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Audiophilia: Headphones, Amps, DAPs, and Empty Wallets
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I have several Anker family products all of which I have been very satisfied with.
The Fulla and Hel are pretty good, although the Hel is marketed hard as a gaming product. If you don't need the mic input, then just get the Fulla. I had one and liked it.
fulla has a mic input too?
I pair Focal Elears with Elex pads (basically making them Elex's) with Aeon Closed and I'm extremely happy with the two of them. The Aeons are wonderfully neutral and balanced whereas the Elears are punchy and fun.
However, I recently bought the Ifi Zen Dac v2 and Zen Amp and with the bass boost the Aeons are completely transformed. They now have the deep bass and fun punchiness of the Elears but without the sometimes peaky treble (they're basically perfect). Conversely, the Elears and the Zen stack does nothing for me but they sound fantastic with my Gustard A20H. It interesting how different two amp/dacs can sound and how one suits one pair of headphones far better than another.
I think what I'm getting at is if you want a sound profile similar to the Aeon RT's the Focals are a good option. If you want something different for variety I'd look elsewhere.
So it does now! In that case it's largely a wash, just depending on whether more power is needed for harder to drive headphones.
I'll look into that bass boost your amp offers. I run a 789 amp and Topping E30, and I wonder if I could do something similar with just EQ.
I'm prob going to grab an LCD headset, either the X or 2. Just want to see if I can find a place to test them out.
Ordered replacements and went ahead and ordered a pair of Brainwavz velour pads to test and see how they feel/sound.
As an aside, holy shit, I hate putting headphone pads on so much. I was losing my mind by the time I got the smaller set (which is too small for my ears but better than the wreckage of the others for a few days) on.
I picked up a pair of airpod max's a while ago and the pads clip on magnetically and it's an absolute revelation
skip to :58 in this to see what i mean
https://uturnaudio.com/products/orbit-plus-turntable
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Oh yea, gotta live that audiophile lifestyle. Maybe some $500 rubber pucks to put the turntable on to dampen vibrations.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Yea I love my Schiit stack. I'm definitely sticking with the brand for the foreseeable future if I really dig the whole records thing and look for a speaker amp.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
If you want to complete the experience I highly reccomend this tube amplifier from Monoprice.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=27222
It sounds great, has Bluetooth, phono, and Line in s you could use it as your main source of audio. You can also upgrade the tubes.
I found that channel when trying to figure out if I wanted to get a soundbar with a wireless sub or use one of the multiple pairs of Paradigm speakers I have and no longer use plus a $200'ish amp with my Gustard headphone Amp/DAC acting as a preamp. I went with neither as I use headphones 90% of the time when watching TV and for the 10% of the time I do listen without headphones the built in speakers are good enough.
According to someone else's testing, they end up with little less bass, but they started with so much bass that they're still bass heavier than most decent headphones.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Interesting. Im wondering if that is why U-turn had it for sale along with a few other albums that you could bundle with the turn table.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
“At least she didn’t make her ex play on an entire album about what a fucking shit head he was!”
God damn it Schitt. I don't know if I even want to go through this again.
Picked up Back in Black and for that kind of music, its a record full of awesome.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
like headphones, good music stays good
So a little while back I posted this and got good feedback from @Butters, which mentioned I should consider surge protection, and @Cormac which said heat could be a issue. Since I live in Denmark and our grid is very well maintained I have decided to ignore the thing about surge protection, but the heat thing did make look away from gear running solely in Class A as it seemed I would also need to get AC in that case.
I have however bought a used 2x300 W ML 532.H, so I though I would report back and I can confirm that heat is a thing although not crazy. In stand by it uses 3 watts of power, while on that goes up 85 watt and then depending on the volume used it can reach something like 475 watt. Just going by touch the cooling fins get hot when playing music and when really playing they get hot enough that you cannot keep your hand on them for more than a moment.
Now there is amps out there with active cooling, as in they have a fan that moves air over the cooling fins however my ML is not that extreme and instead just gets by with a big case with lots of fins.
Most important - the ML has been a great improvement to my set up. Everything is clearer, more controlled and it is almost like I had dirty windows that has now been cleaned. Love it.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Also - any suggestions on a new cartridge as my current one has way to many hours on it?
I'm considering the Ortofon M2 series, but also the Audio-Technica OC-9 series and the later is based on a recommendation from a friend only the original OC-9 he knows is long out of production and there is now a whole OC-9 range.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Nice.
What's the plan, put them on a book shelf or on stands?
They'll end up on a buffet table along with the record player and other hardware. They might end up on stands if they interfere with the record player too much.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
They make these little shock absorber feet for speakers as well to prevent vibration interference
I might try to find a super big mouse pad style table runner too, that will help dampen everything.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
I think it is unlikely that you'll be able to detect issues where the speakers interfere with the magic device that turns grooves into sound. Only unless your table is really long or you plan on sitting real close, then I should think you'd like the speakers placed further apart.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Also heavy metal is a great pull I'm.jealous
As long as I keep it under like 1/3rd volume everything sounds pretty decent. Above that and it starts distorting.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981