The All Purpose Advice Thread - Part 2

Discussion in 'Advice Threads' started by shotgunshane, Mar 27, 2022.

  1. PoochZag

    PoochZag The Shadow knows - Friend

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    I like the Geekria ones, they are (or at least recently were) like $50 on eBay but 20ish on aliexpress. The material is a little rougher, but the shape and fit is the same, and I didn't detect any change in sound. They also install easier than Senns
     
  2. Ksaurav402

    Ksaurav402 Friend

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    Are you ok with wired headset or Bluetooth? Wired headset have best call quality. Jabra and Poly products are good for office calls with good mic quality. Jabra Evolve2 40 is good. Passive noise blocking and good mic but is around $100. You can also check out evolve2 30. Comfort I would say is ok but nothing to brag about. Poly also makes good headset and I use either Jabra or Poly for my teams call. However I wouldn’t use them for music.
     
  3. TheloniuSnoop

    TheloniuSnoop Friend

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    I tried this using the liners from my old stock pads. Definitely boosts the bass, but perhaps at some cost of sparkle. I'm using the Dekoni hybrid pads, not the pure fenestrated. Take this with a grain of salt as I have HF hearing loss (hey, I'm old) and need lots of sparkle. Definitely worth trying.
     
  4. nithhoggr

    nithhoggr Author of the best selling novel Digital Jesus

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    I ended up getting the Geekria velours, on the theory that they seemed the closest to stock.
     
  5. That St Kilda Guy

    That St Kilda Guy Acquaintance

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    Thank you, Royaume for taking the time to respond. My intention is/was to sell off the gear I have accumulated over the years and settle for a few nice pieces. I totally agree that more expensive does not automatically translate to better, but it's also true that you get what you pay for. It would be a brave man that put forth the notion that a Topping E30 and a Holo May are in the same league.
    It is also my understanding that some components play better with each other because of their complementary specifications (1/8th rule, Output etc) however more scientific theories are beyond my layman's comprehension.

    My chain is as follows:
    Burson Soloist 3X GT > Schiit Bitfrost2 2/64 > Bluesound Node N130
    Headphones are:
    Audeze LCD-2f - Audeze LCD-3f - Focal Clears OG - Sennheiser HD800s - Sennheiser HD650s -
    ZMF Atticus - ZMF Verite Closed

    I've opted to only replace my Node as Bluesound (to me) hasn't rectified their USB implementation. If I can snag a Pi2AES in the classifieds I will. Failing that. I'll wait for a Mercury V2
    Again, thank you for your response.
    Cheers and Beers

    EDIT: I suppose I'm guilty of "upgradeitis"
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2022
  6. Royaume

    Royaume Acquaintance

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    Cool!
    Best of luck with the purge. That's a lot of headphones!
     
  7. Caryking

    Caryking New

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    Ok, I posted a new thread and it got canceled…. I’m really having trouble understanding the rules on this board. Anyway, I’m here now…

    I have Audeze LCD-2’s (Fazer version) and am looking for a couple of things:

    1) a portable that will drive them decently
    2) a decent, not terribly expensive; headphone amp (solid state or hybrid) that will work good with them

    I’m waiting on an amp that will be my go to amp; so, this doesn’t have to be end game stuff; rather, something that works nicely together…

    thanks! Sorry to the moderators as I’m still trying to learn this board!
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2022
  8. abisai2

    abisai2 Friend

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    Hello SBAF peeps! It's been a while. Lotsa of things going on here. Its been a whirlwind 8 months to say the least.

    I was laid off at the end of January (with severance thankfully), sold my home in SoCal, moved to FL (to be closer to family), landed a new job within 1 month, and bought a new house. All things considered I feel pretty fortunate.

    Considering the new home situation it's time to upgrade my home theater system and could use some advice, food for thought, things to think about, etc.

    So here is the deal. My current system consists of the following.
    • Onkyo TX-NR787 9.2 receiver. I have used this in a 5.1.2 configuration
    • Elac UB5 Slim Floor standing speakers for the front stage
    • ELAC Uni-Fi CC U5 center channel
    • Elac UBS Bookshelf for the rears
    • Onkyo SKH-410 Atmos speakers
    • Calibrated using Onkyo's builtin AccuEQ system
    • Music listening mostly using Bifrost 2 fed using an Allo Digione through Roon
    • Dual SVS SBS2000 subs on the front stage
    I was content with the system without many complaints. It served my home theater needs and music playback was pretty good as well. Now I think its time to scale it out a bit so here are my thoughts. I would like to replace the current Onkyo receiver with the configuration below, add another pair of UB5 bookshelf speakers, and replace the two Atmos speakers with 4 Atmos speakers. Here is what I have come up with.
    • TX-RZ50 or Pioneer Elite VSX-LX505 (preamp outputs and Dirac Live processing) (Power Atmos speakers)
    • Emotiva BasX A7 Seven-Channel Power Amplifier (Power main speakers)
    • Add two additional UBS Bookshelf speakers
    • Replace Onkyo SKH-410 Atmos speakers with 4 x ELAC Debut 2.0 A4.2 Dolby Atmos Modules
    • Configure system in a 7.1.4 configuration
    So first thing is I don't have budget to replace my current speakers at this time. However, I am not opposed to using something else with the replacements and eventually replacing the floor standers. I would like to keep the speaker sound consistent prior to any calibration. I really like my SVS2000 subs and want to keep those as is.

