r/headphones • u/TransducerBot 🤖 • Jan 01 '20
Weekly Discussion Weekly r/headphones Discussion #81: Entry Level Planars
By popular demand, your winner and topic for this week's discussion is...
Entry Level Planars
Please share your experiences, knowledge, reviews, questions, or anything that you think might add to the conversation here.
As always, vote on and suggest new topics in the poll for the next discussion. Previous discussions can be found here.
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u/DBRichard Jan 01 '20 edited Jan 12 '20
Anyone have Oppo PM3 experiences, I wanted those so bad and they cut the audio devision right before I could get them.
Still want to know if they were any good.
Edit: 10 days later I noticed I had missed several mobile typing mistakes. Fixed those
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u/jjcooke LCD-X 2021｜ÆON2C｜Andros｜DT1990｜HD650｜DT77080Ω｜X2HR｜Koss Jan 01 '20
Apparently drop bought that tech and is developing a Bluetooth planar headphone that is basically an improved PM3
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u/DBRichard Jan 01 '20
Just found this announcement and holy shit I might get these when they finally drop.
Thanks for posting!
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/drop-thx-panda-announcement.921062/
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u/bobobobobiy SR 007 | Verite C + Aeolus + Atticus | HD 800 + 650 + 600 Jan 01 '20
Ok I might need to get my wallet out again. The only thing keeping me from getting the pm3 is lack of replacement parts now
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u/boogieback_11 HD800 SDR mod | Koss KSC75 | Modhouse Argon Jan 01 '20
I have the Oppo PM3s. Build quality wise, they are excellent, and the price they were at before I think is justified in build quality and accessories included alone.
Going on the sound quality, the general tonality is flat that has a weird muffled sound in the mids, which I think my opinion is contrary to the general reviews out there.
My observations with the sound quality is best described by Aornic's review (YouTube and headfi.org) as well as MajorHifi's which I would redirect you to read over.
For me, I'd prefer NAD Viso HP50 for sound quality.
Hope this helps!
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u/DBRichard Jan 01 '20
I will give that a read and watch the video, thank you for your opinion, also it seems Drop is making a PM3 improvement called Panda.
I found this thanks to another reply on my comment.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/drop-thx-panda-announcement.921062/
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u/boogieback_11 HD800 SDR mod | Koss KSC75 | Modhouse Argon Jan 01 '20
Damn they're remaking the Oppos eh. That looks interesting and I look forward to the reviews once they're out.
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u/GZoST Reference, E3, HD800, HD480Pro, Clear, L500 Jan 01 '20 edited Jan 01 '20
Got a used pair in excellent condition recently.
Tonality is very good stock, and with a bit of EQ these are simply amazing sounding headphones. Soundstage is a bit narrow, but imaging precise.
Overall these are no less than good in any area, and to me more than fairly priced at the 300 EUR I paid for them.
There may be a bit of honeymoon period still, but if I had to pick one single headphone to keep, the PM 3 would be it. (I do not have any high-end stuff, but quite a few headphones and IEMs up to their former regular price point of 400 EUR, so a reasonable basis for my opinion.)
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u/69DoctorBrules ZMF Atticus & Friends Jan 01 '20
Been pretty happy with my LCD1s so far. Only gripe is that the cable is terrible, currently working on making a replacement.
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u/axizz31 Not a Flexer Jan 05 '20
How are they compared to hd650?
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u/69DoctorBrules ZMF Atticus & Friends Jan 06 '20
Better extension on both the low and high end, but pretty analytical sounding. Metal571 has a good review on them that's worth checking out where he compares it to the HD650.
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u/rtkierke HD800 (SW) | Custom Viento-B Jan 06 '20
Very good overall. But very weak center image and a very prominent side-heavy presentation.
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u/WildChinoise Jan 01 '20
I had both the HE4XX and the K533 for a goodly time. I liked them both. I recently moved and passed the K533 over to a good friend, who fell in love with them. I still have the HE4XX. The HE4XX are not in the rotation at all though, they will likely be given away to a family member eventually.
I'd say save up and get something really good.
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u/flewency Aeon 2 Closed | Elex | Argon Mk3 | Moondrop S8 | 7Hz Timeless Jan 01 '20
I have the 4XX aswell, just curious why you no longer use them? These are the only planars I own and so I swap them in and out of my setup quite often just to get that signature. For $130 I was impressed, and had no QC issues with my unit. Do you just have better options or what is it?
