That looks awesome man! Also nice to see you have a dedicated room for audio. Any chance you can list the rest of the gear and sources for music? I dig it!
I'm currently in the process of upgrading. Trying to sell my speakers at the moment, so once everything is done I will post some pics later in the year.
I'm currently in the process of upgrading. Trying to sell my speakers at the moment, so once everything is done I will post some pics later in the year.
Thanks lads.
Jean Marie Reynaud Offrande Supreme V2
Omega Super 6 Alnico Monitor w/ Norstone Stylum 1 stand
Croft Acoustics Micro 25 RS Line
Metrum Acoustics Amethyst DAC
Marantz CD-63 MkII KI Signature
Linn Sondek LP12 w/ Ortofon 2M Blue
By Linius Go To PostThat looks awesome man! Also nice to see you have a dedicated room for audio. Any chance you can list the rest of the gear and sources for music? I dig it!Having a dedicated room really helps. Equipment:
I'm currently in the process of upgrading. Trying to sell my speakers at the moment, so once everything is done I will post some pics later in the year.
Jean Marie Reynaud Offrande Supreme V2
Omega Super 6 Alnico Monitor w/ Norstone Stylum 1 stand
Croft Acoustics Micro 25 RS Line
Metrum Acoustics Amethyst DAC
Marantz CD-63 MkII KI Signature
Linn Sondek LP12 w/ Ortofon 2M Blue
Some very nice stuff. Haven't heard of most of these brands. Do you still use the Jean Marie's as well or are they just collecting dust from now on?
I currently have the Red 2M on my recordplayer, think at some point in the future I'll replace the needle for blue as well. It's nice the red cartridge fits both red and blue.
I currently have the Red 2M on my recordplayer, think at some point in the future I'll replace the needle for blue as well. It's nice the red cartridge fits both red and blue.
I'm alternating between the two. I would vote for an upgrade to the Blue. In looking back on my impressions, the Red was great for such a cheap cartridge and the Blue is just a good cartridge. Red was not as forgiving with worn records.
Yeah, that's definitely the plan at some point.
Well I managed to sell my Dali Opticon 2 speakers yesterday. So ordering the Opticon 6 today, should all be here next week. For the time being hooked up to the same amp. But the amp will be going on sale soonish too to be replaced with it's bigger brother. Will post some photo's next week.
And because I have a spare amp (christmas gift from work) I also ordered some tiny bookshelf speakers from our own brand to hook it up to my laptop as a desktop set-up.
So for the next week I'm listening to music on a bluetooth speaker to welcome two new sets of speakers next week. Can't fucking wait.
Well I managed to sell my Dali Opticon 2 speakers yesterday. So ordering the Opticon 6 today, should all be here next week. For the time being hooked up to the same amp. But the amp will be going on sale soonish too to be replaced with it's bigger brother. Will post some photo's next week.
And because I have a spare amp (christmas gift from work) I also ordered some tiny bookshelf speakers from our own brand to hook it up to my laptop as a desktop set-up.
So for the next week I'm listening to music on a bluetooth speaker to welcome two new sets of speakers next week. Can't fucking wait.
Linius, do you know of a particular headphone brand that has a signature sound similar to Graco? I really like the crisp articulation they have but want just a tad more presence of the bass. Oh, open back is also a must.
By Kibner Go To PostLinius, do you know of a particular headphone brand that has a signature sound similar to Graco? I really like the crisp articulation they have but want just a tad more presence of the bass. Oh, open back is also a must.
I suppose you mean Grado? Sadly never heard one of their headphones, love the design though. Back in the day before I even worked in hifi I was on the fence of ordering the SR60 but ultimately ended up with a pair of AKG Q460's. Mostly because of budget limitations.
Anyways, one kind of model I know with open back design and great sound is the Audioquest NightHawk. It's very crisp in the highs, if it has enough bass though is something I can't really judge for you. The lead engineer for headphones from Audioquest has left the company so Audioquest is abondining headphones altogether now. Which at least for The Netherlands meant they dropped in price a lot. Simply because they're just selling the stock they have left and then they're done with it. So if you have a dealer nearby or a webshop with a decent return policy I'd definitely recommend checking them out. But I can't stress enough how personal stuff like headphones are, so don't just take my word for it.
