Systemic Development > Headphones

Latest headphone exploration

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Carlman:
Since we've got this forum, might as well write about my latest experiences in trying to find a good system for semi-portability.

Here's the sitch: My wife and I can spend up to 1 hour to ourselves at night.  We otherwise work or take care of a 3 yr old.  I don't like TV.  She likes playing candy crush and watching TV.  I would love nothing more than to zone out listening to music while she does her thing so we can be in the same room together... so, it's being together but also doing something for ourselves.  

If I go to the big sound room, I'm 2 floors away and likely to get comletely caught up in listening longer than I really have time... Plus it takes a while to warm up and sound 'just right'.

So, how about some headphones?  I bought some Sennheiser Momentums because I'd tried them in a store in Cambridge, MA a year ago.. I liked them enough to remember them.  When I first got them, I was using a Samsung S4 playing .flac's on the native music player software.  It was very good.

Later, I got the iphone6 and installed Onkyo HF and there was a substantial improvement in overall sound.  I was like, "oh wow, real music!"  So, from that, I started exploring the whole depth of it.. and coincidentally Shane was deciding to start a headphone company for people like us with young children, and a need for 'quiet listening'... Great idea!  Shane's tastes are a bit higher than mine in a setup.  I like minimal setup... I'll be lying on a couch, thumbing through tunes on my phone... Almost casual listening, which isn't actually possible for me because I tend to get 'into' the music. ;)

So, that's my situation...

The Momentum's are awesome, just full and fun to listen to. They're a little bass heavy but I like it... it's clean and detailed.  The mids and highs sound natural.

The only issue is that the overall comfort isn't what I'd like.  If they were just a little less warm and tight on my head, I think I'd be better.  But there's a slight stuffiness that grows as you keep them on... Kind of feels like I have a cold but only in my ears... it's a little fatiguing from an overall comfort standpoint.  SO, that 1 element has driven me to listen through a lot of Shane's stock and look elsewhere for more.

I was looking at some Beyerdynamics and AKG 545's.. and so on .. but it's not worth spending a lot of money and time to me... but it's worth obsessing a little.. haha..

I look forward to what Shane finds next and what's coming at CES this year... I hear there's going to be some things that might be just what I'm looking for.

I think a small tube amp and a pair of big portables are in my future.... we shall see! :)

sleepyguy24:
Morning

If comfort is an issue I say look into the BeyerDynamic line of over the ear headphones. I have the BeyerDynamic DT-770 600 ohm headphones and I have worn them for hours at work with no discomfort whatsoever. My co-workers often wonder why I go to such an extreme but if I'm at work for over 8 hours a day I might as well make the best of it.

Regarding tube headphone amps. You can have lots of fun there. IME the Bellar HA 540 tube headphone amp is a great match with headphones but I used it exclusively with the 600 ohm DT-770s. This headphone amp has lots of inputs and can even accommodate a 3.5mm male jack so you could hook up your phone to it. It uses a single 12AX7 tube so you can have lots of fun/craziness there with tube rolling. I liked the Sovtek 12AX7LPS with it.

Another fun headphone amp to try is the Bottlehead Crack OTL amp. I liked that headphone amp too. Very sweet midrange with the BeyerDynamics I used with it. I heard it is a wonderful match with Sennheiser headphones.

I had the 12AU7 based Bravo headphone amp before the Bellari and I would say stay away unless you can get it for really cheap. It was noisy and cheaply built. My tech had to repair it.

For me my next headphone exploration will be Shane's modified Fostex T50RP headphones. As soon as I get the money together I'll be trying those.

As for amplification one of these years I'll try something from Woo Audio or top of the line tube headphone amp for Schiit Audio.

djdube525:
Sounds like an opportunity to offer a free break-in service for Shane.  :rofl:

richidoo:
The Woo Audio "Fireflies" DAC/AMP sounds awesome, but it snot portable. Stupid name, but it looks gorgeous.

It would be cheaper for you to just take up Candy Crush.  :rofl:

richidoo:
My headphone conundrum involves my son using my AKGs all the time for his video games. At least I know they are fully broken in now!  :thumb:

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