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socks_OCD
228
Jan 22, 2015
I've thought about my post from the other day a bit more and did a little more research. I'm thinking very seriously about selling every pair of headphones I own along with my old hardware I've upgraded from. I'll then use that money to either: a) buy a pair of Beyerdynamic Tesla T1's. b) buy a pair of Beyerdynamic DT-880 Pros. c) buy both a and b. d) buy Beyerdynamic DT-880 Premiums 600 ohm e) buy a, b, c or d and maybe upgrade my DAC (Schiit Modi).
Headphones I currently own: AKG Q701, AKG K7XX, Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pros, Beyerdynamic DT-990 Premiums 600 ohm, Sennheiser HD600, Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear, Pioneer SE-A100. *Earphones I currently own: Westone W40's. *Current AMP/DAC combinations: Schiit Modi + Asgard 2, FiiO E18, Onkyo AVR. *Old hardware to sell: Asus Xonar Essence STX w/ LME 49866 op-amps, Schiit Magni (ver. 1), Schiit Sys.
I'm going to keep my Westone W40's for portable use. At this point into my hobby of trying new headphones, I'm pretty confident that I know what I want and what I want to avoid in a pair of headphones. The 880 and T1 meet the sound signature balance that I can appreciate and live with (if owning a single pair). The comfort of the Beyerdynamic range of headphones is unmatched for my head size, head shape and ear position. Logically thinking, I believe this would be my best option in terms of overall enjoyment and comfort with the least amount of clutter and waste.
If I go with both an 880 pro and T1 it would be because the T1 is impossible to drive for use with my PS4. My blue mic yeti's Headphone amp is only so good. Lol. It can manage my DT-990 600 ohm okay-ish, so I would hope the 880 pro would work better for that. Ideally all of my friends would be pc gamers, but alas they are not.
Let me know what you think. If I'm being crazy, please feel free to tell me! Haha. Any other suggestions are welcome. Cheers.
Sherako
53
Jan 22, 2015
socks_OCDI'm using optical to D1 to K7XX for my PS4
socks_OCD
228
Jan 23, 2015
SherakoMy issue with the ps4 is that I can't do party chat with speakers effectively. Onkyo AVR headphone jack counts as speakers to the ps4. Then I can't get "chat audio" or "all audio". The all chat option is only available for me when I use my blue mic yeti and use it's headphone jack. It would be a non issue if in-game voip wasn't horrendous.
I did see a video of a guy plug his mic into the DS4, then disconnect it and then chat audio can be played via speakers. Unfortunately this doesn't work if you have a microphone that uses usb interface like my yeti. I appreciate the suggestion, but I think I'd run into the same issue as my AVR's headphone jack.
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Sherako
53
Jan 23, 2015
socks_OCDI was going to get a modmic 4.0 and just plug that into the controller and the headset would work like this: PS4 - D1 - Headphones _______ ^ Computer or something with USB power
Oh shit wait, how does the D1 get power if USB isn't plugged in? My USB 3.0 header broke and am stuck with 2 USB 3.0 and for the 2.0 who the hell knows where that cable went...
socks_OCD
228
Jan 23, 2015
SherakoAh, gotcha. I'd been considering a modmic myself to rectify the issue. It's just that the wait for a modmic can be endless sometimes. Seemingly endless at least. Lol. Especially when I already have such a nice mic. ;P
Would an old phone charger that has usb be sufficient for your D1? Maybe a wall charger that also has enough juice for usb 3.0 would work too, albeit more expensive than repurposing an old charger.
Sherako
53
Jan 23, 2015
socks_OCDThat's what I was thinking of. I was just going to use a wall charger to USB to power it.
BeHik
28
Jan 23, 2015
socks_OCDI don't know if Beyerdynamics done some changes in T1 to reduce resonance issues. It's a hp with some terrible issues and they actually has worse measurements than K712 (K7xx) and DT880's. I would've go with DT880 250/600Ohm and T90 :) or just DT880 Only
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wi8M-HSeK0JF33P-5ypydQjQ4OshRQhvWM0IX2h0NQ8/edit?pli=1#slide=id.g25f83b2cd_075
socks_OCD
228
Jan 23, 2015
BeHikWow! What a great resource. I've not come across anything all in one place that is so detailed and complete. I suppose I'll have to do a little more digging. Thanks for that link. It does look like I can't really go wrong with an 880 at that price point.
