The All Purpose Advice Thread

Get an used HD800 and mod it. Or HD650 and mod it. It depends on which side of neutrality you want to approach.

 

You need deep insertion for Etys (and maybe some EQ). I have the ER-4P with red filters and a slight bass shelf provides good sound at low volumes. The tri-flange have great isolation but aren't as easy to pull out and insert quickly as shallower silicone tips (e.g. Spinfit). Comply are comfy but are even more of a PITA to insert and remove (especially re-insert when they're warm).

Fit can bit hit/miss with the Noble X. Some have no problems, others (me and @deafdoorknob for two) have had trouble finding the right tips for a good seal. Even when I get a good seal I personally find the bass lacking (but fixable with EQ), whereas others get tons of bass. Just some caveats for you. Don't have any other suggestions for you, sorry.

 

I keep reading about these Dekoni attenuation rings for Fostex cups. What do they do, and what do they attenuate?

 

well $700 get's you a HD 800, the mods aren't to difficult. But honestly I'd aim for the HD 800, I haven't heard the modded HD 650 yet to have an opinion.

Still I went from a DT 880 to a HE 4, and I've loved mine ever since. Same bright sound signature, and with a Swap from stock to DT 880 Pads, I got a more tactile and fleshed out midrange, amazing bass and a very coherent Sound Stage. But you need an amp with a decent amount of power to get there, I prefer a balanced solid state at the moment

THAT said, I would HAPPILY trade my HE 4 for a modded HD 800. Aside from the linear bass on my HE 4, the modded HD 800 I listened to was AMAZING... and the bass wasn't... a big step back frankly.

So i'd go the for hd 800 with mods

 

Check out my post here

 

In short it boosts the sub bass, cuts a little in the mid range, another small boost in the low treble 4-8k range with a sharp dip at around 8k [which is nice actually my HD 25-1 ii has a peak there... which I have to eq out as it's super annoying] which continue to 9.5k and follows with a peak around 9.7

Yea that pretty much sounds like how I hear'd the Alpha Pads back when I was pad rolling on my TH X00 -.-
Still I'd like to compare the Dekoni for my self, as I'm only finding my self disappointed with my TH X00 these days, maybe the Dekoni might tighten up the softer mid bass on the Th X00 [Which some say the Alpha Pads are what do the softening

 

HD800 is a natural upgrade coming from DT880. It should be noted that without mods HD800 is slightly leaner and brighter in the lower treble, but at the same time is less sharp sounding. You'll get much bigger stage and cleaner/tighter sound all across the board. DT880 is a little bit more punchy and thus it might be a better match for some rock recordings. In case you can read a frequency response plot here you have my HD800 compared with my DT880 Pro.

Green Trace is the Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro - Pink Trace is the Sennheiser HD800


Hope this helps,
Klasse

 

Looking for some advice on a solid starting amp + dac setup.
I haven't had anything substantial up to this point (cheap me had a Fiio E7/9 combo), but growing interest and needs are pushing me to look again.
Looking for a solid all around option.

Budget: Want to stay around $500, but happy to go as high as $1000 if it's worthwhile.

Gear: No source/amp setup at the moment. Headphones: Grado HF-2, Beyer DT880 600ohm, E-MU Teaks + Fostex T-X0 on the way. May grab the Senn 6xx drop and I'm considering an upgrade for the DT880s (open, solid soundstage headphone for gaming) down the line.
Computer setup is used equally for music & games/movies. Mostly listen to rock variants, but any music is fair game.

My initial thoughts is to just get a Jot w/ dac and be happy (esp with black in stock, haha), but I'm happy to hear what others may suggest.

 

Anything in particular you're looking to improve on your existing setup? The Jotunheim might be too bright for the DT880 but would work great if you end up joining the 6XX drop. If you plan to stick with the DT880 or upgrade to another similarly bright headphone you'll want a warmer amp.

 

Currently I would say nothing in particular. Main issue with the DT 880s has been power more than anything and that will be the most notable issue with a 6x0, T-X0, or a future upgrade. The 880 is definitely a bit bright so a tube amp would be a welcome fit to smooth things out and warm it up a bit. My only concern going full tube is using it to drive other headphones in my setup. Thats why I was considering a Jot thinking it would be a solid middle of the road setup, but that was my easiest read from my research.

The other potential upgrade was moving towards a balanced system.

Also, it should be noted that the E7/9 are out of commission so I'm working from scratch. Haha

 

I haven't spent too much time looking into tube amps in that price range, but given the FR similarities between the DT 880 and HD800 you should take a look at the HD800 thread (http://superbestaudiofriends.org/in...s-for-the-sennheiser-hd800-2017-edition.3408/). Magni 2U with a Modi Multibit would be a good combo out of the box if you don't want to jump down the rabbit hole of tube rolling, a lot of people here have experience with tubes on the Vali 2 though.

