Audiophile and gears

[red dragon]

Not only from left to right mate, the pen moves slightly upwards once it moves to right...the upward movement is THE KEY.
If you have time, try it once more. The upward movement is really subtle. There is another song called bounce where marbles, ping pong balls etc.bounces, try that too.
I fact most of his music is mastered brilliantly.
I have a Frankenstein LCD X which gives a weird vertical soundstage like thing, you can differentiate between a floor tom and rack tom!! I don't know what Austrian Audio did with it.

AD700 and A700x are 2 different items. I m using A700x

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/ath-ad700
https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/ath-a700x

I also thought of AD700...but 700X is a closed can. You need something open man

 

[Synth-Pop]

Not only from left to right mate, the pen moves slightly upwards once it moves to right...the upward movement is THE KEY.
If you have time, try it once more. The upward movement is really subtle. There is another song called bounce where marbles, ping pong balls etc.bounces, try that too.
I fact most of his music is mastered brilliantly.
I have a Frankenstein LCD X which gives a weird vertical soundstage like thing, you can differentiate between a floor tom and rack tom!! I don't know what Austrian Audio did with it.

I noticed that upward movement but not sure , I was multitasking. Surely I will listen again.
Its not bouce, it's Howikawa - Bubbles. Listening now, it has better effects than ping pong song by enrique

that's what I was saying I got closed back but actually a very good one.

 

[red dragon]

Yes, bubbles!! My bad!! I attended an online seminer of Horikawa, he has magical ears. The man doesn't even lower the faders when tracking/ arranging or even mixing ( unless the master out is not clipping obviously)
He doesn't even touch the compressor. All the magic happens in EQ only!! That too stock EQ of whatever free DAW he's using. He manages to find place for each and every sound ( no high pass/ low pass filter either) with minimal to no overlap ( all subtractive EQ, and he cuts even 10-15dB or more without even blinking...such confidence in his hearing abilities!!!)
This is no ordinary work...I've seen some true masters at work including Rick Rubin, Chris Lord Alge, Steven Slate etc. But he's completely different, often works from top down ( drums, bass etc.processed at later stages), works with whatever plug-in he can find first ( was using the crappy Logic's reverbs during the live tutorial with jaw dropping results)
He should receive a lot more recognition (outside musical circle, not many people know this master)

 

[fLUX]

AD700 and A700x are 2 different items. I m using A700x

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/ath-ad700
https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/ath-a700x

Yup, aware of the same. A700X are the same drivers with closed cans and accordingly tuned. R70X is going to be a step above both of them. I am sure its not going to be a sidegrade since its being compared to the HD600 and soundstage aside , the HD600 are far ahead than the AD700 in the remaining department. Just for reference here is a user review

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[nick.knack91011]

My reference tracks are mainly a mix of hindi and english numbers I regularly listen to. When i got my stereo gear had used the below to audition to finalize
- Raah Piya by Pakshee ( a very long track but quiet diverse)
- Keith Dont Go ( Some guitar sequences are really amazing in this number)
- Hotel California ( Drums , Guitar sequences , slightly laidback vocals)
- Sawaali si raat ho - Barfi ( This song can sound totally off on a wrong set, its very sweet , mellow and has a nice mix of lows)
- Dil Se ( not the best mastering , but more of a fun listen)
- Fly me to the moon-Frank Sinatra ( vocals , varying pace of the instruments)

Great selections btw saawli si raat is great song so are most barfi songs ( especially phir le aya dil ) , I mostly listen to rock now but I rememember originlly testing new headphone to dil se on a walkman ha ( my first introduction to Rahman ) , which reminds me that many albums have good songs but I remember that magic back in the day when I listened to Taal on cassette from beats of passion , to both indian and western version of taal to soft kariye na it has a mix of indian classical , western music ( both classical and fast paced ) and tribal music. Ar Rehman at its peak ,it just has every kind of beat , mood , voice , classical instuments , western influences, great singers , effects !

I think I need to listen to that album again when I get time now that Ive Mentioned it !

 

[Synth-Pop]

Yup, aware of the same. A700X are the same drivers with closed cans and accordingly tuned. R70X is going to be a step above both of them. I am sure its not going to be a sidegrade since its being compared to the HD600 and soundstage aside , the HD600 are far ahead than the AD700 in the remaining department. Just for reference here is a user review

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तुमचे मित्र, कुटुंब आणि तुमच्या ओळखीच्या लोकांशी शेअर करण्यासाठी आणि कनेक्ट होण्यासाठी Facebook मध्ये लॉग इन करा.