Any specific reasons to consider the T90? Truthfully I've not even looked into them. I figured they'd represent too much of my 990 600 that has excessively harsh treble. After trying the K7XX I don't really want to deal with that anymore. Lol.
BeHik
28
Jan 24, 2015
socks_OCDIf to believe anything that i've read about all new Tesla line they're anything than the old beyers regarding the sound. Sound is very different and all T series have treble problem :( It looks like beyers using some kind of random treble generator for all their new hp's :) . T90 unfortunately shares all shortcomings of T1 while sounding close and they are cost much less, and they have nice bass if judge by frequency graphs and reviews. All T line is bright cans also, should remember it. Anyway, i would just pick up some DT880 Premiums 250 Ohms plus some good budget amp and dac and be happy with it :) .
Have you considered Filips Fidelio X2? These cans made a lot of noise in headphone world after their recent release. They are quite well regarded and compared to the best mid-fi cans out there and often preferred over them and even HiFiMan's HE500's which tells a lot!
Now if u really want to drop some heavy dollars, id suggest to look at HiFiMan HE560!
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/boss-philips-fidelio-x2 - great review of X2 from very respected person in headfi world.
http://www.changstar.com/index.php?topic=1654.0 - some measurements and thoughts on HE560 from technically sophisticated hp enthusiasts.
socks_OCD
228
Jan 24, 2015
BeHikI appreciate all of your replies filled with information and suggestions. I read through the X2 review thoroughly and would try them if it wasn't for the self-adjusting, elastic headband design. That is the biggest issue with my K7XX and alternatively Q701 (if the bumps are ignored).
I just can't get over the mental discomfort from my OCD wanting them to sit on my head "just so" as well as the seal around my ears being 'near perfect' or what I'd also consider 'acceptable'. Otherwise it's a never-ending battle of adjusting, taking off, putting on, repeating and so on.
I have my HD600's still, but am contemplating selling them just because my sibling is in my general listening area more often than I would like. The K7XX being semi-open blocks him (sibling) out very effectively. Of course my DT-770 isolates a little better, but I really don't like their sound signature anymore. That is another benefit of the DT-880 being semi-open. I'll have to read through the HE-560 information out of curiosity, but the open-back design will probably disappoint me in the end.
BeHik
28
Jan 24, 2015
socks_OCDHey! You're welcome! At the end of the day that's why we are all here :) im glad to help
money4me247
228
Jan 24, 2015
socks_OCDyou should sell ALL your open headphones & upgrade to a flagship. you only have one set of ears. there is no point of having multiple open headphones. you will even probably even get enough extra cash left over to purchase a nicer amp/dac combo. if so, sell ALL your old amp/dacs. perhaps keep the momentum on-ears or dt770 for portable usage or when you need noise isolation.
it is crazy to own so many mid-fi headphones when you can upgrade to one super nice flagship. imo
socks_OCD
228
Jan 24, 2015
money4me247Ya, I figured the same thing. I've been meaning to sell some as I've been acquiring, but I guess my laziness has been the culprit. I have some Westone W40's for portable use. It is funny how often I swap my headphones though (in my possession). Some have been great for only music, some are awful for gaming, some are excellent for fps, others are awful for Voip and in-game chat.
I've done a lot of trial and error, but ya... I own way too many atm. A big part of not saving for a flagship outright has been that I wasn't sure what I wanted in a headphone prior to trying all of these in my possession. Selling all of them will net me enough $ at once to buy A FLAGSHIP like you suggest. Maybe even have enough for a dac or amp upgrade too, but I really enjoy my Asgard 2. Idk if there would be something better for what I'm using. My Modi can definitely be replaced.