Also, read Marv's post on balanced vs single-ended if you haven't already. (http://superbestaudiofriends.org/in...nd-better-discussion-for-noobs-and-boobs.733/)

The main thing to take away is that you shouldn't prioritize going balanced over good synergy between the components of your setup. Jotunheim happens to be a great amp that's also balanced, but the fact that it's balanced won't fix your eardrums after they've been pierced by excessive brightness when combined with the DT 880.

 

That's fair. I certainly shouldn't let balance get in the way of my amp choices.

In general, I'm not that sold on the 880s sound sig. They were simply a solid choice as a 'gaming' headphone a couple years back (when the AD700 was the only other option really...). Perhaps the best thing to do would be to wait for an upcoming meet in the area and wait for the Teaks to come in. Next meet won't be until Aug.

 

Thanks! I'd searched for "attenuation" so didn't find your post.

"attenuation rings" is a bit of a misnomer, since they result in both boosts and reductions in different areas of FR. Wonder if they work just by increasing the distance from driver to ear. Has anyone ever tried double-stacking them?

 

I don't think so, because otherwise the Alpha pads would have a similar effect. They are about twice as wide as stock.

 

If the DT 880s work fine for gaming I wouldn't worry about trying to find an amp that works well with it and also all your other headphones. Personally, comfort is top priority for gaming and most headphones will sound good enough. If we ignore the DT 880s from your amp consideration, I would bring the Jotunheim back into the picture; it sounds great with the Fostex TH-X00, so it'll probably work well with the Teaks too. Wait until you get the Teaks though before you decide though, they're much easier to drive so you might be okay with whatever you're already using.

 

Exactly. I enjoyed the 880s when I got them as my first real headphone, but I'm well aware of their shortcomings compared to most mid-fi. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if I end up liking the Teaks more for gaming since they are a bit more lively and I've heard the soundstage is pretty substantial for a fostex variant. Music will obviously be subjective based on what I'm looking for and listening to. That all said, I'm not sold on trying to match the 880s perfectly at the cost of mismatching everything else, especially if I intend to get something else down the line. I can always grab a tube when I have a better idea of my requirements.

Also, is there a substantial difference between the modi multibit (Modi Multibit?) and the Jot built in DAC?

 

The Multibit DACs use a different implementation than the traditional delta-sigma DACs used in the Modi 2 Uber or the optional DAC in the Jot (or the DAC in your phone, or computer sound card, etc.) and I much prefer the Multibit DACs for reproduction of live music. If you mostly listen to genres like EDM the Jot with a DAC could be a good all in one solution. Personally, I would rather use the Modi Multibit and a Vali 2. But I much prefer tube to solid state amps.

You don't need to worry much about driving different types of headphones with hybrid tube amps like the Vali 2, Lyr 2 and Mjolnir 2 all are. It's really output transformerless (OTL) tube amps that are limited to high impedance (aka high ohm, or high Z) dynamic headphones like the Sennheiser HD6** series. If you're going to be using planar headphones like the T-X0, AND dynamics like the beyers or senns, a solid state or hybrid tube amp (called hybrid because it has some solid state implementation) is the way to go.

The Vali 2 can do it all, it's more powerful than its size suggests. Some users here downgraded from expensive kit to a Modi Multibit + Vali 2 + HD800 setup, which says a lot about its versatility. Anyway, that's how I see your two basic options. Either Jot w/ DAC or Modi Multibit + Vali 2. Both are solid all around options. If you want harder, faster, stronger amplification the Jot has the edge there; if you want more smooth and enveloping the Modi Multibit + Vali has the edge.

 

Just as a PSA, I got these Hosa XLR splitters. They suck. I realize I also had some Hosa RCA cables, and they suck too. (My only shitty RCA cables, in fact. Monoprice or even Amazon Basics cables are trivially easier to hear as more transparent.) Do not use Hosa products, despite their cheapness, unless you absolutely do not care how flaccid the sound becomes.

 

Even RCA cables suffer from E.D.

 

Will have to do a comparison listen between brands now.

Has anyone tried any of the "Whirlwind" branded passive balanced splitters listed below? I purchased a pair of the first one for testing, look like they are pro level equipment but who knows.

https://www.amazon.com/Whirlwind-SP...id=1498842675&sr=8-1&keywords=whirlwind+split

https://www.amazon.com/Whirlwind-IM...id=1498842675&sr=8-2&keywords=whirlwind+split

https://www.amazon.com/Whirlwind-LI...id=1498842675&sr=8-4&keywords=whirlwind+split