headphones/headphone systems for dummies

iPod, walkman, headphones, earphones, boomboxes, etc...

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Postby onedown » Fri May 28, 2004 1:53 pm

racio, the link that rajan posted probably explains why some manufacturers chose open-back designs for certain models. anyway, below is an excerpt from the site that rajan mentioned:

Not all muff-style headphones (the technically correct term is circumaural) are sealed; in fact, most of the full-sized headphones are “open,” allowing the rear of the driver element to radiate sound out the side of the earpiece, improving the sonic performance of the headphones. Sealed headphones typically sound worse than open-back headphones due to the small sealed chamber behind the driver element, which creates opportunity for resonance to disturb the acoustic performance of the headphones.

post edited by author to correct typos
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Postby rajan » Fri May 28, 2004 2:17 pm

Oh, I see. No typical "house sound". Ok, so what's the general opinion on the sonic signature of AT-W1000 in particular then?


in between the senns and grados. has a snappier bass as against a woolier one than the senns. less forward than the grados. users say that it mates well with classical music.

in short, is it correct for me to assume that they're not in the same league as the RS1 or the HD650 (w/c are almost in the similar ball park figure costwise)? Due to its sealed ear cup construction I suppose? What is about it that spurred a rage a year ago then?


several head-fiers reviewed it and found it to be up there with the more popular phones. if i am not mistaken those reviewers were tilted to classical music so they liked it a lot.

i sense an itch that you are rarin' to scratch. if i may invoke your big brother's advice, "take it easy and don't rush it". wait for a trip to singapore and audition one in a store.
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Postby dogears » Fri May 28, 2004 4:00 pm

hey racio, welcome back :)

onedown, i guess that's why the px100 was reviewed favorably than px250 :)
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Postby Racio » Sat May 29, 2004 2:47 am

rajan wrote:i sense an itch that you are rarin' to scratch. if i may invoke your big brother's advice, "take it easy and don't rush it". wait for a trip to singapore and audition one in a store.

Not an itch bro, more like a swelling. hehehe. I figured that w/ headphones I could finally bring some of my audio rig inside the cool comforts of our bedroom. As some of you may know, my audio room doesn't have an airconditioner (I like it dead quiet). But warm tubes plus warm room is equal to one hot acoustic sauna! Basked around large soft pillows while listening to Sade or Sarah M doesn't seem so awfully dreadful to me. 8)

I'm in no real hurry, I was just hoping that those A-T phones would sound as good as they look. Well, a nice stroll along Orchard Road would be splendid indeed, I'm certain my missus would agree... let's see. But for now, I'll audition the Senns as soon as I find the time. Thanks Raj!

dogears wrote:hey racio, welcome back :)

It sure is great to be back pare! :wink:
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Postby Racio » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:57 pm

Headphone gurus, I need your help please. I'm currently auditioning an Opera headphone amp and it sounds really great w/ the Senns 580 w/c I also loaned for the home demo. While awaiting the arrival of the Sennheiser 650s, as an interim headphone, I recently purchased Senns' wireless HDR65 cans.

Now, what I cannot figure out is that whilst the 65 works fine w/ my HT's Marantz AVR phone out, I just can't get my wireless up and running w/ the valved Opera amp. I'm aware that the wireless cans already have a built-in amp, but is this the primary cause why no signal is fed to the 65's when it's hooked to the external amp? If so, is there a way around this so that I could still use my wireless cans sans the Marantz? Thanks in advance.
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Postby Racio » Sun Jul 25, 2004 2:20 am

HOOOWAH!!! For some silly stroke of luck I finally got my Senns HDR65 alive and kickin' w/ the headphone amps!!! YEAH B-B-B-BABY!!!!! 8)
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Postby FASTBACK » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:20 am

Racio

Nice work there pre. Kahit saan ka na pumunta naka tube sound.
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Postby Killer Mike » Mon Jul 26, 2004 12:31 pm

Racio wrote:HOOOWAH!!! For some silly stroke of luck I finally got my Senns HDR65 alive and kickin' w/ the headphone amps!!! YEAH B-B-B-BABY!!!!! 8)


Congrats! You are one lucky guy. :D
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Postby dogears » Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:07 pm

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Postby Racio » Mon Jul 26, 2004 2:09 pm

dogears wrote:racio, is this the one? : http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue11/cyber20.htm