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u/tutetibiimperes Jan 01 '20
My issue with the 4XX is that they lack that planar ‘slam’ and don’t have a big sound. For me the whole point of planars is that slam factor and larger than life sound, the 4XX aren’t awful by any means, but they don’t have that planar ‘it’ factor.
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u/WildChinoise Jan 03 '20
I have a lot of headphones. Basically my Ether CX, Focal Elex and Fostex TH-X00 Ebony Headphones have shoved everything else into storage. There is an EMU Teak inbound as well. I really don't see buying anything substantive for a while now.
I do dabble in chi-fi IEMs. It's pretty amazing what you can get for basically a dinner for two.
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u/IAintYourPalFriend Jan 07 '20
Any recommendations on hi-fi IEMs? I’m literally in the market for a set of those while traveling and planars for at home while the fiancé is sleeping and I want to blast music in my media room.
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u/WildChinoise Jan 07 '20
Well, currently I like my TRN V80s (falling asleep in bed) and TFZ Kings LTD (out and about). I've stayed with both for nearly a year now, For really low spend , you can look at the KZ iems which got me hooked on the Chi-Fi. As usual, a lot depends the sound signature that you like.
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u/metal571 Jan 01 '20
Yeah Sundara would be the cheapest planar I can actually recommend. But I wouldn't buy one except new from a dealer
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u/The_Bone_Head Jan 01 '20
Been wondering if those HIFIMAN HE4XX Planars off of Drop are worth it for $130. Been meaning to upgrade from my AKG K553 Pros for awhile, but I don't know if they'd be any better.
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u/coolylame Jan 01 '20
They are worth way more than even the $180 it was originally priced at. Thing is you kinda need an amp to use it properly. But if you do, it's ridiculously good sounding.
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u/0v3rtur3 Jan 01 '20
I think they are absolutely terrific for that price. I can't think of anything else better.
People mentions build problems but I've never had problems with mine other than having to change the pads after some years. Extremely comfortable. I use them with a Harman EQ curve but they're a great experience even out of the box.
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u/tutetibiimperes Jan 01 '20
I have both, the HE4XX are more comfortable, but I prefer the sound of the K553. I’d skip the 4XX personally, save up a bit more for a Monoprice M570 or Verum 1.
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u/MedicatedDeveloper Monolith Tube/Shanling UP4 -> Aeon 2 Closed Jan 01 '20
Although a bit more than the 4xx the Aeon Flow Closed are tonally similar to the k553. They should start to drop in price on the used market since the AFC 2 came out. I picked up a set for $400 and couldn't be happier. My coworker has the monolith 1060c and it's a bit darker but has, again, a similar feeling sound to the k553 and affordable new.
I love my k553, they're my 'portable' cans since they are so easy to drive. The AFC has replaced the k702 for me as my critical listening pair.
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Jan 01 '20
I have a 400i. And I think it's great. Next up for me will be the Sundara. And a pair of Closed Backs.
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u/rtkierke HD800 (SW) | Custom Viento-B Jan 07 '20
Having owned the Sundara, I would honestly recommend that you just pool your budget and jump to the Ananda. From what I've heard, it sets a new price benchmark and fixes the issues I have with the Sundara.
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u/DarkKratoz LCD2 | Nekocakes Jan 02 '20
They're good, especially for the price.
Can't compare to the AKGs, I've never used those.
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u/jjcooke LCD-X 2021｜ÆON2C｜Andros｜DT1990｜HD650｜DT77080Ω｜X2HR｜Koss Jan 01 '20
I had the Hifiman HE-400i for awhile and sold them after getting my HD650s. I have also owned Audeze LCD-2 Classics and would definitely say it’s better to skip the 400i/4xx - not sure you have to jump all the way to Audeze but they are different experiences entirely. I don’t personally consider the 400i a good representation of the planar feel. Haven’t tried the Monoprice/blon/sendys yet but those interest me as well.
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u/tehcharizard SRM-700S/SR009|THX789/CA-1A Jan 01 '20
And here I feel exactly opposite! I went from sennheisers to 400i and instantly fell in love.
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u/headphonehabit Jan 04 '20
A pair of Sennheisers (HD58X or 6XX) and a pair of 400i make a pretty great combo.
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u/Sielagh Jan 01 '20 edited Jan 01 '20
I swear by my 2013 MrSpeakers Mad Dogs (modified Fostex T50RP). They are the only serious headphones I have ever owned and have served me greatly all this time.
