Alexa for the win!
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Stepford Alexa
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I had one of these arrive last week in a half open box containing no hardware. Customer support is non-responsive. Getting a little pissed.
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Here are some desktop shelf ideas:
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Are you streaming? Using Roon or Audirvana? Tidal, Deezer, or Qobuz?
Lots of software solutions to improve your listening experience…
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I have a set of HE6se. I use them with a Headamp GSX-mini. You need at least 2 watts minimum to power it. It is a good sounding headphone, although it does need a lot of juice. I thought the stock pads sucked, and I had to replace them early due to a split. HiFiMan QC…Installed Dekonis.
I also used it with a Schiit Mjolnir2 prior to selling the Mjolnir2…worked well.
These are great cans, and $700 is a good price. One word of caution. I think they are a bit fragile build wise. As a daily driver, that would make me nervous. I only pull these out on occasion for that very reason.
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Streaming from Amazon HD music and video and Netflix, Disney Now TV, iPlayer etc.
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I’m momentarily using my laptop as a the only source to listen to music via headphones. I’m running Peace as an EQ and am quite happy with the results.
In the near future I’ll be adding a Topping DX3 pro as a DAC/amp. Still no issue with EQ when using the laptop as a source.
But what to do in the next situations:
- Connecting an Android phone over BT to the Topping: is there a good cheap/free EQ app I could use? I see most are just 5 band and not full parametric.
- I want to connect my CD/SACD player to the digital input on the Topping. Is there a way to EQ the signal in this situation? (DSP with digital optical input and output between SACD player and DAC/AMP? EQ at the output of the Topping?)
As a next upgrade, would it be a good idea to get a separate headphone amp so I can add a DSP between de DAC (keep the Topping for this purpose) and HP-amp? I’m a bit worried about adding noise and distortion when using hardware EQ’s instead of using software like Peace on the laptop.
I’m quite new to this part of the audio hobby. So I’d rather keep the spending a bit limited until I’m sure this is something I can really enjoy for a long time.
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Hello all,
I have been lurking for a bit reading about user’s recommendations for an introductory / mid-range setups and came across this gem: Recommended Gear (Big thank you to @ProfFalkin!!). After more research into the products listed in that post’s tier’s 2 and 3 I decided to pull the trigger on a bifrost2 / lyr3(JJ6SN7) as the drivers for my headphone journey. Unfortunately the dropHD6XX is on pre-order and won’t begin shipping until the 30th. I know, I know, it’s only a few weeks but I’m already dreaming of all the hours I am going to spend re-exploring my music library in awe and really don’t want to wait.
So I figured I’d look for alternatives. I am looking for an open back headphone and have been considering the following options based on other video reviews and lots of reading (Covid has put a damper on me going to stores and trying things out):
Wait for the Drop HD6xx and use the 1000XM3’s I have until then
HifiMan Sundara for 350 which I can have in a couple of days with Prime
Wait even longer for the Drop Elex to start shipping 1/15
Find something used
My price range is: Trying to keep it under 500$ as I want this to be my “introduction / rite of passage” into the hobby. With that being said, I intend to own more headphones over time and a few hundred dollars more or less isn’t unacceptable. I just don’t want to cross the 1k mark until I have gotten good use out of something cheaper first. I was reluctant to look on eBay but saw some interesting things on Reverb.com. I suppose I am open to something lightly used in this price range.
I like to listen to: All types of rock from progressive to classic rock. Jazz, bluegrass, folk, and ambient electronic are strewn in there also but the vast majority of my FLAC 24bit/192Khz library is rock. I intend to use this daily in my home office connected to my computer.
Am I overthinking this? Probably. As an engineer I’m certainly aware of tendencies to over-analyze but there’s so many quality choices. Help!
–Frankie
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Hey, glad that helped.
I think it’s a slippery slope suggesting which to wait for. I’m an HD650 fan for a lot of 80’s/90’s/00’s rock. I thought the Sundara was ok, and might be a good place to start a planar magnetic journey. I’d say they are a bit more even or “reference” sounding than the 650s, but just lacked a bit of soul that made so many songs enjoyable to me. So, preferences vary, and maybe those thoughts steer you in the right direction.
As for the Elex… eh. It’s a FR nightmare for some songs, and I didn’t like it. YMMV. Better to pinch your pennies until they scream for the Clear, Radiance, or Stellia if you’re really bent on getting a Focal headphone.
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Welcome to the forum @fconway!
I think you’re really going to enjoy the BF2 and Lyr 3 combo. I have those too, as do many other forum members.
