They will be called lcd5 I have heard.they will replace the current flagship lcd4 Which has been around for years now.
My Current Audio Systems
- Thread starter tmallin
- Start date
That's really hard to believe they have only been used for 15 hours. It usually takes me months if not years to bring my cans to such a level, if ever at all given that I also replace my pads.
I am not saying that I have got Dobby's or Yoda's ears, but I'd say that the size of my ears is above standard, and the HP50's seem quite small.
You mentioned Meze Empyrean as a reference point.
First, I think Meze is a great company and the people who are running it know what they are doing. Two years ago after a nice dinner, Antonio gave me a pair of Empyreans and I cannot complain about them. They are definitely one of my favourite headphones. Fantastic SQ, easy to drive, comfortable during longer sessions, ovoid shape of the earcups is the right fit. A little suitcase they are packed-in, that is also a nice touch.
Yup - .... what I thought as well. I've had MDR7506s that took years of abuse to get to that state.
That is nice to hear about Meze: I've never owned or heard a pair - just referenced them by reputation: their build quality is said to be excellent. Thanks for your experience of them. I'll keep an eye out for a secondhand pair here.
Sad about the NADs - they do alot right for a cheap set of cans. I looked at HeadFi - sure enough - a couple hundred pages of folk looking for suitable replacement pads; and a host of other build quality problems. Most pretty happy with the SQ. Pity.
Exactly, perhaps a third party replacement pads would do? I'd have to conduct some more research to know the answer.
Not for me - but I understand the 7506's Dekoni's can work.
Think I'll start my own thread about a headphone search rather than further pollute Tom's - sorry Tom
Good idea.Not for me - but I understand the 7506's Dekoni's can work.
Think I'll start my own thread about a headphone search rather than further pollute Tom's - sorry Tom
For those looking for replacement earpads for the NAD Viso HP-50: Exact replacements are still available from the manufacturer through Lenbrook Americas. The pads are only $18 a pair plus $20 a pair shipping. Here is a contact phone number for Customer Service/Parts Admin: (905) 831-6555 / (800) 263-4641 ext. 4201 I got two pairs of replacements, one each for my two sets of these headphones. Yes, the pads will show wear after a while, but in my case the pads did not look as bad as the posted picture even after many months of using them occasionally.
Recent experimentation has revealed an even more sonically satisfying configuration for these two devices in my system:
I'm now connecting the ethernet cable from the main Xfinity Advanced Gateway router (which is 90+ feet long) to the input of the GF. The output of the GF feeds what is normally regarded as the "output" jack of the ER--the "slower" jack which is alone on one side of the device and is labeled as the "B" side. Each of the four ethernet-connected devices in my system (Roon Nucleus+, Lumin X1, and each Dutch & Dutch 8c speaker) are then connected to one of the four "A" side jacks on the other side of the ER. This way, the feeds for all my ethernet-connected devices must pass over/through the "moat" separating the A and B sides of the ER.
In my system, this configuration further clarifies the sound, blackens the background, focuses the imaging, and expands the soundstage without any adverse effects on perceived frequency response. In fact, high frequency air (top octave) seems enhanced.
Yes, there is a bit more delay when switching programs with this set up. But the delay is well worth the further sonic improvement.
Go figure.
Since I'm not streaming upsampled/oversampled PCM or DSD content over ethernet, the 100 mbps speed of the ER's B-side jack connected to my router is plenty for audio purposes, the fastest of which is 24/192. Bit rate is frequency times bit depth times channels = 192,000 samples per second x 24 bits per sample x 2 channels = 9.216 megabits per second, about one tenth of the capability of the B-side jack.
As to why the ER switch sounds better in my system in this "backwards" configuration, I can only speculate. One possibility: in my system, there are two DACs active, one in each D&D 8c speaker. Thus, it makes sense that both speakers should be on the opposite side of the "moat" compared to the ethernet feed from the router. In addition, as I said above, in this configuration, the feeds for all my ethernet-connected audio devices must traverse the "moat" separating the A and B sides of the ER. For listening via Roon, all these devices are in the signal path.
