headphones/headphone systems for dummies

[Hyperion]

I've also tried both Cyber30 and Cyber20 on the aforementioned HD580. I agree with Darth Racio's review. Anything with a 2A3 tube does have the special quality of breathtaking midrange and illuminating light into the music. Triodes can do some special things that pentodes can't. I don't recall if the Cyber30 I had, had hum - if it did - it was not that noticable.

I want to remind the good Darth though that the Cyber 30 when brandnew, is P10k more than the Cyber20, and can drive high sensitivity speakers like those xoverless Fostex and Lowthers, but has only one headphone output as opposed to two for the Cyber 20.

The Cyber20 also has a punchier and more poweful bass I think which makes it slightly more versatile. It also has a gain switch that makes it easier to use for higher sensitivity, lower impedance cans and earphones; aside from being more dead silent probably because of the external power supply that is more optimized for the ruthlessly revealing nature of a good headphone.

[arnoldc]

hansen, is that a political description for lean sounding? please illuminate me. :D:D

[onedown]

racio, is the hum still present even with the senn 580 and SR 80? i might be wrong, but isn't it possible that the cause of the hum is due to RF interference?

gracias, señor!

[vintage_dog]

here's a DIY headphone amp folks may also wanna try...

[Racio]

No guys, that wasn't a review at all. More like Russ' "listening notes" and nothing more. But thanks, I'm glad you fellahs liked it.

bro racio, may "mais que nada" ka ba dyan? sergio mendez version, pakinggan mo nga sa mga cans mo... review uli

O aria aio opa opa opa! hehe. Yep, I even have the five and a half minute live version of it. After a quick listen to it though, off the cuff, I'd say that it's basically pretty much of the same impressions I had initially. But give me until this weekend to sort it all out pare.

[Racio]

I've also tried both Cyber30 and Cyber20 on the aforementioned HD580. I agree with Darth Racio's review. Anything with a 2A3 tube does have the special quality of breathtaking midrange and illuminating light into the music. Triodes can do some special things that pentodes can't. I don't recall if the Cyber30 I had, had hum - if it did - it was not that noticable.

No hum? I find that odd. Although it's somehow unnoticeable when signal is already fed to it.

I want to remind the good Darth though that the Cyber 30 when brandnew, is P10k more than the Cyber20, and can drive high sensitivity speakers like those xoverless Fostex and Lowthers, but has only one headphone output as opposed to two for the Cyber 20.

Yes you're right. Sorry for not pointing that out. But still, I feel it's quite a bargain considering it's somewhat of a 2-amps-in-1 deal.

The Cyber20 also has a punchier and more poweful bass I think which makes it slightly more versatile. It also has a gain switch that makes it easier to use for higher sensitivity, lower impedance cans and earphones; aside from being more dead silent probably because of the external power supply that is more optimized for the ruthlessly revealing nature of a good headphone.

I must agree that the Cyber 20 has indeed "punchier" bass, but when it comes to heft and depth, IMHO, both are at par w/ each other. If I were to even further this, I'd say the Cyber 30's bass is spot on damped.

Let me stress that these are just my initial impressions and I haven't gone into tube rolling yet, w/c I expect to be a lot of fun. Ok, allow me to go out on a limb here... if you're the audionut type who accepts nothing less than utter perfection, the Cyber 20 will more than likely suit your taste. It's almost certainly reference quality, you simply can't go wrong w/ it, period.

On the other hand, the Cyber 30 is surely not for the faint at heart. Let me put it this way: it's for those few brave souls who'd rather risk life and limb vanquishing fire breathing dragons (or hordes of orcs if you're into Tolkien's LOTR) just to get down to a good sh@g w/ that pretty damsel in distress. Hey, where's the fun in picking up a chick in a tavern from a nearby village eh? hehe. "Specially made for hopeless romantics" should be stamped at the bottom of its console if you ask me.

[Racio]

hansen, is that a political description for lean sounding? please illuminate me. :D:D

On the contrary pare, neither amps were lean sounding IMO.

racio, is the hum still present even with the senn 580 and SR 80? i might be wrong, but isn't it possible that the cause of the hum is due to RF interference?