My other concern with buying a pair of headphones over $500 has been the potential discomfort. At $200 to find out I didn't like the Q701 and K7XX was better (to me) than spending $900 and going, "well, these aren't gonna work." After that would be paranoia of them breaking or dieing on me. Lol. Unlikely, but if they were to break... T_T
I bought my modi+magni to replace my Xonar Essence stx. I bought my DT-770 pro to replace my ATH-M50. I bought my Asgard 2 to replace my magni+sys. I bought my 990 to try open-back designs. I bought my Q701 for csgo (lmao). I bought my HD600's for a neutral look at open-back headphones. I bought my Momentum On-Ears to replace my DT-770 pro. I bought my K7XX for the bump removal and price tag compared to K712 and Q701. I bought my Westone W40's to replace all portable options.
I can't really justify the amount of money spent, but I don't regret any of it. It's been a learning process for me and I've enjoyed it. Aside from my OCD, I have quite a lot of other medical issues that I'm not really as open to share with others as the OCD. Chronic illness isn't fun. Without being too specific, I'm 24 years old now and I've been "ill" or in "poor health" since the age of 15. I've managed school and work sporadically in that long stretch of time at very inconsistent intervals. Being isolated in your home gets very lonely. Music is one of my favorite things to cheer me up and brighten my day. I really enjoy this hobby.
I think this information should help you (anyone really) understand why I have so much stuff piled up. A lot of the times I'm just too depressed or don't care enough to take the photos of the stuff I need to sell to get them listed and out the door. Other times I'm waking up at 4 pm because I'm so exhausted and all I can manage that day is hygiene + meals. It's only recently that I've been extra motivated to get rid of the backlog of stuff that should have been sold months ago.
Thanks again for your reply and suggestions. I truthfully appreciate them. Would you have any specific flagship to recommend me based on needing manual adjustment for the headband, no pleather earpads, and maybe similarly sized in comparison to the Beyerdynamic range (they comfortably fit my headshape & ears really well)? I don't think weight is an issue for me. I'd prefer that they don't have excessively harsh treble (like my 990) and are enjoyable for use with both music and gaming.
BeHik
28
Jan 25, 2015
socks_OCDI can only really think about planar magnetic flagships relying on what you wrote. Audezes, HiFiMans, Oppo PM-1, Abyss etc. I am personally really interested in HE560 as it's their new hp that was refined regarding previous iterations in many aspects especially in comfort and build, although their build is still not the best. HE560 must be quite neutral without ever being harsh and also not too dark like some of the Audezes, with better soundstage either. Their price is also great factor as well as their efficiency (even O2 is enough to drive them fine).
But yeah, there are some variants out there. Dynamic flagships seems all to have harsh treble and bright signature to them. I only contemplating HD800 in that category :). Plus, i can get them new really cheap where i live, like 760 bucks :) .
socks_OCD
228
Jan 25, 2015
BeHikReading, reading and more reading.
After looking into the Audeze line, my intuition tells me that the bumps in the headband will be problematic. The price is also a bit too steep for me personally. The Abyss AB-1266 is off the table from price alone. Same goes for electrostatic headphones like the Stax-009 because not only are they expensive, I'll never be able to afford a proper amp.
The Oppo PM-1 is a bit more affordable and look pretty damn stylish. After reading comparisons from current/previous owners of the Oppo PM-1 and other planar magnetic headphones, they appear to be the "worst performing" headphone if that is a fair assessment.
The Hifiman HE-560 are the most attractive and appealing pair for me in multiple areas. For instance, my Asgard 2 wouldn't NEED to be replaced which is great. The headband looks pretty great in both function and comfort. They give me the ability to manually adjust the height of the headband for a proper fit which is also a must. The earpads are the only potential concern I have in terms of their size, depth and seal on my head. I wish I could A-B compare them side by side to the 770/880/990 pads.
If I'm going to give planar magnetic headphones a shot, the HE-560 is going to be it. If I want a fallback or need something that works with other hardware I own, like my PS4, I'll grab a used pair of 880s. I would consider upgrading my Schiit Modi to a better DAC as well. but I'll run out of money before that probably. Lol. Thanks again.
