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Headphone recommendation

2K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  bdht 
#1 ·
Years ago I had a Klipsch ProMedia GMX A-2.1. The GMX is the downgraded version. It sounded great. Deep punchy bass, fun/lively, very dynamic, but also a smoothness to it. There was no separation between the speakers and woffer, the sound was very wholesome. It also gave the impression the sound was "coming" at you. Could do a lot of genres, liked to listen to NIN, alternative rock, industrial metal, some bass heavy trance/techno, rap.

Never listened to a pair of headphones that sounded like that. I understand that there are certain things that headphones can't do. Currently I have the HD380Pro's, B&O H9i's, Ultrasone DJ1 and 580i's, Panasonic HTF600, and owned others. They each get close from a certain point of view, but never reach it. The closest that come to it are the H9i's, but they are a bit too raw and in your head. And a bit too lively.

Source is PC, Xonar DGX, Chord Mojo.

Tried the Meze 99 Classics with a 3rd gen pads I think, did not like them. Did not sound fun/dynamic, sounded kind of tame and distant. Recessed mids.

The 580I's are close to the bass I'd like, but it's got recessed mids and don't sound wholesome. Only works with some genres.

I'd like not to spend more than I have to though. I hope I don't have to change the amp/dac.

Ideally they'd be closed circumaural.

1MORE Triple Driver.
Audeze Mobius.
Fostex TH-X00/TH900.
Audioquest.
Beyerdynamic T1 (in the T5 body).
LCD-2 Closed.
Denon AH-D7000.
Ultrasone Signature Pro?

What else should I be looking at?
 
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#2 ·
You might wanna try the AKG K550/553. They're closed, a nice soundstage, a good bass hit, not so ringy, nice and smooth, low distortion. Before I got the Alpha Primes this was my closed headphone of choice, you can often find em used for $50
https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AKGK550.pdf

I've been listening to my Alpha Primes alot lately without any virtual surround sound, just plain old stereo, and they sound very good. Great extension, low distortion/fast response planars, very flat without sounding to bright. Perfect tingy high hats, splashy cymbals, crunchy guitars, clean defined bass lines, don't get muddied up under the weight of cacophonous death/black metal. They also have one of the best soundstages I've ever heard and not just in a closed back, due to their 3d printed cups and deep pads, large out of the head, great separation/imaging. Not an easy headphone to find, but can give you an idea of features to look for. Running them off the fully isolated audio-gd stack. I don't know that I'd like power hungry planars on the mojo though. I use about 2w balanced on the nfb-1amp with the alpha primes just for music... Planars unveil a layer of performance when run balanced as well. Though the he-400is sounded excellent just on the nfb-11, but on the 1-amp it's much meatier and fuller sounding.

Since you liked Waves NX, the Mobius might give you a sound you like, as it has Waves NX built-in with gyro/accelerometer based headtracking as well to keep the virtualized speakers in fixed location. I recommend a pad switch but that's it, they sound amazing. Bluetooth 5.0 with LDAC. 7.1 pcm processing via usb. Can give you a nice desktop speakers / studio monitors sound, or excellent headphone stereo sound, or crank up the room reflections if you're sitting further away from a display. Though that part I like PIR better. Still use the Mobius regularly.

Additionally with the VSS, try adding bass shakers to your seat, that makes a big difference in the externalization and realism of the virtualization as instead of feeling low frequencies on just your head, you feel them everywhere.

How are you running the mojo? usb to the pc? and powered by the usb? >< A great option for the mojo is using usb with an iso regen and the both of them powered by an ultracap, thatll provide full isolation and perfect signal/power delivery. Should really improve your sound with any headphones and let you really hear their differences and not how they react to ultra-noisy pc audio. Should be alot of people in this thread with that combo.
Chord Mojo
 
#3 · (Edited)
You might wanna try the AKG K550/553. They're closed, a nice soundstage, a good bass hit, not so ringy, nice and smooth, low distortion. Before I got the Alpha Primes this was my closed headphone of choice, you can often find em used for $50
https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AKGK550.pdf

I've been listening to my Alpha Primes alot lately without any virtual surround sound, just plain old stereo, and they sound very good. Great extension, low distortion/fast response planars, very flat without sounding to bright. Perfect tingy high hats, splashy cymbals, crunchy guitars, clean defined bass lines, don't get muddied up under the weight of cacophonous death/black metal. They also have one of the best soundstages I've ever heard and not just in a closed back, due to their 3d printed cups and deep pads, large out of the head, great separation/imaging. Not an easy headphone to find, but can give you an idea of features to look for. Running them off the fully isolated audio-gd stack. I don't know that I'd like power hungry planars on the mojo though. I use about 2w balanced on the nfb-1amp with the alpha primes just for music... Planars unveil a layer of performance when run balanced as well. Though the he-400is sounded excellent just on the nfb-11, but on the 1-amp it's much meatier and fuller sounding.

Since you liked Waves NX, the Mobius might give you a sound you like, as it has Waves NX built-in with gyro/accelerometer based headtracking as well to keep the virtualized speakers in fixed location. I recommend a pad switch but that's it, they sound amazing. Bluetooth 5.0 with LDAC. 7.1 pcm processing via usb. Can give you a nice desktop speakers / studio monitors sound, or excellent headphone stereo sound, or crank up the room reflections if you're sitting further away from a display. Though that part I like PIR better. Still use the Mobius regularly.

Additionally with the VSS, try adding bass shakers to your seat, that makes a big difference in the externalization and realism of the virtualization as instead of feeling low frequencies on just your head, you feel them everywhere.

How are you running the mojo? usb to the pc? and powered by the usb? >< A great option for the mojo is using usb with an iso regen and the both of them powered by an ultracap, thatll provide full isolation and perfect signal/power delivery. Should really improve your sound with any headphones and let you really hear their differences and not how they react to ultra-noisy pc audio. Should be alot of people in this thread with that combo.
Chord Mojo
Where can I look for used?

I only listened to the Mobius in a store, did not have a chance to tweak them. Not sure What they can sound like.

Mojo is via SPDIF, only on battery.
 
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