The Monkey

Oh, and I bought this:

Screw it all and get a Porsche.

drp is correct; it was directed at Vicki. But no harm done. I'll probably try to shut up now.

You still listen to those?

What do you prefer most about the 800? While I prefer the O2, I think the HD 800 is a pretty terrific dynamic headphone.

Heh. I expect the B22 to close the gap. Welcome back!

The official verdict won't be in until I have the B22, but for the moment I like the O2 better than the HD 800. It's not even that close.

HPA, if you could keep only one IEM, would it be the JH13?

What exactly does that mean? I am not well versed in this stuff.

Dusty are you getting a pair of these ridiculous things?

The EQ idea is interesting. But I'm not sure I quite understand how I would use it. Are you guys suggesting that I level out the mids on each DAC and compare from there? And if so, I guess hypothetically I would be able to discern whether the perceived clarity and detail were simply due to the tweaked midrange frequency?

Well, remember, I also like there to be lots of lights and buttons.

As most of you know, I have been (obsessively) comparing DACs lately. I've been finding that my preference leans toward a DAC with a "sweeter" midrange. No, what the fuck exactly does that mean? I'm, not quite sure, to be honest. So far, I have really liked the Dodson and the ECD-1 because the midrange (esp. voices) seems to stand out just a bit more from the rest of the presentation. It's subtle, but it's there. Like very shallow bas relief where the midrange is raised ever so slightly higher than the rest (and maybe some midbass too). My perception when hearing the ECD-1 and the Dodson is that they are somehow clearer or revealing more information in those mids than comparators such as the Bryston, North Star, or HR UDAC, which seem to have a more recessed or "muted" presentation. I have read certain criticisms (and I wish I remembered where) that postulate that the mids of some DACs, such as the ECD-1, are emphasized because that's basically a crowd-pleaser. But that in the end, it's really hiding the DAC's shortcomings. I'm not sure I agree with this, but I have insufficient knowledge to make a conclusion one way or the other. What I do know is that I prefer those DACs where the mids give me a better sense of "presence." Is this a preference for artifice? Are the newer, more technically "advanced" DACs, with their seemingly more "neutral" presentation closer to what others would describe as analog sounding? Or is this all just a bunch of hooey?

In the meantime, they should use small Pelican cases.

God I love that thing.

AudioCubes will be opening a second store in NYC: Hey Gearheads, AC Gears #2 is officially coming to the West Village Fall 2009, so keep your eye out for lots of promos and giveaways coming your way! ========================= 1st Promo - Buy one pair of headphones, get another (of equal or lesser value) for 20% off. This applies to in-store headphones, online at both ACGears.com and AudioCubes.com! This promo starts RIGHT NOW and will end in two weeks when our 2nd Promo comes around. For our online customers, the discount won't show up on check-out, but our customer service reps will credit the money back to you! ========================= If you've been in the market for headphones now's the time to take advantage of this offer! More great deals and free stuff coming your way via AC Gears soon! - ACG Team

Duh.

heh, really? How you know?

All good now. Thanks, Al.

That's what I'm wondering. The site seems to mention compatability with only firewire/USB DACs. EDIT: From the website: Q: What hardware will work with Amarra? A: Amarra works with most FireWire and USB DACs. To ensure full functionality Amarra has been qualified to work with these audio interfaces: • Amarra Model Four and Model Three • All Sonic Studio Audio Interfaces (302/303/304/305) • Benchmark • Empirical Audio • Lynx AES16e PCIe (Mac Pro) • RME Fireface 400 and 800, • Sonicweld Decoder and Diverter • Wavelength • Weiss Engineering Vesta, Minerva, AFI1, ADC2, DAC2 • More interfaces are qualified each week.

This computer audio shit is confusing. So Amarra works only with USB and/or Firewire?

Send it back, Vicki, and have a special JH13 jack installed.

And this guy, too:

AWESOME.

Is firewire 400 better/worse than USB 2.0?