. all get 10/10 reviews. I'm concluding at TOTL /flagship level, the differentiator between them is just personal preference, as build quality, performance, etc. are all off the charts good.

I would agree with that, generally speaking, though the build quality and QC on some TOTL headphones leave a bit to be desired.

 

[Smallpie]

I’m selling my ironwood VO’s and trying to figure out if it has a magnesium or aluminum chassis. How can you tell the difference?