Headphones thread (show us yer cans)! [2018-09]

Stax SR-007A and SR-009. Although the latter is mostly sitting in the box.

Woo Audio WA22 Headphone amp.
Audeze LCD-XC Q French silk balanced cable.
Sennheiser HD800 Sennheiser balanced cable.

Lampizator L4G5 Balanced + DSD512 upgrade.
ISO Regen
Ultracap LPS-1
HDPlex 100w linear PSU

Rock installed on Gigabyte Brix 5775R – 8Gb Ram – 32Gb mSata (OS) – 2Tb HDD (Music) + 2nd ethernet port. This is located in another room.

Fibre network bridge between Rock (2nd Ethernet port) and Roonbridge endpoint.

Roonbridge installed on Gigabyte Brix J1900 (WiFi and Bluetooth modules removed)- Win 10 (unnecessary Win 10 processes disabled) + ASIO driver. Powered by Anker 12v battery.

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Nice Woo amp, What’s the power output on it. Does it run your LCD-XCs well?

Power output is dependant on tube combination, particularly power tube.

The supplied stock power tubes 6080 (IMO) do not have sufficient gain to drive either of my headphones.

I am currently running GEG 6AS7G power output tubes with Mullard Ecc35 driver and Osram GZ37 rectifier tubes. This combination drives the LCD-XC and HD800 comfortably.

I also have run Tung Sol 5998 power, TSRP 6sn7 driver and WE 422A rectifier. This combination has even higher gain.

Its interesting that Woo offer tube upgrades (Rectifier+Drivers+Power combined are $1000 +) for the WA22.
Tubes make a huge difference to the WA22.

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Thanks for the update. I have a Darling design amp, which using stock tubes 12SL7 input and dual 1626 output is around 300-400 mW. I can double up output using 2c52 input & 12B4A output tubes. I like to research using different tubes since you can often buy compatible obscure ones for a lot less money…I talked to Audeze tech support, and they said 500mW will run the LCD-X pretty comfortably, although they may work ok with less output.

Are you in the US?

Just been looking up the Darling amp. It would seem this is a popular self build amplifier.
Did you build the amp yourself?
I’m in the UK.

No, that would probably be beyond my talent level. My unit is an Amps and Sound Kenzie Encore. Works as an headphone and preamp. Purchased it from ZMF headphones during Black Friday week. Very well made. The amp has the upgraded caps, and I added the input transformer box (found a used one)

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Nice looking amp.
Would love to have a listen but I don’t think there’s many in the UK.

Cross-posting from the Showing (off) your Roon setup - description and photos thread.

New headphone station for horizontal use. :sunglasses:

  • Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ powered by RoPieee
  • Audioquest Pearl USB
  • Meridian Explorer²
  • MrSpeakers ETHER C Flow

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Hmm, tell us more about the Phonitor.
I’ve read several raves. And their own write ups are impressive. And getting out my own head seems like a worthwhile thing, with headphones.

But whenever I try crossfeed in Roon’s DSP, I feel I lose clarity and precision, massively.
So explain, please.
Maybe this is all a crock, theoretically right but not for real? Don’t think do.
Maybe Phonitor’s implementation is better than what Roon is using, Phonitor does delay, not just mixing.
Maybe it depends on the music: I actually liked the crossfeed when I listened to some Steven Wilson remasters of Jethro Tull which had extreme exaggerated stereo separation, but my kind of jazz is generally more realistically recorded and don’t seem to benefit from crossfeed enough to outweigh the loss of clarity.
Maybe it’s just that I’m aclarity fanatic and don’t sacrifice it for any amount of realism.

What do you think?
I’m thinking of acquisition, Phonitor price level but I was looking elsewhere…

+1
I do occasionally use the hardware based “XPhd” on the Hugo TT and excellent similar function on the Moon 430HAD though. These dont “muddy up” the soundscape as much, but still relieves me from the efffect of the most extreme stereomixes.

Ah, I have a Hugo 2, should try that.

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I’ve not tried the Phonitor’s capabilities on this front so can’t comment. Tell me how you’d like it set and I’ll compare against default. In default config it’s completely transparent, has no noisefloor at any point on the volume pot. First time I’ve ever come to appreciate cans, both LCD3 and HD800.

I was curious about the crossfeed settings that are made to simulate speakers. Don’t know what settings would be appropriate, maybe a mid level crossfeed and a 30 degree angle?

I’m assuming that the speaker simulation works, probably better than a regular crossfeed system. But how does it affect the music? Reducing the exaggerated stereo effect and replacing it with more realistic imaging, does that come at a cost to clarity, as I have heard with other crossfeed systems?

I was going to ask if you prefer it overall, but have you used it? The default setting you mention, is that without any matrix effect, or with the default matrix?

My default is matrix disabled. I’ll have a play and let you know my observations.

Fed by a Sonore ultraRendu from a Roon Rock running on an i7, It also has inputs from an Anthem Pre.

I had a Woo Audio Firefly with the tube power supply prior to the Sony TA-ZH1ES, The TA-ZH1ES with the matching MDR-Z1R’s sounds amazing.

The LCD’s also sound great, but the MDR’s have a clear edge over them.

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Apologies it’s taken a while to revert. With crossfeed set midway and 30 deg angle there’s a very slight and subtle change in volume, but I would not characterise it as reduced clarity, it remains engaging and clear.

Thank you.
Tough decisions, lots of good choices.


Just bought a Hifiman Sundara, it was on sale €150 cheaper than normal.
I couldn’t resist.

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I bought a dedicated headphone amp that I hooked up today. Also, I’ve never listened to anything with a tube before so that was a new experience.
It’s a handmade one-off and to my ears it sounds really good.
My headphones are AKG Y50 - my goto’s for casual listening and Klipsch Reference Over-ear for detailed listening.

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