Master "deals" (massdrop, ebay, Amazon, etc.) Thread on Audio Product Sales

[TungstenC]

Topping D30 DAC ($104.99), A30 Headphone Amp ($89.99) & PA3 Stereo Amp ($89.99) on Massdrop

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/topping-d30-dac

 

[Grave]

Topping D30 DAC ($104.99), A30 Headphone Amp ($89.99) & PA3 Stereo Amp ($89.99) on Massdrop

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/topping-d30-dac

Meh, the price is normal.

 

[jsmiller58]

Ali has 15% off for rest of the week...

 

[esm]

Just an FYI, Massdrop is apparently going to be doing a collaboration with Koss on a redux of Koss' ESP/950 electrostatic headphones on Monday:

Note: The Massdrop x Koss ESP/95X Electrostatic System will launch September 17 at 6 a.m. PT for $499.99 with free US shipping and subsidized international shipping. Each headphone is serialized and the first 360 purchasers are guaranteed a serial number under 400. Payment will be collected at the end of September to begin production.

 

[amirm]

Looks pedestrian with all that plastic and DIY looking amp. Is that how the original looked?

 

[Timbo2]

Looks pedestrian with all that plastic and DIY looking amp. Is that how the original looked?

Yes, believe it or not.

 

[hvbias]

Looks pedestrian with all that plastic and DIY looking amp. Is that how the original looked?

Yes. The main highlight was Koss' no questions asked lifetime warranty that applied to all owners. You just sent the defective unit back (squealing was quite a common problem due to dust in the stators, even a tiny spec of dust would cause issues) with a check for $6 and they sent you a brand new set.

I was not a fan of the way they sounded, just too harsh sounding in the upper midrange/lower treble. Most certainly not the headphones for people that like listening at an active listening volume.

Here are Tyll's measurements: https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/Koss ESP950.pdf

 

[esm]

Tyll measured a second ESP/950 sample as well: http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/KossESP950Sample2.pdf

 

[Grave]

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-sennheiser-hd6xx

The best headphones ever made, only $200.

 

[amirm]

Man, I need to get in the business of selling headphones:

So are these identical to my HD 650s and just a different model number so massdrop can discount them or something else?

 

[JJB70]

If the Massdrop HD6XX really is a badged HD650 then it is an incredible bargain and does kind of beg some serious questions with respect to high end headphone prices. People seem to forget now that it isn't that long ago that the HD650 was pretty much as good as it got and they were the high end, not mid-range price. In terms of performance the difference between them and high end alternatives is nowhere near as significant as the price difference would suggest. I still have a pair of ancient HD580 Ovation II's which punch way above their weight and still sound great.

 

[watchnerd]

If the Massdrop HD6XX really is a badged HD650 then it is an incredible bargain and does kind of beg some serious questions with respect to high end headphone prices. People seem to forget now that it isn't that long ago that the HD650 was pretty much as good as it got and they were the high end, not mid-range price. In terms of performance the difference between them and high end alternatives is nowhere near as significant as the price difference would suggest. I still have a pair of ancient HD580 Ovation II's which punch way above their weight and still sound great.

I thought it was a rebadged HD600?

I'm shamed I don't know the answer off the top of my head, given I own a pair of HD6XX....

(multiple sources say it's the HD650)

I find the Massdrop HD6XX to be one of my most comfortable headphones, but not as detailed as my Massdrop AKG K7XX, and overall not as good as my HiFi Man 400...

On the other hand, my HiFi Mans are my least comfortable headphones. They sound great, but they start to make my head and ears too hot and uncomfortable after about an hour.

 

[JJB70]

Even if it's the 600 it's a great deal, as the HD600 still performs way better than it's now modest price (in high end headphone terms) might suggest.

 

[watchnerd]

Even if it's the 600 it's a great deal, as the HD600 still performs way better than it's now modest price (in high end headphone terms) might suggest.

Eh, I dunno about that.

They're good, but I wouldn't say they're "way better" than other best in class for the similar price.