    For sound preferences ideas that I prefer think Bifrost2, Gungnir Multibit A2, Eddie Current Black Widow, AmpsandSound Kenzie Encore, HD600/HD650, ZMF Auteurs.

    Thanks advance for the time and I do appreciate it!
     
  9. Caryking

    Caryking New

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    ok, well, my amp I was waiting for is on hold, for now. This was going to be a SE EL-34 custom build. That said, I’m still looking for help on an amp. I know everyone doesn’t know my sound preference; however, suggestions with sound characteristics would be appreciated…. Thoughts on the following:

    Topping A90D
    Fidelice Headphone Amp (Neve)
    Schiit (any of them)
    What else in the under 1K range

    I don’t mind preowned either…

    My system is Bluesound Node (latest) > Denafrips Ares 2 > TBD > Audeze LCD-2F

    I use Roon as my primary tool with both Tidal and Quboz. I listen mostly to Jazz from the late 50’s into the early 60’s. I’m not a detail hawk; rather, I’m all about musicality with good soundstaging (depth, width, and layering).
     
  10. schnesim

    schnesim New

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    Which headphones are a step up from Beyer DT770 Pros?
    I want something with equal bass slam, overall similar sonic signature, something fun but with more resolution.
    Budget $500-$1000.
     
  11. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Well if you're really intending to stay within the family sound, then maybe look for a Beyer T5.
     
  12. Ksaurav402

    Ksaurav402 Friend

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    I haven’t tried personally but the general consensus is Monoprice Liquid Gold pairs well with Audeze and generally goes on sale for less then $500
     
  13. JonCharles

    JonCharles Friend

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    Two strangely different questions to ask.

    1. I am heavily considering getting back into the tube amp game (haven't since Vali 2) and preordering a SW51+. This would be almost entirely for high impedance dynamics like Senn 600/650 and especially my Auteur Classic. How would Gungnir A1 -> SW51+ compare against my Gungnir A1 -> Mjolnir 1 combo? Would it be mostly a complete downgrade, or would they trade blows?

    2. I jumped on a good deal for a nvme 1tb drive for my Mercury Streamer. Once it is installed, is there any way to add music to it that doesn't involve opening the streamer up and physically removing it?
     
  14. GuySmiley'sMonkey

    GuySmiley'sMonkey Almost "Made"

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    I currently have and love the HD600 (unmodded) driven by a Phonitor e (using only the "velvet sound" inbuilt DAC module), but miss the imaging and detail of the OG Clear. I sold the Clears after about 8 months as the treble was a bit harsh at times and it was quite grainy sounding with choral music.

    I have about $5K AUD in discretionary spending (about $3.2K USD), part of a largish superannuation payout. I have yet to decide whether to spend this on a 2.1 speaker system or to get my headphone rig where I want it (or perhaps a combination of both). For today I'm looking for headphone advice.

    This is the goal: HD600-like timbre but with better imaging, detail/transparency and speed/transient response. If plankton were achievable, so much the better. More "out of your head" sound stage would be nice too. All this in a package that retains a natural, balanced (and not harsh) tone.

    Would it be possible that my DAC is holding things back and that an upgrade would achieve some of the things I want? Would my money be better spent on a different headphone? If so, which one? There are some decent deals on the 2020 Utopia atm.

    Cheers and thanks
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2022
  15. PoochZag

    PoochZag The Shadow knows - Friend

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    If you're already thinking about a Utopia, it could be a good one to try given your description. You might be disappointed with the size of the stage, it is barely larger than HD600, but it's imaging is excellent. Detail, speed...etc all there. Utopia is one of those borderline headphones in terms of treble energy and harshness. It's not bright per se, but its very dynamic and forward in its presentation, which can sometimes make the upper registers feel brighter than they really are (which I'd consider neither bright nor dark, and fairly even).