Yeah, shit. Autocorrect changed it and I didn't catch it.
Thanks for the heads-up. I'll look into the NightHawk!
Thanks for the heads-up. I'll look into the NightHawk!
Looked up some reviews and was intrigued. No one around here would have such a thing for demo, but I was able to get it off Amazon for $300, so I should be straight. Especially since I still had a gift card balance of over $100, so it was less than $200 of my money.
The comments about how comfortable and unfatiguing it is as well as the recessed highs make it seem unique and something worth trying. A little worried about the bass being too strong, but we'll see.
e: i've been wanting an upgrade for a few years since I've been using the Grado SR225 for a decade now, and a quality $700 headphone for $200? yes please.
The comments about how comfortable and unfatiguing it is as well as the recessed highs make it seem unique and something worth trying. A little worried about the bass being too strong, but we'll see.
e: i've been wanting an upgrade for a few years since I've been using the Grado SR225 for a decade now, and a quality $700 headphone for $200? yes please.
That’s cool, let me know what you think!
For myself I put an order in for the P7 Wireless from B&W. Mostly to play on the Bluetooth from my Bluesound Node 2i during late hours to not disturb the neighbours. And on the go of course.
For myself I put an order in for the P7 Wireless from B&W. Mostly to play on the Bluetooth from my Bluesound Node 2i during late hours to not disturb the neighbours. And on the go of course.
The Nighthawk Carbon came in today. Unfortunately, the package was missing the 3.5mm -> 1/4" adapter it was supposed to come with and I don't have one hanging around, so I can't listen to it on my OL DAC -> Emotiva BASX A-100 amp. Have to settle for 3.5mm out on my phone and tablet, for now.
I definitely understand how people can forget they are wearing these things. They are supremely comfortable, even after I listened to two albums back-to-back. They fit securely on my head but don't clamp hard enough to become uncomfortable. The headband doesn't irritate my bald head like nearly every other headband has. I am using the velour ear cups for now and they are comfy and don't make my ears or head heat up.
Audioquest recommends breaking these in for 150 hours before really listening critically, but my first impression is pretty good. What I read in reviews seems to mostly match up to what I am hearing right now. It's a very enveloping sound experience, like the music is wrapping itself around you. The bass appears to be more than enough for me. I see why some people say it feels a little sluggish compared to others in its original price bracket. I'm not sure if that is a real problem or not because it gives me more of a feeling of being at a performance as opposed to listening to a recording of one. Maybe it can be best explained as a bit longer of a resonance than what I'm used to?
The distortion, even on these poor source devices, is noticeably absent. That's pretty impressive, tbh. I can't really comment on the resolution and detail these headphones provide due to poor audio sources and just not listening to much, yet, that would make it obvious. It seems pretty good, so far, while listening to Daft Punk's RAM album.
I have not noticed the relatively quieter highs that some complain about. The crescendoing part at the end of "Giorgio By Moroder" is a little muddier than I remember. Maybe it will get cleaned up a bit with a proper DAC and amp. The open-backed nature blocks more outside sound than I thought it would.
Remind me in a month or so to come back and update these impressions.
I definitely understand how people can forget they are wearing these things. They are supremely comfortable, even after I listened to two albums back-to-back. They fit securely on my head but don't clamp hard enough to become uncomfortable. The headband doesn't irritate my bald head like nearly every other headband has. I am using the velour ear cups for now and they are comfy and don't make my ears or head heat up.
Audioquest recommends breaking these in for 150 hours before really listening critically, but my first impression is pretty good. What I read in reviews seems to mostly match up to what I am hearing right now. It's a very enveloping sound experience, like the music is wrapping itself around you. The bass appears to be more than enough for me. I see why some people say it feels a little sluggish compared to others in its original price bracket. I'm not sure if that is a real problem or not because it gives me more of a feeling of being at a performance as opposed to listening to a recording of one. Maybe it can be best explained as a bit longer of a resonance than what I'm used to?
The distortion, even on these poor source devices, is noticeably absent. That's pretty impressive, tbh. I can't really comment on the resolution and detail these headphones provide due to poor audio sources and just not listening to much, yet, that would make it obvious. It seems pretty good, so far, while listening to Daft Punk's RAM album.
