HD650 - OK beaten to death, but begrudging props

[n_maher]

Jim,

You might just consider having your current RAL cable reterminated and get a matching adapter made so that you can use that cable both balanced and single-ended. Should save you some cash.

[grawk]

Now I've had a "Soylent Green Is People!" moment.

I've acquired a used Apogee miniDAC and a used HD580 hardwired with Oracle balanced. This was intended for an office setup, running direct out XLR from the DAC. Maybe it's new toy-syndrome, but the result is nothing short of outstanding! (punchy, visceral, detailed, and intimate are the adjectives that come to mind). Same result running direct out XLR from my DAC1USB as well. I need to do some long-term listening/testing, but some immediate thoughts:

--I've blown $$$ to get to my DHA3000/L3000 -- I still consider this to be an ultimate aural plateau (at least for me) -- but you can get ~90% there at a fraction of the outlay.

--This is undermining what I thought was a hard-earned education over the last 18-24 months (trial and error with various phones/amps)

--to boot, separate from the HD580 direct XLR out, the mini-DAC sounds fantastic with the RS-1 and K271S direct headphone out (did not get this wow factor direct headphone out from DAC1USB, will have to more sustained A-B comparison)

--or maybe my ears suck; I've already crossed the inflexion point where better gear is wasted on me.

This has now scrambled where I go next -- not that I'm going to dump all my other gear tomorrow -- but I'm going to have to do some sustained listening with permutations of what I have now.

One small practical step I'll do is -- given how much I like the HD580 run balanced -- to get a replacement balanced cable for my HD650.

No more for the moment

currently I am

I'm glad you like those 580s with the apogee. That was the combination that held me until I got my balanced m3...

[boomana]

Jim,

You might just consider having your current RAL cable reterminated and get a matching adapter made so that you can use that cable both balanced and single-ended. Should save you some cash.

and I know someone who does excellent work at that

[JimP]

would be great if you recommended someone who can do some cable work for me. I posted on HF for recommendations, no input so far. Wanting to get some balanced cables, some pigtails, etc

[grawk]

zach (grand enigma 1)

jay (jbloudg20)

vince (n_maher)

Although vince overcharges a bit, they've all done good work for me.

[postjack]

zach (grand enigma 1)

jay (jbloudg20)

vince (n_maher)

Although vince overcharges a bit, they've all done good work for me.

i would avoid mr. vaughn. i had a bad experience recently with some harassing drunken phone calls and a dead trout nailed to my front door. is it a coincidence that I recently ordered some cables from VV? I doubt it.

[Dusty Chalk]

I have yet to do business with Vince, and nothing has happened. Coincidence? I think not.

No, wait, my cat threw up.

[postjack]

your cat threw up because you haven't done business with Mr. Vaughn yet.

thats just the type of businessman that v. vaughn is.

[boomana]

I bought a balanced to single-ended adapter from Vince. I haven't yet used it, so nothing bad has happened. I suspect he's installed a delay function of some sort that is set to go off around hurricane season.

[boomana]

Waiting for my Senns to return to me from Thrice. If they get lost in the post, we'll certainly know why.

If I pick some time in between soon and now, am I safer?

[boomana]

Until the novelty wore off. But then again, that's pretty much the definition of indie band these days.

Eeeek. Those are frightening teeth.

[boomana]

sharp too, i bet. om nom nom nom.

And if I were bit, whose fault would it be?

[boomana]

Because he bought his cables from Vince Vaughn. It all makes sense now. Good thing I have to go to sleep.

[Edwood]

[JimP]

1. grawk, thanks for the quick deal on the balanced HD580s -- that's what's got my underwear all bunched up (headphone induced wedgie = HIW...) because it sounds so good direct xlr out of miniDAC and DAC1

2. n_maher, thanks for suggestion to reterminate the RAL. Problem is this RAL started it's life as a 3M cable that I sent back to RAL to create a 1.5M HD650 cable and a 1.5M K271S cable (both results which I like very much over respective stock). Also, I don't want to chop down further even if it's bits at the end -- next thing I know, I'll end up with a stubbie cable and will have to resort to strapping the miniDAC or DAC1 to my chest (man-bra-DAC)

3. I'm slow but I figured out the anti n_maher diatribe are really recommendations, so I'll contact n_maher off-line to see what can be done. I'll be away on business for a week, and will ping you when I get back.

4. continuing with the HIW theme, ie my-ears-must-suck doubting audio mode, I dusted off my Bryston B60R integrated amp (this thing must be over 10 years old), connected the miniDAC, and damn, my phones sound pretty good out of the Bryston headphone out. Maybe I should have just fired this puppy up 24 months ago instead of $$$ in various other amps... BTW, the Bryston's brought back to service in preparation for new headphone arriving that needs to run off the speaker terminals. This is probably the last significant thing I wanted to try, before reconsolidating again over the course of next year. stay tuned.

[JBLoudG20]

sharp too, i bet. om nom nom nom.

See sig.

[n_maher]

See sig.

I suggest the following revision.

(> 'vv')>

[Dusty Chalk]

3. I'm slow but I figured out the anti n_maher diatribe are really recommendations, so I'll contact n_maher off-line to see what can be done. I'll be away on business for a week, and will ping you when I get back.

Well...you ain't that slow.

anyone else think that "eyes turned into gophers" would be a great indie rock band name?

Sounds emo, albeit more vaguely abstract.