Headphone Upgrade Path: Electrostatic vs Dynamic vs Planar

[watchnerd]

I have a phone that lets the user individualize EQ. That audio band is divided into four. A single tone from each band is pulsed repeatedly, and the user adjusts a volume slider until the tone is barely heard. Do that for each band, for each ear, and the system is calibrated for that user for that headset . The results are stored. It’s possible to have multiple stored for different headsets.
Is anyone aware of something similar available for PC?

I don't know of any, but it sounds cool.

 

[Robin L]

Who is John Yang?

John Yang designed the Topping L30, making him one of the current Godz of audio.

 

[watchnerd]

The Sennheiser HD-820S and HD-800S look incredibly similar.

And the specs are pretty close, too.

Does anyone know the key differences?

 

[watchnerd]

John Yang designed the Topping L30, making him one of the current Godz of audio.

Oh okay, that's a nice achievement.

I guess I don't understand why his headphone preferences matter to me if he doesn't have my ear / head shape and I don't own any Topping gear.

 

[Helicopter]

Who is John Yang?

Does he have a similar HRTF to me?

If not, his favorite may not mean much to me.[/QUOTE]

He is a technical expert from Topping who shares a lot of solid thinking here. Since Topping makes great products, and I like a lot of what he writes, I value his opinion.

No doubt his preferences may be completely different from yours, but taking a moment to look at his favorite headphone, which is not as expensive as many models in this thread, may be worthwile. I am not saying you should buy it without further consideration or that I am confident you will like it.

 

[watchnerd]

No doubt his preferences may be completely different from yours, but taking a moment to look at his favorite headphone, which is not as expensive as many models in this thread, may be worthwile. I am not saying you should buy it without further consideration or that I am confident you will like it.

No offense, but I don't understand the logic of this, especially given I don't own any Topping gear.

Should I also ask what are the favorite headphones of the RME engineers who built the ADI-2 Pro?

They may not have an HRTF similar to me, either, but at least it's the same gear that I own.

 

[watchnerd]

When I read reviews of people who did not like the HD800/s I thought I would be in that category. I thought I would not like bright and did not know if I would be treble sensitive. I do prefer a warmer presentation, but I ended up really enjoying them. I just had to satisfy my curiosity.

Just looking at the specs, one appealing item is the 300 ohm impedance.

This means I could, conceivably, use it in my pro gear that has High Z headphone jacks (e.g. reel to reel tape decks).

I'm also still not clear on the 800 vs 820 difference.

And if I got another Senns, which of my current cans do I get rid of?

 

[Helicopter]

No offense, but I don't understand the logic of this, especially given I don't own any Topping gear.

Should I also ask what are the favorite headphones of the RME engineers who built the ADI-2 Pro?

They may not have an HRTF similar to me, either, but at least it's the same gear that I own.

No offense taken. The logic is simply that if his preferences do happen to coincide with yours then you can benefit from his genius and experience.

Your thread, your journey, your choice.

 

[Jimbob54]

Just looking at the specs, one appealing item is the 300 ohm impedance.

This means I could, conceivably, use it in my pro gear that has High Z headphone jacks (e.g. reel to reel tape decks).

I'm also still not clear on the 800 vs 820 difference.

And if I got another Senns, which of my current cans do I get rid of?

Think the 820 are closed back

EDIT- yes, they are the closed variant of the current 800 series- the 800S being the open replacement for the original 800

 

[watchnerd]

No offense taken. The logic is simply that if his preferences do happen to coincide with yours then you can benefit from his genius and experience.

Your thread, your journey, your choice.

Thanks.

The Ananda is also another example of the round vs tear drop headphone Hi Fi Man lineup -- I don't quite get why they have both.

On the surface, I look at the Ananda and compare to my current 400i and think.."okay, similar to what I already own...other than oval ear pads...anything else different?"

 

[Soniclife]

The Sennheiser HD-820S and HD-800S look incredibly similar.

And the specs are pretty close, too.

Does anyone know the key differences?

One is open, the other closed back.

 

[watchnerd]

Think the 820 are closed back

EDIT- yes, they are the closed variant of the current 800 series- the 800S being the open replacement for the original 800

One is open, the other closed back.

