The Audiophiles' Lounge

PPC wrote: »

http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/our-products/ehp-o2d-miniature-desktop-headphone-amplifier-with-usb-dac/ better be on the list!

Pick me up one while you're at it

It's so pretty looking :eek:

PPC wrote: »

I was all set to buy a Schiit Asgard and Bifrost, then the O2DAC made an appearance and I can't justify the extra cost
NwAvGuy has said he will be making a bigger O2DAC designed as a desk amp which should be out this fall, so I think i'll be getting that.
I don't like the power cable going into the front of the O2DAC, and I want a bigger volume control :P

Asgard and Bitfrost are my dream set up ;_;

(ignoring the fact I don't have headphones that warrant such equipment)

puffishoes wrote: »

Was also planning on pulling the trigger on the asgard/bitfrost combo for my 600's.

PPC do you think the guy would do a deal if a few of us bought the desktop amp?

do you know him?

I don't know him i'm afraid.
He doesn't sell directly, you have to buy from http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/ in the UK or http://www.jdslabs.com/ in the US.
Theres group buys sometimes on http://www.diyaudio.com/ too.

Most of the places seem to be small little shops, so it may be hard to get a discount.

So lads, a routine question.

What album makes your cans shine?

Gangpol Und Mit - The 1000 Softcore Tourist People Club

http://grooveshark.com/s/Jolie+Coquine/1S2OPO?src=5 Oh this is another great test track.
Really good with bass heavy headphones

Just sounds amazing.

I signed up legally, my http://moneybookers.com/ card has a UK id but the address is in Ireland.
It had been open in Ireland at the start and a few people signed up with their Irish CC and continue to pay.

I see some "targeted" advertising in the bottom right of this thread. Beats for only $9.99! Bargain.

PPC wrote: »

Its generally better than Youtube videos, I can't listen to music on Youtube because it sounds so bad on my headphones.
I pay for Spotify premium and its worth every penny.

Another +1 for Spotify - brilliant service. There are other services like We7 - but Spotify top class.

I have a US account - works out even cheaper.

You need an US Ip address to start off - a verified (that's the tricky bit) US paypal account. A US iTunes account to get the iphone and ipad app (if you are Apple inclined).

Bit once you're in you're in.

Brian wrote: »

Same speakers as I have -- http://www.adverts.ie/speakers/m-audio-studiophile-bx5a-deluxe/1949775

No idea why he has them set up horizontally though!

Wonder what the difference between them and my 2010s is. Hmmmmm.

Quality on Grooveshark is uploader-dependent, but generally it is better than youtube, yeah.

Scubadevils wrote: »

Need to replace my amp (Marantz PM4400) though and plan to do that in the coming months - I had an amp I was happy with but only one channel working, maybe I should see about repair... its a Marantz PM7200 and for a while it would drop one channel and if I switched it on & off it would work again, a while ago thought that trick stopped so now its just one channel.

That could be just a problem with the controls getting a bit dirty over the years, I've had a couple of amps do that & often they can be brought back to life by spraying some switch cleaner (Having Switched OFF the Amp & Plugged it out!) into the top of the balance dial & turning it left & right a few times before leaving it to dry for a while.

Have a fairly modest setup (well by "audiophile" standards anyway lol!) myself but it manages to produce a pretty good sound & anyone who's heard it has been impressed by how well it works.

Hifi consists of a Nad 302 amp, Marantz CD 63ki CD player, a Sony ST SE500 Tuner & a Thorens TD 150 mkII Turntable. Speakers are seriously vintage - B&W DM1s, one of the first speakers the company produced for the home user in the late 60s.

As for headphones, again nothing too earth shatteringly expensive. I alternate between Goldring DR100s & Superlux HD668bs, through a Bravo Audio Ocean (cool little valve amp that sounds impressively good for its' low price point, especially after I swapped the stock tube for a vintage Tungsram) when listening to the hifi, or for use with the computer, a Fiio E10 which is great if your soundcard isn't particularly high grade.

