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What headphones would you like Amir to measure next?

Yorkshire Mouth said:
@Amir I look forward to you all of your reviews.

But as a general point, I’ll throw this in. We’ve now ‘found’ great over-ear headphones with superb tonal balance, not needing much (or any) eq, for a reasonable price. Electronics-wise, with DACs and headphone amps, it’s the same.

We now need a blitz on IEMs to see if we can find some AKG K371 equivalents for a reasonable price. It can be difficult to eq from a phone (which what I suspect must if us use as a DAP), so we need something at least close-ish without eq.

Just my opinion.
Click to expand...
Man, as match as I agree with you 100% on electronics, I don't think it is the case for over-ear headphones. In what world are the AKG k371 "great" ; it is a good headphone due to it's excellent tonal balance and price. But did you account for dynamics, (instrument) seperation and spatial qualities (some would call it stage). We are still a long way into descovering where to look for thoses attributes, when measuring over-ear headphones.
Many people would prefer focals because the index more for dynamics (no necessarily bass elevation, because focals don't all have a bass shelf). Most love the Hifiman Arya because they index for those spatial qualities (like amir did with the HD800S).
 
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Red@ said:
Man, as match as I agree with you 100% on electronics, I don't think it is the case for over-ear headphones. In what world are the AKG k371 "great" ; it is a good headphone due to it's excellent tonal balance and price. But did you account for dynamics, (instrument) seperation and special qualities (some would call it stage). We are still a long way into descovering where to look for thoses attributes, when measuring over-ear headphones.
Many people would prefer focals because the index more for dynamics (no necessarily bass elevation, because focals don't all have a bass shelf). Most love the Hifiman Arya because they index for those special qualities (like amir did with the HD800S).
Click to expand...
(you mean "spatial", not "special" right?)
 
Red@ said:
Man, as match as I agree with you 100% on electronics, I don't think it is the case for over-ear headphones. In what world are the AKG k371 "great" ; it is a good headphone due to it's excellent tonal balance and price. But did you account for dynamics, (instrument) seperation and spatial qualities (some would call it stage). We are still a long way into descovering where to look for thoses attributes, when measuring over-ear headphones.
Many people would prefer focals because the index more for dynamics (no necessarily bass elevation, because focals don't all have a bass shelf). Most love the Hifiman Arya because they index for those spatial qualities (like amir did with the HD800S).
Click to expand...
And I should add, the "timbre" or how naturaly a frequency is elevating and decaying. Do we now what sort of dacay is considered natural but quick enough for each set of frequencies ?
Some headphones, despite a proper tonal balance, do have a metalic (or robotic ? ) edge or timbre to them.
As much as Tonal balance is a necessary condition for headphones to sound good. It is not enough.
If you EQ the 371 and Susvara ( I chose it cause it has already an excellent tonal balance, so easy to eq) to the same FR, and listen in moderate volumes (so eliminate drivers clipping, or distortion arguments), do you think they will sound the same ?
 
Red@ said:
Man, as match as I agree with you 100% on electronics, I don't think it is the case for over-ear headphones. In what world are the AKG k371 "great" ; it is a good headphone due to it's excellent tonal balance and price. But did you account for dynamics, (instrument) seperation and spatial qualities (some would call it stage). We are still a long way into descovering where to look for thoses attributes, when measuring over-ear headphones.
Many people would prefer focals because the index more for dynamics (no necessarily bass elevation, because focals don't all have a bass shelf). Most love the Hifiman Arya because they index for those spatial qualities (like amir did with the HD800S).
Click to expand...
You mean something like impulse + step response and CSD measurements?
 
phoenixsong said:
You mean something like impulse + step response and CSD measurements?
Click to expand...
CSD measurements do show you the decay heat map, but how do you know if it is good or not ? It is unlike tonal balance where important studies have been conducted to orient us towards the more balanced FRs.
But my point is simply, it is not because we have a good price + tonal balance, we can consider that we are done with headphones, and then highlight a 371 as a great headphone, like we would say for something like the topping d30 pro.
 
Red@ said:
CSD measurements do show you the decay heat map, but how do you know if it is good or not ? It is unlike tonal balance where important studies have been conducted to orient us towards the more balanced FRs.
But my point is simply, it is not because we have a good price + tonal balance, we can consider that we are done with headphones, and then highlight a 371 as a great headphone, like we would say for something like the topping d30 pro.
Click to expand...

I agree we’re not ‘done with headphones’, but I feel we’re undoubtably in a very good place.

Back to my point, whilst a pair of K371-equivalents in IEM form wouldn’t be the end of the road, it’d be fantastic to know something like this is out there at a similar price.
 
Amir has a Moondrop Aria about to be measured- I have high hopes for it. Using mine with the clear adhesive behind the metal wax guards removed and with the tips changed to BGVP A07 tips in S. I do not feel any need to EQ it but wish for about 2dB more bass on some tracks
 
phoenixsong said:
Amir has a Moondrop Aria about to be measured- I have high hopes for it. Using mine with the clear adhesive behind the metal wax guards removed and with the tips changed to BGVP A07 tips in S. I do not feel any need to EQ it but wish for about 2dB more bass on some tracks
Click to expand...

I can’t wait, too. Going on holiday in a fortnight, and I could do with upgrading my IEMs.
 
No specific model in mind, but more on-ears at various price points. I think they're underappreciated, especially as a portable alternative for those of us who can't stand IEMs.
 
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Hifiman Arya, curious if its worth buying over HE6SE.
 
Actually, I'm a bit miffd.

The Arias are for sale in the UK (Amazon & eBay), but only to be imported from China, with a several week delay until delivery. No chance of getting them in time for the holiday.
 
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