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Can't see that facebook post , I don't 've fb account.
When we talk about R70x the only thing comes to my mind is ATH-AD1000x and 2000x both discontinued model.
These discontinued models still sells at amazon us, I want one of these but I am not interested in paying customs duty.

 

[red dragon]

I still have 1000X (and don't like them at all), no matter how you amp them, they sound kind of thin and underpowered.
I do have pretty powerful desktop amps which can power 600 ohm cans, but they somehow felt underpowered.
Don't have the R70X anymore (got them really cheap), but from memory, they have very similar tuning of HD600 with more sparkle at top. Much easier to drive. Get them if you can find them below 150 USD. One thing I clearly remember, the R70X doesn't scale up as nicely as HD600 ( and doesn't play well with all amps), if you have good amps, please check the synergy between them.
Did you consider the DT880 ( if you have powerful amp, the 600 ohm version is really nice sounding and pretty different from the more efficient ones)?
On a second thought, that's a crappy suggestion, considering the headphonezone price.
Even R70X is overpriced now. 24K is absurd for it.
AKG K712 pro is a much better buy at 18K INR and coming from closed cans, you will definitely appreciate why open cans are preferred.
It's not "reference grade" but neither is R70X.
If you're looking for accurate sound ( both balance and timbre) nothing can touch HD560s at present ( but I find it little harder to drive despite the specifications) It sounds almost identical to HD660s. Definitely not sidegrade to your present AT.
Another big advantage of HD560s: you can wear it outside occassionally(while walking in a quiet street) it's not as ugly as R70X or K712 and doesn't leak so much.

 

[Stronk]

A mini review of the xDuoo MT-602: for what it's worth, sound signature between using just the Tempotec Sonata HD Pro, the Sonata through the xDuoo MT-602, and just the Apple Dongle and Apple Dongle with MT-602 was exactly the same (and this is with volume matching). Maybe the bass was a little more smoother and warmer while using the amp, but I am not sure even with back to back listening tests.
And this is basically what reviews stated as well - on stock 61J tubes, the MT-602 doesn't behave like a tube amp at all, but rather just like a solid state amp. Which I'm perfectly happy with, since I mainly wanted an amp to be, well, an amp. Plus this presents opportunities to make me even poorer by luring me into tube rolling ;-;

Small follow-up on the mini-review: After a bit more back to back testing, I can definitively say that there's a subtle but consistent improvement in bass quality (bass feels "fuller") and quantity (even at lower volumes, ie, within the bounds of the apple dongle and tempotec, bass seems to be much better present) with the amp over using just the apple dongle or sonata hd pro when volume-matched. The highs are a bit more mellow, but at higher volumes can still become fatiguing quite quickly (as usual), so no mellowness in the upper range provided by the amp. Plus, there is tangibly more "instrument separation" I suppose, though idk if that is the correct term for it. Maybe soundstage is the correct term, but overall I can distinguish various layers and sounds even better than through just the dongles (although the space in which I can distinguish them seems to be largely unchanged).
Anyway, volume matching is fine and all but it shines when I actually make use of it, and boy does it shine bright. My source volume (Windows 10 WASAPI shared with custom eq via Equalizer APO through Peace with a -9.5dB preamp, or ALSA via Manjaro Linux without any eq) stays at 100%, tempotec is at 3 levels below max volume, and with these 2 set up in this manner, I don't need anything more than 1 o'clock on the physical volume dial (which itself fricking joy to use; it's so damn smooth and velvety!), and usually stays at between 9 and 11 o'clock. Anything over 12:30 is too loud to listen to for more than 20 seconds or so.
Adding everything up, I won't say the sounds feels coloured in any way at all. All the above are quite subtle improvements, and it took me a good 3-4 hours of back to back listening to even be sure of them. Shouldn't matter to most people; if anything, it's overall better in all places. Albums used were Hollywood's Bleeding, Barfi, Rockstar, Manchild and Songs of Her's, along with various other tracks, to a Hifiman HE400i ver. 2020.

