Headphones

QUAD's new "FLOAT QA" headphones coming to the New York Show I am exited to see this. Since I am going to the show I will make a point to listed to these and see how I like them. My Float collection might get a new member if I like these. Anyone else is exited to see this coming to NYC show?

I'm listening to the Qualia 010 for the first time (thanks darkless!). I'm amazed by its details and resolution. I thought that dynamics were generally inferior to electrostatics in this category. The recabled L3000, recabled W5000, recabled PS-1 and SA5000 are very good, but I didn't think they were competitive vs. the HE90, HE60, SR-Omega, SR-007 and 4070. The R10 is the only one that can compete, but even so I don't think it matches the electrostats' speed and microdetails. I'm hopeful better amplification will help the R10 and other dynamics. The Qualia 010 sounds like an electrostatic. I'm only driving it with the AT-HA5000 for now. It is already one of my top fav…

So here is an odd one. To try and improve the KingSound KS-H1 I need new earpads. Now I could just use Stax ones as they are about the right size but 150$ earpads on a 500$ headphone... That leaves me with dynamics and I'm well out of my comfort zone. What I need are 95-105mm earpads that are solid, leather or pleather. One thing that is never listed is the diameter of headphones so you give me some suggestions? Audio-Technica, Fostex/Denon etc. all make models that might work but I don't know the diameter of the pads.

Hey, Yesterday I bought Shure SRH - 440 headphones. I read somewhere that with the SRH840 pads the headphones are more comfortable and the sound is better. Would you recommend to replace the ear pads to the SRH840 ones or the SRH940 one ? Which one of the pads is better ? more comfortable and better sound quality ? Thank you, Noam

Hi Everyone I need everyone's opinions. Right now I am considering the sony Qualia 010 and saw one popped up for sale on Head-Fi.org: Headphones, iPod earphones, portable audio, MP3 players, high-end audio . However, I really dont know how much the headphone is worth nowadays because it is really rarely appeared on the used market. The trick is that the owner also wants to sell his M size headband . Any opinions? Many thanks

Hi Everyone I am a new guy to electrostatic headphone world. I have just bought a stax headphone. However, I hear some hum noise on one of my driver. I wonder whether there is something wrong with the headphone or not. I did some research and noticed that we will hear hum noise for all electrostatic headphone during winter time or cold weather. Is it right? thanks

Still enjoying my Hd580 wired for direct balanced out from XLR out of my miniDAC, find it useful to move around from room to room in the house. Couple of questions: 1. You always see threads about HD580/600/650 used in this manner to good effect - just curious, any other headphones that respond well to running direct XLR out of these type of DACs? 2. Typical full-size HP's terminate in 1/4" plugs - are there such extenders that are female 1/4" (to plug the normal headphone into) to 2 x 3 pin XLR (to connect direct to DAC)? 3. Would like to try balanced on my k271s. It has detachable mini XLR at headphone end. Possible to replace this with balanced cables that go …

I'm curious what cans some of you consider to be the most revealing of the signal chain and still have a 3 figure price tag? I'm not looking for your favorite headphones for listening, but which ones you'd choose if you were evaluating say sources and wanted to hear the smallest of details? I'm hoping "most revealing" is less of a wide open question than "favorite" and there might be some reasonable consensus on at least a few choices?

Thanks to Alex (ayt999) I've had a pair of R10's on loan for a good amount of time now and figured it was time to post some impressions. The R10's have wonderful detail retrieval and are one of the most resolving phones around. This is of course a double edged sword as it can be great on well recorded music but absolutely brutal on poor recordings. The R10's tonality which I do feel to be quite natural sounding is likely their best attribute. Probably the most talked about attribute of the R10's is their sound stage, yes it's huge and yes it gives the listener that sense of being completely enveloped in sound. That being said, I do not think it is very natural, in fact on…

Got mine in yesterday. Listened to them out of the Yamamoto... okay... so-so. Definitely higher resolution than the w5000s with much better imaging/soundstage. Bass is... well interesting. More prominent than in the w5000s and comes at you from an interesting angle (Not bad, or really even good. But interesting and different. Probably due to the massive soundstage). That was sourced with the EMU 0404 usb, i.e. my work rig. Took them home and sourced it with my Wavelength DAC and my Esoteric and powered with my SS-1. Okay pretty good as well. Definitely close to or equally detailed as the qualias. Better mids. A bit honky in the upper midrange right where it stops being…

'one of the headphones of all time' pic poached from the other place some deets from the manufacturer's website: MOTOR Specifications Configuration Complimentary Tuned Triple Ribbon Ribbon Type Corrugated Pure Aluminum (True-Ribbon) with Viscodamp™ “Silent Metal” Viscosity Dampening Surface Area 25.2 cm² (3.9 in²) Excursion +/- 4mm (0.157 in) Maximum SPL 118dB Impedance 0.057Ω Impedance with Specialized HP Cable 0.29Ω aaand it requires a proprietary converter and cable for use with amplifiers, weighs in at a hefty 626g, costs an eye watering $9,757usd for the 'full package' and $ 7,589…

These look quite interesting: https://raalrequisite.com/sr1a-earfield-monitors/ Maybe someone needs to take one for the team, possibly me. These interest me only because it seems to be a different presentation, more speaker-like. Of course I would need a nice speaker amp design to build for these, Kevin ?. Thoughts?