Yep, but not one, I'm currently auditioning two headphone amps pare (photos from Opera's website):

Image
Cyber 20

Image
Cyber 30
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Postby onedown » Mon Jul 26, 2004 3:07 pm

racio, if it's not too much of a bother, would you kindly post your impressions regarding both head amps?

thanks.
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Postby dogears » Mon Jul 26, 2004 3:18 pm

Oh, that! :D Wish I could afford that :P
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Postby Racio » Mon Jul 26, 2004 4:42 pm

onedown wrote:racio, if it's not too much of a bother, would you kindly post your impressions regarding both head amps?

thanks.

Hmmm... I dunno if I'm up to the task since it's too early, give me 'till this weekend pare. Just FYI, although the Cyber 30 is the more bang for the buck here, it is an SET-DHT speaker amp cum headphone amp so there's bit of a compromise, particularly for can listening.
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Postby onedown » Mon Jul 26, 2004 4:51 pm

no problem, racio.

thanks.
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Postby dogears » Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:04 am

Hintay din ako :D
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Postby arnoldc » Tue Jul 27, 2004 8:47 am

get the 2A3 version! :twisted:
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Postby Racio » Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:48 pm

I think I'd better share my initial impressions. Don't fret, I'll make it as brief as possible guys. :) First off, the headphone I'm using is Sennheiser's HDR 65, my very 1st foray into the can world. Nevertheless, I have a Senns HD580 and a Grado SR80 at my disposal (courtesy loan from Hansen and Eric respectively).

As a baseline, I carefully listened to one song, Sarah Vaughan's soulful rendition of Ivan Lins' "The Island" from her album "Crazy and Mixed Up", over and over switching from 1 amp to other and back again (compared to regular amps, swapping between can amps is a cinch). I'm aware there are a number of reference vocal recordings out there, but in my book, no one can touch my dear Sassy when it comes to sheer emotion and verve, she seldom falters to take my breath away.

I've handled a number of amps already but nothing comes close to how cute the SEP (Single-Ended Pentode) Cyber 20 is. The EL84 tubes actually remind me of Francis' even tinier console amp. But don't let its diminutive size deceive you, for this li'l bugger packs a wallop. It's quite energetic and flamboyant, and it could deliver every tinge of the recorded media. Every syllable, every inflection, even inhales and exhales are vividly expressed. It's like looking at a perfectly exposed photo, remarkably clear and translucent. And all this coming from a background of dead eerie silence.

Relative to the Cyber 20, its bigger brother is somewhat of a brute to look at. Like I mentioned before, the Cyber 30 is an honest to goodness speaker amplifier cum can amp. And like most DHT based SETs, it suffers from a slight hum. Hooked to regular speakers, I sincerely doubt it's even minutely noticeable. But headphones are indeed another world to be reckoned w/. I can even hear the lightest rub of my finger against the tonearm guide. In my attempt to relieve myself of this minor hum, I dialed the hum pots to the minimum, but w/ the stock Sovtek 2A3s (the only pair I have), I felt there's none more I could do that can have it attain anything close to a pitch black noise floor. But in spite of this, there was absolutely nothing that was going to stop me from listening to this baby. My ears ached for me to hook 'em up.

As soon as the stylus touched the grooves of my vinyl, all of my hum concerns suddenly went adrift... upon listening, Sassy's voice became even more intentful and pronounced, every grain and texture of her voice are ever more easily soaked up, as if her true and inner emotional vim and vigor are now honestly revealed. Not only could I hear her, I felt her voice crept from my ears thru the back of my spine. If the listening experience w/ the Cyber 20 was akin to being seated front row in a small cozy café w/ Sassy and her ensemble up stage, this was as if she laid down her mic... softly tiptoed her way beside me... and sang her heart out to its very core. It was nearly nothing short of raising back to life the lamentably demised.

Now, if only I could sort out its slight snag w/ the hum...
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Postby dogears » Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:16 pm

ang bagsik ng review! :D
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Postby arnoldc » Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:29 pm

bro racio, may "mais que nada" ka ba dyan? sergio mendez version, pakinggan mo nga sa mga cans mo... review uli :D
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Postby onedown » Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:39 pm

nice review, racio. thanks a bunch.
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