Headphones

[Alrainbow]

Is anyone interested in headphones ?

[nc42acc]

I am interested, what did you have in mind?

[Johnny Vinyl]

I was a big user of them when I was married. No, not because I wanted to drown out any nagging, but rather for late night listening so as not to disturb her. Bought a pair a few years ago, but found I wasn't using them so I sold them. I don't use a portable player either, so I doubt I'll ever own a pair again.

[Alrainbow]

A thread of how they differ from speakers , what dacs sound better on headphones compared to speakers. . How to,use headphones as tool for tweeking our speakers .
Various sound types of headphones.
If it takes off I can link threads to other forums . For me as I do both I can draw lines for others as to what kind they should try . I own a few flagships as well as amps , both stats , dome and many ciems. There is world of high end portible and home use non speaker setups .

[nc42acc]

I like having headphones as an option and use a portable setup for when I travel. I am amazed at the many different tonal flavors headphones have. Each set I have has its own strengths and weakness. So far haven't found an end game headphone. What about you Al?

[Alrainbow]

Me either but as headphones are far cheaper then speakers a bunch is still cheaper than even one set of speakers.
Hifiman HE 6 is my favorite for being most speaker like in sound
Hd800 are in some ways slightly more true to the music.
But getting them to be right is also a work in progress. Amps make our headphones sound very different.
And ss or tubes is yet another way of getting us there.
I love how the baring sounds of each headphones gives new views to old music

[nc42acc]

I really like the HD800 and the HE400i a close second. If you have several pair you can pick the set for the music. I am attending my first headphone can jam first of March, should be fun and interesting.

[Alrainbow]

If you like the hd800 try the he6 or the new 1000. It's easy to drive and very close in sound. fostex makes a small closed can that's close to the hd800 in clarity and does not bloat the bass as some closed cans do. So ideal for noise isolation also easy to drive
Do not bother going down the road to states unless you going to spend about ten grand min and tube upgrade to polish them off. Also do not be afraid to eq or at lest try it. Although the right can for you negates the need to.

[nc42acc]

I am really pondering the HE-X or HE-1000. I heard the HE1000 briefly at the NY show and am wondering if they are worth the extra $$$ over the X editions.

[Alrainbow]

They are over the he6 for one reason with a small drawback. They are much easier the drive. I think it was fangs main objective as so many love the cans and modeded them to make them less sibilent. When drive well they are not of douse a good chain is also needed. The back draw is the are a bit mid reseeded not. Much nothing like an lcd can.
I did head to head comparisons at length. For me I like the he6 better a bit more air but again my view and my 59 year old brain. The additional drawback or possible draw back is fangs quality control as the he6 drivers would go bad if played loud or pops but fang does replace the parts for free you just mail them. It's pretty fast as well. I do not know of anyone with the new 1000 cans with issues. They also feel better on your head too lol. His new stats I want to hear but let's see if and when I can do that.

[Alrainbow]

Your answer is only for driving them more easy perhaps a bit smoother too. But remember smooth is less detail one way or the other

[nc42acc]

Al I prefer detail over warmth, this is why I like the HD-800 so much. They just lack the lower mid warmth when driven by anything less than tubes.

[allenh]

I just sold my HD800 on Agon. It's a great headphone, comfortable, spacious sounding, and wasn't bright like so many reports say they were. But I just wasn't using them often enough to warrant their price tag. When I need phones at home (which isn't often), I reach for my commuting headphones, the Shure SE215 IEMs now.

[nc42acc]

I have a few pair of the older Shure IEM but they give me a headache after about an hour. Not the sound but the pressure they put inside my ear canals. Have they gotten better in this regard?

[Alrainbow]

Ciems or iems are nice I have about 11 pairs of them. But they do not give the sound that headphones do. But our brains do adjust in time that until we out on headphones or speakers