Current headphone setup

griffo104

Wammer
Wammer
Sep 30, 2005
7,311
2,733
158
Newport
AKA
Griffo
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Any good? I get interested in these every time they come up at a good price.
Yes, I love them. They are detailed but really fun to listen too, really good bass and the top end is sweet and never hits any harshness. I prefer the supplied foam tips but even the silicon ones are ok.

My favourite IEMS before these were the Etymotic ER2XR byt the IE300 are a proper step up from them. I got them for £114 on black Friday and what a bargain they have proved to be. They love the Chord Mojo as well which is a bonus.
 

Bourneendboy

Wammer
Wammer
Mar 3, 2009
374
34
43
Tackley, Oxfordshire
AKA
Bill
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
Yes, I love them. They are detailed but really fun to listen too, really good bass and the top end is sweet and never hits any harshness. I prefer the supplied foam tips but even the silicon ones are ok.

My favourite IEMS before these were the Etymotic ER2XR byt the IE300 are a proper step up from them. I got them for £114 on black Friday and what a bargain they have proved to be. They love the Chord Mojo as well which is a bonus.
Thanks for the info, will look out for them next time the deal pops up.
 

bullinachinashop

Wammer
Wammer
May 11, 2022
827
1,884
113
Milton Keynes
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Apologies, I know this is low grade compared to most of your setups, and my experience is limited, but I amazed and delighted by my entry level rig!

Chromecast Audio as streamer and DAC (Samsung wall wart power supply so room to improve this)

Sabaj PHA3 (£34 new off Amazon?!) which I've just compared to the FiiO Kilimanjaro I bought off Jerry - probably an unfair comparison but it's the only one I have - and it's very smooth and refined with a decent soundstage. Potential to improve further with tube upgrades I believe..

AKG K52s, £20 off the WAM, I'm really enjoying the light weight, balanced EQ and wide soundstage. I much prefer them to the Denon 7200s I tried, and the B&W P7s, which both sounded 'richer', but much more closed in and claustrophobic both physically and sonically which I didn't enjoy

I suppose I'll have to upgrade at some point but for now I'm very happy!! 20230224_214318.jpg 🙂
 
Last edited:

JamieMcC

Wammer
Wammer
Aug 25, 2013
2,849
3,746
158
Isle of Wight
AKA
Jamie
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
There's definitely something to be said for keeping things simple especially when experimenting. Enjoying good tunes doesn't have to cost a fortune as you have found out for yourself.

Did you ever try driving your headphones direct off of the CCA? Volume can be controlled via it's app.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bullinachinashop

bullinachinashop

Wammer
Wammer
May 11, 2022
827
1,884
113
Milton Keynes
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
There's definitely something to be said for keeping things simple especially when experimenting. Enjoying good tunes doesn't have to cost a fortune as you have found out for yourself.

Did you ever try driving your headphones direct off of the CCA? Volume can be controlled via it's app.
I tried it briefly, it was surprisingly good, but practically difficult at the moment as the CCA is buried in the old cabinet that's currently in use.
However, when I get a small second system that would be the plan for headphone listening, with either a powerbank or LPSU feed, which I imagine would make a big difference when the CCA is doing DAC and headphone amp duties?
 

JANDL100

Wammer
Wammer Plus
Dec 5, 2006
20,125
7,866
208
Forest of Dean, Glos
AKA
Jerry
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Well done, Ross, on doing the exploratory work and settling on a headphone setup that suits you.

Absolutely there are places to go forward from where you are. But you've a system you like and you've learned a lot about your own personal headphone preferences and requirements. (y)


And, yes, a linear PSU or power bank can be a major sonic upgrade for a lot of gear. It's not guaranteed, ime, but certainly worth exploring.
 

JANDL100

Wammer
Wammer Plus
Dec 5, 2006
20,125
7,866
208
Forest of Dean, Glos
AKA
Jerry
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
My current set up, very modest, and elderly in parts, the Arcam alpha must be 30+ years, owned from new! Very happy with it all though 😃
Very nice. I'm a big fan of Beresford DACs and I am appreciating my own Sennheiser HD 600 more and more.
Are those Sennheiser 650?
 

stokiebloke

Wammer
Wammer
Nov 11, 2013
72
27
33
Sunny Stafford
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
  2. No
Very nice. I'm a big fan of Beresford DACs and I am appreciating my own Sennheiser HD 600 more and more.
Are those Sennheiser 650?
No, they are HD600, not sure how old as I bought them 2nd hand. I replaced the headband and ear cups with genuine parts, and just use the standard cable. I find it a good match with the DAC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JANDL100

griffo104

Wammer
Wammer
Sep 30, 2005
7,311
2,733
158
Newport
AKA
Griffo
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
IMG20230304191309.jpg

