catscratch

Abyss 2011. A huge beer. Huge hops, huge roast coffee, huge liquorice on the finish. But, also somewhat unbalanced, especially as it warms up. I agree that a year in the bottle - or more - ought to mellow it out and make it really nice. What's a good temperature at which to store beer? Is a dark cupboard at room temperature good enough? I don't have a cellar though I do have a dedicated beer fridge...

As long as the cheaper chinese stuff doesn't undercut sales of the less expensive Stax models, I'm all for it. Improving the Lambda look is also a very good thing in my book, they're almost comically ugly. However the biggest thing would be marketing and distribution - I think we've all said it already and Stax's US distribution network is pathetic. Just fixing that alone, as well as easing up on international pricing and increasing exposure would be a significant step in the right direction. And fix the bloody 007 mk2 already. Look at Tyll's graphs - I'm sure Stax have their own measurements. How can they let that slip past their QC?

Yeah, I made that mistake too. I'm also not surprised that there's some variance among the 404s. Without the midrange problem the 404 would be a significantly better phone for sure.

I'm actually kinda irritated to find SG's reviews on innerfidelity. Tyll's reviews are concise, objective, backed up by measurements, comparative, basically everything that your typical 6-moons style audiophile review isn't. Which is why SG's reviews seem to me completely out of place with innerfidelity's content. Obviously I appreciate anybody that supports the headphone hobby but speaking of just his reviews, I don't like them at all.

To me the 404's biggest failing was pronounced upper midrange emphasis which screwed up the tone and made it sound unnatural. It was also on the bright side. The FR graphs seem to support this. I haven't heard the 404LE but it does seem to be a lot less emphasized in the upper mids which would be a big improvement.

This is not encouraging. But maybe if Stax does tank it will create a vacuum for other manufacturers to put electrostatics out there. Though more likely it will show everyone that making top-end electrostatics is not financially viable. Either way, I think I may get the 009 just a little bit sooner. And maybe some spare drivers too.

I once chased a tarantula that size with a broom and a can of bug repellant. Admittedly, that was halfway around the world from my house. They're mostly just creepy, they're not really dangerous.

Allagash 11th Anniversary Ale. Way better than I thought - not quite a thermonuclear maltbomb of apocalyptic proportions, but getting there. Much of the subtlety and complexity that Allagash is known for it definitely there. Not one of their top beers, but good.

Yikes, that's quite a treble peak on the T70. Not much initial overshoot on the 30hz square wave - is it the 300hz square wave that's more indicative of brightness? Or am I completely wrong? What's the overshoot an indication of in mechanical terms, as in diaphragm behavior? Man, not having the right technical background for any of this puts me at such a massive disadvantage. Here's a fairly important question: if I wanted to self-educate when it comes to electrical engineering basics and as it relates to audio - where should I start?

Agree on DT going to hell once Kevin Moore left. He was the melodic talent behind the band and without him they've been empty and soulless. Images & Words and Awake were the only good things they ever did. I did however like the Liquid Tension Experiment disks.

Was meaning to ask - the measurements from the Solo HD, that's not a malfunctioning pair? There's quite a bit of difference in THD from right to left channel and THD approaching 100% at 2kHz... holy crap. If they really are like that, that's catastrophically bad. Oh, and I never said this, but I find the measurement database to be probably the single most useful thing I have ever found in the headphone hobby. Congrats on the NY times mention but given the quality of your content I think that publicity is inevitable.

2005 Albert Boxler Gewurztraminer. Don't you love it when booze buys that start with "I have no idea what this is but I'll get it anyway" work out. And a full bottle on an empty stomach later it's working out quite nicely, thank you very much. Still, I like it - creme brulee in wine form.

Reminds me of: (NSFW language)

I liked Powered Up as well, and damn it it makes me want a 1M. I'll probably end up with a 135i eventually, the 1M is just too pricey... and not being made any more either. But the rumor mill has it that while the 1-series is migrating to a front-wheel-drive platform soon (really BMW... really? ) the current one will become a 2-series and the 1M will become the M2. Well, one can only hope. Errr carried away with geeky car talk there. Powered Up! Good!

Tripel Karmeliet. All the TK I've found locally up till now has been in green bottles - it's skunked well before it hits the shelf. But this was fresh on tap, and man, it's good. Quite a spicy and multi-layered tripel. Rochefort 10 not long before.

My impressions are generally concurrent with the general opinion of this thread. "Unforced and natural" I think is right on the money. It's not without flaws but on its own, it is a very enjoyable and musical sounding DAC. It draws you into the music rather than making you sit and take notice of what's wrong with its presentation, and that is always a sign of a good source. In terms of tonal balance, I find the mids a bit emphasized and both deep bass and upper highs a bit rolled off. The mids in general are what stand out here: very open, clear, warmish though not quite warm, with good texture and generally a high degree of realism/believability. Throw in the soundstage, which is fairly big, open, and airy, and you have a very inviting and natural presentation with a clear focus on vocals and midrange-heavy instruments. The highs are smooth and precise without harshness, digital glare, or artificial sheen, though they can also lack sparkle at times. The bass is pretty even, without excessive bloom or boominess but it could also use a bit more depth and heft. I don't have much experience with DACs in the price range and don't have too many other sources lying around at the moment. The only thing I can really compare this DAC to is the Opus 21, which is more than twice as expensive. The Opus is also a source that's generally considered to sound analog and is praised for natural detail without harshness, and the two sources unsurprisingly sound similar. The main edge for the Opus is extra detail, better dynamics, better performance at the frequency extremes and significantly more heft and weight to the sound. Tonally, the Opus is a touch warmer but both sources are pretty close to neutral. The Opus has more focused imaging but the D100 is a bit more airy and open sounding, though having less emphasized deep bass will (I think) generally make things sound a bit more open on first listen. The D100 also has smoother highs and seems to be a little bit cleaner sounding in general, though maybe the Opus just makes background noise on recordings more evident. Either way, the most immediate impression when listening to the D100 is openness, midrange clarity, and natural tonality, whereas with the Opus the impression is of great resolution across the board, natural tonality and effortless dynamics. I think it's safe to say that while the Opus is the better source the D100 comes close and is something I could easily live with. I had an Assemblage 2.7 DAC here for a while and going from memory, I'd give the Assemblage the edge in overall tonal balance, but the Neko is more open and airy and has the better mids. I'll probably sell mine at some point given that I don't really need it, but it's a very good source in my book. It's a somewhat specialized presentation but one I like a lot. If you have a system that could use a touch more midrange emphasis it will probably be a good match.