I'm currently studying a bit regarding statistical algorithms for one of my classes and thought this might a good chance to test things out. I know there is a rank-your-headphones thread on Head-Fi, but that one has a lot of rubbish mixed in with the gems. I'll take a look into that thread after testing out a smaller data set (Head-Case). Hopefully I can finish the data analysis in a week or two after the data is gathered. Hopefully this turns out to be fun as well. (We can get an idea of what kind of sounds you guys like! ) Try to rank all the headphones you've owned. (Post what amp you used the headphones out of, for perhaps a deeper analysis later.) Tiering is fin…

The aim of the thread is to consolidate all the info that is out there of old and frankly strange electrostatic headphones we come across. I really should have started one of these back in 2005 when I started my collecting but hindsight and all that... So I'll start off with one so rare that there is pretty much no info out there for this set. Here is what it looked like when I got it: These were made by Audiotec in France and aside from some brochures back in the say we know nothing about them. There isn't even a model number on them or a left-right identifier. They are quite big, roughtly the same size as the SR-Omega and the back of the fork is pretty m…

hiya fellas. ive had my 595s for a while now and they've had some issues. at one point i lost nearly all sound from them, discovered my ground was disconnected and was able to fix that. the only lingering problem is a rattle coming from within the right driver. ive taken the right cup apart and found no hair in the driver, tried blowing gently on it to try and pop out a potential crease in the diaphram, and no luck. really a bummer at this point, anyone got an idea? edit: it should be noted that the rattle is only present during really low bass notes, and this is all the more reason id like them fixed.. i listen to a lot of Dubstep.

Anyone have suggestions on who to use for a balanced recable of the 701's? Thought about Headroom but they're limited to the Cardas cable. Already have Larry and Drew in mind. Other suggestions?

Hi everyone, That surely has been awhile (again)! I wanted to say hi and ask a question since I'm browsing the boards a little again (probably not for long). I hope you're all doing fine! I still see quite a bit of familiar names around here, the only person I've missed so far is Vicky. As some of you have seen over at the other side I'm currently in the process of selling my ED9s, yes the time has finally come! Seeing that I started out with the 750s and (finally) noticing a lot of bad things happening) I felt at the time the ED9s were a great step up. It actually had something that could go for a midrange. Add more speed detail etc to the mix and I thought it w…

Hi, I'm in the process of fixing up a HE60 I found in very poor condition. I've replaced the pads and headband, and thankfully the plastic housing is in pretty good shape. The cable seems like its the stock cable, but with a very shoddy stax retermination. The previous owner took very poor care of them and listened to them for years with a Woo Audio amp, and unsurprisingly the drivers are on their last legs (intermittent pops and high pitch whining when plugged into an amp). Thankfully I also have found some new old stock replacement drivers. I also have found a replacement orpheus cable with a 4.7 MOhm bias resistor. Unfortunately, when it comes to soldering an…

Do you think I will be dissapointed or ? I really, really wanted to try them

Hi Im looking for headphones for under 100 bucks im interested in anything thats good and is portable as well as i tend to commute alot daily Im looking at 2 headphones in particular is Sennheiser HD 380 Pro Collapsible High end Headphones - Black http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD-380-Pro-Collapsible/dp/B001UE6I0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368134475&sr=8-1&keywords=sennheiser+380 or Sony V55 Headphones http://addnow.co.uk/sony-v55-headphones Any recommendations?

Hi, WTF did they use to stick the pads to early Phones(2000).The crap is like black tar and as hard to get off. I managed to scrap it off the plastic cases but getting it off the pads is a real shit. Any suggestions for removal and what do you use to reglue. Thanks Les

As your local ATOWF die-hard member, I guess I'll have to bring this up. Not that it's special or anything. Just something worth looking at. The pictures, that are. Worth buying if you have globs of money to play with. (Many people do tend to enjoy the ES7.) http://www.audio-technica.co.jp/products/hp/ath-esw9.html

Has anyone had experience of the following https://www.fixmyheadphones.co.uk/ thanks

Some years ago I bought a Micro Seiki MX-1 with energizer. The problem with those is that the material that was originally used for the diaphragms deteriorates. As a result it is impossible to find a pair that still works unless the diaphragms have been replaced. The pair that I bought had a new pair of diaphragms but they were not mounted correctly so I finished the job and got them to work. The problem with them is that because of incorrect mounting of the membrane on one of the mounting rings, which has insufficient tension, one of the two sides has a bit less volume and sounds a little less dynamic. Despite that fact they are still a pleasure to listen to. They sound …

Folks, been searching high and low for review of this headphone but couldn't find an extensive review on it. All the infos are scattered here and there. One impression I found at HF during Dutch meet was some folks prefer this than HE60, did any of you agree with this statement? All the statements I found also said that this is an entirely different can than 404 Sig in a good/better way. Another question, this can is 1000 limited production with a price point not far from HF2 (was offered around $600 new), why is it still relatively available ? I mean its not that difficult to find new unlike HF2 which sold out already. Is it because its a stats thus not many peo…