In terms of music which shows them at their best I reckon the Goldrings sound best with rock music, currently listening to the Black Album through them & it's feckin' magnificent, they sound really punchy & forward with anything hard & fast - RATM, Guns & Roses, Nirvana, etc. The Superlux don't have the same feeling of energy when you listen to them but their level of detail is far better & they don't suffer from the occasional harshness to which the Goldrings can be prone, particularly with brass high notes, basically masters of jazz & classical. Perfect tracks for the Goldrings would be "And Justice For All" by Metallica, "Vietnow" by RATM & "Kashmir" by Led Zepellin. For the Superlux good ones would be "Boogie Stop Shuffle" by Charles Mingus, "Meeting of The Spirits" by The Mahavishnu Orchestra & pretty much any section from Holsts' "The Planets".

marko93 wrote: »

Tell me, how are the 668bs, wanted to try them for quite a bit.

Wouldn't be an expert or anything in describing headphones but to my ears they sound fantastic for the money (cost €45 on Thomann incl. postage). As I said above the sound is very detailed & pretty neutral. They give a great sense of space & are very good at instrument placement if you know what I mean. They don't have the same "oomph" as the Goldrings, not really sure how to explain it but I can't seem to rock out to the same extent with them. For jazz however they are absolutely perfect - really capturing the decay of a cymbal or double bass string & making piano sound incredibly life-like.

They're not perfect however. Despite having a very good seal (they're labelled as "semi-open" bizarrely, not sure what the agreed definition of that is) which would make them great as phones to use out & about the build quality & overall bulkiness means I'd be reluctant to use them in a portable setting. In addition the clamping force, at least to start out with is ridiculously strong. I don't have a very big head (well, not physically ha ha!) but the first time I put them on it actually hurt a bit after wearing them for a few minutes. To solve this I got the thickest book I could find & put them on it for a couple of weeks before wearing them again. That seems to have stretched them out a bit & they're now fairly comfortable.

With these minor limitations taken into account they're fantastic phones & definitely worth a try. I'm sure people with more discerning ears than my humble lugs could find other flaws with them but I reckon at their price point you'd struggle to do better overall.

Brian wrote: »

They are semi open because they have small vents on the back.



Unlike eg AD700s which have their entire back open for air movement.

Thanks, that's a good explanation. I always assumed that the whole "open/semi-open, etc thing referred to how well they isolated , so that stuff like Grados would be completely "open" since they apparently leak loads. Feel quite silly now!

Custardpi wrote: »

marko93 wrote: »

Tell me, how are the 668bs, wanted to try them for quite a bit.

Wouldn't be an expert or anything in describing headphones but to my ears they sound fantastic for the money (cost €45 on Thomann incl. postage). As I said above the sound is very detailed & pretty neutral. They give a great sense of space & are very good at instrument placement if you know what I mean. They don't have the same "oomph" as the Goldrings, not really sure how to explain it but I can't seem to rock out to the same extent with them. For jazz however they are absolutely perfect - really capturing the decay of a cymbal or double bass string & making piano sound incredibly life-like.

They're not perfect however. Despite having a very good seal (they're labelled as "semi-open" bizarrely, not sure what the agreed definition of that is) which would make them great as phones to use out & about the build quality & overall bulkiness means I'd be reluctant to use them in a portable setting. In addition the clamping force, at least to start out with is ridiculously strong. I don't have a very big head (well, not physically ha ha!) but the first time I put them on it actually hurt a bit after wearing them for a few minutes. To solve this I got the thickest book I could find & put them on it for a couple of weeks before wearing them again. That seems to have stretched them out a bit & they're now fairly comfortable.

With these minor limitations taken into account they're fantastic phones & definitely worth a try. I'm sure people with more discerning ears than my humble lugs could find other flaws with them but I reckon at their price point you'd struggle to do better overall.

Thank you for that! Really tempted by these :P

Going back to the iPod soon enough, tbh cannot come sooner. Sansa Clip is just a pain in the bollóx.

Mactard wrote: »

Ah well, works for me :P

Was working for me, but realised, I don't use the EQ or any other "extra functions" so it's just plain irritating and the ipod classic has a fine ole sound anyway. So hopefully I can be happy again

doing wrote: »

If it's in good nick would you consider selling it? If so is it a clip or a clip+?

It's virtually impossible to buy the thing anywhere.

Tis a clip zip!

Tis a 4gb. perfect nick! I'd sell it tomorrow except it'd mean I have no player what so ever! As for price, not sure, make an offer in PMs