I have a similar, simpler setup - logitech g27, ps3, gt5. Wish I had more time to play it though. More Zonda R goodness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4egoNtLNX6M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEz1jxIgmsM&feature=related Jay Leno's Garage also had a few videos on it and the new Huayra - the build quality on these cars looks absolutely stunning. It's definitely a handful but I also suck. Best time around Laguna Seca on racing hard tires is 1:23.9 (no electronic aids used). Don't remember the time on soft tires but it was faster. There's a ton of room for improvement still. I'm also a fan of the Mazda Furai; I really didn't expect it to be as fast as it is, but I suppose if you shove a turbo three-rotor into a chassis that weighs less than 1500lbs it's gonna go. The chassis is very well-behaved, too. I think I did 1:08.something on the top gear track, though I don't remember the tires I used. Of course nothing in the game is as insane, stupid, and wonderful as the Red Bull X1. Now if only it was real... 0:46.7 around laguna seca?

Superb article Tyll, though it's helping my decision to hold off on the 009 one bit. I also like how you can sum up these headphones so concisely without resorting to the usual audiophile blather. If only more reviews followed that style instead of going the Gary Farmer route - "he who talks loud, saying nothing" (one of my favorite movies, incidentally).

My problem with the 007, if there even is one, is that it's too laid-back. With sources that are too polite it's easy to make a rig that sounds distant and dull. But with bolder, ballsier sources it's more engaging, though I would still prefer a more forward sound. On the other hand I find the tonal balance near perfect and anything substantially brighter would be an issue. All joking aside I listen fairly loudly but nowhere near rock concert levels; those I can't ever go to without earplugs. A headphone without treble/bass emphasis does sound more linear the louder you push it, and the 007 does open up more and more as you crank it up.

Heh that's exactly my take on them - the ultimate Grado. Uber forward but with the right tonal balance and some killer mids. I just wish they were more comfortable - or maybe less comfortable just to make the fit even more comical. Some long-winded impressions coming at some point in the Stax thread.

I'm with Spritzer on the whole brightness thing - I find the 007 to be just right and most headphones too bright. On the other hand I also find the 007 to be far too polite and laid-back; with polite sources especially it can sound remote and not very engaging. What I would want is tonal balance that's not far off the 007 but with a way more forward overall presentation. Incidentally, sort of like the SR-X Mk3 Pro that I've been listening to for a while (which are great cans) or the 003, which is even warmer than the 007 if anything. I can see the brightness thing being a problem with rock or metal, but even more a problem with volume - I'm guessing it's the Fletcher-Munson effect or whatever you call it, and as someone with a penchant for listening to electronica at unreasonable levels, extra brightness is a big turn-off. I probably wouldn't mind an uber-revealing headphone given that electronica, or at the very least the psychill-ish stuff I listen to is usually at least decently produced. The bigger issue I have is forking out 5 large for a headphone that may not necessarily be better than my $1.5k 007, but then again we all left reason behind in this hobby a long time ago.

Definitely any Elder Scrolls game. Ditto on Deus Ex - I don't know how many times I replayed it, but it was a lot. Atmospheric single-player games like that are always enjoyable to replay as long as you give them enough time to not make them feel repetitive. I'd add to that Thief 1 and 2, as well as System Shock 2; they're not quite as polished as Deus Ex but even more atmospheric if anything. I also really liked Gothic 1 and 2. I never played 3 or 4 but the combination of atmosphere, great world-building, interesting and actually intelligent dialogue, and unpredictable story (at least in the first game) really carried these games despite the endless bugs and clunky controls. Of course, Heroes of Might and Magic 3 is still the biggest time-waster known to man. "Addicting" doesn't even begin to describe it. Too bad that the sequels sucked (well 4 was ok). I have little hope for the latest version, whenever that comes out.

I liked it when I watched it but not enough of it sticks out in my mind afterwards. The Marauder bit was amazing and the Rowan Atkinson interview was heroic. The rest was nice but a bit uninspired. I do like that the guys are acting more themselves rather than the silly stereotypes they were becoming in 12-14. Top Gear was my favorite show too but I was just about fed up and ready to jump ship. Also: am kinda annoyed at the treatment the Oz & James shows are getting from BBC America. It's nice that they're showing them but these shows are Oz and James, not just James. They're undermining Oz to capitalize on James' celebrity. Typical arrogant market-driven attitude.

Happy (belated) birthday man. I don't believe in birthdays, especially my own, but I'll pretend they exist just this once.

Not a bad chug. The record for 1 liter of beer is 1.3 seconds however, held by this man: