The Monkey

Now for the dumb questions. I've never built a speaker cable. I want to do something quick and easy to test my AE2 speakers to see if the stock cable is picking up RF. Can I just use two separate runs of Mogami, using all four conductors? I won't be terminating at this point, just twisting the strands. Is this basic premise correct?

My rig is near my window and it seems that it is subject to some RF interference. My unshielded XLR cables buzzed, and now I suspect that the speaker cable that came with my AudioEngine 2's is picking up some interference. Is there any quick and easy way to shield the cheap speaker cable?

A cheap floor lamp.

I agree about the mk2 seal. I find myself playing with the pads trying to get a good seal. It's not easy. I wonder if some break-in is required so that the foam conforms a little bit better.

Elephas, the ones at AudioCubes are actually cheaper. Is there a particular reason you went with the ebay vendor?

Excellent, thanks!

My question to AC2: Their helpful reply:

That APC deal looks good, but isn't that precisely the kind of thing you want to avoid as a refurb?

Thanks Spritzer. I guess I will assume that AC2 is just a bit confusing and has some typos.

That's what I thought, but the description says grey. I guess I'll email them.

I've been looking at the AC2 website. Other than possibly color, what would be the difference between the pads for a Lambda Pro and a 202, 303, or 404? The Lambda Pro pads are more expensive. Also, I'd like new pads for my Signatures, buy AC2 does not appear to have brown pads. Any suggestions where to find brown pads for the Lambda Sig (other than Yama)?

Sounds like a ground loop.

AudioEngine A2. Little Desktop 'puter speakers.

Ugh, so now I guess the question for my mk1 is should I get the mk1 pads or the mk2 pads. I'm leaning toward the mk2 as the pair I'm getting will already have serviceable mk1 pads.

Late birthday gift:

are new 007 mk1 pads still available?

And to think I thought it would never happen after the NYC meet. So much for willpower.

I am not yet leaving elephas's side. However, I do want to live with both for a while to figure out which I will live with permanently... Stupid hobby.

I think I'm going to buy an MK1.

Has anyone hereother than Spritzer (i.e., someone with lower DIY skills) replaced the cable to a 007 mk1? If so, how hard or easy was it?

Could be an issue of semantics. It was not quite the same as I have heard on the other Stax cans, but still a bit familiar. Again, more like a grain than an etch and a bit higher in the treble than what I have heard before. Now, it is possible that some of this is a source issue. deepak and I discussed a bit, and we agreed that the Oppo source was not doing any favors to the headphones. But I still heard it a bit on other rigs. Very subtle, but still there to my ears. I am also open to the possibility that what I was hearing was the treble extension compared to the mk2, which was resulting in a slightly "hotter" signature from the mk1. Maybe the finer detail can be perceived as grain in a direct comparison. Regardless, we are splitting some very fine hairs here. Whatever the phenomenon--be it etch or grain or hyper-detail--it was very very subtle. On a side note: I don't think I heard any Stax farts, so I'm still not quite sure what that is.

Pillows at Macy's--nightmare. Then Christmas Tree.

heh, sorry about that. Meant to post again last night. My comparison between the mk1 and mk2 left me very satisfied. I own the mk2 and had listened to the mk1 in the past. I loved both. But based on some of the thoughts of several folks whose opinion I trust, I was concerned that perhaps I was severely missing out on the mk1, so I decided to spend more time with it at the meet. Given the ability and nuances of presentation capable of being delivered by these cans, Meet conditions are certainly less than ideal for comparison. However, my basic conclusion is that these are really 2 different headphones. I hear a collective, "duh" out there, so I'll expand. The mk2 does not sound evolutionary to me in comparison to the mk1. The sound signature is that different. The mk1 midrange is absolutely stunning. I think it sings in the way that my Lambda Signatures do, but even better because it is more neutral and transparent. That said, I heard just the slightest bit of etch. This familiar Stax etch does not bother me, but I heard it. And it was definitely more subtle than on certain Lambdas. So maybe I'll refer to it as just a bit of grain rather than etch. The highs and treble extension are excellent. But the top end is very unforgiving. I heard some splash and sibilance on several recordings, which I think is likely do to the mk1's resolving ability than to its natural tendency toward sibilance. That said, this is where I think one of the main differences is between the mk1 and mk2. I do not think the mk1's treble extension is completely balanced by the bottom end. Not that they need to offset. However, the comparatively less bass extension led me to feel that the mk1 has a more ruthless presentation than the mk2. That is not a bad thing, but it is a consideration when thinking about how I'm going to actually live with these phones. For all the talk of neutrality, I still think the mk1 retains that euphonic sound that will keep me with stats for good. But the mk1 manages to balance the euphonic presentation, keeping itself honest. To me, with the exception of the slight grain, this phone has that special capability of only the best to simply disappear. The mk1 is truly an outstanding headphone. The mk2. A totally different beast. And I do think they mk2 is a bit beastly. In a good way. To me, more slam than the mk1. The mk2's low end is big and expansive, but not one-note boomy. To me, the bass extension in the mk2 is not quite balanced by its high end extension. Almost like the inverse of the mk1. And I think that big bass can bleed into the mid-range a bit, and this causes the mk2's mid-range to sound more colored to me than the mk1. Perhaps this factor is compounded by my impression that the mk2 does not have the treble extension of the mk1. That said, I do not detect the same grain in the mk2, which results in a less strident presentation. To me this is both good and bad. I think the mk2 is more source forgiving, but perhaps at the expense of a slight bit of detail. But it is smoooth, and the mk2 rocks more than the mk1. It might be a little less agile, but it stomps harder. In short, I think the mk2 is fun. But that statement alone does suggest that the can is perhaps not disappearing quite as much as the mk1 by inserting its signature more into the presentation. I need more time (and a quieter room) to really sort that out. Bottom line? I'm keeping the mk2. But I could see myself buying a mk1 sometime in the future. However, for now, I think that a better amp than the 007t (for the O2) is a more important piece to the puzzle. So I am very seriously considering the GES, but I would like to talk to Jack to see if there is anything that can be done to give that amp just a little more juice. I am also very tempted by the KGSS. We'll see. But my overall feeling is that these are 2 excellent headphones. I completely understand the love for the mk1. It is a classic. But the mk2 kicks a bit of ass, too, and has fun doing it. Equipment/Disclosures: I own the mk2, not the mk1. I listened to both cans on a stock Woo GES, a maxxed GES, and a KGSS. Sources, and I'm not sure any were particularly wonderful (although I'm not sure what the Woo source was). The room was hot and loud, making comparison possible in only the broadest of strokes.

The orthodynamic cans were the most exciting part of the NYC meet for me this weekend. Thanks deepak and faust for introducing me to them. As promised, I will now proceed to drive up prices worldwide.