Overall I'd recommend the xDuoo MT-602 without doubt to anyone looking for a non-portable amp under 10k, although do keep in mind my experience of dedicated amps is limited to just this one lol. Make of that what you will

 

[red dragon]

Magic of hifiman!! Incredible value for money planars.
We should all be thankful to hifiman, finally they fixed the QC issues.
Now, don't you think Audeze makes overpriced products? And Audeze's failure rate doesn't come out in the open. Each and every Audeze LCD I have failed within a year and they expect you to ship the huge box to US.
I went through hell repairing the LCD X. For me hifiman >>>>>Audeze.Thank God, we have Austrian Audio, they can repair planars and make them better sounding.

 

[Synth-Pop]

I still have 1000X (and don't like them at all), no matter how you amp them, they sound kind of thin and underpowered.
I do have pretty powerful desktop amps which can power 600 ohm cans, but they somehow felt underpowered.
Don't have the R70X anymore (got them really cheap), but from memory, they have very similar tuning of HD600 with more sparkle at top. Much easier to drive. Get them if you can find them below 150 USD. One thing I clearly remember, the R70X doesn't scale up as nicely as HD600 ( and doesn't play well with all amps), if you have good amps, please check the synergy between them.
Did you consider the DT880 ( if you have powerful amp, the 600 ohm version is really nice sounding and pretty different from the more efficient ones)?
On a second thought, that's a crappy suggestion, considering the headphonezone price.
Even R70X is overpriced now. 24K is absurd for it.
AKG K712 pro is a much better buy at 18K INR and coming from closed cans, you will definitely appreciate why open cans are preferred.
It's not "reference grade" but neither is R70X.
If you're looking for accurate sound ( both balance and timbre) nothing can touch HD560s at present ( but I find it little harder to drive despite the specifications) It sounds almost identical to HD660s. Definitely not sidegrade to your present AT.
Another big advantage of HD560s: you can wear it outside occassionally(while walking in a quiet street) it's not as ugly as R70X or K712 and doesn't leak so much.

So is it really a bad choice, you ever tried it with different earpads ?. if they sound thin or lacks the punch with your HQ amps then there must me something wrong with these headphones.
In general not only these but all similar AT 500 700 900 AD or AX versions needs good amplification. I've seen that zeo's youtube video where he compared AT 1000x vs 2000x with custom balanced cables connection and some premium earpads.
150$ for R70x isn't possible here, best price available is 22-23k which isn't worth as you say.
How is DT880 compared to k712 pro as open back experience for a AT fan like me, you are already familiar a bit with my preferred sound choice and AT 's sound signature.
I don't like that emphasized smoothness and warmth as with Sennheiser. Vocals sounds amazing with Sennheiser, but when it's full audio spectrum it's mostly AT for me.
DT 880 250ohm vs 600 ohm ? technically even my asus essence stx gen 1 can run this 600 ohm version but people says we need much higher amplification for 600 ohm version or else it lacks the dynamics and that oomph.
DT provides better build and 3 yrs warranty when compared with Chinese made k712 pro. 712 is preferred choice if it again drops to 16k or below.

 

[red dragon]

