The All Purpose Advice Thread

You could try a used Simaudio Moon 350P (without the DAC or Phono). The “non-Neo” versions I think you can get for pretty smokin used prices, and I think the Neo version was just an aesthetic change (or get the Neo if you can find a good deal).

 

For @Climber and @YMO,

Good closed in a dynamic is difficult. Most are studio headphones.

Don't skip past the DT770 route. They are not as bright as others Beyers, and the higher ohm models can be nice and better suited for OTL tube amps. They don't get much love as they should here.

Denon AH-Dx000 are also nice, super easy to drive, but pretty V-shaped and are much more cohesive sounding than M50's. The TX-00 are much more mid-centric and not even close to the same IMO. Still, they are rich and detailed.

For planars, The T50 variants are some of the best closed for the money if you have a decent amp to drive them. Although the LCD-2 Closed is also pretty banging. So is Aeon closed as I hear the peaky treble was addressed with those. Ether Closed is everything Aeon wants to be and sounds fuller and richer because, well, bigger driver.

 

Yeah, a good T50 variant might be the most useful for general use with a bit of isolation - whoever got that LFF Slant is really lucky. I never got a response from the seller so someone must have grabbed that before all the discussion in the thread (ie less than 15 min from posting). But not sure about YMO's ask that it work well with a pure tube amp. The Fostex/Denons would do better in that area.

 

I saw this and went, "Cool! A possible upgrade from crapsung earbuds for workouts." But then I couldn't see LDAC support in the specs, and found this.

https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2020/02/sony-to-add-aptx-hd-support-to-wf.html

Being a lossless neurotic, this was very disappointing. They should be called the WTF-1000XM3.

 

But there is no Bluetooth codec supporting lossless. They all involve compression and transcoding, and none are bit perfect.

Currently there are no true wireless earphones supporting LDAC or aptX HD. True wireless have enough of a challenge just to maintain a constant connection.

 

I thought LDAC was lossless. My Sony MUC necklace supports LDAC.

Like I said, it's nervosa. For the use case, I'm sure the available codecs are sufficient.

Edit: I stand corrected. LDAC sounds "almost" lossless, and I think is better than the standard BT codecs (aside from aptX).

 

It's up to 990kbps on the highest setting iirc.

True wireless options still not good. You will be better off with some Fiio Bluetooth things like the btr5/3/3k plus a cable and an IEM of your choice.

 

What over ears would be best for a fun can mainly for classic rock/70s and 80s metal? I’d be using these with a Liquid Platinum/Gungnir MB A1 and a Lyr 3/Modi MB v2. I’d love to stay under $500 total. I currently have a lightly modded HD580 that is totally excellent and wonderful at pulling out detail but doesn’t have quite the crunch I want from the guitars or the slam I’d like from the low end (although on some tracks the bass response has surprised me). The FDX1 paired with the Lyr sounds pretty perfect for this application but I don’t always want something in my ears and sadly they don’t synergize as well with the LP.

 

What cheap xlr balanced interconnects do people recommend? Will any 3-pin microphone cable work?

 

LCD-2C might be what you are after. Or even LCD-2 Closed. (Don't get the Classics confused with the closed.)

Can confirm that they have good detail and crunch and low end slam. Although they might be more suited to nu-metal as The Mars Volta sounded quite intense. Some of the newer LCD 2 variants, 2.1, fazer, etc. (you will have to pardon me as I am not as well versed LCD-2 expert), but I know those are slightly less harsh on the top end than the revised LCD-2 Classic. I also have the slanted vegan pads, which also kicks down that 8k peak.

 

and

If you're not in any rush, Audeze sells b-stock headphones at certain times of the year, and they sometimes include the LCD2-C in the sale; I picked up mine last Black Friday for $495.

 

I haven't purchased their XLR, but Monoprice is a reliable source for inexpensive quality cables.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=4754
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=18673
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=35317

 

Do not get the 24awg one. The actual wires are so flimsy they will snap under moderate use.

 

Can't get much better with good brand cable and connectors for cheaper: https://www.amazon.com/Foot-Balance...=1&keywords=mogami+xlr&qid=1597373402&sr=8-28

EDIT: Oops, those are for single cables. Still good stuff, but maybe not as great a deal as I thought.

