[Drazalas]

cayin c5 is beast

Since you have the most experience with the Vibro (still waiting on mine, Zach's supposed to ship 'em monday!), which other headphones would you consider to complement them?

 

[GettingBuckets]

cayin c5 is beast

I know desktop amps and tube amps are overall better than portables for higher end equipment, but how did you like the C5 and Vibro pairing? I thought my V2s matched up pretty well with them, and the C5 definitely provided enough juice.

 

[manbear]

 
Since you have the most experience with the Vibro (still waiting on mine, Zach's supposed to ship 'em monday!), which other headphones would you consider to complement them?

I don't have my Vibros yet either (ha!), but I just got an Audio-Technica AD-900x as a secondary headphone. I figured that a really open headphone would be nice to have since the Vibros are closed. Don't know how much of a complement they are exactly in terms of signature though. 

Anyway, I'm really digging these Audio-Technicas. Excellent price to performance ratio. They're like a more fun and aggressive Q701 with better bass impact and more depth in the soundstage. They sound awesome plugged into anything too. 

 

[Drazalas]

  I don't have my Vibros yet either (ha!), but I just got an Audio-Technica AD-900x as a secondary headphone. I figured that a really open headphone would be nice to have since the Vibros are closed. Don't know how much of a complement they are exactly in terms of signature though. 

Anyway, I'm really digging these Audio-Technicas. Excellent price to performance ratio. They're like a more fun and aggressive Q701 with better bass impact and more depth in the soundstage. They sound awesome plugged into anything too. 

Heh, they're also SUPER cheap on amazon right now, like 60% off. I just might..

 

[grizzlybeast]

 

How does the geek out compare to the cayin? I'll probably be in the market for a portableish amp soon.

The Go1000 is the better amp honestly, it has more power, not by too much but I think it is a fantastic class a amp at that size and price. I love it, and i mean love it with the ZMF X Vibro. More than the PanAm, Cayin C5, JDS Labs C5, more than the Meier 2Move(love that amp), it is really a good sounding amp, very detailed and energetic, this being balanced with the ZMF X Vibros own lush mids, musicality makes for a fantastic pairing. I think ZxV owners would appreciate the pairing. But if you need a more portable solution with DAPs, Phones, laptops then the Cayin C5 is great. Sorry for the delayed post manbear, been rough week.

Were you able to see if the geek out improved with cayin c5 or did it degrade. That is probably the only way to tell the amp qualities. The cayin c5 is making ak120's etc sound better, which should have better dac's than the go1000 (should is the key word). Just double checking

 

 

cayin c5 is beast

Since you have the most experience with the Vibro (still waiting on mine, Zach's supposed to ship 'em monday!), which other headphones would you consider to complement them?

If I had to land on an open back with the vibros it would be the he6 on one side of the spectrum, or the mh40 on the other side. The vibro would be the perfect middle of them. MH40 being closer to the Vibro.
 
MH40 - a little thicker in sound, a bit more snappy in sound and ryhthm, not as good in sound quality as vibro or as transparent, easier to carry around and power.
 
Vibro - middle ground, best all around closed back with good balance and slight bass boost. Can be brought outside of a desktop and in an office environment, least leakage of the three.
 
He6 -  The opposite balace of the mh40 from the mids up(brighter, more in the presence range, but less lower mids than both) but still a very snappy and fluid sound that has dense notes like the vibro(even more so). Very detailed and the most pure and transparent headphone I have ever heard. Most leakage and hardest to power right. It will get loud but will distort verrryyy fast without the right power. (if not this then the he560)
 

 

cayin c5 is beast

I know desktop amps and tube amps are overall better than portables for higher end equipment, but how did you like the C5 and Vibro pairing? I thought my V2s matched up pretty well with them, and the C5 definitely provided enough juice.

Unfortunately I didn't have them together but the Vibro did fair well with the e12. The C5 has better soundstage, is less congested, and more transparent than it. It is hard to imagine it not doing better with the Vibro. Especially since the c5 has a clear treble. 

 

[WhiskeyJacks]

I am looking into it now actually grizz, I actually just tried the NFB 28 and the Geek out as the dac then by itself, writing a couple reviews this weekend, one for ZxV and then the GO 1000. Will do some comparisons with the Cayin c5 and the GO1000 as well, I will be honest though from what i hear from the GO1000 it is going to be hard to be beat by any Portable amp that I have used so far. the Class a amp is fantastic. Will post impressions tomorrow guys as well as review. 

 

[manbear]

 
Heh, they're also SUPER cheap on amazon right now, like 60% off. I just might..