I have not noticed the relatively quieter highs that some complain about. The crescendoing part at the end of "Giorgio By Moroder" is a little muddier than I remember. Maybe it will get cleaned up a bit with a proper DAC and amp. The open-backed nature blocks more outside sound than I thought it would.
Remind me in a month or so to come back and update these impressions.
Good to hear man! And a DAC will definitely improve everything about the sound. Even by just adding an Audioquest Dragonfly when listening to these cans on a phone/tablet/laptop is a more than significant improvement.
By Linius Go To PostGood to hear man! And a DAC will definitely improve everything about the sound. Even by just adding an Audioquest Dragonfly when listening to these cans on a phone/tablet/laptop is a more than significant improvement.Yeah, a portable DAC is definitely something I'm lacking. I work from home, so I haven't really needed to get one, yet.
I'm currently running this set-up with my laptop. Argon SA-1 paired with Dali Zensor Pico. Currently running it directly from my minijack into the RCA in of the amplifier. Think I'm gonna be trying a Dragonfly soonish to see how big the difference is. As far as I know the DAC in this MSI laptop is pretty poor so I figure it should do some good.
Also got the news that my new speakers won't be arriving yet, could be a couple of more weeks. Which sucks since I already sold my old ones. So for now the laptop set-up is my main.
Yeah, these Nighthawk Carbon's are a winner. Not quite as crisp as the Grado SR-225, but it sounds so much richer (less thin), is a million times more comfortable, and has great balance up and down the spectrum (for my tastes).
I still need to play it in Quake Champions and/or Overwatch to really get a feel for how it handles HRTF and similar tech, but very pleased with the purchase.
Thanks for the heads-up, Linius!
I still need to play it in Quake Champions and/or Overwatch to really get a feel for how it handles HRTF and similar tech, but very pleased with the purchase.
Thanks for the heads-up, Linius!
By Linius Go To PostGood to hear. Always nice when the first option becomes the actual choice.Like all the reviews say, it's not for everyone and isn't an end-game piece. The relatively flat frequency response of mid-high treble will leave some feeling that it is lacking punch and/or separation in that range. The overall sound isn't quite there, but you'd probably have to spend at least double the current $300 sales price to just match what the Nighthawk Carbon gives.
It is still the upgrade I wanted for a price I was willing to pay, though, so I'm very pleased with it.
Also, the carrying case and polishing cloth accessories it came with (as well as a second set of ear pads made from a different material) is ace and adds great value.
E: I forgot to mention that I went back and listened to some of my favorite stuff and I did finally notice what people were saying with the "recessed" highs. It's subtle and I kind of miss the exaggerated highs but that may also be because I'm used to them.
So, got these babies playing right now. Dali Opticon 6 floorstanding speakers, upgraded from their little bros Opticon 2. Time to break them in and let them sing for the next week.
Yeah, the Nighthawks were a terrific purchase. I'm just chilling here, unwilling to go to sleep while listening to random music because it just feels so good. The headband sometimes wears a bit on the top of my head, but I just stretch and reposition it and I'm good for another couple hours. My greatest nitpick is the cord is always twisted and I can't seem to keep it straightened so if anyone has any tips on how to fix that, let me know.
It definitely has a "feel good" sound that just wraps around you. I can tell that there is room for improvement but it's small and I'm not sure if it would really increase my enjoyment that much.
It definitely has a "feel good" sound that just wraps around you. I can tell that there is room for improvement but it's small and I'm not sure if it would really increase my enjoyment that much.
Good stuff! It's pretty rare to just order one online and it happens to be a great fit for you personally haha.
I just found out I now have a Grado dealer in my city. Some audio store far away from city center focussing on tube amps, some McIntosh gear and Cambridge. As well as KEF, Sonus Faber and Rel. And then Grado in the headphones department. They basically cover all the bases we don't have at our store and we actually don't have a single brand in common (we used have Cambridge gear). Might pay them a visit in the near future to just listen to Grado. They have the SR225 and SR325 as well as the more expensive models. Nice competitor to have in this business.