Yep, I've checked it w/ all the other phones and sadly, the hum is still a bit perceivable.

gracias, señor!

Ole' ole' ole'!!!

[Hyperion]

arnie,

If you ever try a Sennheiser 580, it never sounds lean - not even when it is being underdriven (it can sound weak, dry and lifeless though). What I meant is more like this: the Cyber 20 with EL84 tubes has more rockin type of bass - quicker, tighter and more solid, and the Cyber 30 with a 2A3 has equally articulate but softer, maybe more textured and more suave bass.


darth racio,

Please share your tube rolling experience on either amps. May mahihiramaman ka ba ng monoplate 2A3s? hehehe

[Racio]

arnie,

If you ever try a Sennheiser 580, it never sounds lean - not even when it is being underdriven (it can sound weak, dry and lifeless though). What I meant is more like this: the Cyber 20 with EL84 tubes has more rockin type of bass - quicker, tighter and more solid, and the Cyber 30 with a 2A3 has equally articulate but softer, maybe more textured and more suave bass.

Bullseye Darth! I couldn't have "illuminated" it any better.

darth racio,

Please share your tube rolling experience on either amps. May mahihiramaman ka ba ng monoplate 2A3s? hehehe

Monoplate? I wish! Kahit bi-plate lang sana kung maawa sakin si Mickey. hehe.

[tatalope]

guys ano ba difference ng 457 sa 497??

[onedown]

tatalope, are you referring to sennheiser models? both are pretty decent headphones. i've heard both, and between the two, i'd go for the 497. i find the 457's sound a bit thick.

[aye]

hi tatalope, price wise 497 is more expensive, much better performance wise. highly rated by headroom as one of the best sounding headphone at sub $100. both 497 and 457 are supra-aural (open type).

Check out this link for better comparison:
http://headroom.headphone.com/layout.ph ... TopicID=26

anybody out there starting in DIY headphone amp?

[tatalope]

thanks guys for the quick reply. i'm eyeing on the 497 kaya lang baka same lang yun sound nya sa 457 w/c is 1k+ less on the price, i also tried the px100 in my pcdp ok yun sound but i like bigger headfones & baka madali mag loose yun moving parts nya since it's foldable

[dogears]

I have the px100, 7mos na sa akin - so far the joints are still intact

[arnoldc]

why, is that supposed to be a crappy headphone?

[dogears]

lightweight but not crappy

[tatalope]

dogears: have you tried the 497? how's the compared to your px100? i'm also looking for other brands like grado & akg pero di ko alam w/c are the models the same w/ the senns that i know

[dogears]

tata, i think onedown can help you on that. pinahiram ko siya ng Grado SR80 and Senn PX100 eh. And he's got the Senn 497

[onedown]

tatalope, if you're not going to move around, i suggest you get the 497 instead of px100. over-all, the 497 is better than the px100. the 497's bass goes deeper, has clearer mids, and has better extension in the high frequencies.

the grado sr80, on the other hand has a tight bass, although it doesn't go as low as the senn hd 497. to my ears, the sr80 has a slight edge on the mids. however, i also felt that the sr80 has a tendency to be slightly edgy, particullarly on some percussions.

as for akg headphones, i haven't heard any of them. a k-55 owner whom i know however, is quite happy with it, considering it costs less than 2k.

best would be to audition, as we might have a different opinion and listening preferences.

hope this helps.

[tatalope]

onedown & dogears: thanks a lot... if you'll read in the earlier pages i already ask you guys regarding these kaya lang di natuloy biglang naging busy sa ibang hobby.. i was planning to get the philips 890 after it was recommended to me, i brought along my pcdp to audition it but the problem is hindi kaya i-drive ng pcdp ko yun 890 then i tried px100 ok na ok sya sa player actually mas murky pa yun sound ng kasamang earphones ng player on a hi volume.. this time i'll be getting the 497 nagulat lang ako biglang tumaas yun price dati may nakita ako less than 3k ngayon around 3.3k na ata that's why i'm planning to get the 457 na lang mas mura kasi but as what you've told me & based on what i've read on the link you posted eh mas maigi nga ata na 497 na lng btw san ba may nagbebentang mura na 497? o tlagang mataas na price? and how much is the sr80 nga pala??