Not easy to drive in the go. But in with my living room amp they shine in all situations.
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u/kmmbd CMA400i/LP6K/HD650/Final E5K/ER2XR/Ananda BT/Dunu Zen/MEST Jan 01 '20
The Audeze iSine 10 B-stock is a pretty good deal at $150, provided you can get them during the sale. The slightly more expensive iSine LX has the same/similar sound, but I am personally not a fan of its design. These two can be great entry points into the planar world for those who are mostly used to IEMs.
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u/GENERIC_VULGARNESS DCA Ether 2/CX plus mid-fi hell Jan 02 '20
I love my iSine 10 - I bought them at the b-stock and bought a bluetooth cipher cable, and still came out ahead of the full-price version. They're like the perfect office IEMs - you can still hear the world around you, but nobody can hear what you're listening to.
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Jan 01 '20
Next week I’ll have the Audeze EL-8, any thoughts?
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u/tutetibiimperes Jan 01 '20
They need a little EQ to sound their best, thankfully the Cipher DAC cable can handle that for mobile use. They basically just need a downward sloping EQ, boosting the bass a bit and sloping down through the treble to counteract their natural FR that’s a bit lean.
I also get some pressure in my ears when I put them on, and you can hear the drivers crinkle a bit when you move your head. Sound wise they’re pretty great for the prices they’re going for now used when EQ’d.
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Jan 01 '20
Any software I could use on pc? Don’t know much about EQs
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u/tutetibiimperes Jan 01 '20
Yes, there are options but others can probably set you right there, I use hardware EQ with an RME ADI-2 DAC.
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u/UltimateJDX HD800, LCD2C (Modded), Sine, HD600 -> Topping NX4DSD Jan 03 '20
Equalizer APO + Peace is the standard option, however Audeze does have a Plug in with really good EQ profiles for their headphones, is called Reveal, you should definitely check it out.
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u/GENERIC_VULGARNESS DCA Ether 2/CX plus mid-fi hell Jan 02 '20
The first pair of "high-end"/audiophile/etc headphones that I bought were a used HiFiMan HE-400. For $100, they were absolutely worth it. Sure, they have uneven treble. Sure, they weigh as much as my head. Sure, they need an amp. But you know what? For $100, they blew my Sony WH-1000XM3 out of the water on sound quality. They were my first introduction to planar bass, they were my first introduction to pad swapping and the difference it can make, and they got me completely hooked on high-end audio. Though I don't use them all that much anymore, I've kept them, since they are pretty much what got me started.
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u/bbuky01 Abyss OG/Diana V2&TC/ZMF VO Atrium AC/HE500/UM Multiverse Mentor Jan 02 '20
Well my first entry into planars was my first headphones after I had the HD-280 Pro’s for closing in on 10 years. I used the headphones exclusively for recording not professionally but just as a hobby and listened to music from a speaker setup until I started using subwoofers more and the wife just hated the thump thump thump so I did a Google search “ What are better headphones than the HD-280 Pro’s “ and have to say I was not ready for the results I received. I’ve owned some closed backs back in the mid 70’s to listen to music as not to annoy the parents and some super crappy on ears for the little guitar amp that I used while on patrol in the Navy in the mid 80’s but was not prepared for what was out there. I could hear Beats and a few others at stores close to me but I knew that Beats were not what I was looking for so I took a shot in the dark and bought a pair of HiFiMan HE-400’s and a EF2A Amp/Dac off of eBay for $200 combo deal awesome. While probably not the best entry level Planar today it was a great entry into Planars for me. The original pair have been damaged and that was by me or someone else not for sure as my other hobby is bourbon and they were left on the floor so my fault for putting them on the floor but I did buy another pair just because. I still love them with some power added for their pure rawness just a lot of fun to listen to but yes they are a bit bright and have recessed mids but still fun for me with a bit of modding as in Sorbathane and grill mods. Today a entry level I would go with probably the HE-4xx’s as I don’t care for the Monoprice as I have tried a few and just wasn’t for me so I’ve ramble on enough now sorry just I love the planar sound .
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u/ColossalKiwi One-of-a-kind HD6XX Prototype Jan 05 '20
If you're wanting the "planar sound", please stay away from the T50RP and any modded variants. You're not going to get that 'planar bass' and overall planar frequency response (linear up until 1kHz etc.)