I just found out I now have a Grado dealer in my city. Some audio store far away from city center focussing on tube amps, some McIntosh gear and Cambridge. As well as KEF, Sonus Faber and Rel. And then Grado in the headphones department. They basically cover all the bases we don't have at our store and we actually don't have a single brand in common (we used have Cambridge gear). Might pay them a visit in the near future to just listen to Grado. They have the SR225 and SR325 as well as the more expensive models. Nice competitor to have in this business.
GF got me a nice, stable headphone stand for Valentine's day. It's made by WooAudio: https://wooaudio.com/accessories/hps
Black metal with a matte finish and very heavy so I don't have to worry about knocking it over. Adjustable height is cool, I guess, but not sure if I will ever really use that feature. It fits my headphones well and looks very nice.
Black metal with a matte finish and very heavy so I don't have to worry about knocking it over. Adjustable height is cool, I guess, but not sure if I will ever really use that feature. It fits my headphones well and looks very nice.
Yeah the WooAudio is a classic stand indeed! It's funny, actually wanted to bump this thread because my headphone stand arrived today.
Perch stand from Audioquest.
Perch stand from Audioquest.
Yes indeed, it's a sturdy, industrial looking stand with the matte finish. I also briefly doubted about one of these wooden stands from Omega headphone stands but this one fits better at my place. It's also standing next to a black speaker actually.
Those speakers look nice Lino. I sometimes think of all the nice things I could have if it weren't for cats.
Unless you have really crazy cats you should be fine as long as you leave the dust covers on them. Actually, the little one at my parents place is a total homewrecker, running on walls and acting bat shit insane from time to time. My dad's speakers are still doing fine.
By reilo Go To PostJust ordered a pair of Sony WH1000XM3s after trying my roommates. They so nice.I love them. The one issue I will say I have with them is the build quality. The plastic arms/hinges begin squeaking very quickly. I'm on my 4th pair and they've started again. I may send them back and go with the Bowers & Wilkins instead, but I've heard they're less comfortable.
That or I may open up the hinge and apply some plastic grease or similar.
Yeah they sound pretty great. But I don't really get why Sony is still using rather cheap material on a premium priced pair of cans. It's not even bad, it just doesn't feel like you're wearing 400 euros worth of headphones. At my shop we've sold a lot of them (same for the XM2's and MDR1000 before this one) and we've hardly had any customer returns that managed to break their pair.
As for B&W, they're rather heavy which for some people can cause too much pressure on the head. They can get uncomfortable after many hours of using. But they do look the part for the price you're paying. And sound incredible as well of course.
As for B&W, they're rather heavy which for some people can cause too much pressure on the head. They can get uncomfortable after many hours of using. But they do look the part for the price you're paying. And sound incredible as well of course.
I didn't mind the materials on them, granted I only have my Audio Technicas to compare and those feel worse in comparison (and supremely heavy). The design of it looks premium, in my opinion, but I can't really comment on material as I don't have much experience with other headphones in the segment.
It's a well built pair of headphones. There's just so many plastic going on, that would be my only gripe. If I compare them to other models we carry I'd say the B&W (P7W/PX), Beoplay (H9i/H4) and NAD HP70 look the part a bit more. But they're definitely sturdy, so with normal use I wouldn't worry about breaking them.
On a side note, I'm preparing to sell my NAD C368 and replace it with the newly released NAD M10. The M10 comes with bluesound on board, but more importantly it features Dirac room correction. Only from 20 to 500 hz, have to add another 80 euros for the rest of the frequencies. But that's really the thing I need to battle my overflow of low tones in certain kinds of music. I'm really loving my speakers, but from my experience at the store I just know they can be more perfect. Room acoustics just aren't optimal of course. And well besides that, it packs a lot more power and the better Hypex class D module, ncore instead UcD they use for the classic line. So, fun times ahead in the never ending spiral of upgrading your gear.
It will also mean I finally need to get a phono preamp since the M10 doesn't have a phono stage. Will most likely end up with the Pro-Ject Phonobox DS and call it a day. So yeah, looking forward to making this all possible in the next few months.
On a side note, I'm preparing to sell my NAD C368 and replace it with the newly released NAD M10. The M10 comes with bluesound on board, but more importantly it features Dirac room correction. Only from 20 to 500 hz, have to add another 80 euros for the rest of the frequencies. But that's really the thing I need to battle my overflow of low tones in certain kinds of music. I'm really loving my speakers, but from my experience at the store I just know they can be more perfect. Room acoustics just aren't optimal of course. And well besides that, it packs a lot more power and the better Hypex class D module, ncore instead UcD they use for the classic line. So, fun times ahead in the never ending spiral of upgrading your gear.
