E_Schaaf

I suspect the 5SE might actually be discontinued given the $299 deals + the fact you can't find them on the HFM website anymore. Not sure why, these are definitely better than Sundara across the board for less.

that's probably why they discontinued them. can't put new products to shame with decade old resurrected headphones.

I'm very interested as well. The shootout with the 500 and 560 would be very helpful.

@Bill-P how do the H58X compare to the Senn variants (assuming you've heard them)?

I've got someone that can print stuff for you if you have models.

@ergopower they're different. They use different drivers and stuffs. Sound-wise, they're closer to HD650-lite than HD580.

When I try this I get tons of cable noise. What am I doing wrong? (using a Campfire Audio Polaris)

I run mine under my shirt and into my M0 in one pocket, set the volume and forget it, and control everything on my phone. No noise issues

I love long walks too and use headphones there most. Sine with Cipher & CAL pads is by far my favourite mobile hp right now, followed by QC35 when listening to podcasts etc or ease of use is top priority. The hassle of inserting IEMs, microphonics and not finding a really good pair has kept from using them, unless it's very hot outside.

Dropped them on accident just now, the problem seems to be fixed? WTF? I guess I'll just pretend it never happened

Tips to fix, drop them on your floor to knock some sense into them.

'Percussive maintenance'

Don't sell my Amp...

@BillOhio wouldn't dream of it. Part of me was hoping you'd forget about it for some time - it's been a dream. Whenever you decide you'd like it back, I'll miss it. Felt the same way about the Theta Gen V. Both out of reach for a while.

Blue and black nozzles come empty stock so seized the opportunity to mod them. A tiny piece of felt smoothed out the highs of the black. Blue has less of a bass emphasis and the mids-through-treble transition is much more even with some open-cell foam.

When I had my R1's I didn't love the filters they came with either. I ended up using purple filters from a set of Trinity Audio Icarus III IEMs and they made the R1 perfect for me. (Bob, the owner of IMR used to work at Trinity and their IEM's filters are interchangeable with the R1 and R1 Zenith.) Here is a pic of all the filters that came with the Icarus III:
https://cdn.head-fi.org/a/9996036.jpg

That's a ridiculous amount of options. At that point you might as well provide empty nozzles and tiny pieces of damping and let the user DIY. I'm having a lot of fun messing with different materials in the empty nozzles. There's a certain resonant quality to the lower treble that fatigues me a little bit even if I darken it. Too bad I can't get inside to place tiny strips of dynamat here and there.

impressions of the lineup (modded and unmodded) https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/hifiman-headphone-compendium.1685/page-7#post-251369

Also what pads are you using?

mods aside, here are my current preferred pad pairings - HE5 + Eikon Lambskin non-perf. HE5LE + Universe lambskin non-perf. HE6 + Auteur lambskin non-perf. HE4 + Auteur lambskin non-perf.

the pads synergize with my mods though so these might not be the best choices unless further changes are made. Depends on what you're going for.

Or somehow get the adapter. That said, I use the M0 with the Essential. I can only say it works well enough for me.

The M0 is a fantastic little player. Works very well in that scenario. I am not a big fan of dongles, especially those with micro usb.

E_Splash :)

To clarify, you've modded the HE4 which now (in terms of veil) sound better than the HE6?

Teabagging the fourtes

yes, and with deep insertion. That is what the treble needed to be pounded... er... controlled into submission.

Not a modder, but that's genius...teabag material.
The joke was genius too.

Tfw money can't buy you love

Avoid due to Focal

@Vansen Back in the day Justin was pretty shit at email. I have had two CS interactions with Headamp in more recent years and they have been exemplary. Different experiences I guess.

He was shit at picking up the phone, too. Email was pointless. He would never respond. Took me eight months to get my pico slim repaired. Only happened after I chain called him for a month.

That’s a frustrating scenario, especially when you like the product. I guess you could say similar things about LFF...

Don't get me wrong, this thing is by no means transparent. Very thicccccc, punchy, warm, rated only down to 40 hz but I have some tapes that go far below that and on the Eikon the extension is effortless and easily heard.

This unit is in perfect shape - incredible for its age. I bought it from a Nak collector who had previously owned the 600, 700, 1000, and 505. He said he sold the rest and only kept this 500 as he couldn't hear a dramatic difference in sonics compared to the 1000. I also have a 505. I think I like this older 2-head 500 better.

kinda sad that this thing will kick the living shit out of the Brooklyn DAC+ or the PS Audio DirectStream in terms of dynamics, and I only paid 200 bucks for it and also got a free parts deck thrown in.

Magneplanars, cats, scratching posts.

OH MY GOD!

Still, get a young one from a shelter, don't support breading for money.

If you provide the cat with several decent alternatives for scratching and cover them with catnip, s/he will leave the furniture and speakers alone. However, as a heat seeking missile, your warm components are a target for sitting or laying.

I recall Ray saying that the Klipsches did well out of the Af, which is the reason the amp is on my list of "eventually"s alongside a Gungnir MB or DMS (depending on what I end up prioritising I guess). Was just as surprised to hear, but eh.

Will be looking to see if anyone local has a 3F or T4 I can demo, thanks for the tip!

Well everyone has their preferences, I just thought plankton and microdyna wasn't super great with the X00 PH + Af.

I would say my counter-opinion is that I run the 6xx most of the time despite owning both Clear and 800S.

Senn 6-series is insane, really. Others beg to differ but those were the first headphones that really rendered me speechless. Only reason I'm investing in a biodyna system is because I want something "lively" as a flavour can, haha.

But yeah, preferences. Just hoping to hear from others so I don't have to demo like 20 amps, fun as that would be.