Otherwise you are rolling the dice on stuff like Monoprice and AmazonBasics or any number of mystery cables from China.

 

Hahaha, the company's name is "Worlds Best Cables".

One more suggestion. This company is based in Indiana and they make custom cables to order at good prices. The business owner is active on the Schiit thread on Head-Fi (@Paladin79), a tube enthusiast and seems like a decent guy.
https://www.cablesforless.com/cable-calculator-studio-grade-audio-cable/

 

not fancy: http://store.haveinc.com/c-1504-xlr-male-to-xlr-female.aspx

fancy: https://thesoundparcel.co/collections/audiophile/products/lincoln-i-90-legacy

 

I listen to a lot of 70s & 80s rock and I'd suggest a second hand pair of drop Focal Elex. They pair nicely with Lyr 3/SW51+(similar to Liquid Platinum) and Gungnir MB A1/Modi MB. Very fast drivers for the quick guitar passages, forward mids and nice clean deep bass. They're like a hyper HD600.
Also be wary of the Audeze LCD2C dark sound. I sold mine off because the vocals were too muted, even with Reveal DSP equalizer settings. Had amazingly clear bass though. YMMV/IMO etc

 

Been searching the web for a few days now looking for an upgrade to Mjolnir 2. What prompted this? Well my chain is YggyA1 -> MJ2 with a plethora of tubes (take that to read every notable and quite a few non-notable tubes from the 6DJ8/7DJ8/2C51/12AT7/12AU7/12AX7 that all work in the Lyr2/MJ2 with or without adapters) -> HD800/LCD-4/ZMF Verite Closed.

I wanted to try another high-end HP and after research my eyes stopped on Hifiman Susvara or Abyss PHI TC. After checking their sensitivities looks like the Susvara requires 5W at 60ohm for 120db and I guess it's nice to have some headroom so the MJ2 would only provide ~4W/60ohm and it got me thinking is there an amp that can take most of these tubes that I have (I guess I care most about the 6922s) and provide more power than the MJ2 while also being able to tone it back down to drive more efficient HPs as well. I saw that the Cavalli Liquid Glass would fit the bill (6W @ 50ohm so 1W more than the Mj2) but seems like that's just gone now, can't even find it on hifishark and buying 2nd hand a discontinued amp also seems scary ( located in Europe ).

So at the end of the day I am uncertain how to go on I have a few options:
1) I am happy with my MJ2 and what I have, maybe I just say f**k it and curb my upgradetivitis
2) Maybe I say f**k it to my tube stash and sell it (I have been selling with quite a good feedback on another site but man it takes a lot of effort to sell, because I have to measure, listen, measure again, match a pair of tubes and then worry for a month, or more, while it travels from Europe to the USA and then it's possible sometimes somebody doesn't like it or it has noise or hum in his amp and it doesn't in the MJ2...), and get a better amp with different kind of tubes. I do have also two digital tube testers for the 6DJ8/7DJ8/2C51/12AT7/12AU7/12AX7 family of tubes so they would also be kind of a waste. So in this case what would such an amp be? I saw the WA5 or WA5-LE but I don't see great feedback about it on this website
3) Find some amp that I have missed that is compatible with my tubes and also provides heaps of power ( I kinda like hybrid amps, maybe it's blasphemy but to my ears the MJ2 sound can change very drastically between a bad and a good tube).

Sorry for my incoherent (at times) writing and thanks in advance for any tips.
Cheers!

Edit: I found an amp with an obscene price Pathos Inpolear and it's european that might fit my requirements but there is no mention of it's tube roll-able and what kind of heater current it supports

 

I have an RME ADI-2 Pro and want to get an interface like the Babyface Pro. Would you recommend I sell the ADI-2 Pro and consolidate the AD/DA and Interface in the Lyra?

 

Is there anything you dislike about the ADI-2 Pro?
The ADI-2 Pro and Babyface are not that far apart in terms of sound unless you're chasing that last few percentage.
Do you need mic pres? What other gear are you consolidating from?