Headphones thread (show us yer cans)!

Yea, thanks. I have another pair of open backs and that is not an issue. She’s always moving around the house doing who knows what. If she does sit down to watch TV, I switch to a pair of Sony WH-1000XM3 closed back.

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These Focal Clear headphones are very bright. I hope they mellow out a little.

Hmm,some reviews have also noted that, but I don’t hear them that way.
Maybe these would be more to your liking.

Thanks. I’ll give them a week and decide to keep or return and go from there. I just did a slight EQ of the upper two bands.

Was that like the Tooth Fairy or did you ask for them :joy::joy::joy:

I was just happy my wife didn’t complain or ask how much they cost. I do feel like I got a pretty good deal from Headphones.com. Did not take much haggling and also got free overnight FEDEX.

Any love for in ear monitors? I bought them for travel and when outside. Empire Ears Valkyrie. Custom fit because no silicone tip stays in my ear. Had an ear doctor take a silicone mold and I sent them into Empire. Took 9 weeks (they are really backed up). They sounded AWFUL right out of the box. I let them play for a few hours through my Benchmark amp and they relaly dialed in, thank goodness.

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@killdozer Carl helped me set up a convolution filter for these new Focal Clear headphones and they are much better now. Before, they were just too bright for my tinnitus ears. Too many years of playing drums and flying airplanes. Thanks Carl.

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Felt that way about Sennheiser. Highs just a tad too much. Audeze LCD-4s are a keeper. Mellow and buttery. Not for everyone, though. My kinda can.

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Focal cans can be a touch bright I’d not paired with an amp that suits them. My Elears don’t sound bright at all and I am pretty sensitive to this yet some reviews clearly say they are. I love my Elears super comfy to.

Not a fan of the Stellias. When you get to this level of headphones a well paired amp means a lot in terms of the final sound.

I have owned some very good in-ears from Empire, JH Audio, and Shure and enjoyed them. BUT, honestly, no in-ear can duplicate the sound coming out of a good set of over the ear headphones; they just cannot duplicate the stage and feeling of sound enveloping you.

BUT, for on-the-go use and for travel, it’s hard to beat in-ears.

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Here is my current fav: Abyss Diana Phi with their Superconductor 4.4mm cable.

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I bought Focal Clear. Or maybe you were just making a comment about the Stellia. They are getting on up there price wise.

Yes, Jim just making a comment about the Stellias. But, also, the Clears. Have you heard them paired with the Arche?

Nope, just my Meridian Prime and Dragonfly Cobalt. One step at a time.

I have multiple sets of Lawton Chambers for my Fostex TH610.
I love all of them but have spent the most time with Black Limba’s because they sound so Euphoric and also punchy in the bass and sub-bass and smoother in the treble.

Black Limba Chambers
Lawton Black Limba TH610 by Hilton, on Flickr

New Stand by Hilton, on Flickr

Wild Chechen
Wild Chechen TH610 Lawton Cups by Hilton, on Flickr

Marbled Walnut
TH610_Flame_Marble_Walnut_Lawton_Cups by Hilton, on Flickr

And the gorgeous Wild Ziricote.
TH610_Wild_Ziricote_Lawton_Cups by Hilton, on Flickr

They all sound quite different and have pretty different densities and weights which is why I wanted a few different ones to see what I like. They all bring something different to the table that I like.

Stock vs Lawton
TH610 Lawton Wild Chechen cups by Hilton, on Flickr

Stock Left Lawton Right
TH610 Lawton Wild Chechen cups by Hilton, on Flickr

The pretty bunch
TH610 Lawton Wild Chechen cups by Hilton, on Flickr

Stock Cups
LAWTON_Cup_Weights by Hilton, on Flickr

Black Limba
LAWTON_Cup_Weights by Hilton, on Flickr

Flamed Walnut
LAWTON_Cup_Weights by Hilton, on Flickr

Wild Chechen
LAWTON_Cup_Weights by Hilton, on Flickr

Wild Ziricote
LAWTON_Cup_Weights by Hilton, on Flickr

The Workstation / Listening Station
RME Roon Streamdeck by Hilton, on Flickr

Mustn’t Forget the Campfire Audio Andromedas!
DX220 Amp8 AC Andromeda Litz pure silver 4.4 by Hilton, on Flickr

Whole bunch of more pics at Flickr here > (click below image)

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Gotta love the woodies!

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Love that you can change cups to tailor them.

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Headphones… Since Covid have been using them more. Have had a torrid time finding ‘the right gear to meet my ear’. The standout headphones for me are the AKG K812. Found the T1 mkII too soft and the HD800 too thin, Denon AH-700 great bass and wood but!. The K812 a touch bright in the mids… and that seems to suite me. Headphone Amps … Meridian Prime very good yet just a little short, Beyer A1 amp good yet just not refined enough (A20 also), NuPrime DAC-10H very good indeed… yet took a punt on the Topping A90 and it just edged the 10H as a Headphone Amp. AKG K812 + Topping A90 = detail retrieval, hard listening and nice. That said I have a CHORD refence Pre-Amp and that is sweet (just relax and forget) with the AKG K812 as is the CHORD DSX1000 DAC headphone out also.