Rthomas

https://i.imgflip.com/1j9mml.jpg

Everyone wants their points, hard to tell unless you know who runs the numbers.

Stax is low margin, low volume sales and not very easy to work with (language barrier).

Can't comment on Utopia, but used Clear with both 3F and SW51+. I must say I preferred 3F. But since my Clear broke some time ago I now listen my Arya and the synergy with SW51+ is great.

Do you have DHSA3F? Utopia is great with it, I would venture better than sw51

3F is on another level compared to SW51. This is true for Utopia too. Just keep in mind neither amp will "fix" any tonality issues you may or may not have with Utopia

I tried sonarworks years ago on the 650 & 800. At least 1 of them it flattened the 3.5khz hump level to 1khz, sounded rubbish. Those measurements did not reflect subjective listening or measurements from other sources. I think they were applying a speaker compensation to the headphones as well (?!), or maybe that was optional.

I EQ to the 650 FR, but flat from bass rolloff-1khz, with a few db more 5.5khz on up.

Chalk it up to preferences perhaps, but I'm still skeevy of what passes for neutral treble with the HT. Again that could just be my ears not wearing in yet (poking fun) or having horrible taste in music (completely serious), but the target doesn't nearly have good balance for my ears and gear. I'm in agreement that it's better than FF or DF, but preference remains so.

Preference still has to start from a point accuracy to be done well. But no one FR will ever be right for all as we have differing HRTFs. I should have qualified my statements with the HD6*0 being widely, though subjectively, considered the most accurate. Even that can only be an average at best due to HRTF variations, which perceptually vary further with individual sensitivities to diaphragm, materials, cup etc.

It's a consumer preference target that many tout as THE ONLY proper way to voice headphones. The voicing is aggressive (much as I appreciate a bass shelf) and it gets mildly irksome when people call this neutral. Not sure if others have the same sentiment about its sound.

IME headphones voiced first and foremost by ear tend to sound best - ZMF, LFF, etc. I trust my ears to decide whether or not a response is editorializing on my source (albeit in a pleasant or unpleasant way) moreso than whatever compensation curve or target the measurements follow.

Asgard 3 is better in that respect. But I'd wait a little bit more because many new products launched in the fall. Saving money up to tubes could be an option.

Gilmore Lite mk2 is smoother and much more musicality than the 789.

Ragnarok 1 used may be a safe bet as well. Maybe Rag 2 would work but it's more of a speaker amp. Jotunheim probably has enough juice to run it.

Secondhand First Watt clone. Phonitor E?

I also vote Phonitor or First Watt / Nelson Pass amp of some sort (which one depends on preferences + gear synergy). I have only heard good things about the BHA-1 but haven't heard it myself.

However, If you are open to hybrid and can find a used Audeze "The King", it beats the above for me and to date it's still tied for first as my favorite LCD 2, 3, or 4 amp.

The hifi shop down the street, which carried Audeze, closed down. My point of reference has changed so much in the last year that I think I need to hear it again!

Just wanted to mention that I'm only using these with EQ. Used for $2250 they're worth the money imho although the stock tuning needs work.

Oratory1990 measured mine + one more unit. Both were nearly identical so hopefully the days of large variations are behind them at least for the flagships....I'd rather support them than Hifiman. You look at the condition of used HEKs, they look cheap as hell with a bit of real world wear.

Where do you want to be in a 1 year? 5 years? 10 years? Define your goals and focus on how to reach the right audience. Blogging is not easy.

near impossible, as you have to stand out from every cookie cutter o the day -- and had to check if you were a bot/troll ;) -- you mentioned 1K, wth. -- snark aside, just do it and grow naturally

Probably not if they need to ask us idiots who spend thousands to make music sound 5% better than an iPod! But hey, no judgement from me ;)

I've been following Brent as long as Tyll (found him before Tyll, I think), particularly when I was looking into bookshelves and subwoofers. He has done great work on subs. I follow Sean Olive (of Harman, Olive/Welti curve) on FB and Brent comments pretty often. Good dude. Not perfect, but if you don't agree with his impressions he at least shows his work and provides valuable data.

That all being said, there will never be a new Tyll.
Ever.
One of a kind.

Revisiting this post because I just made a connection that's been bugging me. Brent Butterworth is very much an advocate of the Harman target https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/217-where-are-we-at-with-the-harman-curve

This would explain Klipsch HP-3 = within normal response for headphones. Yes it was nagging at me lol.

I think they only collect for international shipping duty in case seller hasn’t paid it upfront. Domestic, I don’t think so.

Thanks guys!

Technically you are supposed to pay use tax but fortunately there are still no means to enforce them.

Wow, GREAT price. If you got a good one, you'll know. The sound will be magical. ;-)

It might match whatever curve it wants. Still going to have different sound on different shaped heads, can't change that. So on the one they measured it with it might have, measure it on another system, it won't. And on your head it's something else. On mine another too. So..

That said, I liked it. And it looks super cool. Would never ever give that amount of money though

Orpheus 2 is is too bright with not enough relaxed fine detail. Let's forget about modern senns, they're not worth it and built for a price bracket instead of listening enjoyment.

There was a rumor flying around a couple of years ago that he was working on something TOTL, but I haven't heard anything about it since. Someone should ask him at one of those CanJam seminars he does.

Interested in the result knowing that you'll compare against EQ'd 800S. My money is that for you, the 800S will win.

I don't care about hype, unboxing experience or price tags. May the best sound (to my ears) win! :)

Nice writeup! I hesitate to comment on the Meze thread because I heard them out of the Dave's HP out, which admittedly isn't the best for planars, but I definitely thought it was better than an LCD-4. The upper bass and lower mids didn't quite connect correctly on the Meze and that the transients weren't as good as the Senns to me. I get the feeling if you gave the 800S some tubes, you may be set.

lol

3 of your last 4 status updates have been about Rafe or how bad IF is now. Time to move on.

I love how Rafe says he’s going to do listening tests of the HE6 using his portable. $5 he says it sounds great.

Once you put all the EQs into the EQ window you go to file -> export -> "filters impulse response as wav" Ezpz way to try these out without needing fancy VST wrappers or whatever, plus the foo_convolver plugin is super fast :D

The hd800’s respond incredibly well to EQ, damn

Maybe I can bug somebody else, @JohnM , what determines the length of the exported impulse wav file?