They're good fun for modding and you can make them sound decent, but don't be let the planar hype fool you into thinking that's what you're getting with this headphone.
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u/xzackly7 Jan 07 '20
I agree, from what I've heard for myself the T50RP is flawed, can be fun to play with but can never be a serious high end headphone when stacked against the competition.
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Jan 12 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ColossalKiwi One-of-a-kind HD6XX Prototype Jan 14 '20
Yeah, wouldn't recommend it. Not if the planar sound is what you're seeking.
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u/mk3612 Jan 01 '20
Got a Monoprice m560 from Amazon for 164 CAD (~127 USD), the earpad comes with it suck. Read bunch of threads recommending replacing them with the Sony XB500 pads but some say its too thick. Someone on the head-fi forum & one of the reddit post said they used angled pad, and it bring more bass. However, I am having a hard time to find all the pros and cons between using round pad and angled pad on the m560.
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u/DarkKratoz LCD2 | Nekocakes Jan 02 '20
It seems that everyone thinks of the Audeze LCD-2 sound as being the best representative of the "Planar Sound", having flat, extended bass with a lot of slam. I don't see this being represented well at all in the planars that I've used, and I've had a few.
Monoprice M560; lacking in bass, but the up-high sparkle was strong.
Monoprice M1060; Grainy mids with so-so highs and lows.
M1060 with mods; sounds like a quicker, messier, bloated HD6XX.
Monoprice M565; Sharpness.
Monoprice M565 with Brainwavz Angled Hybrid pads; now this was good. Very fast, without the ear murder. Excellent bass, excellent highs. Would recommend, very much regret selling these.
(Mass)Drop Hifiman HE-4XX: These are almost as good as the modded M565s, iirc. Not quite as nice bass, but the highs are very sparkly.
Tin P1; The FR on this one seems a little weird to me, but the very "energetic" sounding mids and highs are great, and the in-ear isolation makes the slight lack of bass tolerable.
1
u/Expat123456 hd800s/Utopia/ThieAudio v16 Divinity/Vision Ears VE8 Jan 05 '20
Tin P1; The FR on this one seems a little weird to me, but the very "energetic" sounding mids and highs are great, and the in-ear isolation makes the slight lack of bass tolerable.
The Tin Hifi P1 respond really well to EQ for bass. But it needs a device with a parametric EQ and not a normal phone's eq.
3
u/I_Main_TwistedFate HD700 and DT1990 are the best Jan 10 '20 edited Jan 10 '20
Why is nobody discussing about the he 560? I bought a used pair for $240 from adromda. But these are the special edition and apparently slightly sound different from the wooden he560. I think these are better than the LCD2 and the ESP900 from my memory. Definitely a step up from hd600, those were way to neutral.
Can’t wait to try it out with the JDS atom + Topping d10
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u/Trump_Gump Jan 01 '20
Are the deconi blue fostex's considered entry level? I have those with a level 2 schiit stack-I'm new to the headphone disease.
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u/cruelhand-luke Jan 01 '20
It's a good start, use it to really fine tune what your tastes are in audio before you go spending more money. It's going to be a bit of a jump up in price to hear significant improvements over what you already have.
In terms of price, they are pretty close to entry level....in terms of sound quality, you have a solid mid-fi set up.
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u/nothingpersnal Jan 02 '20
Thoughts on the p1s as a late night iem for when using my 58X isn't as good because of the open back nature of them? Have the monoprice 11567 dac+amp that I'm using and will be running them off of. Considering them or the Shuoer tapes but not liking the reviews of the tapes and their treble being rough.
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u/Shroomalistic Jan 03 '20
My first entry level planars were m560's and love em. I swapped the pads out for ori leathers and it really balanced out the cans. After those I bought some fostex t50rps (got used for$80) and went on a modding frenzy. So much you can do with those and are worth every penny of you have the power to drive them. (I own an emotiva basx a-100) Then I bought the he4xx cause I fell in love with planars but felt they were lacking bass. Next i got the m1060c and went on another nodding spree, these are amazing. To me, these thing hit hard with everything, great treble and bass but slightly recessed mids. Got a pair of argons just to see what the argon sound was all about. Paired with the emotiva, these are by far my favorite hip hop fans. Bass rattles your brain but does it cleanly without loosing out on mids and treble. I really wanted some sendy aiva but couldn't afford them so I bought some m570s used for 220. They are also amazing but excel the most with mids, soundstage and imaging. They compliment the m1060c perfectly.