It will also mean I finally need to get a phono preamp since the M10 doesn't have a phono stage. Will most likely end up with the Pro-Ject Phonobox DS and call it a day. So yeah, looking forward to making this all possible in the next few months.
While I agree that I wouldn't worry about breaking them, they Seemingly have a high rate of developing squeaky hinges, which can get really annoying when you're walking with them on.
Just make sure you order from somewhere with a good returns policy Reilo. They sound gorgeous, feel mostly weightless (thanks in part to the materials I suppose) and block noise better than any wireless set I've tried. But at that price I won't put up with flaws like creaking.
Just make sure you order from somewhere with a good returns policy Reilo. They sound gorgeous, feel mostly weightless (thanks in part to the materials I suppose) and block noise better than any wireless set I've tried. But at that price I won't put up with flaws like creaking.
I need some affordable wired earbuds for taking to the gym where the right earbud wont die within 6 months
Well affordable is a bit of a stretch of course. But I have some Jabra Elite Sports for running and other activities. Soundwise they're far from the best, but they do the job for the intended use. If you also want some better sound quality to also use them when commuting etc. I'd look at something like RHA Trueconnect, Sennheiser True Wireless or Beoplay E8. These range from Apple Airpods pricerange up till roughly 300 euros. But these are actually worth your money as opposed to Apple's effort.
I’m thinking of ditching my G533 Logitech headset and getting some legitimately decent headphones.
Kibner, you’re my guy on this. What would be a good entry level set up for headphones and a DAC? Like, £200/$250 for budget but I don’t mind going over that if it’s worthwhile.
Ideally, I want open backs that I can plug a mic into, and a DAC that has audio in and out for the headphones and mic. (Mic not included in the budget btw).
I’ve been looking at those beige and brown Sennheiser HD599’s, but I’ve heard the HD600’s are a lot better overall although don’t have a mic input. For DACs, I’m completely lost. Audio gear just isn’t my forte.
Kibner, you’re my guy on this. What would be a good entry level set up for headphones and a DAC? Like, £200/$250 for budget but I don’t mind going over that if it’s worthwhile.
Ideally, I want open backs that I can plug a mic into, and a DAC that has audio in and out for the headphones and mic. (Mic not included in the budget btw).
I’ve been looking at those beige and brown Sennheiser HD599’s, but I’ve heard the HD600’s are a lot better overall although don’t have a mic input. For DACs, I’m completely lost. Audio gear just isn’t my forte.
Vapes, take a look at that company AntlionAudio and their ModMics that Zabo just linked for some good gaming mics that can go on any headphone. They aren't podcast level but also aren't super expensive and don't require you to get extra hardware (like a mic stand and interface).
For an entry level DAC + headphone amp combo (the way to go with your price range), I would recommend the Schitt Fulla 2, FiiO K3, and Dragonfly Black. The Dragonfly is just a stick so is useful if you want to use it with your portable devices, too, but it doesn't appear to work quite as well as a pre-amp as the others (no dedicated line-out port in my brief googling), in case you want to upgrade to a better amp down the line.
For the headphones themselves... I have my personal preferences but I'm sure Linius can give you better suggestions.
My favorite that I used for years is the Grado SR-80. They are very open back, light, and clear at all ranges. IIRC, the mid-highs are a little brighter than most and the low-end presence won't "wow" you. The stock ear cups can also be uncomfortable after a couple hours. It is highly moddable, though. People either love them or hate them.
Philips SHP9500 and Audio-Technica ATHAD500X are also good for your price range. AKG, Sennheiser, BeyerDynamic also have good open-backs, though I am unsure if any fall within your budget.
Linius can absolutely give you some more solid picks here. He will also tell you to see if there is an audio shop in your town that will let you demo different headphones and I highly recommend that. A headphone may be touted for comfort or a certain sound signature, but people's heads and ears are all different so your impressions can highly differ from someone else using the same gear.
