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itsamepe
Sennheiser PC37X randomly goes bad after disconnecting the cable ?
Greetings, Yesterday I was using my headset like normal with my macbook, just listening to music and on a call with people like usual, and the headset was perfectly fine. The stock wire that came with the headset is extremely long and yesterday it annoyed me very much that it kept getting tangled with itself, so I decided to see if the cable is replaceable. I pulled out the cable from the headset and saw the adapter, and looked online for a replacement. Upon plugging it back in, the audio sounded extremely muffled and washed out. Im not sure what I did wrong to make it mess up like that as I've always taken good care of it, ive had it for about 2 years and its always just been chilling on my desk, but anywho I thought the cable just went bad and ordered a replacement. The replacement came, and the issue is still persistant, so I am not sure what the issue is I've tried multiple different headsets and the issue is not with the port, and I also tried it with my windows laptop and...
Apr 23, 2024
MrChiSox
Big changes coming to my tiny little music room, I've recently purchased a new stack. Currently figuring out where to locate it all and ordering up the necessary cables, it won't be too long before I'm up and running. I am now the proud owner of a brand new stack. It's a European brand called Earmen. Amp, DAC, Streamer & Linear Power Supply. It won't be long!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB15yM4UptQ
Apr 23, 2024
Briankan
Recommendation for my next headphone set? I have Koss 95x
Hey all, What would you recommend I get next and why? I have Koss ESP-95x electrostatic massdrop headphones. These are my first and only audiophile set. I love them. I think my only real requirements is $500 or less for the headphones and that they have a little more low end. I don’t need thump but these are really light on lows…but the experience is still awesome. Also any recommendations on an amp? I only have my electrostatic thingy. I am using the Topping D50 DAC. thx!!
Apr 22, 2024
Simthaniel
Rigs
Modded headphones with qudelix at the core
When I received the Qudelix 5K, I had already modified a pair of Superlux HD-681 headphones. I previously soldered my own balanced connections to the drivers, providing multiple ways to connect and...
Apr 14, 2024
brothamike
A decent set of IEMs
I am in the midst of a 300 hour burn-in but, I will say I am enjoying how this set sounds so far. Before I received these which was btw late by a few weeks, I purchased a Sony/Kimber Kable MMCX...
Apr 12, 2024
merrick97
Should I exchange the PC38X for better headphones?
I bought the PC38X headphones FOR GAMING and they are great, but I have NO use for a Microphone since I don't do competitive gaming and I was wondering if there were better headphone options at a similar price without a headphone, where (presumably) more of the cost was put into making it sound better. I also find that my PC38X don't get quite as loud as I would like and I was wondering if a cheap amp like the iFi Go link would draw a little more volume out of my phones. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN6MM822?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details I went with the PC38X since it was considered the best bang for buck headphones. I care most about using spatial apps like DOlby Atmos and DTS Headphone:X. Suggestions are welcome.
Apr 11, 2024
LostnAmerica
Sound Signature of the Grell Project.
Wondering what type of sound signature the Drop Grell project headphones will have or trying to attain. Any update would be appreciated.
Apr 8, 2024
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For the Jotunheim, subbass response extends farther, ultrasonic high frequencies roll off sooner (seems a touch overdamped), noise floor is much lower, THD is the same, crosstalk is way lower, better channel matching. All of this is well below audible thesholds. I have a Jotunheim (listening to it now), I don't find it bright. It sounds like an amp (which is to say, neutral). I've never heard it, but obviously the FR of the liquid carbon is also flat through the audible spectrum. Unfortunately, he doesn't measure max power output at 1% THD (industry standard), which would be informative considering Schiit is known to use a higher THD for their power output specs. Rest assured, though, both have way more power on tap than anyone needs.
DAC-wise, the Jotunheim's built-in (should you choose to get it) is balanced. I don't think you can get a standalone balanced dac for $100 (or $200, for that matter). Does balanced matter? It shouldn't. But maybe subconciously you think it possibly might? Then it could make a difference in sighted comparisons. Only way to know is if you try it out yourself.
Note, psychological effects have a much larger impact on perceived sound quality than anything the amp is doing. That's what people are hearing with sighted comparisons. I'm not going to comment on that any further.
Not that it matters, but you're right, I'm not an audio engineer. Since you brought it up, though, my dissertation was on atmospheric electric field measurements (I designed, built, and tested the amplifiers used), so it's not like electronics are completely foreign to me.
Most of the flak the liquid carbon got was that it didn't use quality parts inside (read headroom as I'm sure you have). Massdrop has a much better developed supply chain and can get better parts for much cheaper than Cavalli Audio was able to. This is why Massdrop is able to make dozens collaborations now that perform better or equal to the original products (TH-X00, ODAC/AMP, HD6XX, Focal Eleax). That's one of the main benefits of Massdrop - being able to make electronics cheaper than smaller companies because of their factories in China and being able to make orders in bulk to drop the price.
I don't want to be rude, but this thread simply started because you compared the Jot to the Liquid Carbon, making the assumption that the Liquid Carbon is the same as the LCX, which it's not. I'm not even trying to argue that the LCX is better than the Jot, I think Schiit is amazing, I own a Schiit stack, and I'm pretty sure it measures better than the LCX. That doesn't change the fact that the LCX isn't the Liquid Carbon 1.0.
And while we're talking about massdrop collabs, the TH-X00 is manufactured by Foster, the HD6XX by Sennheiser, the Elex by Focal. I don't see how these examples are even relevant to your argument. The O2 amp also doesn't prove anything since nwavguy's licence states anything sold as an "O2" must use the exact same layout and components in order to be called an O2, so any "improved" O2 cannot be named such (nevermind that we have nothing to compare). What your examples actually show is that if you put in a large enough order, some companies will let you customize the product a little. I have a Massdrop Gents in my hand right now (designed by Ferrum Forge and manufactured by WE knife). While it's a nice knife, it doesn't compete with an actual Ferrum Forge. At $80, it's not supposed to.
Last thing, when you say "headroom" what forum is that? Did you mean head-case, Kevin Gilmore's forum? He and spritzer crap on anything and everything that isn't designed by Gilmore (except for audio-gd for some weird reason), including everything by schiit. My recollection is that their actual complaints were that 1) it wasn't a balanced topology, which is arguable, 2) it wasn't fully discrete, since the phase splitters used opamps, and 3) the power supply wasn't an off-the-shelf component. #1 obviously isn't addressed in the LC2 or this drop. #2 also has no bearing on the measurements I linked to. #3 I don't even understand, but I don't see how a wallwart switching power supply is moving in the right direction (not that switching wallwarts aren't perfectly adequate, but they most certainly do not measure better than linear power supplies for what audiophiles care about). Near as I can tell, their issues were all theoretical, as they couldn't be bothered to measure anything.
p.s. I would expect the LCX's balanced out to measure better than the schiit stack for no other reason than the LC1 measured better than the SE outputs on the jot and the magni 3 has a similar topology (and listed specs). But as I said in my first post, none of this will be audible in blind comparisons. How's that for comparing apples and oranges?
You don't need to get so butt hurt bud. You compared the Jot to the LC 1.0. I told you this was based off the 2.0 and made by MD not Cavalli which could potentially change things some. You're right about the collabs tho, my mistake (is that so hard?)
I realize I have an awful lot of amps for someone who doesn't believe they sound different in blind tests, but 1) they are cheap, so I don't care, and 2) in sighted listening there are lots of differences, on account of psychological factors (but this is not objective, obviously). As for balanced, my clears came with balanced cables, that's pretty much what my jot is for. I wanted to see if there was a difference for me in sighted listening.