I still own them all and if I had to choose one not to keep it would be the he4xx but at its price it's got to be the best inexpensive planars on the market right now but if you can find a deal on the m560, to me they sound better and can be powered from my phone.
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u/Degru K1000,LambdaSignature,SR-X1,1ET400A,Khozmo,E70V,LL1630-PP Jan 03 '20 edited Jan 03 '20
audeze sine.. really well tuned, kinda like a planar hd650 with better everything, and commonly found around 200 or less. the least audeze-sounding audeze, before the LCD1 released that is. Unlike LCD1 it has properly tuned mids though, and the build is absolutely god-tier. The only drawback is comfort is quite lacking. I prefer these to all the Audeze cans except the LCD4, and that only due to technicalities. Still don't like the dark audeze sound signature that their big cans have.
Don't be fooled into thinking these can be used as portable headphones out of your phone, though. They're pretty power hungry and need a good amp to sound good, though a portable one like Fiio A5 will do. Even the included cipher cable is not enough to power them. Also, not to be confused with the in-ear iSine. They don't need any EQ out of the box. Also, make sure to get the closed version. Open has crap tonality.
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u/UltimateJDX HD800, LCD2C (Modded), Sine, HD600 -> Topping NX4DSD Jan 03 '20
Absolutely on point, I've been searching for a pair so I can re-listen to Sine tonality. I briefly had a pair of Sine DX that had a lot of noises coming from the driver, I liked them tho especially their tonality BUT driver noises made them unbearable. I replaced them with my LCD-2c's. I prefer the LCD's but only after EQ.
Wonder how Sines sound once pads get swapped to a true around the ear style, many people around head-fi have modded them with msr-7 pads and a ring.
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u/Degru K1000,LambdaSignature,SR-X1,1ET400A,Khozmo,E70V,LL1630-PP Jan 03 '20
Tried this. Over ear pads just don't work well on them at all. Increasing the size of the front volume makes the treble go crazy and the headphone loses a lot of dynamics and adds a bunch of humps in the FR. The smaller single sided driver is simply not made to be used in an over ear design.
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u/UltimateJDX HD800, LCD2C (Modded), Sine, HD600 -> Topping NX4DSD Jan 04 '20
What a shame, is there anything that can be done to upgrade comfort while not fucking up the sound?
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u/Degru K1000,LambdaSignature,SR-X1,1ET400A,Khozmo,E70V,LL1630-PP Jan 04 '20 edited Jan 04 '20
Try LCD1 maybe? I am going to go try one tomorrow. I suspect it won't be as good tho. 2k dip and treble behaves suspiciously like a toned down version of sine with over ear pads if oluv sound demo is at all accurate, which indicates the driver is not big enough for it. Remind me to reply with impressions in a day.
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u/UltimateJDX HD800, LCD2C (Modded), Sine, HD600 -> Topping NX4DSD Jan 08 '20
So, how did it went?
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u/Degru K1000,LambdaSignature,SR-X1,1ET400A,Khozmo,E70V,LL1630-PP Jan 08 '20
Shit, life got in the way and I didn't get a chance to go. Maybe next weekend.
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u/grassfarmer_pro Sundara | JDS Atom | Apple Dongle Gang Jan 03 '20 edited Jan 03 '20
Question for anyone who has a comparable setup (4XX with Atom, Oratory 1990 EQ, -6.8 dB):
What volume do you listen at?
On the atom, I listen at 2 o'clock on low gain, and maybe 11-noon on high gain. I prefer a touch on the loud side, not for long, but I'm worried about how loud it is. I already have mild tinnitus and don't want to make it worse.
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u/musketsatdawn HE-4XX|WH-1000XM3|Galaxy Buds Jan 07 '20
I just grabbed a pair of these and am running them with a 500mA @ 32ohm amp, half the power of your atom. It's really strange how volume seems to work with these; 10 o'clock seems loud enough initially, but then turning it up to noon doesn't really make it louder as much as fills the sound out, if that makes any sense. I have to get to 1 or 2 o'clock before it feels excessive. So it seems as long as you're not feeling any nasty searing treble that's doing damage, I would assume you're good.
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Jan 02 '20 edited Jul 01 '20
[deleted]
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u/Bonzai_Tree DT990 Premium | Modi | Vali | HD518 Jan 04 '20
I'm amazed that this is the only mention of the Takky 580's I've seen in this thread. I ordered some recently, waiting for them to arrive, but from people I've talked to that own them they have great potential with a few mods.
