Interesting…Well, that seller seems very straight forward and honest. His description is very detailed and open about what’s going on and what he’s doing. Perfect rating too. Seems like if you did have issues, he’d be easy to work with.
I mean if I were interested in an Elex I think I’d rather pay his price than take the risk at almost double the cost. Just my $.02. Depends on the individual’s situation I suppose.
That is a very good place to be in.
If you’re looking into exploring more headphones, I would keep my money for the headphones and not bother with a minor DAC/amp upgrade. Or you could just get an amp to go with the Zen DAC if you still want to spend some money to get some (arguably, small) improvement.
That is what I did, BTW. I used to have a Zen DAC and Sundara, and I was loving life. Since then, I have bought the Zen CAN and, shortly after, the Arya, and I could happily live with this as my end game.
Now, I also totally understand the feeling of wanting to experiment with DACs and amps (I myself, in spite of what I said about my setup giving me satisfaction enough to not need an upgrade, would still like to upgrade some more), but my suggestion would be to go for higher end headphones first, if that’s something that you’re interested in, before looking into better amps and dacs.
You might want to just add the Zen Can to the Zen DAC. That should give you some improvement on both your headphones and give you plenty of power for further investigation without costing too much. Personally I think the Zen stack is easily the equal or better than the Schiit or Atom stacks (particularly the with the Sundara, I thought the Atom stack sounded harsh compared to the Zen one) with more features. Then I might focus on other headphones (if you want) rather than source for a while.
Indeed, the guy is very full disclosure. My only concern, not being an electrical engineer or anything, would be the durability of the repair and if there is any effect on the sound - although the seller claims no on both cases IIRC.
…and duties. We get mercilessly screwed on that up here in Canada
Hi, this is a long thread going in multiple directions. If a speakers based system is your ultimate goal, then it becomes another topic. The real deal is and always will be a quality speaker based system in a dedicated room. Fortunate are those who can afford such a set-up! Headphones are great fun and completely different. Here is the space for headphones aficionados. ZMF Aeolus may be an interesting option, if you can hear them. I also have the HD6XX, ridiculously good with a top-flight amplifier. Focal Clear MG is also interesting. With on-line shopping (plus the COVID context), it is difficult to compare and decide on what you really like. In a normal situation, it is much easier. Buying headphones blind doesn’t make much sense. Too subjective!.. plus the synergy with your gear. Best of luck in your search!
I’m super new to the headphone scene and so far I’ve owned Philips SHP 9600 that I sold after around a month to buy SHP 9500’s which I’m using currently, the headband broke last week and they’re being held together with tape, any suggestions for new headsets? I liked the neutral sound signature but I felt the treble could be a bit uneven (but honestly who can complain for like 70 bucks) but overall I felt like the treble could be a bit uneven at times, I’m willing to spend a little more money this time, but I’m kinda unsure where to go next, any suggestions?
First, welcome to the Forum!
Second, there is a LOT of knowledge and experience here, and you’ll get more out of it if you can be a little more detailed about what you’re hoping to get out of this new set. For instance, do they need to sound good plugged into your phone or can you maybe spring for $100 or so to use them with a DAC/amp? Your previous phones were open-back, but would noise isolation be of any benefit to you? You get the idea.
Lastly, to not leave you with no recommendation, the Sennheiser HD58X is on sale at drop.com right now for $149. You can read more about them, and even see FR graphs, at that page. They’re generally considered a high-value entry-level option.
But your best bet is to tell the forum a little more about your preferences and use case. Then you’ll get some more expert opinions. (I’m still quite a noob with headphones, though I know a bit about electronics and what I like in speaker-based systems.)
Lou
The suggestion or the Massdrop Sennheiser HD-58x is also what went through my mind. @Choke mentioned a neutral sound which the 58x delivers. It’s also easy to drive so it works well without a DAC/Amp.
Like you, I hesitated to make any recommendation without knowing more. However the headphone will help educate ears to a neutral standard, an my HD-580 still gets some listening time after about 25 years of service so on a dollars per day scale it’s been a very good value.
I agree with this. It’s a solid option and could become the backbone to @ThtGamerDads journey to find a better headphone. Once he finds a better or endgame headphone, then he can decide if he also wants to find an endgame DAC and amp.
@ThtGamerDad the above is my recommendation for you. Until you’re ready for that journey, though, enjoy the 6XX and Sundara - they’re both amazing for the money.
Thanks to you and @ericrosenfield. Can anyone recommend a good hifi store in the Dallas area? I’d love to have a place close to check out new headphones and gear in person.
I’ve been to Audio Concepts on Preston Rd when visiting my Sister in Dallas. They seem pretty good, but my experience was limited by not being local.
They carry Audeze and some other decent brands in headphones.
The HD58X also seems to scale very well. Recently acquired a Glenn OTL and also have the Pendant SE and I was blown away when I used them on the Glenn the other day. I basically use them as my tube tester headphones and they still have obvious limitations but for the price or even quite a bit more I don’t know what out there is a better deal.
Totally agree. I think the notion that 58x don’t scale well is overblown. I use my well-loved 58x to test new tubes on my Bottlehead Crack before using ZMF’s. Sometimes I’m so blown away by how much better they sound with tubes that it’s hard to take them off!
Yeah, the 58X definitely benefits from tubes like most Sennheisers. Even my humble Schiit Vali 2 reveals this fact.
So, here’s a strange question for U.S. Independence Day.
What would you use to move your desktop gear around? In this case, I’m not thinking about airport luggage handlers so much as going back and forth between work and home on a semi-regular basis. I’m thinking up to mid-size things like Bifrost2 and Jot, JDS Element Line, and such.
There are loads of hard-shell cases for the 'phones and maybe cables, but I’m not finding anything to accommodate the electronics. Best option I’ve found so far seems to be a lower-end Pelican case and cutting the foam myself. Better idea? What do you all do when you’re bringing gear to a meet-up?
Thanks,
Lou
I use a Tenba BYOB 10 Camera Inset to transport my medium-sized Schiit items (Bifrost 2, Asgard 3, etc.) back and forth between work and home. A Bifrost 2 + Asgard 3 stack fits perfectly when you remove the dividers. There is a couple exterior pockets for cables and an zippered interior pocket for the Bifrost 2 remote (which I somehow managed to lose).
My only complaint about the BYOB 10 is that I have to carry it sideways/portrait layout so that the items don’t rest on the jacks or the knobs. I could probably address this with some cut down closed cell foam.
I hope this helps,
Vic
What about buying a DAP? You could lock it in your desk drawer.
Harbor Freight sells import knock off Pelican cases fairly cheap.
I haven’t done it myself but when a friend recently lent me his DAC and amp, he packed both units into the same Pelican, and I thought that was a great solution. I’d go with that option if I ever need to transport my own equipment, particularly since the Pelican case had wheels.
I like pelican. Foam cuts easily and they have a huge range of options if you look on their site. I found the model of a case I wanted for my laptop and then searched online for price. You can usually find at least 15-20% off.
Those are the 4mm cables only.