BeHik
28
Jan 25, 2015
socks_OCDExactly my thoughts on planars available at the moment. And exactly why i am leaning so much for the HE560. There is some confusion about the pads of production version of HE560 - you can read about it in thread I linked. :) Although i am really happy with K7xx and Q701 Austrian (after i adjust them to seat properly, but it never took too long), as they complement each other very well in sound, i am mentally ready for the next step in to summit-fi category. It would be also great to order K7XX headband and replace the one that Q701 has.
dalethorn
193
Jan 27, 2015
BeHikI got the T1 for $766, which is a good deal, except it was one of the most difficult headphones to EQ ever. If you have the patience to tackle it, you can end up with something that sounds superb (lots better than a T90 for example), but the EQ will add to the amp's burden so you need more power. I spent a lot of time on it and I know how good it can sound, but good luck on getting there. If you check this thread on CA, one user posted a critique with examples of where he found problems with the tonality.
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f12-headphones-and-speakers/beyerdynamic-t1-tesla-stereo-headphone-review-21004/
Paul.M
48
Jan 28, 2015
socks_OCDI finally was able to return my K7XX (Had a rattle) and before getting the email with the return label, I went ahead and purchased the Philips X2.. The sound of the X2 compared to the K7XX is amazing (Listen to them side by side), so much that listening to Eagles , Yanni, and even Metallica gave me and the wife goosebumps. The Headband on the K7XX fits loose and the self-adjusting band does a good job, but the Philips does it better, The clamping force on the Philips is just a little stronger and the velour(with memory foam) pads feel like teddy bears on my ears..
Don't let the self-adjusting band keep you from giving the X2 a try, I don't think you will be disappointed.. The build quality alone will get you once you hold them.
Too bad my AKG's where defective, but in a way I am glad it happened otherwise I would have been missing a better sounding headset (In my opinion) better build.
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fuifui
5
Jan 28, 2015
Paul.Mwell its due to the design, since its semi open the overall sound signature will be better than a fully open backed headphone, the bass for instance will be much more animated and im sure the overall sound signature of the headphones themselves are better due to the semi open design that provides brilliant staging as well as proper bass and clarity between highs mids whilst the previously stated bass is incorporated properly i might add. Over a fully open design which is typically subject to muddy bass most likely due to problems with treble...by design imo, since open backed headphones shouldnt present bass due to their physical form...they should be reference inclined if anything...but people cry and wish for a fully open backed headphone for the staging, with "bolstered" bass so they can enjoy their bass oriented music coupled with the reference quality audio around "bolstered bass" the problem is when companies fail to implement an overall balancing system in the design of the headphone. Then again the akg 7 series itself has a "signature" sound signature due to design and the K7xx is supposed to be the 7 series sound signature tuned to appease most of the drawbacks/complaints critics have had towards the series in general...Lack of bass, bright/warm tones. Though its the only AKG headphone i own due to not wanting any of the other sound signatures, i am considering purchasing a second set in case i want one as a reference/stock sound....and the other for modding.
BeHik
28
Jan 29, 2015
dalethornthx for the link. will definitely check it out.
Paul.M
48
Jan 29, 2015
fuifuiYour explanation is spot on, but I think you are confusing the Fidelio X2 for the L2, the X2 is a fully open design just like the K7XX are.. The Fidelio "L2" are indeed a semi-open design which is why I chose to get the X2 instead as I was looking for the wider sound stage and more neutral sound like what is offered by the K7XX unless I am wrong in believing that the K7XX are fully open and they are instead semi? .. :)
fuifui
5
Feb 3, 2015
Paul.Mi wasnt confusing them i was defaulting to the L2 for purpose of price comparison since the X2 is more near the sen 600/650 in terms of price range and expected "performance per dollar". I still consider the K7XX a 200$ headphone so i dont hold it direct comparison to more expensive options as well as other AKG K7-- series. Its the same reason the X1 provides a more "fun" bass experience over the X2, yet the X2 has a better sound stage and range.
Oktyabr
79
Feb 3, 2015
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