I don't know what headphones you've owned in the past or what your price range is, but personally I'm not ready to shell out anywhere close to the Vibro's price for a complementary headphone. I guess I like to have a primary headphone and then a secondary one. Anyway, my head-fi journey has been DT-990 -> Q701 -> HE-400 -> Vibro and I honestly prefer the AD-900x to both the DT-990 and Q701.

I loved some parts of the Q701, but the lack of bass impact and the flat soundstage ultimately soured me on them. The AD-900x is similar in that it's very open, but it doesn't have the flat and wide soundstage effect of the Q701--it has much more depth and can be about as wide but isn't always. The Q701 seemed artificial because it was always wide, and that also made it very laid back. The AD-900x also has a nice sense of snap in the bass on drums and the like. I do however think that the Q701 is a shade or two more resolving. Then again, I expect the Vibros to be more resolving than the AD-900x's and that's fine with me. I'm not necessarily looking for two equal but different headphones. The AD-900x is still resolving enough IMO, and it's ultimately just more musically satisfying than the Q701 while still fitting the same clean, neutral to brightish, huge soundstage niche. 

I consider the HE-400 to be superior to the AD-900x in most respects, but the HE-400 has a suck out in the mids that just made them sound hollow and unnatural to me after a while. The AD-900x is more natural and less fatiguing and has a larger, airier soundstage. But it can't touch the the HE-400 when it comes to layering, texture/microdetail, bass impact, and speed. Then again, I'd take the AD-900x over the HE-400 when I'm plugging straight into my laptop or phone. AD-900x is also absurdly light on my head coming from the HE-400.

 

[GettingBuckets]

About to consider ordering my own pair now. How long did it approximately take you guys to receive the Vibros after ordering?

 

[Drazalas]

About to consider ordering my own pair now. How long did it approximately take you guys to receive the Vibros after ordering?

Fourth week starting tomorrow. Still haven't seen pics.

 

[grizzlybeast]

 

About to consider ordering my own pair now. How long did it approximately take you guys to receive the Vibros after ordering?

Fourth week starting tomorrow. Still haven't seen pics.

thats pretty long. I dont know how long they are suppose to take

 

[PsiCore]

Mine was three weeks in the making - shipping tomorrow. The cups took two weeks...

 

[Drazalas]

  Mine was three weeks in the making - shipping tomorrow. The cups took two weeks...

Zach told me that my cups should be done by the end of the first week, didn't happen, told me they'd be done by the end of the second, didn't happen. I know it's not his fault but that's slightly annoying.

 

[PsiCore]

 
Zach told me that my cups should be done by the end of the first week, didn't happen, told me they'd be done by the end of the second, didn't happen. I know it's not his fault but that's slightly annoying.

I can imagine.
Anyway, now, that I know mine are ready, the real torture begins, because shipping can take another week (if not longer), as I live in Europe Patience, patience, patience...

 

[WhiskeyJacks]

 
I can imagine.
Anyway, now, that I know mine are ready, the real torture begins, because shipping can take another week (if not longer), as I live in Europe Patience, patience, patience...

See from the other headphones you own, and I know waiting for myself is absolute killer to the point where I have paid more just to get something sooner, But I currently use the ZxV with walnut cups and the HE-560 grill and pad modded....and I am saying this headphone is not a disappointment at all. It is definitely good enough for me to sell my HD600s, Beyers T70p, ER4PT iem, Denons, etc. This all coming from someone who definitely prefers opened headphones.... yet this closed headphone has me sold I use it with the 1 stopper removed on each cup. I loved the pairing with my Geek out 1000, which gave it tighter and quicker bass and a bit more treble detail with out losing the soul of it's sound sig. I believe the HE-560 are better in the idea of a high end open headphone being better than a mid range closed phone... I would not even say it could go there. Because the ZxV is just as enjoyable as the He-560, granted the 560 is more airy, wider stage, better speed and imaging, but the ZxV has more full solid midrange, more thump and power in the bass, and a smooth detail that just captivates with the right source and amp. The Cayin C5 is a great amp for portable listening, so is the Meier 2move and quickstep, etc. For desktop purposes the panam is decent and better than decent with the right tubes, and the Geek out1000 is probably my favorite as far as fun fast tight bass, better extended highs and nicely detailed midrange.  I do not know why I wrote all this, tbh I was just going to say this is worth the wait even though it is rough waiting. I tried the NFB28 from audio-gd and it sounded very good, but waiting on a balanced cable from Zach for the ZxV which will sound even better with the Balanced 4pin jack of the NFB 28. I am going to go work on the review. I hope you get the ZxV soon, and let me know what source and amp you are using and how they pair for possible listening .

 

[Drazalas]

Hmm, should I post the pics that Zach JUST sent me or wait until I receive them and take the pics myself..