I am aware of the lack of measurements to back up the Swenson's claims in his "whitepaper" as to why the ER makes such a significant sonic difference. Thus, Archimago, for example, is a doubter and ASR says it does nothing to improve anything. All I can say is that, to my ears, the chorus of users and reviewers who trumpet the sonic benefits of the ER are correct. To my ears in my system, the difference is obvious and significantly positive at first listen. No A/Bing or long, hard concentration on sound quality is necessary to hear the sonic difference and that difference is also instantly and obviously "better."
Yes, the ER is $640, which is quite a bit for a switch when other ethernet switches from the big boys in ethernet distribution can be had for a small fraction of the cost. I've owned and used units from TP Link, Cisco, and Netgear. Yes, those "work" and there are sonic differences among them. I would classify the Netgear Nighthawk gaming switch I used as sonically better than the other two, and I'd say the Cisco was sonically a bit better than the TP Link.
But those differences are tiny compared to the sonic chasm between the Netgear and the ER. I daresay the ER makes a sonic improvement on the order of getting better speakers. That may be hard to believe, but that's how I hear it. Other users have said it was the best $640 they've ever spent in audio. I will not dispute that pronouncement.
As to why the ER switch sounds better in my system in this "backwards" configuration, I can only speculate. One possibility: in my system, there are two DACs active, one in each D&D 8c speaker. Thus, it makes sense that both speakers should be on the opposite side of the "moat" compared to the ethernet feed from the router. In addition, as I said above, in this configuration, the feeds for all my ethernet-connected audio devices must traverse the "moat" separating the A and B sides of the ER. For listening via Roon, all these devices are in the signal path.
I am aware of the lack of measurements to back up the Swenson's claims in his "whitepaper" as to why the ER makes such a significant sonic difference. Thus, Archimago, for example, is a doubter and ASR says it does nothing to improve anything. All I can say is that, to my ears, the chorus of users and reviewers who trumpet the sonic benefits of the ER are correct. To my ears in my system, the difference is obvious and significantly positive at first listen. No A/Bing or long, hard concentration on sound quality is necessary to hear the sonic difference and that difference is also instantly and obviously "better."
Yes, the ER is $640, which is quite a bit for a switch when other ethernet switches from the big boys in ethernet distribution can be had for a small fraction of the cost. I've owned and used units from TP Link, Cisco, and Netgear. Yes, those "work" and there are sonic differences among them. I would classify the Netgear Nighthawk gaming switch I used as sonically better than the other two, and I'd say the Cisco was sonically a bit better than the TP Link.
But those differences are tiny compared to the sonic chasm between the Netgear and the ER. I daresay the ER makes a sonic improvement on the order of getting better speakers. That may be hard to believe, but that's how I hear it. Other users have said it was the best $640 they've ever spent in audio. I will not dispute that pronouncement.
In my desktop system I can directly compare the sound of my Apple Airpod Max, NAD Viso HP-50, and Stax SR009S headphones, The computer is the 2021 edition Apple M-1 iMac.
Now in this system the Apple phones are usually driven via bluetooth, the NADs via the computer's stereo mini-jack on its left side, and the Stax via a USB C connection through TWL USB cable, into a Benchmark DAC3B, then via Benchmark balanced cables into my Mjolnir Audio Electrostatic Headphone Amp. Thus, it's not really an apples to apples comparison since each set of headphones is driven by a different DAC and different (or no) cabling. But that's my set up.
What I wanted to report is that, as with directly driving the NAD headphones from my 2021 M-1 iPad in my stereo room system, I have now found that driving the NAD headphones via the ddHiFi TC35 Pro (Eye) portable DAC connected to a USB-C port of the Apple iMac computer on my desktop is EXTREMELY good sounding for both music and especially video soundtracks. The sound is better this way, I think, than via the iMac's stereo mini-jack output.
TC
Via the ddHiFi unit, the NADs best the Stax in all aspects except ultimate detail and wearing comfort. The NAD bass is phenomenally deep, loses all vestiges of over-warmth, the presentation is hugely big and open, nicely focused, more 3-D, etc. Although I'm not usually a big fan of upsampling digital programs, the best mode for listening via the ddHiFi unit through the NAD phones is definitely the highest upsampling available, 32 bit, 768kHz. Yes, this little DAC does that and it sounds great. And wait until you hear the full MQA decoding this unit can provide from Tidal Masters.
