Headphone Heaven

JamieMcC

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I'm having a bit of a problem with longer listening sessions with the Sennheiser HD 600.
I'm finding them a bit uncomfortable. The earpads are a bit too firm and small.
And I'm not keen on the feel of the material.

Basically, I don't like the stock earpads!

Any recommendations for a replacement?

On eBay I spy Dekoni sheepskin pads for £55, and cheaper pleather options.

Wondered if your 600s have not been used much it's the clamping pressure squishing the pads excessively making them uncomfortable for longer listening. If I remember correctly mine clamped a bit to tightly when new and I sped up the stretching them in phase by placing a few books in-between the ear pads when not in use for a few days to help stretch them to fit my head.
Not overly stretching them but just a little.
 
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JANDL100

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A Google search shows that the internet is swarming with folks with comfort issues with these headphones!

The claim is that the metal extensions of the headband are actually designed to have their curvature changed. Care must be taken not to strain the plastic part of the headband in any way, only use contact with the metal.

I'll have a go once I've got my courage up!
 
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I've successfully bent the HD 600 headband metal bands for a better fit.
I still don't like the earpads, so I've just ordered a pair of Dekoni sheepskin pads and adaptors.

Have the Dekoni sheepskins arrived yet, Jerry?

Meanwhile, I seem to be enjoying the Audeze LCD2 Closed Backs more and more. Tweaking the Lokius dial centred on 6kHz down a few db's is making all the difference.

I'd guess many might find the sound after this tweak a little dark/subdued but it takes the edge off the peak in this area, a peak I think is there. I say I think, as although the peak shows on measurements of these phones, I have swapped in leather open cell earpads and the measurements are likely with the original pleather memory foam pads. I did read one person's opinion the leather open cell pads resolve the lower treble graininess on the phones, but have seen nothing to corroborate this.

Beyond that, the speed, the bass, the separation, the detail, the resolution, and the punch are all great attributes of these cans.

I haven't used the LCD-2C anything like as much, mostly as being open backed they disturb Mrs Headcoat's TV viewing of an evening. As a result, they've ended up on the Arcan rHead in another room. From the little playing they've had they also impress, though I'm not able to tweak around 6kHz as here I only have Spotify's built in eq.

The Shure SRH1540 impress but need more listening.

The HD6xx will go up for sale. The HD480 600ohm also possibly for sale, though I have a weird attachment to these despite rarely using them. The Meze 99's are currently gathering dust but will get more use once I get out walking again as the weather improves.

The HD599 have long been relegated to TV duty. The Nighthawks are taking a well earned rest as I get to know the Audeze and Shure's. They'll be back, and I am considering using these for TV rather than the HD599's and selling the 599's. From there, the Nighthawks can shift over to music as required. Is the cable longer enough to reach TV? I need to check.

The Marshall Monitors are used on the exercise bike. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: these are great cans for mobile listening. Killer bass, nice mids and top end. Warm, dynamic and punchy.

And that's all the headphones I have 😂

I did wonder about my impulse buy of both the LCD-2C and LCD-2 closed back. As above, enjoying both, but for the money I could have bought the LCD2-Fazor with cash to spare. Has anyone compared these headphones?
 

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Had a good listen to the Shure SRH1540's last night. Balanced, smooth, light, airy, good bass, enough detail, enough soundstage.

Impressed. The air was a standout factor. I'm unsure how much is placebo due to the very light and comfortable phone themselves. Quite unique, they manage to be smooth without a hint of darkness, instead they sound so light and airy. Note: not bright in anyway.

Inadvertently, for my ears, I think I've bought a good complementary pair to the Audeze here. Where the Audeze are dark the Shures are light and breezy. Yet, there's still plenty of body to the Shures. It's a clever trick, on occassion the music sounds like a leaf blowing and floating in the wind. Yet, the leaf has more weight than ought to allow it to float around.

Weird. I like it.
 

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Interesting.
I've had 2 pairs of Shure.

The totl 1840 which were unbearably bright for me (someone else called them lush. Incomprehensible!).

And then 840 which I really liked. Probably my favourite "cheap" headphones.
 

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Interesting.
I've had 2 pairs of Shure.

The totl 1840 which were unbearably bright for me (someone else called them lush. Incomprehensible!).

And then 840 which I really liked. Probably my favourite "cheap" headphones.

I do sometimes wonder if there's variance in individual units or there's fakes flying around.

We bought our niece a pair of Senn Momentums for her 16th. I had a listen out of the box and was impressed enough to buy myself a pair. Took them on a skiing holiday and they sounded awful, harsh in upper mids/treble and so different to the other pair. Could barely listen to music while I was away.

Luckily, I'd bought from Amazon direct so I gladly saw the back of them and returned.
 

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I'll add with the 1540's the airy and light I mention is ethereal, it doesn't sound as if the music is coming from the can itself, rather it's in the air. Perhaps, the opposite of what we describe as boxiness in a speaker is another way of putting it.
 
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A bit of a laugh, I thought.

IMG_20230207_164109.jpg

A portable headphone amp.
With valves. 🤩

A Little Bear B4-X.
It's received some good user reviews on Amazon. So for 60 quid I thought I'd have a play.

Must admit I'm very impressed with it so far driving Monolith M1060 planars.
A very vibrant and compelling music maker.

The bit of a laugh has turned quite serious. (y)
It has user replaceable opamps as well I'll probably have a play with that.
 
