What to do next?

[Ben Gramain]

I find ESW9s to be very accurate tonally, but what do I know.

I'd say pick up an MDR-V700DJ for example, take a listen, and see how far apart the two actually are. The ESW9's are agreeable for sure, but I think some people got carried away.

[Fitz]

It also mystifies me how people don't run simple comparisons with things they own and want to compare at the same time against another established baseline. I guess it's too much to ask.

For fucks sake man, are you deliberately trying to annoy the piss out of everyone lately?

[Ben Gramain]

For fucks sake man, are you deliberately trying to annoy the piss out of everyone lately?

See reply above. While it can sometimes be somewhat entertaining to poke a stick into peer groups of various kinds, not entirely deliberately.

When I kick back and listen, I have to say I'm generally pretty happy with anything decent - but when I'm talking about relatives, I think its worth it to be more thorough than a few brief meet impressions. Sometimes I go over the edge - e.g. I once bought two HD650s and wrapped them in plastic bags for two weeks to run a test and prove a point to myself. But otherwise you're just butting egos.

[Fitz]

See reply above.

I'll take that as a yes.

[grawk]

any recommendation that includes mdr-v700s is yes, someone trying to troll

[Ben Gramain]

any recommendation that includes mdr-v700s is yes, someone trying to troll

You wish. I kind of wished, since mine got stuck in customs and I had to pay tax on top.

The 700 is my 'low water mark' - and as such, a useful reference. Of course the ESW9 is not worse - but it was a little too close to the 700's for comfort.

[grawk]

ok, more power to you.

[Beefy]

I find ESW9s to be very accurate tonally, but what do I know.

I still really like their overall tone. But more recently I'm finding them too closed and congested, and not lively enough by comparison to my other gear

[Ben Gramain]

I still really like their overall tone. But more recently I'm finding them too closed and congested, and not lively enough by comparison to my other gear

Apart from the obvious externals, the tone is definitely what sells it. For most people, I think the visual impression of the wood / overall materials, and the sound that you're consequently expecting rationally or not, was a great match to the tone the phone produces (in a way that e.g the EW9 or the W1000 didn't manage).

But the technicals aren't there to the same level, especially as it's not that isolating so it's harder to attribute any compromises down to a usefully isolating design. For me at least, I'll take more chops (and isolation) for this type of use even if it means less bloom down low.

[Beefy]

I never had a problem with the amount of isolation. They strike a perfect balanced between drowning out minor noise, and not allowing co-workers to sneak up on me for practical jokes......

[bhjazz]

Well, I've got a rear-view mirror for things like that. Still, the bastards hide behind my head somehow.

[Fitz]

fucking ninjas cant trust rhem for a second you know

[Smeggy]

head the size of a planet

I thought the ESW 9 was nice but uncomfy for me and the HE 2, like most other Grados, didn't do anything for me.

[bhjazz]

Ah. Uncomfy how? Too snug? Too sweaty?

[Ben Gramain]

I never had a problem with the amount of isolation. They strike a perfect balanced between drowning out minor noise, and not allowing co-workers to sneak up on me for practical jokes......

Exactly. I'm sure they'd suit a cubicle slave fine. I'm actually outside when I use a portable closed phone.

As far as comfort goes, it's the old ear-cartilage mangling typical of a supraaural phone. I didn't find it that heinous, but some might.

[bhjazz]

Finally, to be politically correct, where did anyone get theirs? I see them for sale at Headroom, Amazon, Audiocubes is rather high at $369.

[bhjazz]

I say politically correct because I can either support Tyll and purchase at Headroom, or support Head Case and use the Amazon link. My head doth explode.

[grawk]

tyll doesn't work for headroom

[Dusty Chalk]

hemce, support headcase!

[bhjazz]

Good. I need a few other items from the 'zon anyway. Like one of those handy gooseneck webcams with nightvison so I can see (in the wall) if I'll be able to pull my own hdmi cabling. Yay.

[bhjazz]

Listening now. And while they are enjoyable, I'm gonna say that there is not the right synergy withy a CK2III. They are both a bit laid back which could be good for some of the work I do (which needs my undivided attention) but when I'm on autopilot I might want a bit more upfront sound. I saw someone had paired these with an M3. That might provide me what I'm looking for...

Beefy said: "I still really like their overall tone. But more recently I'm finding them too closed and congested, and not lively enough by comparison to my other gear." That's what I'm hearing. I'll need to figure out what I was listening to when I first heard these because this is not what I remember.

Ah well, no worries. They're still nice. Just gotta get the right amp now.

[Beefy]

It was probably me you are thinking of with respect to the M3, and that is where my comments regarding their sound come from.

I haven't heard the CKKIII, so I can't compare. But if they aren't blowing up your skirt right off the bat, then I don't think the amp swap is going to make that much difference.

[bhjazz]

Good call. Yeah, you're probably right. But I should loop through all of the gear I have just in case

This might be the right place for one of those "good lord what a bright sounding source" finds. Thanks for the reply, man.

[bhjazz]

Speaking of socks, I have Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra on now. Sounds pretty durn good so these might be far more recording dependent than I thought. Weird. Just a touch dry, but better.

Oh god, Nature Boy is on this album. gack.

Edited January 21, 2011 by bhjazz

[bhjazz]

Freak. So I brought an iPod as a source using RockBox software on it. The old 'pod doesn't get out much. I had set it up for some other pair of 'phones...and apparently had set it to headbanger mode because the bass was set too high. I caught it just a bit ago when listening to Audioslave and the bass was stupidly distorted. I thought wtf? Now that it's adjusted back to normal, this is a nice combination. Far more musical than it was this morning on the same tunes. Coolio.