Yes, the M-1 iMac's stereo mini-jack output makes the NAD phones sound warmer, so if you like that balance you should stick with that. I like that tonal balance, too, but the overall ddHiFi sound through the NAD Viso HP-50 headphones is almost too good to believe, in my opinion. At $100, it won't cost you much to experience.
Now in this system the Apple phones are usually driven via bluetooth, the NADs via the computer's stereo mini-jack on its left side, and the Stax via a USB C connection through TWL USB cable, into a Benchmark DAC3B, then via Benchmark balanced cables into my Mjolnir Audio Electrostatic Headphone Amp. Thus, it's not really an apples to apples comparison since each set of headphones is driven by a different DAC and different (or no) cabling. But that's my set up.
What I wanted to report is that, as with directly driving the NAD headphones from my 2021 M-1 iPad in my stereo room system, I have now found that driving the NAD headphones via the ddHiFi TC35 Pro (Eye) portable DAC connected to a USB-C port of the Apple iMac computer on my desktop is EXTREMELY good sounding for both music and especially video soundtracks. The sound is better this way, I think, than via the iMac's stereo mini-jack output.
TC
Via the ddHiFi unit, the NADs best the Stax in all aspects except ultimate detail and wearing comfort. The NAD bass is phenomenally deep, loses all vestiges of over-warmth, the presentation is hugely big and open, nicely focused, more 3-D, etc. Although I'm not usually a big fan of upsampling digital programs, the best mode for listening via the ddHiFi unit through the NAD phones is definitely the highest upsampling available, 32 bit, 768kHz. Yes, this little DAC does that and it sounds great. And wait until you hear the full MQA decoding this unit can provide from Tidal Masters.
Yes, the M-1 iMac's stereo mini-jack output makes the NAD phones sound warmer, so if you like that balance you should stick with that. I like that tonal balance, too, but the overall ddHiFi sound through the NAD Viso HP-50 headphones is almost too good to believe, in my opinion. At $100, it won't cost you much to experience.
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Making Roon Sound Better: The Gotham GAC-4/1 11301 UltraPro Star Quad DC(JSSG360) Cable
I've long had a bit of a love/hate affair with Roon. On the one hand, I love the GUI. On the other hand, playing things through Roon always seemed to add a slight layer of brightness, grit, and crud compared to playing the same material through the Lumin App. This is not so obnoxious as to cause me to not use Roon. However, whenever I wanted to hear things as best my system could reproduce them, I usually would switch to the Lumin App.
I have a pretty good Roon set up, I thought, with the Roon Nucleus+ as the Roon Core, the Lumin X1 as the Roon Ready player, and the aftermarket Keces P8 LPS supplying the juice to the Nucleus+. While I'd swapped out the stock power cords of everything in my system for my preferred Absolute Power Cord MkII (the blue one once marketed by GTT Audio), to connect the Keces P8 to the Nucleus+, I was using the DC cable which came with the Keces.
I bought the replacement Gotham DC cable about a year ago. I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that, with one system change and another, I sort of forgot about it. It has taken me that long to get back to swapping out the stock DC cable for the Gotham.
I should not have waited.
I'm not usually one to trumpet the benefits of extremely expensive aftermarket cables. Yes, I hear differences among power cables, but I usually find something not too expensive that sounds about as good as the really high-priced spread and sometimes, to my ears, even better.
With the Gotham the price is not high as audiophile cables go, only about $85 plus shipping from China for a one-meter length. But I knew within seconds of swapping out the stock DC cable for this Gotham that most of the problems I'd heard with Roon sound could, at least in my system, be laid at the feet of that stock DC cable. Not only were the problems I mentioned either eliminated or greatly ameliorated, but the background is blacker and the three dimensionality of the staging increased.
Only more listening will tell if the Lumin App still sounds a bit better. But now Roon's sound is truly competitive. A huge improvement for an $85 investment. Who knew? I certainly did not.
The model needed for this interconnection has a 2.5 millimeter inner diameter at both ends. That's the right size for the DC power jacks on both the Keces P8 and the Nucleus+. Ghent Audio makes up the Gotham cable with different connectors at either end if you need such, so you won't have to use an adaptor.
I've long had a bit of a love/hate affair with Roon. On the one hand, I love the GUI. On the other hand, playing things through Roon always seemed to add a slight layer of brightness, grit, and crud compared to playing the same material through the Lumin App. This is not so obnoxious as to cause me to not use Roon. However, whenever I wanted to hear things as best my system could reproduce them, I usually would switch to the Lumin App.
I have a pretty good Roon set up, I thought, with the Roon Nucleus+ as the Roon Core, the Lumin X1 as the Roon Ready player, and the aftermarket Keces P8 LPS supplying the juice to the Nucleus+. While I'd swapped out the stock power cords of everything in my system for my preferred Absolute Power Cord MkII (the blue one once marketed by GTT Audio), to connect the Keces P8 to the Nucleus+, I was using the DC cable which came with the Keces.
I bought the replacement Gotham DC cable about a year ago. I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that, with one system change and another, I sort of forgot about it. It has taken me that long to get back to swapping out the stock DC cable for the Gotham.
I should not have waited.
I'm not usually one to trumpet the benefits of extremely expensive aftermarket cables. Yes, I hear differences among power cables, but I usually find something not too expensive that sounds about as good as the really high-priced spread and sometimes, to my ears, even better.
With the Gotham the price is not high as audiophile cables go, only about $85 plus shipping from China for a one-meter length. But I knew within seconds of swapping out the stock DC cable for this Gotham that most of the problems I'd heard with Roon sound could, at least in my system, be laid at the feet of that stock DC cable. Not only were the problems I mentioned either eliminated or greatly ameliorated, but the background is blacker and the three dimensionality of the staging increased.
Only more listening will tell if the Lumin App still sounds a bit better. But now Roon's sound is truly competitive. A huge improvement for an $85 investment. Who knew? I certainly did not.
The model needed for this interconnection has a 2.5 millimeter inner diameter at both ends. That's the right size for the DC power jacks on both the Keces P8 and the Nucleus+. Ghent Audio makes up the Gotham cable with different connectors at either end if you need such, so you won't have to use an adaptor.
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Here is a link to a post with pictures of my current audio room set-up. It is built around the Sanders 10e hybrid electrostatic speakers.
The components pictured at that link are listed and described in the first post in this thread. I try to keep that post updated over time.
Another post lists and pictures the components in my current desktop computer headphone-based system. I also try to keep that post updated with new component lists, descriptions, and pictures as components change.
The components pictured at that link are listed and described in the first post in this thread. I try to keep that post updated over time.
Another post lists and pictures the components in my current desktop computer headphone-based system. I also try to keep that post updated with new component lists, descriptions, and pictures as components change.
I too have experienced similar levels of improvement with replacement of the stock DC cable on a Kesces LPS with Ghent Audio DC cables. Don’t recall which Ghent DC cables, ( they offer several different levels) however the two I tried both were an obvious improvement, in the ways you described.
Cheers....
I just added the Stax SR-007 Mk 1 to my headphone stable for use with my computer desk audio system. I acquired these used (of course) from Mjolnir Audio. These are vintage 1999 or so. Birgir/Spritzer of Mjolnir Audio regards these as the finest Stax electrostatic headphones of all time. He says he always has a pair of these for use in his system. He greatly prefers these to the later SR-009/009S (I previously owned the 009S) and the latest SR-X9000 which I also currently own. On his website, in the blurb about the SR-007 Mk 1 he had for sale (which was the set I bought) Birgir said he regards the current Stax SR-X9000 flagship as "misguided." Birgir/Spritzer's online review of the SR-X9000 which compares it to other Stax phones can be found here.