Don't get me wrong, AT1000X are not bad by any means. I like other cans better.
70X ( from memory) is tuned to sound like HD 600 ( they sound pretty close), very smooth sounding headphones.
DT 880 600ohms is tuned differently from 250 ohm version ( my ears) It's the only Beyer DT where the treble doesn't hurt, mids are forward with awesome fast bass. But God!! It's a b**ch to drive (not only the power, but the quality of the amp) but totally worth it, the dynamics are breathtaking ( almost like old hifiman planars)
250 ohm version ( which I don't have anymore) felt like a different headphone ( very good, but typical Beyer sound...) It won't disappoint you for sure. But DT880 is also available at a much lower price compared to India ( and the cables are not replacable, though the mod is pretty easy)
My K712 Pro is made in Slovakia. Are you sure the ones available in India are from China? 612s are made in China. Is it possible to audition them?
DT880 (250 ohm) vs K712 pro
1. 880 is brighter
2. It's more robust
3. K712 has larger soundstage, but it requires little more power compared to 250 ohm 880
4. Detail retrieval is practically same ( but I may be wrong as don't have the 250 ohm version)
5. Personal preference: DT880 (600 ohm) >>K712> DT880 ( 250 ohm)
Regarding Sennheiser, your observations are same as mine ( that's why I don't use the HD600 all that much...it's way too smooth) Even the 560s also sounds similar but the treble smoothness is mostly gone ( it's like HD700 tuned right) That's why I suggest HD25, yes it's on ear, not comfortable, has a small soundstage...but it has the best qualities of both world, Sennheiser's midrange, Grado's energy and highs and a very punchy and fast bass and detail retrieval rivals 1000 USD cans. And it's portable.
Though it's not what you need, anyone looking for a portable solution, should look into these.
This portable headphone market is a weird place dominated by overpriced junk from VModa,most of the wireless headphones. Only objective is to get decent sound while traveling in public transport, bikes etc.
Some literally wastes thousand upon thousand on IEMs ( I was one of them)
The IEM market is where headphone companies make largest profit. An IEM driver due to the small physical housing reaches the maximum potential very early, specially the multiple BA IEMs.
Manufacturers just reposition the same drivers over and over again and bring revision after revision every 6 months with increase in price.
Multi BA driver IEMs definitely are useful (and possibly the best solution) for on stage monitoring for musicians and some companies do make specific universal shelled IEMs for guitar players, bassists, drummers etc at reasonable prices.
Not going to cutom IEMs here, as they are not for general audio enthusiasts.
But I have a major problem with the very expensive BA IEMs. They just fool the customers. I can bet in a blind A/B test, 9 out of 10 people in mid 30s and above won't be able to differentiate between a T2 and Solaris.

 

[Synth-Pop]

All 712 pro 's available in India are Chinese made. I 'm just looking for a second pair of headphones for watching movies only, so I guess 712 pro is better than DT 880 600 especially for sound effects and openness. Audition isn't possible here but I'll try If something can be done.
Can you suggest some DAC+AMP combo (Single unit) within 25-35k for headphone use, nothing fancy just a single unit with powerful amp and DSD Dac with neutral balanced to analytical tuning.
Balanced out isn't necessary but single out should be powerful.
Sold both my fiio k5pro and aune x1s pro , these units were good but with a weaker amp. Aune x1s pro is even below fiio k5pro in terms of amplification.

 

[fLUX]

I still have 1000X (and don't like them at all), no matter how you amp them, they sound kind of thin and underpowered.
I do have pretty powerful desktop amps which can power 600 ohm cans, but they somehow felt underpowered.
Don't have the R70X anymore (got them really cheap), but from memory, they have very similar tuning of HD600 with more sparkle at top. Much easier to drive. Get them if you can find them below 150 USD. One thing I clearly remember, the R70X doesn't scale up as nicely as HD600 ( and doesn't play well with all amps), if you have good amps, please check the synergy between them.
Did you consider the DT880 ( if you have powerful amp, the 600 ohm version is really nice sounding and pretty different from the more efficient ones)?
On a second thought, that's a crappy suggestion, considering the headphonezone price.
Even R70X is overpriced now. 24K is absurd for it.
AKG K712 pro is a much better buy at 18K INR and coming from closed cans, you will definitely appreciate why open cans are preferred.
It's not "reference grade" but neither is R70X.
If you're looking for accurate sound ( both balance and timbre) nothing can touch HD560s at present ( but I find it little harder to drive despite the specifications) It sounds almost identical to HD660s. Definitely not sidegrade to your present AT.
Another big advantage of HD560s: you can wear it outside occassionally(while walking in a quiet street) it's not as ugly as R70X or K712 and doesn't leak so much.

If you are basing of your findings only on the A90 , I would recommend you do try some other amps. The topping D90 and A90 together are known to be a little dry sounding so few gears might not really pair well with th esame.

All 712 pro 's available in India are Chinese made. I 'm just looking for a second pair of headphones for watching movies only, so I guess 712 pro is better than DT 880 600 especially for sound effects and openness. Audition isn't possible here but I'll try If something can be done.
Can you suggest some DAC+AMP combo (Single unit) within 25-35k for headphone use, nothing fancy just a single unit with powerful amp and DSD Dac with neutral balanced to analytical tuning.
Balanced out isn't necessary but single out should be powerful.
Sold both my fiio k5pro and aune x1s pro , these units were good but with a weaker amp. Aune x1s pro is even below fiio k5pro in terms of amplification.

For movies AKG K712 should sound better than your other alternatives due to their wide soundstage.

