Show us your headphones

Interesting. I previously used the Ferrum Oor and Hypsos with a Luxman cd DO3 x player and thought it marvellous.
I now have an Accuphase cd DP 450 and 650 amp but am unimpressed with the headphone output. It should be good but to my jazz ears a little woolly and flockey ( sheep adjective time).
Always with the Meze Empyreans. The tangled cable a Meze speciality.
Birthday shortly so I am investigating

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May be the difference is to some extent in the balanced design of the Luxman headphone am section. I always also liked the balanced use of the Oor a lot any more than the unböanced input and headphone Jacks.

What are you investing in? New Amp?

I also find them fantastic. I heard the new unveiled is even better, but I like mine so much that I have desire to try our anything else

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Some prefer the “se” to the “unveiled,” finding the “se” more dynamic versus softer…

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The thinking is that we will try a preamplifier on to the amp. This I am sure will improve the sound thru the speaker section but whether it will Buck up the headphone section remains to be seen. But just in case (dealers being salesmen ) I will also bring a couple of headphone amplifiers. One I know is a used Sennheiser hdv 820.Marko the headphone maniac on YouTube thinks it a good machine.

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Interesting question. Good luck!

How is the Luxman L-509Z? It was reported to be excellent. I have the L-590AXII and it’s only used in the hifi system and not for headphones. The 590AXII sounds sparkly clean from top to bottom, refined and detailed with a slightly lush sound though bass lacks a bit of presence and punch when compared to Naim and Gryphon amps which I also own.

I had 200h of burn-in now and like it more every day. Compared to my previous 282/HicapDR/Nap250Dr, the Luxman 509z is in a different league. Not just an incremental improvment, but in every aspect a substantial transformation. More holographic, more balanced, more detail, better positioning in space. It is not “soft” or boring at all. With more “balanced”, I mean that certain pieces sound great throughout when played loudly, when in my previous system they turned into an attack at your ears. The Luxman seems to better keep it’s composure throughout the music.

My Naim system had more PRAT and was a hugely fun system. For instance Sail from Awolnation, was really fun with that system. The electric distortion in the beginning of the song really grabbed you. Same with the opening of Beat it from M Jackson. The Luxman 509z is more polite but also more holographic in these sections. May be this will change with more run in.

Bass, I am not sure yet. I think it is still settling. So far, it seems more “defined” in the upper bass range then my previous setup. The very low frequencies are a bit unclear to me, because I have not listened to the relevant pieces yet. Also my speaker setup is not really made for very low bass.

Would love to compare to a Gryphon 300. That was the other amp in my shortlist.

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Thanks. You describe it well. I think soft and polite would describe the 590AXII well when compared to the Naim 282/250DR and Gryphon Diablo 300 although refinement and detail are slightly better (than Naim).

I’m seriously done, no more chopping and changing stuff but your post may encourage me to consider the 509Z in the future.:grin: Gryphon 333 is reported to be a noticeable or significant improvement on the 300 but it’s expensive, huge and heavy and for the fact that I’m done for now.

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Being done for now is a feeling that i can happily relate to :sweat_smile:

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We all say that… :rofl:

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I’ve owned dozens of headphones over the last 20 years but the Sennheiser 800 paired with a Bottlehead Mainline has been a mainstay of mine for the last ten or twelve years. I’ll post a pick of it’s wingman my HiFiman HE6 later.

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I’ve now been using the SR325x for a while now and they’re fantastic! The sound is fast, precise and punchy and they really get your foot tapping :smiley:. Mostly used them with a Marantz HD-DAC1 and Fosi Audio GR70 and both of those amps seem to be a great pair for them.

I’ve also had the HD800 for over 10 years and for the right kind of music they really are great. They’re also probably the most comfortable headphones I’ve used, the earcups are so large that no part of them touches my ears and I could easily use them hours. The headband on my pair though is worn out so gotta replace that sometime.

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I use Sennheiser HD650 at home, and AKG N60NC Wireless when out and about. Both do what they do exceptionally well, so I don’t really feel the need to throw any more money at headphone solutions. Not that I wouldn’t like something a bit more esoteric, obvs.

I keep coming back to the HD800S. Nothing beats its wide soundstage.

As you say it is incredibly comfortable.

Bought these circa 50 years ago. I found them in the shed a few weeks back and was about to get rid, foam completely disintegrated. Just wondered if replacement was possible, and it is. Not genuine, but for £7.00 worth a go.

Have to say they are sounding rather good, not a lot of bass, but crystal clear with great imaging. Light as a feather too. Going to use them alongside my HD650s and Focal Utopias for acoustic tunes

Takes some driving though, 600 ohm i think

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I had a pair of these back in the day too. I chucked them out a few years ago as the pads had disintgrated.

Finally I can attach headphones to cable to DAC

The pink headphones are a bit of a joke , but the cord and DAC cost more than the headphones.

Having said that, it sounds reasonably good , I can tether the combination to my pink iPhone . (Same joke)

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As with so many things Hifi, it never seizes to amaze me how much can be achieved for little money (after often having spent a lot).

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