Hi everyone, on the suggestion of these forums I had bought the hd600’s and they have made me appreciate music in a completely different way. However im having a problem now in commute where my old headphones just dony sound good to the point where they are often unusable. To remedy this i had bought crinacle’s truthear zero reds however even with their smallest ear tips I couldn’t get a good seal, they were way too big for my ears. If I would get a good seal it would be by applying too much force and my ears would start hurting in a minute.
I really neeed to get some iems or even earbuds which are a decent bit smaller and more comfortable.
I have a budget of 100$ and id really like to stay under 75. I already have a dongle the fiio ka13, I use apple music as my source and mainly listen to older rock/pop, some jpop, hip hop and ive been getting into some electronic/ alt…
Id love if they would be good without the need for a new pair of eartips. And mic is not a necessity. As long as they sound good and have a small nozzle ill be happy.
Its tought for me to test them before buying which is why I haven’t just pulled the trigger and bought the ie200. Id love to spend less than what those cost due to this constraint.
I’m trying to decide between a couple different setups.
At first I was going to get a topping d90 discrete and couple that with an Aune s17 pro evo.
Transparent fast dac with powerful class a amp.
I’ve got hd6xx and an Arya Organic
i would be upgrading from my flakey topping D50/A50s stack.
I have concerns about toppings quality. And some desire to use Roon over ethernet.
So that led me to look at the FIIO k17 at first, then to a Topping D90 Discrete + Aune S17 PRO EVO, and eventually to the Gustard x26/h26 combo.
I would also like to run single ended out to my Darkvoice from either the amp or dac.
anyone tried these different setups? have preferences?
I can stretch the budget for the gustard stack without issue.
The topping i might need a WIIM or something for roon, or just use my macbook as source.
It’s nice that the design of the x26/h26 is so cohesive.
Look for some smaller ear tips online. Try foam tips - I think they are more comfortable. I do like the Truthear Zero Red, I have a pair and I’ve given a few pairs as gifts.
You also might try something like Koss Porta Pro headphones. Foam on ear, a different experience, will not block out sound, but pleasant. Search the forum for a topic on Porta Pros - I did a review
I don’t have an Arya, but use ROON frequently and my HD-6xx occasionally - it doesn’t get that much use anymore, but I keep it as a spare and a reference. I found that with moderately powered amps, it’s happier with a balanced setup. Probably single ended out of your Darkvoice is it’s sweet spot. I run mine off of a mid-tier Eufonika OTL tube amp. Also it sounds good off my FIIO K9 Pro ESS. Some FIIO using other THX implementations do get a bit harsh.
@Lou_Ford has liked the WIIM quite a bit. I run ROON off my MacBook Pro into a Schiit BiFrost 2/64 and then either to a LYR III or an estat amp. Or stream from ROON ARC in the office into a Modi Multibit II and the Eufonika. Been very pleased with Schiit DACs in multibit. Toppings sound a bit harsh to me. iFi has a more pleasant sound to my ears as they often leverage Burr Brown (now TI / Burr-Brown) chips.
Hello, at the moment I own Audeze LCD 2 and use a chord mojo 2 which goes into an Xduoo ta 26 .I was thinking about buying an RME-adi 2 as an upgrade mainly because of the stuff it can do ,IE eq .Would I be wasting my money ? Which amps go well with Audeze headphones ?
Only you can answer if something is worth it, and for that you need a process to decide. First, I’m going to point you to a post I made years ago explaining a useful process. Yes, it was about a different product, but you get the idea.
That said, I’m somehat familiar with the Audeze LCD 2, and your other current equipment. The RME would give you more flexibility, but there are many ways to get EQ. What is it you think you are missing now?
My thinking is that both the headphones and the amp could be areas that might give you more bang for the buck in upgrades.
I’m also not sure - someone else would be a better source - if the LCD 2 responds well to EQ and if it has the capability you might need if you have to do a signficant boost in low end. A lot would depend on your listening volumes.
