John Dyson Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 Warning/heads up about headphone quality -- specifically a pair of Beyerdynamic DT770/pro80 that I purchased a year or so ago. The previous DT770/Pro80 broke. That is okay, because I was wearing them 8Hrs+/day for a few years. However, I purchased a new pair to replace the old ones, even though they sounded a little different, I had done the comparison for 'incoming inspection' when my hearing was bad -- late in the day after working on audio stuff all day. Also, the source was a well trusted audio vendor (not a mass distributor like Amazon, who often subcontracts a sale.) I will be reporting the bad unit to the vendor, but I am thanking my lucky stars that I had purchased the new headphones 'on a lark'. Alas -- my project kept producing really shrill (e.g. rising response at 6kHz) for about 1yr, and I couldn't figure out why it was getting bad reviews. Since there is a building-block approach which must be based on A/B comparison (no objective specs available), I was totally dependent on the accuracy & clairty of the headphones. (one reason why I had wanted Beyerdynamics is the purported slightly over enahanced highs, as the 9kHz region is especially distortion-vulnerable on my project.) In desperation and since I wanted an alternative set of headphones anyway, I purchased a pair of DT990 (special edition with straight cable). When listening to my results with the new headphones, I was very disappointed with my previous test/demo results, and a wave of embarassment came over me. What I am saying: Just be careful. I loved the general sound of the DT770/Pro80 with the ability to produce wonderful bass almost down to DC, and great highs, the response itself wasn't flat. My project is vulnerable to the non-flat response, and I didn't realize how terrible the response was on my broken headphones. I was actually correcting the response of the headphones along with doing the necessary A/B comparisons for the building block approach needed for the project. Good news is that I am much more confident in the DT990 (again,special edition), and I am correcting the results on my project. I have a lot of embarassment to overcome, because I consider my integrity and honesty as being paramount. If I had known the sound was previously so very bad, I would have never released the demos/test versions. Bottom line, don't blindly trust the quality of what you purchase. I keep forgetting that I am not purchasing lab quality equipment, and because of my disabled status and lack of financial resources, don't have lots of equipment to compare with. Bottom line: what you see in reviews is not necessarily what you'll receive on a purchase. Still recovering from the damage, and will probably need over a year to do so. Link to comment
Bill Brown Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 I have had periods in my "audiophile" life where my only system was headphone-based. Lots and lots of hours of listening. I have come to believe that EQ is a necessity (for me at least). I flirted with many models, but always come back to the HD650s. One option for the OP would be to experiment in this regard. It could be tried inexpensively. My first step was to generate filters based on a consensus of the broad variety of reliable measurements available (this is where you see in my graph the correction in the mid- and low bass). My next step is narrower notches for diaphragm resonances. You will get a clue to their locations via FR measurements, but I like to find them. With a signal generator scanning through they will stick out massively, and once heard can't be ignored. I create a notch, then listen to pink noise, turning the filter on and off while adjusting the depth until I can't hear it (again, the resonances will stick out like a sore thumb). Pink noise should sound like a waterfall, very natural (at least how I think of it). Here is my HD650 curve: The two inactivated filters are bands that I perceive on scanning, but not on pink noise. Just food for thought :) Bill Jud 1 Labels assigned by CA members: "Cogley's ML sock-puppet," "weaponizer of psychology," "ethically-challenged," "professionally dubious," "machismo," "lover of old westerns," "shill," "expert on ducks and imposters," "Janitor in Chief," "expert in Karate," "ML fanboi or employee," "Alabama Trump supporter with an NRA decal on the windshield of his car," sycophant Link to comment
Jud Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 The Etymotics (the ER4P and ER4SR) are known for having reasonably flat audible response (not the same as measured flat, as their response curves will show you, but still pretty accurate even from that standpoint). kennyb123 1 One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature. Link to comment
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