MS2i & HF-1s with bowls, MS2i with flats

[riceboy]

After some suggestions and requests I decided to listen to the same set of songs, but with the different pads on the MS2i and HF-1s. Right now I'm enjoying the MS2is with flats, but I do like the detail that the bowls provide. Overall the HF-1s are in the middle of the two MS2is with the different pads (bowls and flats). It was fun doing this comparison. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and insights. It is much appreciated.

Equipment

Denon 2900 - DAC1 - PPX3 SLAM - MS2i

Playlist:

1. Jack Johnson - Better Together

2. Taj Mahal/Toumani Diabate - Queen Bee

3. Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven (unplugged)

4. Diana Krall Live - East of the Sun, West of the Moon

5. System of a Down - Chop Suey!

6. Jake Shimabukuro - While My Guitar Gently Weeps

1. The detail on the guitar is more upfront. Also the vocals are more upfront and clearer. I notice less bass in the song.

2. The detail is really good. I like the crisp sound of the guitars. The vocals are more brighter, but they sound good. The vocals do sound good as well. Again the bass is gone, but it sounds good.

3. I do notice the clarity in the guitar. Again the bass is gone, but the mids are clearer as well.

4. The piano sounds good, but I think I like how they sounded with the yellow pads. The bass player is more in the back because of the less bass impact, but I do like the it sounds more than the yellow pads. Everything is cleaner. The sound is not as muddled.

5. The guitars sound good in the beginning. The drums have nice punch to them as well. I like the sound a lot more with the bowls for sure. The vocals are clean and the surrounding instruments are more noticeable with better separation.

6. Wow the ukulele sounds so real. I like the detail and highs that I'm hearing.

HF-1s

1. The guitar has more body to them, not as bright as the MS2i. I can hear more bass and the vocals sound good as well. Definitely more bass than the MS2i.

2. More bass and vocals are still clear, but not as clear as the MS2is. There is more body in the mids as well. The guitars also have more air or body around them.

3. The guitar has more air around it. The vocals sound good as well. I can tell there is more bass than the MS2is, but it's better than the flat pads. The flats seem to be more muddled sounding as well. But the yellow pads of the MS2i is better than the flats for HF1s.

4. I like the tone of the piano more on the HF1s. To me the HF1s has the RS1 sound, but not that 360 degree emersion, but it adds more body to the recording.

5. Not as much detail on guitar as MS2i, more bass is noticeable. Also, the drums have punch, but more air behind them. The vocals sound good as well.

6. The ukulele has a nice sound, but the MS2i has better detail IMHO. The HF1s made it seen there is air after each strum of the ukulele.

MS2i with flats

1. The detail on the guitar is not as bright, but I notice that there is more bass than with the bowls. Everything has more air around it with the added low bass response

2. The guitars sound good, with nice air around them. The mids/vocals have nice air around them as well. Even though the guitars have air around them, I notice that the detail is still there. It doesn't sound muddled.

3. The guitar has air around it and it's not as bright as the bowls. The vocals seem more transparent sounding.

4. The vocals are not as upfront as the bowls. Again it's not as bright or detailed as the bowls, but there is more bass in the bass guitar and the drums seem to possess more air in each beat.

5. The guitars again have more air and the drums have more air punch behind them. The separation of the instruments coming at you is quite good.

6. The ukulele again has more air. The detail is good and the strums have more body to them. Also, when Jake hits his palm on his ukulele it felt like I was there seeing him do it. Also, the recording takes on a liquid feel to it.

MS2i with bowls,

1. More highs and mids. It definitely lacks bass but everything sounds good. It's like an ATH-W5000, but without the bass. There is hardly much bass at all with the bowls.

HF-1s with bowls

1. Detail is still there, but with more air and bass. It's not bright or detailed as the MS2i with bowls, but still good. It's in the middle between the MS2i with bowls and MS2i with flats. It doesn't have the most detail as the MS2i with bows, but pretty close with the upfront mids, but not as upfront as the MS2i with bowls. Also, there is bass, but not as much as the MS2i with flats.

MS2i with flats

Probably the most bass that I heard throughout this whole listening impressions between the different pads on the MS2i and HF-1s. It has a more floaty, airy, and liquid sound. I prefer the bowls a little more for the level of the detail it produces, but the flats would be less fatiguing to listen with in the long run. I could listen to this all day long with no ear fatigue.