I know how tough it is to have the amp and no headphone. I had a several month wait for my ZMF Verite open, and I ended up buying a Focal Stellia to have something to use while I was waiting. I deliberately chose something that was close backed and easy to drive because it would complement the Verite, which is open backed and hard to drive. My thinking was that the Verite and Stellia wouldn’t compete with each other, and that I would therefore continue to use the Stellia when the Verite arrived, and that’s proved to be the case.
I think you’re looking for a 6XX replacement. If that’s the case, I’m suggesting that you continue waiting for the 6XX (which like my Verite, is open backed and hard to drive) and either use the 1000XM3 for a few weeks or get something to complement the 6XX that’s within your budget.
FYI, when I say ‘hard to drive’, I just mean that you need an amp with some power, and the Lyr 3 has more than enough power to make the 6XX sound wonderful.
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My wife very sensibly avoids interacting with all my boxes and wires. I don’t think Alexa has sufficient skills to solve my problem at the moment. Probably by the time she does then she will have taken over from Jeff Bezos as CEO and then it will be her turn to tell us what to do instead.
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Why not Bluetooth from your phone to your laptop using the new Microsoft Store Bluetooth A2DP server app? Then you can still EQ using peace. It works with my iPhone and Windows 10 mini PC with equaliser APO and you can apply all the DSP you like then. Probably you can do something similar on Mac and Linux as well. If you don’t want to use a laptop you could use a dedicated cheap PC of some sort.
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You can get very cheap 24/192 SPDIF adapters for the PC as well if you don’t use USB.
Hey thanks for the reply, I was trying to get a better idea what’s going on as there are multiple factors that seem to be going on.
Which is why I needed input, it seems power is one but also gain for dynamics.
I see @ProfFalkin had his experience with the moded version and he mentioned the vidar, I don’t doubt that the mods had influence. But the second suggestion I see is a higher gain settings to be 30 dB range. So the vidar is 27, so it’s all making sense. The Ragnarok 2 is 25 which is equal to the FA-10. After learning this I went in to check that and other amp suggestions, some mentioned above and they all have those characteristics.
Just digging around and seeing what options there are, and to consider, if it’s worth proceeding. I will check your suggestions appreciate it, cost factored in as well as that seems to be only restraint.
The GSX-mini I use is about 3’oclock on the volume dial which is fairly high compared to my other headphones. Most of the others hang aroundd the Noon position. I can juice the power with my preamp, but comparatively it needs a bunch more juice than my other cans. If you’re going to use something like a Rangarok, that should have plenty.
Another option for you might be the Sennheiser HD 600, which is currently going for a decent deal at $300 on Amazon, if you’re in the US. It’s a close relative of the HD 6XX and provides a slightly brighter sound signature, I believe (see the caveats below). It could be fun having the two Senns to compare, and it might be a useful exercise to try them both. You often see folks on some forums expressing a preference for one over the other - the laid back, warmer 6XX vs the brighter 600 - and determining where your preferences lie could usefully point you towards future upgrades.
Two caveats: 1) I’ve not heard the HD 600 for myself, so I’m just relaying what I’ve read, and 2) I don’t know if a BF2, Lyr 3, HD 600 would be synergistic. I’ll defer to @ProfFalkin here. I know @generic used to have the HD 600 and is now a fan of the Clear.
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The HD6xx is a great example of amp-dependent ‘scalable’ headphones. They change and improve with the right equipment. The 1000XM3s are a great example of non-scalable headphones that are about the same from any source.
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HiFiMan – beware reliability issues. Beware. Beware. Beware. Some models break routinely, and I am highly skeptical of the durability of their driver technology. They can sound great…but beware.
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I have the Elex and it’s very clean and punchy. However, it’ll stab clean through your brain with its glare and needle-like brassy treble. In full agreement with @ProfFalkin, I’d skip the Elex and save for the Clear myself. I like the Clear more than the $4K Utopia for routine use. I addressed the Focal line and HD600 in my recent Utopia review.
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Used is a good idea for many products, but beware HiFiMan. You’ve been warned.
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As @Tchoupitoulas mentioned below, the HD600 is a fine alternative to the HD6xx and doesn’t cost much more. I demoed the HD650 before the 6XX was available but chose the 600. That was because I prefer a neutral profile rather than a warmish/thick 650/6XX profile, and it’s otherwise about the same.
I still have the HD600 and use it regularly even with my Clear.
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Yea I am just looking, the vidar would be a much better option at half the price and better performance, dB wise. I just need to see what works best as 7 wpc seems to be desired for actual quality sound performance.
If I were to get it and be able to make a rational decision to keep or return I want meet all the suggestions
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Uhh… I don’t see why not, but I haven’t tried it. The two are similar enough in how they behave and scale with amps, I don’t foresee issues.
… $300 huh? Hmm…
Damnit, stop that. I don’t need it
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