For an entry level DAC + headphone amp combo (the way to go with your price range), I would recommend the Schitt Fulla 2, FiiO K3, and Dragonfly Black. The Dragonfly is just a stick so is useful if you want to use it with your portable devices, too, but it doesn't appear to work quite as well as a pre-amp as the others (no dedicated line-out port in my brief googling), in case you want to upgrade to a better amp down the line.
For the headphones themselves... I have my personal preferences but I'm sure Linius can give you better suggestions.
My favorite that I used for years is the Grado SR-80. They are very open back, light, and clear at all ranges. IIRC, the mid-highs are a little brighter than most and the low-end presence won't "wow" you. The stock ear cups can also be uncomfortable after a couple hours. It is highly moddable, though. People either love them or hate them.
Philips SHP9500 and Audio-Technica ATHAD500X are also good for your price range. AKG, Sennheiser, BeyerDynamic also have good open-backs, though I am unsure if any fall within your budget.
Linius can absolutely give you some more solid picks here. He will also tell you to see if there is an audio shop in your town that will let you demo different headphones and I highly recommend that. A headphone may be touted for comfort or a certain sound signature, but people's heads and ears are all different so your impressions can highly differ from someone else using the same gear.
Shit, I just realized you said the mic isn't part of the budget you laid out. In that case, the amp and headphone rec's still apply, but you can go up a step on the headphones and look more into AKG, Senn, and BD. Stepping up a level in DAC/AMP will require increasing your budget by 50% or more and won't make as big a difference as better headphones.
Also, I don't think there are any DACs worth using that also have a mic input. But you can just pick up a cheap 2.5 (or 3.5) mm-to-usb adapter for that. There are a million of them under 10 USD. If you get the wireless ModMic, you won't have to worry about that, though, as it should either use bluetooth or come with its own receiver dongle.
Also, I don't think there are any DACs worth using that also have a mic input. But you can just pick up a cheap 2.5 (or 3.5) mm-to-usb adapter for that. There are a million of them under 10 USD. If you get the wireless ModMic, you won't have to worry about that, though, as it should either use bluetooth or come with its own receiver dongle.
Thanks, Kibs. I’ve done a little more reading and watching reviews on different headsets and DACs.
The Philips SHP9500 I’d totally go for except I can’t seem to buy them for a none inflated price.
I’ve been looking into the AKG 702 and 712. The former is about £100 and the latter are about £200, but is the difference in quality there worth that price when they seem almost identical? I know, probably a silly question.
I’ve also been looking at those Senheiser’s on Massdrop, but I’ve never used MD and I’m not sure if I’m fruity enough to try it out. I think the model is HD58X.
For the DAC, I’ll take your word on the FiiO K3. Easiest to get through Amazon, and only a little bit more expensive than the dongle DAC.
The Philips SHP9500 I’d totally go for except I can’t seem to buy them for a none inflated price.
I’ve been looking into the AKG 702 and 712. The former is about £100 and the latter are about £200, but is the difference in quality there worth that price when they seem almost identical? I know, probably a silly question.
I’ve also been looking at those Senheiser’s on Massdrop, but I’ve never used MD and I’m not sure if I’m fruity enough to try it out. I think the model is HD58X.
For the DAC, I’ll take your word on the FiiO K3. Easiest to get through Amazon, and only a little bit more expensive than the dongle DAC.
I've used mass drop multiple times in the past. The main thing is that you have to wait for the drop to finish before they even begin processing and shipping. So it can be weeks or months before you get your stuff. Very legit operation, though.
No, a price jump like that between AKGs is typically not a huge performance difference for most people. It would be like the difference between a 1060 and 1070 or something. It's usually a good idea, imo, to stick with a headphone for a few weeks or months so you can feel out what you like and dislike before making aother purchase.
Maybe after you get used to the setup for a while it would be worth upgrading if you feel something is lacking or you just want something different. Used headphones can usually sell for a decent price, so you can make back most of your money.
No, a price jump like that between AKGs is typically not a huge performance difference for most people. It would be like the difference between a 1060 and 1070 or something. It's usually a good idea, imo, to stick with a headphone for a few weeks or months so you can feel out what you like and dislike before making aother purchase.
Maybe after you get used to the setup for a while it would be worth upgrading if you feel something is lacking or you just want something different. Used headphones can usually sell for a decent price, so you can make back most of your money.