Huh....

Closed back vs open back for a $700 price difference?

 

[Jimbob54]

Huh....

Closed back vs open back for a $700 price difference?

Aint nothing in headphone land make any sense- youd like to think it was more than a bit of perspex over the driver-back and denser material instead of the metal mesh around the outer parts. But it may just be exactly that with a bit of change in dampening materials inside and new pads- or it may be entirely new drivers and modelling.

I suspect its more the former than the latter though.

 

[Jimbob54]

Thanks.

The Ananda is also another example of the round vs tear drop headphone Hi Fi Man lineup -- I don't quite get why they have both.

On the surface, I look at the Ananda and compare to my current 400i and think.."okay, similar price to what I already own...other than oval ear pads...anything else different?"

I think the teardrop shape house a larger planar panel driver- hence the need for bigger cup shape.

 

[FrantzM]

I am of two minds when it comes to ESL. The Stax ESL SR-007 are arguably very good to excellent headphones. On a purely intellectual, reasoned, audiophile basis listening to them is a delight; but and that is the strange "but".. I listen to the HifiMan HE560 more than to the Stax. It could be that the Stax requires me to switch cables, etc... The HE6 doesn't lose anything to the Stax, save perhaps, for a kind of "purity", the Stax has in the mid to treble, I apologize for the audiophile terminology I am using... Overall the HE6 sounds better to me than the Stax. More balanced, serious bass(one of the best in the biz), a weight/body in the sound, I find lacking in many ESL I heard in the past.

I played this Basoonic cut on similar (high) volume the HE6, sickening sensation but no distortion, , on the Stax bass buct not much tactile impression, the HE560 clearly distorts at some point around the 20 Hz, on the left channel.. Amplifiers were a Yamaha in Class A (CA 2010A) and Stax. for the HE6, the Atom for the HE560 . The HE6 is one heck of a headphone... Nothing fazes it, from classical to dubsteps ... For me an endgame.
My ears are buzzing from the assault. It does seem to be loud but it damn was...

 

[watchnerd]

Aint nothing in headphone land make any sense

Especially when you can get the swanky gold Anniversary Edition of the 800S for less.

 

[Jimbob54]

Especially when you can get the swanky gold Anniversary Edition of the 800S for less.

Now that really is just the same headphone as the regular model, but for a few $00 more and a splash of gold colour paint/ anodizing stuff. Probably a flashy box

 

[watchnerd]

Now that really is just the same headphone as the regular model, but for a few $00 more and a splash of gold colour paint/ anodizing stuff. Probably a flashy box

The 800S and 800S Anniversary seem to be priced the same.

 

[watchnerd]

I am of two minds when it comes to ESL. The Stax ESL SR-007 are arguably very good to excellent headphones. On a purely intellectual, reasoned, audiophile basis listening to them is a delight; but and that is the strange "but".. I listen to the HifiMan HE560 more than to the Stax. It could be that the Stax requires me to switch cables, etc... The HE6 doesn't lose anything to the Stax, save perhaps, for a kind of "purity", the Stax has in the mid to treble, I apologize for the audiophile terminology I am using... Overall the HE6 sounds better to me than the Stax. More balanced, serious bass(one of the best in the biz), a weight/body in the sound, I find lacking in many ESL I heard in the past.

I played this Basoonic cut on similar (high) volume the HE6, sickening sensation but no distortion, , on the Stax bass buct not much tactile impression, the HE560 clearly distorts at some point around the 20 Hz, on the left channel.. Amplifiers were a Yamaha in Class A (CA 2010A) and Stax. for the HE6, the Atom for the HE560 . The HE6 is one heck of a headphone... Nothing fazes it, from classical to dubsteps ... For me an endgame.
My ears are buzzing from the assault. It does seem to be loud but it damn was...

You have the HE6 and not the HE6 SE, right?

 

[Jimbob54]

The 800S and 800S Anniversary seem to be priced the same.

My bad then- thought they bumped the price too. Not keen on the gold if I am honest- but then the 800 series aint lookers.