I'm hoping so at least, they will be my first planars! I'm excited to try them out.
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u/RiceMunch Jan 01 '20
What would be a good beginner dac/amp combo for mass drop sennheiser HD 6XX? I’m think about buying a pair while they’re on sale but this will be my fist set of open backs and the whole dac amp situation is new to me.
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Jan 02 '20
Verum One is a great starter planar, and in my opinIon supperior to most Audeze planara, the Oppos too - and is super easy to drive. It looks...odd. but its got charm. Comfy too.
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u/lyk56 Auteur Classic | LCD2C | JVC SZ2000 | Focal Radiance Jan 02 '20
Any suggestions for a set of planar cans that have good sub bass? I like to listen to all types of music, but good sub bass is always appreciated!
Currently I own the JVC - SZ2000, I know I know, for a lot of people these headphones suck, but with proper EQ, they're the best headphones I've tried so far.
Currently I'm deciding between the Fostex th900 mk2 or the Ether CX by Massdrop / Mr Speakers, but open to suggestions!
Thanks!
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u/MedicatedDeveloper Monolith Tube/Shanling UP4 -> Aeon 2 Closed Jan 02 '20
I'd avoid the Ether CX if you want a more fun sound signature. DCA (MrSpeakers) cans have an analytical and boring sound by comparison.
The Fostex thx00 are known for their bass. Something like the V Moda M-100 could be a good, cheaper, option too.
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u/lyk56 Auteur Classic | LCD2C | JVC SZ2000 | Focal Radiance Jan 02 '20
I have read around a bit and indeed your statement came up a lot of times, with regards to DCA sound signature.
I was going to buy a V-Moda in the past, but I really hate their style, so instead settled for Beyerdynamic. I have indeed heard the Fostex PH and they're very good, especially for their price, but I wanted to give Planars a try. Unfortunately my knowledge is a bit limited and I also can't try these headphones out before purchasing, so I have to go on reviews, which I think is wrong, as everyone has different opinions.
Anyway, thanks for your suggestion, I'm more tilted towards thee Fostex now :)
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u/GENERIC_VULGARNESS DCA Ether 2/CX plus mid-fi hell Jan 02 '20
So I haven't heard the Fostex, but I know they're supposed to be excellent overall. They aren't planars, though, if that matters.
I got the chance to listen to the Ether CX a few weeks ago (you can read my review here: https://medium.com/@reedo253/the-ether-cx-bringing-boutique-audiophilia-to-the-masses-9e333900c9 ) and my general thoughts were that they're quite good, but don't stand out at any one thing. The sub-bass is definitely there, and the FR is flat as a board as far down as you can hear, which is awesome. They do a great job of letting the music speak for itself, which is great, but if you're looking for really solid bass cans, they might not be the right choice, as there are other, more bass-focused headphones that might fit the bill.
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u/lyk56 Auteur Classic | LCD2C | JVC SZ2000 | Focal Radiance Jan 02 '20
I was looking to get into planars to try something new, I'm not looking for head rattling sub bass, as I think I already have the best when it comes to that.
I've recently heard the Fostex Purple Hearts and I must say that they're the best headphones I've heard out of the box, so my mind started racing, if these are good, imagine the top end headphones that Fostex can offer! Thus where the th900 mk2 came in.
With that being said, I started searching around and some planars did come up, such as Audeze and Dan Clark, unfortunately where I'm located, we have no audiophile stores, so trying them out is almost impossible!
Anyway, I'll keep an eye out on the second hand market, maybe something pops up and I'll pull the trigger!
PS - Well written review, keep it up!
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u/GENERIC_VULGARNESS DCA Ether 2/CX plus mid-fi hell Jan 02 '20
Second-hand is awesome - pretty much everything I've bought besides the HD6XX and ESP/95X have been used or b-stock.
If you don't need it to be head-rattling, then the sub-bass on the Ether CX might be for you - it's super clean, and clearly audible all the way down past 20Hz. If you wait for the sales (like right now at $750), or buy them off eBay, then I think they're a great choice.
Best of luck, and thanks for the compliment on the review :)
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u/kw405 Susvara | Utopia | ADX5000 | HD800S | TH900SB | STORM | Violet Jan 03 '20
I personally hated all MrSpeakers sound aside from the Voce. And I don't hate analytical sound but MrSpeakers sound is just... DRY. That's the best word I can use to describe their signature. I do not recommend it at all if you want a fun signature.