Please tell us more about your objectives here, the kind of music you like, and what you think are your present pain points or weak spots.
I don’t know either of those headphones - so I looked them up online and the first question that comes to mind is:
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC BUDGET?
It sounds like you spend a lot of time in headphones. What’s most important for you? Comfort? I know battery life.
You might also take a look at the process for deciding post just above this post.
None of what you said is stupid. Until you become experienced, it is often very hard to describe sound. There are some charts around here that might help - try using the search function.
Analog EQ with knobs - I’m old school and I tend to use that in the form of a Schiit Lokius. I find it’s WAY easier if what you are trying to EQ is a particular piece of music. It’s not nearly as good as PEQ (parametric EQ or some of the more automated methods) if what you’re trying to do is change the overall sound of your headphones.
I have a FII0 K9 Pro ESS that is one of their less clinical DAC/AMPS and I like it quite a bit. In truth, the differences between DACs is more subtle than other things - especially since you use a tube amp. I’m guessing you’re in the UK or the EU based on your use of the term valves, so the Schiit Lokius might be hard to find. @Lothar_Wolf probably can help more with availability in your locale.
Regarding DACs, cheap ones sometimes have sonic artifacts that are annoying. I’m not saying that all DACs over $350 US sound the same, but the benefits of spending a lot for more than a specific desired feature get smaller faster with DACs. Further the differences are often subtle, and you may need better headphone and amp chains to hear them.
I know that Lothar and I both like some if the iFi equipment. Their house sound is not objectionable.
Again, the headphone is the component that has the most variability. I don’t have an Audeze planar magnetic, although I have heard them and have a ROSSON RAD-0 planar magnetic whose founder was also a co-founder at Audeze. I very much like the speed and sound of planars, but you might try and find some good dynamic headphones to compare. Your thoughts about bass suggest to me you might do well with a dynamic ZMF or maybe a Sennheiser HD-800 / 800s headphone.
Someone else, please jump in and help.
And always consider the used markets. You can often try and if you don’t like resell for very little net loss.
You can extend your Bass quite easily with the tuning options of the Mojo2
X Bass & X Space are a good option to adjust the headphones right to your flavor.
Sometimes Planars and OTL tubes are not the best choice, so I personally would recommend a solid state amp for the LCD 2, especially the TA-66 is a good Amp but quite cool and dry.
Besides the ifi gear, just keep your Mojo 2 and try to get some Schiit Audio, RebelAmp, Nitsch Audio or JDS Labs Gear, to pair it up with.
All this stuff is on the neutral to warm side, and there is at least a good used market here in Europe, if not, all of this gear is worth to pay transport and tax fees
I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask my question, but I purchased a pair of dt 770 pro 80 ohms a few years ago and quite like them. However, the faux leather holding the earpads on has began to crack. Are the replacement earpads available on bd’s site ( EDT 770 VB eard pads | beyerdynamic ) the same as the stock ones? Thank you in advance for any help.
Oops! Didn’t see your question. Beyer sells replacement earpads. But you can probably get them for less from their service/repair company Consolidated Sound Services. (I just ordered three new pairs from them, and received them in the mail today.) They also sell refurbished Beyer headphones at a discount.
Beyer recommends heating the plastic lips of the earpads with a hair dryer so they’ll stretch more easily when you put the pads on. I always seem to have trouble putting pads on my DT770’s though. So I cut a little notch in the edge of the cups (like on my old AKG K553), to make it easier to just slide the pads on by turning them.
Before putting them on, I also reinforce the seam on the inside of the earpads by sewing it with some sturdy thread. This helps prevent it from splitting apart there.
If you order pads, be sure they include the circular foam filters that cover the drivers as well. Those also need to be replaced periodically. Be a little careful when you remove them because the plastic ring that holds the filter in place also holds the driver in place.
There is also a general discussion of Beyerdynamic headphones here where you can post questions.
X Bass & X Space are a good option to adjust the headphones right to your flavor.