While I would not go that far, I must say that this SR-007 Mk1 has been a revelation to me. From the very first notes, I knew that these are the finest sounding headphones I have yet heard. The Stax electrostatic clarity is all there, but the bass goes deeper and has both greater definition and greater fullness, tonal balance is warmer, the midrange is clearer yet, the highs are perfectly balanced and extended, the staging and imaging are yet firmer and more precise, and the background is somehow blacker. They strip away a layer of high-frequency "grunge" and over-emphasis of the SR-X9000 that was in no way obvious before I heard the SR-007 Mk 1. There is an easy, natural balance to these that is instantly appealing and unmatched by other headphones in my experience.
Yes the presentation/soundstage is a bit smaller and less open than from the SR-009S and SR-X9000, but I regard the greater precision of imaging and less diffuse sound of the staging as a net gain in realism and listening pleasure.
Since I'm using these with a Mjolnir Audio Carbon amp which Birgir regards as an ideal driver for these phones, I think I'm hearing them at their best.
One set up note: Unlike newer Stax headphones these have no automatic adjustment for the length of the leather headband. On Stax headphones the leather headband adjusts how low or high the headphones sit over your ears/head. On my pair of the SR-007 Mk 1, the elastic tensioning within the leather headband was either just too long for my head or the elastic had stretched out a bit with age. I suspect the latter. As a result, the headphones sat just a bit low on my ears. The only easy fix, according to Birgir, is to physically shorten the elastic tensioning. This worked very well and fairly easily for me. You unscrew two small Phillips-head screws at one end of the adjustment band to get at the end of the elastic band, cut off a bit of the length of the elastic with scissors, flame the end of the elastic to prevent any future fraying, make a new small hole in the center of the elastic near the end to fit it over the positioning stud, apply a bit of glue to hold the elastic more firmly in place, and reassemble. This fix is easy to do once you find the right size (small) Phillips screw driver. The fix only took about 10 minutes once I got the two screws loose.
An insightful, balanced review of these headphones by someone other than Birgir/Spritzer is here.
To sum up, until I hear better, my overall personal reaction is that these are my "it" headphones. Wow!
While I would not go that far, I must say that this SR-007 Mk1 has been a revelation to me. From the very first notes, I knew that these are the finest sounding headphones I have yet heard. The Stax electrostatic clarity is all there, but the bass goes deeper and has both greater definition and greater fullness, tonal balance is warmer, the midrange is clearer yet, the highs are perfectly balanced and extended, the staging and imaging are yet firmer and more precise, and the background is somehow blacker. They strip away a layer of high-frequency "grunge" and over-emphasis of the SR-X9000 that was in no way obvious before I heard the SR-007 Mk 1. There is an easy, natural balance to these that is instantly appealing and unmatched by other headphones in my experience.
Yes the presentation/soundstage is a bit smaller and less open than from the SR-009S and SR-X9000, but I regard the greater precision of imaging and less diffuse sound of the staging as a net gain in realism and listening pleasure.
Since I'm using these with a Mjolnir Audio Carbon amp which Birgir regards as an ideal driver for these phones, I think I'm hearing them at their best.
One set up note: Unlike newer Stax headphones these have no automatic adjustment for the length of the leather headband. On Stax headphones the leather headband adjusts how low or high the headphones sit over your ears/head. On my pair of the SR-007 Mk 1, the elastic tensioning within the leather headband was either just too long for my head or the elastic had stretched out a bit with age. I suspect the latter. As a result, the headphones sat just a bit low on my ears. The only easy fix, according to Birgir, is to physically shorten the elastic tensioning. This worked very well and fairly easily for me. You unscrew two small Phillips-head screws at one end of the adjustment band to get at the end of the elastic band, cut off a bit of the length of the elastic with scissors, flame the end of the elastic to prevent any future fraying, make a new small hole in the center of the elastic near the end to fit it over the positioning stud, apply a bit of glue to hold the elastic more firmly in place, and reassemble. This fix is easy to do once you find the right size (small) Phillips screw driver. The fix only took about 10 minutes once I got the two screws loose.
An insightful, balanced review of these headphones by someone other than Birgir/Spritzer is here.
To sum up, until I hear better, my overall personal reaction is that these are my "it" headphones. Wow!
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Congratulations on finding your final headphones! Did you have any other contenders besides electrostatics?
