The All Purpose Advice Thread

Hi! If anyone could recommend good audio shops in Taiwan and in Sydney, please do, I'd love to hear them as I'll be traveling to these places soon.

 

When listening to music with openback cans, what would be the maximum level of background noise for you before it significantly affects the sq of what you're listening to? Obviously, tolerance level differ, but I'm just curious of other people's experiences.

Living in a place with a tropical climate, I always end up trying to put up with the heat by opting for the more silent fan, than my relatively noisier a/c.

 

Minidisc in Sydney is really great:
http://minidisc.com.au/

Incredible stock and very friendly. Wing who owns it is a really nice guy. It's an easy 30 minute train ride from the city centre. I would definitely go visit.

 

So I I like dark/warm cans like the HD650 and LCD-2. Given that is there any reason to get the Hifiman HE560 or HE6?

 

HE-6 is pretty bright, and really linear in the bass and midrange (such great deep bass) that I wouldn't really call it warm either. I think the HE560 leans bright too but haven't spent anytime with it personally. HE-500 has a thicker lower midrange and leans dark, may meet your requirements more or less. Check out Marv's Hifiman compendium for the others Hifimen, I haven't heard them all http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/hifiman-headphone-compendium.1685/

 

I daresay the HE-400 family might appeal to you more. The 560/6 have more of the characteristic Hifiman treble which is sort of a cross between etch and paperyness that may not jive to your darker tastes. That said, if you can get your hands on an HE-6 and are willing to mod it and put the right amp behind it, you'll be set. That way lies madness however.

 

Regarding the TH900 with SS amps, would the ZDS be an exception to this? Since I noticed that a number of ZDS owners seem to say they like the pairing.

Also, if you were specifically looking for a basshead type can for edm and hiphop music, would the TH900 (used) be a better idea than the THX00? Or, would the advantages in the bass dept not be enough for the overall balance of the THX00?

 

Personally, it's only a problem if it breaks my immersion. I listen at relatively low volumes to protect my hearing long-term, so anything more than the dull roar of street noise is too much. Tropical climates are tough, I would consider a nice IEM like CA Andromeda instead of going all out on an end-game open back setup.

 

OP was looking for amps below $1k which ZDS isn't, but the pairing with ZDS could work. There are lots of expensive amp options out there, but wish Asgard you get class a SS amp with decent power. Should show of TH-900's strengths.

Bassheads all seem to want the TH-900, TH-X00 is less expensive little brother. If you want to get a taste of what the higher end fostex sound like, Th-X00 is a decent value. Kiss M is also using a custom one of a kind modded can with th-900 drivers.

 

I would have skipped the Sennheiser HD5XX series entirely and went right to the HD650 and a solid amp that costs an equal amount of money.

 

I've been reading the glossary thread, and I was wondering... When people say the transducer of a headphone A is faster than HP B, what does that exactly mean? Like listening to the same song, how will the perception of sound from the faster transducer be different? Any track in mind where it would be most evident?

 

Seconded. Even coming from the DT-880, it's still on the lean side. And the 5kHz peak can be a challenge.

 

Given an entry level budget I'd go for Beyerdynamic DT770 B stock with mass damping kit + Ether filter mod ~140$ with Fulla 2 = 240$
HD6x0 is a good choice obviously too but I prefer closed due to isolation...

Wouldn't be expensive and the modded DT770 is a beast (prefer it to the Alpha Dogs by a lot)

 

Speed is a weird thing to comprehend if you haven't heard it. I feel it makes transients like drum hits snappier and the whole sound in general a bit more vivid.
Also with speed comes better seperation IMO, complex multi layered music like for example Noisia & Amon Tobin - Sunhammer is one of the busiest songs I've heard and with some dynamic headphones the focus was on the most pronounced sounds while with some fast planar drivers it's all more effortlessly presented and clear, especially the bass.

 

I have a pretty small head and likes to play electric guitar and record and listen to electro/metal/blues/jazz etc.

Senn 600: Too 2D and lacking in the bass.
Senn 650: Too mid-bass heavy (!)and mellow
DT 770 80 ohm: Too much bass and treble...no mids...
DT 880 250 ohm: 2 much treble and lack of body.
DT 250 80 Ohm: Sharp and bad soundstage with bloated bass.
DT 1770: Bass is distorted and sounds hollow in mid-bass. Mid and highs are good.

I like a organic and flat sound bordering on the "analytical". I don't like to be shouted at but not whispered too either.

Any advice for me?

(This is my first post )

 

Yes, our advice is to introduce yourself here before asking questions: http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/new-members-introduce-yourself.17/

Then ask your question in the all purpose advice thread here: http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/the-all-purpose-advice-thread.19/

No need to respond or argue. You won't get a positive response until you heed this advice.

Edit: Well now this post looks silly. The post above mine was originally its own thread.

 

Yeah, Goldilocks. Get some speakers. JBL LSR305 or something. You're way too hard to please to be dinking around with headphones, which are all basically colored in one way or another.

 

On a "fast" headphone the silence between drum hits and instruments is more apparent. Really fast metal/electronic shows this very well. "Slow" headphones it is more blurred. I hope that makes sense.

 

It does sound like you're chasing rainbows with regard to headphones, but consider the Oppo PM-3.