    I haven't heard your DAC but always feel its best to nail the headphone first. Utopia could certainly work though
     
  16. caute

    caute Lana Del Gayer than you

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    Do cheap (under 1K, in this world) power conditioners effectively do anything except provide for a beefier mains-to-device conduit which settles out tiny blips and bleeps of power dips and smaller surges, look pretty and are rack-mountable with sleek metal bodies? Basically a fancy power strip. Does power conditioning do anything, scientifically or not, to affect sound?

    [Please, please read the following in a Midwestern Fargo accent in your head]

    "Sounds good, Jim, Your stereo system, that is. Nice, good sound"

    *turns everything off, plugs it all into a small rectangular box*

    "Whoa, oh my, what are, ya, what ya doin' there, buddy?"

    "I'm conditioning. Now have a listen!"

    "Oh yeah, that there? That what ya wanted me to listen to—I hear that. Loud and clear, Jim. Yes, 100% if I reckon, or if 100 was before, which was good, this is gotta be, oh dear, I dunno one..fift... One fifteen? Sounds real good, Jim"
     
  17. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

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    Depends what you mean by power conditioner. There are products which range from passive filters to active filters to to power factor correctors to surge protection to isolation transformers to AC (re)-generators and some do a combination of these. It's not worthwhile to type a description of each because it'll get lost in this thread. And I don't think price has any bearing on effectiveness. Usually these are very simple implementations dressed up behind marketing terminology and buzzwords.

    Yea, they do all make a difference, in my experience usually for the net worse. The only one I would recommend for home audio if you have some sort of serious mains issue is an isolation transformer without added filters. Leave the filtering to the power supply inside your equipment.
     
  18. Garns

    Garns Friend

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    My power conditioner is one of the most important components of my system. It's a P.I. Audio Uberbuss, just a bit over $1k, and is their top of the line model. It does power factor correction, EMI/RFI trapping and some filtration. Most power conditioners are shit and make the sound worse. I tried a big Gigawatt which is like $6000 and it just sounds like a big Furman and strangles the sound. The Uberbuss does not strangle the sound and cleans things up a lot, mainly increases blackness and clarity and macrodynamics and unveils microdynamics.

    P.I. (a one-man operation) have now closed their doors but I believe there are plans to keep the line going in the future with a manufacturer so I would keep an eye out.

    The entry level Audience a2rp might be worth a go. Or Zenwave do reconditioned SurgeX units which I imagine are excellent.
     
  19. donpablo

    donpablo New

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    What after Beyerdynamic DT880 600Ohm on OTL amp?

    Hello.
    I have many headphones already (visible in my signature) but noone have mids so good like DT880 600Ohm on my OTL amp. I am wondering, what can be an upgrade to them? What is mostly lacking to me on dt880 is subbas, they have really small amout of bass extestion to the low. My Quad Era-1, Aeon 2C have this region greatly managed, but their mids are not so musicial unfortunately. I have few more amps but on SS amp DT880 are unlistenable for me, too thin sounding, too much highs, yet on OTL they really can shine.
    Mainly I am asking what is a better version of DT880 for an OTL amp. I have never heard any ZMF headphones and by reviews, pointing to them, but I dont know, I hope experienced users from this forum have it already managed.
    One more thing, inner diameter of DT880 are a bit too small for my ears, so it would be great to find their replacement with a bit bigger pads (deepness is also important here).

    ps. Many months ago I also had Beyers t5p gen2 and their pads also weren't big enough so I sold them. I mention this in case someone would recommend me other Beyers like T1 or something, if they have same pads size then it will be pass as well.

    Kind regards,
    Pablo.
     
  20. tranq

    tranq Friend

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    I'm looking for some advice/guidance/philosophy on how best to spend my limited funds on audio gear.

    I've got a friend getting out of the audio game and hes selling a Yggdrasil A2 silver, Gen 5 usb for 1250, amongst many other items..

    I currently have Gungnir Multibit A2&Unison, Bifrost 2 OG, as well as Modi Multibit and a Bifrost 4490.

    Gungnir is currently paired with Freya S, Vidar, KLH Kendalls. and a SET tube hp amp..

    Bifrost is currently paired with Ragnarok 2. Zu Omen DW, Magnepan LRS's.

    HPs floating around between rigs are HD6XXs, HD600s, Focal Clears, Hifiman HE6se.

    Ive also got a few other pieces not worth mentioning for this conversation.

    Yggdrasil has always intrigued me, but I wasnt really looking for one until this opportunity came along. I had been going back and forth between HD800S, Auteur Classic, or a 2ch tube amp as my next purchase..

    The main allure of Yggdrasil is that the price is very friendly, its a silver model and i've always wondered what it sounds like.

    Im just wondering what thoughts yall have on how to determine when to buy gear or when to pass for something else.

    No need for any of it just continuing to collect and explore.
     

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