Let's do some late night testing with a bit of chi-fi (and a German amp)

One of the things I enjoy being primarily a headphone listener is having multiple setups that can easily be changed around. No room, no backbreaking amps and no worrying about speaker placement. Sit back and just geek out. Nice.
 

bullinachinashop

Wammer
Wammer
May 11, 2022
827
1,884
113
Milton Keynes
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
IMG20230304191309.jpg

Let's do some late night testing with a bit of chi-fi (and a German amp)

One of the things I enjoy being primarily a headphone listener is having multiple setups that can easily be changed around. No room, no backbreaking amps and no worrying about speaker placement. Sit back and just geek out. Nice.
I can really see the appeal of this! What are all these devices?!
 

griffo104

Wammer
Wammer
Sep 30, 2005
7,311
2,733
158
Newport
AKA
Griffo
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I can really see the appeal of this! What are all these devices?!

On the left of the picture
Sabaj A20d (dac)
Sabaj A20h (amp)
Connected balanced and driving the Denon AH-D5200 headphones (also balanced)

On the other side
Topping A50s dac with the P50 LPSU
Lake People G109 amp
Connected single-ended driving the Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro headphones.

One system is all SMPS driven while the other has no SMPS, one is fully balanced, one is fully single-ended.

Source is my HP Chromebook using Tidal and Youtube (and Youtube music).
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: bullinachinashop

Headcoat

Wammer
Wammer Plus
Feb 15, 2006
2,516
1,334
178
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Bought meself a Chord Mojo 2 to replace my knackered iPod Classic and Touch, portable duties in mind.

Can hook up the mobile for out and about and the iPad for summer listening in the garden.

And.... I love it. Sounds excellent, and the eq system is really good,

So impressed I'm even struggling of an evening choosing between the Feliks Elise from hi-fi or the Mojo with Qobuz on the iPad. Likely new toy bug but still.

Colour me impressed. And it drives the Audeze LCD-2 Classics nicely, which surprised me.
 

griffo104

Wammer
Wammer
Sep 30, 2005
7,311
2,733
158
Newport
AKA
Griffo
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Bought meself a Chord Mojo 2 to replace my knackered iPod Classic and Touch, portable duties in mind.

Can hook up the mobile for out and about and the iPad for summer listening in the garden.

And.... I love it. Sounds excellent, and the eq system is really good,

So impressed I'm even struggling of an evening choosing between the Feliks Elise from hi-fi or the Mojo with Qobuz on the iPad. Likely new toy bug but still.

Colour me impressed. And it drives the Audeze LCD-2 Classics nicely, which surprised me.
I have the original Mojo, so lacking the EQ and also the clever mains connection, but I enjoy using it with the Senn IE300, just slip Youtube Music in to shuffle mode and the combo is really excellent. In fact you forget you are listening to compressed music.

As well as the above two systems and the Mojo set up I'm also using, downstairs, The RME with the Focal Elegias. Four systems up and running at the moment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cambs12

Headcoat

Wammer
Wammer Plus
Feb 15, 2006
2,516
1,334
178
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I have the original Mojo, so lacking the EQ and also the clever mains connection, but I enjoy using it with the Senn IE300, just slip Youtube Music in to shuffle mode and the combo is really excellent. In fact you forget you are listening to compressed music.

As well as the above two systems and the Mojo set up I'm also using, downstairs, The RME with the Focal Elegias. Four systems up and running at the moment.

Four is going it some. I'm on three headphone systems and three hi fi systems (one in outhouse for the exercise bike).

Headphone wise:

Main hi-fi into Feliks Elise
Chord Mojo 2 into Arcam rHead in day room
Chord Mojo fed from iPad or mobile for garden and portable duties

Headphones too many and have just bought a new cable for the HD6xx which were sitting in a drawer.

Audeze LCD-2 Classics my current favourite phones. Need some eq, highly unorthodox eq in my case but they sound so nice.

I've reached saturation point 😂
 

bullinachinashop

Wammer
Wammer
May 11, 2022
827
1,884
113
Milton Keynes
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Four is going it some. I'm on three headphone systems and three hi fi systems (one in outhouse for the exercise bike).

Headphone wise:

Main hi-fi into Feliks Elise
Chord Mojo 2 into Arcam rHead in day room
Chord Mojo fed from iPad or mobile for garden and portable duties

Headphones too many and have just bought a new cable for the HD6xx which were sitting in a drawer.

Audeze LCD-2 Classics my current favourite phones. Need some eq, highly unorthodox eq in my case but they sound so nice.

I've reached saturation point 😂
Assuming your phone has no 3.5mm out, how do you connect to the Mojo?
 

Forum statistics

Threads
113,444
Messages
2,451,263
Members
70,783
Latest member
reg66

Latest Articles