For a portable dac/amp unit have a look at xd-05 + , has ample of power and to add supports op amp rolling if you want to alter the sound signature

 

[Synth-Pop]

Thanks, but looking for desktop dac amp, can use portable setup but battery based dac amp isn't suitable for desktop.

 

[red dragon]

If you are basing of your findings only on the A90 , I would recommend you do try some other amps. The topping D90 and A90 together are known to be a little dry sounding so few gears might not really pair well with th esame.

Not only A90, I tried them with almost all the desktop amps I got ( Monolith- dual AKM 4493, dual AAA 788, Woo's WA7- the older one)
Yes, the A90 and Monolith are bit dry, but WA7 is typical warm tube.
I am a miser when it comes to portable stuff, but don't mind spending on desktop set ups.
Can you suggest some warm sounding solid state amp which will be an upgrade?

All 712 pro 's available in India are Chinese made. I 'm just looking for a second pair of headphones for watching movies only, so I guess 712 pro is better than DT 880 600 especially for sound effects and openness. Audition isn't possible here but I'll try If something can be done.

The Customer question section in Amazon.in shows Made in Slovakia!! But I can't confirm from here.

 

[Synth-Pop]

Amazon won't take resposibility for QA section, they mentioned clearly in their listing as

• Country of Origin: China

It's not a big deal for 16k, will try to grab it if it's available at upcoming sale.

 

[red dragon]

Yes, really not a big deal...hifiman is a Chinese company who makes better headphones than Audeze.
I will probably get the Arya and a portable amp and call it a day on hardware. Have realised there's no endgame in this expensive hobby. And I got more gears than most audiophiles, even after 2 house cleanings.
I'm more than grateful to have the opportunity to afford so many audio gears mostly in just last 6 years.
But every good thing should end..and it's the end of hardware for me. The next true upgrades are way out of my reach ( Susvara, Abyss 1266, even Diana ,Utopia and a very few)
If anyone of you travel to this area ( Czechia/ Slovakia/ Poland etc.) in future, please let me know. You guys are always welcome to our humble home and audition every audio equipment I have and take whatever you like the most.

 

[fLUX]

Not only A90, I tried them with almost all the desktop amps I got ( Monolith- dual AKM 4493, dual AAA 788, Woo's WA7- the older one)
Yes, the A90 and Monolith are bit dry, but WA7 is typical warm tube.
I am a miser when it comes to portable stuff, but don't mind spending on desktop set ups.
Can you suggest some warm sounding solid state amp which will be an upgrade?

The Customer question section in Amazon.in shows Made in Slovakia!! But I can't confirm from here.

Upgrades at price point of A90 means spending almost double. For side-grades with warmer signature you can consider the Gustard amps (H16.H20) which are known to be little on the warmer side and musical in nature, at a much higher price point is the headamp gsx mini mk2 which quiet a few people find it worth the price. I moved on from a SMSL SU-8 and a Matrix Audio HPA-3B (which was not very dry but not as musical as the higher priced amps) to Sapphire (DIY'ed by a friend, neutral with good musicality and details) and ultimately moved to Auralic Aries MKII

I had spent a good deal on portable stuff , but ultimately sold everything off as it was getting used less than 30-40% of my music sessions before Covid , decreased to 10% or lower during covid. While portable is certainly handy if you stay outside your home a lot, purely to get it for travel purposes is a problem as I dont do any critical listening and end up sleeping during travel. So thinking of getting a decent type-C DAC of about 10k once travel resumes and an IEM which holds the top spot under 20-25k INR.

 

[red dragon]

The D90/A90 is possibly overkill for my usage, so is the WA7 ( but it's genuinely nice). Will keep the Monolith too. But I may actually downgrade to Schiit Jotunheim 2 with multibit DAC.
Don't like the sound of Schiit Audio, but according to some, Jotunheim 2 with multibit sounds pretty good.

 

[Synth-Pop]

The D90/A90 is possibly overkill for my usage, so is the WA7 ( but it's genuinely nice). Will keep the Monolith too. But I may actually downgrade to Schiit Jotunheim 2 with multibit DAC.
Don't like the sound of Schiit Audio, but according to some, Jotunheim 2 with multibit sounds pretty good.

RME ADI -2 DAC FS ?, not a warm sounding device but how about an audition, if never tried.
I wanna buy this but its expensive, 100K here at HPzone India.
other thing it lacks is RCA input to use only as an amp (personal preference)