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Lawrence001

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Nice, I saw one for sale a while ago and of course immediately discounted it as being unworthy of consideration 😂
 
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Some further thoughts on the valved up Little Bear portable headphone amp.....

My enthusiasm for its vibrant and compelling sound continues.

It's a nicely naturally spacious sound as well. There's a lot of room in the presentation, it doesn't sound at all cramped to me.

But its not the most transparent and hi rez; there's a fair amount of online chatter about op amp changes improving it in this regard. An issue with that is that the op amps weigh in at similar prices or more to the used cost of the whole amp!
But there is definitely something about the amp that makes an op amp upgrade a serious consideration.

And it's a bit microphonic. Whilst being genuinely portable, you don't won't to clang it about when listening as the valves start going ping.

But it's definitely a serious good'un, regardless. 👌
 
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Lawrence001

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Some further thoughts on the valved up Little Bear portable headphone amp.....

My enthusiasm for its vibrant and compelling sound continues.

It's a nicely naturally spacious sound as well. There's a lot of room in the presentation, it doesn't sound at all cramped to me.

But its not the most transparent and hi rez; there's a fair amount of online chatter about op amp changes improving it in this regard. An issue with that is that the op amps weigh in at similar prices or more to the used cost of the whole amp!
But there is definitely something about the amp that makes an op amp upgrade a serious consideration.

And it's a bit microphonic. Whilst being genuinely portable, you don't won't to clang it about when listening as the valves start going ping.

But it's definitely a serious good'un, regardless. 👌
What opamps does it come with Jerry?

I've got some spares under the bed if you want to try a change for free.
 
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What opamps does it come with Jerry?

I've got some spares under the bed if you want to try a change for free.
Thank you.
They are the stock ones, so must be NE5532.
There are some YouTube vids about doing the swap, so I'll check those out and decide if I am up to the challenge!
 

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Arrived - Monolith M1060c closed back - a day late, as the eBay seller decided to use ParcelForce 48 rather than the promised Special Delivery.

They are saying Hello to my Monolith M1060 open backed.

IMG_20230208_134927.jpg
The mrs calls them my Cyberman headphones, and it's hard to disagree.

I've not tried the "c" yet.
 

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The big headphone news this week has been the arrival of sheepskin Dekoni earpads for my Sennheiser HD600. All the way from Singapore (which I wasn't expecting).

IMG_20230221_091939.jpg

I had been complaining like crazy about comfort issues with the Sennheiser earpads, so I ordered these Dekoni.

Of course, immediately after I'd ordered them the Senn pads started settling in quite nicely. :rolleyes:

I'm not over the moon with the Dekoni. Comfort wise they are so so, not bad but not wonderful either.
Sonically, mmmmmm, I've a horrible feeling I prefer the Sennheiser pads.
The Dekoni seem to suck a bit of the life out of the sound which wasn't exactly buzzing with pizzazz to start with.
Hmm. Maybe.
I need to revert to the Sennheiser pads to check.

The issue there, though, is that the necessary Dekoni adapter rings seem a poor design and are a right b#gger to fit in an even vaguely secure way. So I'm not over keen on taking them off only maybe to want to put them back on again...
 
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.... and on a more upbeat note, this is a shout out for a cheap and very cheerful little portable Bluetooth headphone amp. A Neoteck NTK106.

Listening at the moment with Tiffy on my lap....

IMG_20230221_114434.jpg
.... and a pair of Monolith M1060c closed back planars.

It's not the most transparent or dynamically exciting sound. It's a bit smooth and warm. Easy listening rather audiophile.
But it's incredibly "nice" to listen to.
£20 or so for this little techno wonder from China.
Ridiculous vfm.
I've got several of these scattered around.
 

JANDL100

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I've not tried the "c" yet.
I've tried the M1060c now quite extensively.
It's my new favourite headphone.

If I could only keep 1 from my collection it would be the Monolith M1060c.

My least favourite are the Sennheiser HD 600. I really don't get the fuss about them at all. They provide a very precise outline of the music but seem to remove the depth and solidity.
 
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JANDL100

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My least favourite are the Sennheiser HD 600. I really don't get the fuss about them at all. They provide a very precise outline of the music but seem to remove the depth and solidity.

I think I need to withdraw these harsh words.

They do fully apply, but to the 600 used with Brainwavz sheepskin earpads.
The earpads are not a good physical design, being difficult (maybe impossible) to fit securely. They need an adapter ring to fit to the headphones, and the adapter ring is a poor physical fit being just a smidge too small.

And the earpads themselves are not especially comfortable.

And, as previously suggested, the Brainwavz earpads do provide a sonic downgrade imo.
Closed in, 2D, dynamically constrained, a bit dulled. Just a bit rubbish in every way.

Returning to the Sennheiser earpads the HD600 have changed their status from Sell to Keep.

In terms of comfort they (or I) are settling in OK now.

I would prefer to hear more in the way of tonal richness, but they have a rather stark, plain speaking straight forwardness that has its own interest and enjoyment.
The measured peaks at 3.5khz and 5khz need to be EQed away, a roll off above 6kHz added, I also add a 3db dip at 250hz. And the bass needs substantial boost starting from 0db at 100hz to +9db at 35hz.
As delivered they seem designed to emphasise clarity and detail at the expense of natural tonal warmth and weight.
I wouldn't keep them if I didn't do EQ.

But yes, the Sennheiser HD 600 are Keepers after all.
 
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