 

[JJB70]

Not saying they perform way better than best in class at the price, I'm saying they perform way better than their modest price might suggest in an era where the $1000 headphone is starting to look decidedly mid-range. I don't think headphones are different to other parts of high end audio in that whilst some of the high end gear really is superbly engineered and performs to an exceptional standard some of it doesn't and there is a break down in the assumed relationship between cost and performance. I have a pair of Beyerdynamic DT1990's which are in a similar price category to the HD650/660 models which I prefer to the Sennheiser's and consider that they are probably already well into the diminishing returns curve. I have a pair of T5P's which have an SRP which is about double that of the DT1990's, both models sound different and I like them both but I really couldn't say the T5P justifies a much higher price. Another really nice headphone which is relatively inexpensive and which performs way better than it's price might suggest relative to mega bucks models in my opinion is the Audio Technica MSR7, I think in the UK they're now well below £150 real price, it's a terrific headphone for the price.

 

[Grave]

Extremely expensive headphones are a obviously rip off. Nothing sounds better to me than cheap Sennheisers so far. They sound incredible to me.

The HD 6XX are supposed to be exactly the same as the HD 650.

 

[Sal1950]

IMHO Good Senn's like the 650's put you at the edge of that of the diminishing returns chart graph. You can spend a ton more money and get a lot of different sounding cans, some maybe a bit better, or maybe just different.
The thing is with headphones, it's not too expensive to play around in that field if you have a few bucks. Just read a few posts over at HeadFi.
For me, my 650s are good enough.

 

[watchnerd]

Not saying they perform way better than best in class at the price, I'm saying they perform way better than their modest price might suggest in an era where the $1000 headphone is starting to look decidedly mid-range. I don't think headphones are different to other parts of high end audio in that whilst some of the high end gear really is superbly engineered and performs to an exceptional standard some of it doesn't and there is a break down in the assumed relationship between cost and performance. I have a pair of Beyerdynamic DT1990's which are in a similar price category to the HD650/660 models which I prefer to the Sennheiser's and consider that they are probably already well into the diminishing returns curve. I have a pair of T5P's which have an SRP which is about double that of the DT1990's, both models sound different and I like them both but I really couldn't say the T5P justifies a much higher price. Another really nice headphone which is relatively inexpensive and which performs way better than it's price might suggest relative to mega bucks models in my opinion is the Audio Technica MSR7, I think in the UK they're now well below £150 real price, it's a terrific headphone for the price.

IMHO Good Senn's like the 650's put you at the edge of that of the diminishing returns chart graph. You can spend a ton more money and get a lot of different sounding cans, some maybe a bit better, or maybe just different.
The thing is with headphones, it's not too expensive to play around in that field if you have a few bucks. Just read a few posts over at HeadFi.
For me, my 650s are good enough.

Sure, I'll agree to that.

I'm roughly of the opinion that:

Dynamic over-the-ear headphones up to about the Senn HD650 / AKG K7XXX level; next go to planars to the Audeze LCD2 level; next go to electrostats

$4000 for the Focal Utopia seems goofy -- at that level, I'd be buying Stax.

 

[hvbias]

IMHO Good Senn's like the 650's put you at the edge of that of the diminishing returns chart graph. You can spend a ton more money and get a lot of different sounding cans, some maybe a bit better, or maybe just different.
The thing is with headphones, it's not too expensive to play around in that field if you have a few bucks. Just read a few posts over at HeadFi.
For me, my 650s are good enough.

Sure, diminishing returns, but depending on the type of music you're listening to those diminishing returns or last 5-10% or whatever can mean a huge difference in reproduction. The Stax SR-009 are flat out better than the HD6XX/HD650 and sheer resolution of hearing acoustic music like piano, violin, sacred cantatas, etc brings me much closer to what is on the disc.

If listening to something like a studio multitracked recording of rock album then the differences are smaller and that unbridled resolution isn't really needed and can actually be a detriment.

The main issue with the HD6xx/650 is the soundstage, it is very constricting for any natural space/non-studio recordings and second it's not as resolving as the Stax. Dollar for dollar there is nothing remotely close to them.

 

[watchnerd]

Sure, diminishing returns, but depending on the type of music you're listening to those diminishing returns or last 5-10% or whatever can mean a huge difference in reproduction. The Stax SR-009 are flat out better than the HD6XX/HD650 and sheer resolution of hearing acoustic music like piano, violin, sacred cantatas, etc brings me much closer to what is on the disc.

If listening to something like a studio multitracked recording of rock album then the differences are smaller and that unbridled resolution isn't really needed and can actually be a detriment.

The main issue with the HD6xx/650 is the soundstage, it is very constricting for any natural space/non-studio recordings and second it's not as resolving as the Stax. Dollar for dollar there is nothing remotely close to them.

This is why I have multiple headphones.

My higher resolution headphones make a lot of studio albums sound like the poor quality works they really are.