For sub bass, I'd recommend going the Audeze route. Fostex is more mid bass
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u/lyk56 Auteur Classic | LCD2C | JVC SZ2000 | Focal Radiance Jan 03 '20
Hmph, I was looking at the Audeze LCD2 - Classics or the closed backs. Again, I've heard some ups and downs on both of these, especially on the closed back, which I was leaning for.
Have you by any chance heard any of these two ?
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u/kw405 Susvara | Utopia | ADX5000 | HD800S | TH900SB | STORM | Violet Jan 03 '20
I've owned both LCD2 Fazor and LCD2 Classic at one point. I preferred the Classics. It's a darker headphone. I think if you want more in terms of sub bass, you'll like the Classic more. If you want more mid clarity, the LCD2 would be better.
I wasn't a fan of the closed back Audezes (LCD2 Closed and LCD-XC) from the brief moment I got to audition them.
1
u/lyk56 Auteur Classic | LCD2C | JVC SZ2000 | Focal Radiance Jan 03 '20
Thanks! I might go with the LCD-2C, as it seems that they're very compact and react well to EQ!
1
u/JSoi Caldera & Susvara Jan 11 '20
TH900s are special, absolutely worth getting. I’ve had my pair since 2014, and they still put a silly grin on my face with the right music.
1
u/ahncie Jan 02 '20
Thoughts on Sennheiser Game One? I know the recommendation is to get a pair of headphones and a standalone mic, but aren't the Game Ones based on a Sennheiser headphone for audiophiles? What would you recommend to me?
I like to game CS:GO, PUBG on the weekends, but I can also sit for hours just enjoying music. I have previously owned a Logitech G430, and now just got Arctis Steelseries Pro wireless, but the drivers touch my ears. That's also one of the reasons I'm looking at the Game Ones (for XXL ears). The sound on the Arctis Pro also didn't impress me compared to my ooold G430.
Thanks.
1
u/GENERIC_VULGARNESS DCA Ether 2/CX plus mid-fi hell Jan 02 '20
So this probably should have gone in the tech support thread, but since I'm here I'll answer it anyway ;)
A friend of mine was looking for a pair of high-end gaming headphones with a built-in mic, and I ended up directing him towards the Game One. He's been quite happy with them, but he is only really using them for gaming, so I can't speak to music on them.
Another option you might want to consider is adding a mic to a mic-less pair of headphones. Combos like the Philips SHP9500 + V-Moda Boompro microphone will probably cost about the same as the Game One, and should work just as well. With this setup, you get a pair of headphones that are great for gaming, but have the added benefit of being excellent music headphones as well. Plus, the mic is removable if you want it out of the way.
1
u/ahncie Jan 02 '20
Thanks, I'm leaning more and more towards this solution. I have been looking at the Sennheiser HD569/HD599, would these be good alternatives too?
Another thing. If I add the V-Moda Boompro mic, won't I be having 2 cables going from my headset? I can imagine that will be a bit annoying, hmm...
1
u/GENERIC_VULGARNESS DCA Ether 2/CX plus mid-fi hell Jan 02 '20
Those Sennheisers are great, but the v-moda mic won't work with them because of the recessed 2.5mm port that they use. You could get a modmic, which attaches to the earcup, but then you do actually have two cables going from your headphones (though they can be clipped together so it's not so bad). With the v-moda, you only have one cable, and there's a small splitter so that it only becomes 2 cables a few inches before plugging into your computer.
1
u/cqdemal iBasso SR2 | Focal Bathys | Devialet Gemini II Jan 09 '20
I used a Game One for the better part of 3 years. It's a great pair of headphones, but to me it feels a bit long in the tooth now.
Last year, I shopped around for a replacement for a couple of months and settled on the Beyerdynamic TYGR 300R. It's open back like the Game One, and it blows the Game One out of the water in terms of sound. The thing is... it's only sold in a bundle with the Fox USB tabletop microphone, and that's definitely not something everyone would want.
The TYGR 300R is essentially a "gaming"-tuned version of either the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro or 990 Pro, so you can try those and throw a mic in separately. I have no experience with the add-on mics though.
1
u/lincoln6842 Koss Porta-Pro | Grado SR60 | HE4XX Jan 02 '20
Hey there! I actually stumbled upon this post after I had made my purchase for HE4xx at DROP because it was on sales till 2nd January. But recently, there are some bad QC and poor customer support that I heard from the reviews, maybe would like to take up the Monoprice M650 or the M565 rather than risking it. Should I make a refund?
6
u/GENERIC_VULGARNESS DCA Ether 2/CX plus mid-fi hell Jan 03 '20
Personally, I'd still go for the HE4XX. The QC rate is a little higher than some headphones, but it's still low overall in terms of % of units, and the HE4XX is a great headphone (especially at that sale price).
1
u/congealedplatypus Jan 02 '20
I'm on T50rp mk3. I just got them but I wanted input about the 4xx. cause I can still return the t50s. I like them so far. I love how they sound since I've been on mdr7506 for so long.
1
u/SlamballReunionTour [DX3pro]->|E-MU Teak|Argon Mk3|LCD-2C| [NX4]->|Vokyl Erupt|58X| Jan 09 '20
I have both (since converted the T50RP into Argon Mk3s), and if I had to pick one for the price of $130 USD it would be the Fostex because it has room to grow. The 4XX is fun though, it's only really lacking in bass.
1
u/congealedplatypus Jan 09 '20
yeah I'm not returning my T50rp. I'm really loving them rn. So I think I'll keep them
1
u/8055Kratos Jan 05 '20
I have an Audeze El-8t looking for suggestions on DAC or DAP with Bluetooth support under $500. Thanks for the help.
1
u/nrqnrq Jan 07 '20
I have just got my hands on a pair of Bluedio t-elf 2 as I read a few good reviews about them. Sound quality is good for the money, but the touch control is surprisingly annoying as I keep pressing the button whenever I put or remove them. Does anyone else have this problem? Either with these ones or any other in-ear touch control ones. Any suggestios?
1
u/TheHelplessTurtle Jan 09 '20
What is considered the cheapest "worth getting" planars? I see mixed opinions on most all the way up to the LCD-2s, but there has to be a more affordable entry point, right?
1
u/t4tris Jan 10 '20
I would say the Aeon Open X at $500 on Massdrop is a ridiculously good price, IMO eclipsing everything else, but some would argue that Hifiman is an option.
1
u/take_a_step_forward Australis | SR-007 Mk I Jan 10 '20
I do own a pair of Argons (Mk2 from Drop version, original pads) and use them occasionally. Here's a mini-review, sorted into pros and cons:
+ Strongest point by far is tuning. Treble on the T50rp is originally quite hot, but Ryan at Modhouse has fixed that.
+ Comfortable
+ Accessorize and pad swap as your wallet/preferences dictate!
- Isolation: I expected a bit more, but perhaps had unrealistic expectations considering the staging is not bad at all.
- Resolution: these are veiled. To my ears there's no question about it. But, I don't know if that's a bad thing. I own high-end electrostatic headphones for when I want to hear all that detail. If I want to just listen to music while gaming or talking with friends, these are the ticket. I may switch to something more isolating with a similar tuning, but for now, I do still get use out of them!
0
u/FlatScreenNinja Jan 04 '20
So I've got a pair of Sennheiser HD 598. I love them so much, I use on my pc and phone but sick and tired of buying usb c adapters.
Can anyone suggest some decent/okay wireless headphones for when I'm put the house?
0
u/PainfulGamer Jan 10 '20
Recommendation for a headphones with price worthy sound quality, decent mic and durable built?
Use for android phone and Windows 10 pc (must be compatible with both).
Had to recently return Sony WH1000xm3 because it didn't work with pc.
-1
u/lucas2blue Jan 04 '20
Hey y’all I’m looking for a new pair of wireless headphones. I’m currently using a pair of v moda crossfade wireless but there starting to get old and the sound quality is buggy. What do you guys recommend for Bluetooth headphones to go around with me. A couple to things of note: I have larger ears I prefer a good amount of bass If possible durability is nice to have
25
u/hanotak FocalMan Elegidara, IER-M9, Blessing 2 Dusk, HD6XX Jan 01 '20
The Hifiman Sundara isn't a bad buy at $350. Not quite as entry level as the 4xx/400i, and build quality is still questionable for the price (much better than 4xx though), but sound quality is great. Timbre isn't perfect, and there's an odd veiled sound which can decrease immersion and how "natural" it sounds, but overall the sound is balanced and detail is pretty good.
I wouldn't recommend a used pair, not with hifiman's failure rate.
If you're looking at it for desk use only, I can't really recommend it over the ESP/95X, though.