pff, yeah okay lol. Thatās a stretch. The frequency is quite diffferent but in terms of tonality the clears have a very good looking graph though treble is descending unlike 1990 which raises up
focal clear response there. I will however, try them most definitely. However thatās also comparing a $600 headphone to a $1,200 lol. When I do go and try them I will definitely keep in mind they are considered ābetter than the 1990sā. Itās probably more along the lines of overall detail since I keep hearing focal are very detailed headphones especially in the mids, which is one of the areas I find lacking on the 1990.
I had the 177x go pad swapped to some perforated xl brainwavz. Actually very nice. In comparison though I found the 177x go to sound much more balanced in terms of sound like by a heavy margin not sure what massdrop did but itās definitely different. the 1770 sounded like a better variation to the 770s just in general it was niceā¦ I have considered maybe picking them back up though to try them without the glaring problems I had. Though I like the mids to be at least quite a bit present in the mix when the bass and treble is raised too pushed back and it kinda turns me away.
Then again I am now auditioning for a buddy of mine who was interested in Hyperx Flight after Zeosās reviewā¦ so I am currently having to sit with that right now since I just got done with the helios.
Yeah, I thought that was a silly statement, too, but it got me wondering just how much overlap there was in the broader experience with both headphones. I could see both filling similar roles in a collection.
Iām not getting rid of either, lol. If anything, itās a +1 to Beyer for being so competent at a fraction of the price. Itās also a good reminder of how expensive incremental improvements become as you start climbing the ladder towards Summit-Fi.
Have you heard ZMF cans? The Eikons are so luscious in the midsā¦
Nope, doesnāt appear to be any store nearby that carries them. I donāt own anything in the $900+ range. I try to keep my budget respectably low enough for good enough reasons lol. I normally look to Sennheiser for mid centric headphones more so since I had tried out the 660 S
Something I learned quick in the audiophile hobby is that price doesnāt particularly dictate just how great our headphones can beā¦ ksc75 and kph30i are great examples of that one. I think the 1990 are in a really great pricepointā¦ I canāt seem to properly justify going beyond $600 margin
ZMF only sells direct. My understanding is the owner (Zach) really takes time to talk to you and understand your listening tastes during the ordering process.
Thatās actually very commendable. I can understand his price points itās just sadly so far outta my reach lol. My lady will want to really beat me over the head for spending that much on a headphone lmfao. Really wish I could get the chance to just try out one of the ZMF, I think it was Auteur that was the one that fit my sound preferences.
all this time I was on magni 3+ low gain and about 9-11 oclock volume and all this talk from my first post was based on that, someone told me stay low gain if you can hear the volume fine.
Now I tried high gain at 8 oclock only (if I go higher I think my eyeballs will pop from the bass)ā¦ omg iām not exaggerating its like sitting in a cinema, I can feel the drivers moving (like bombom and moving) when the low bass hits ā¦ and that metallic sound i have been complaining about is gone completely?! everything sounds way richer and fuller and no distortion. Cloud alphas bass he said hahaha
Should I stay on that setting because its so goodā¦ it wont damage the drivers or anything right? only ear damage ?
Yeah pushing more current through gain and turning down the volume to match always leads to stronger bass in my case, especially with my stellias.
I actually learned about that trick from decwareās site
But could someone summarize the differences between the a and b pads?
The gain in the lows is obviousā¦ but what else changes?
I do like both for different reasonā¦ but would be really interested to here from someone with better / trained ears what else differs between the pads.
@Falenkor already showed and named a lot of differences (thanks for that!!) but are there any other thing or opinions?
The measurements are compensated using Rtingsā funky in-house target curve (hence the sudden drop to the sub-bass). But the main thing is it shows that there are only very minor differences above 500 Hz. In fact, those differences are less than typical unit-to-unit variations within the same model of a given headphone. So if you were looking for help taming the dreaded treble peak, no joy.
Pads have slight different densities between one another. The main different appears to just be the bass presence between A and B. bass and lower mids have audible difference between the two since the mids are also raised with B pads. Due to the extra lows and mids from B pads the treble isnāt as up in your face and obvious while A pads tend to be the one that significantly show up as being a ābright headphoneā. Really all I can hear as far as differences are concerned just makes it sound like a seperate signature.
Thanks for the response. I really donāt mind the ābeyer-peakā. I actually like it quite a bit.
I just canāt decide with signature I prefer:) I really like the more airy feel and the better separation with the a pads (better separation mainly because the minds are less thick?). But on the other hand I like the more musical V sound of the b pads. I particularly like the gain in intimacy of male voices.
I love my 1990 with both padsā¦ so analytical on the left cup and balanced on the right?
I have read quite a few on other forums like reddit posts and the like mentioning they have sibilance and issues with the treble still on the dekonis. I think if someone encounters this issue, considering the treble change with the pads, using Dekoni Elite Velours that they definitely have some treble sensitivity and should be a bit cautious as to which headphones they look into picking up.
Itās not for everyone but itās my own preference. However, if someone pairs it to an amp that makes it sound brighter(Aune, THX, JDS Atom in some cases, etc) or anemic it could just be troublesome. Amps like the Liquid Spark, Asgard 3, RNHP, Dark Voice, Bottlehead Crack, RNHP, Liquid Platinum, among quite a few others are good for dialing in that treble and keeping it from going full on sibilant. You can of course order a filter from Solderdude over on DIYHeaven, mod it with toilet paper or other cloth behind the foam on the driver(this may kill the bass), or equalize it while using a good amount of preamp will generally make it sound better without drastic differences.
That would be weird. Anymore, I donāt really use the thicker pads on my 1990. If I want a airier more spacious and laid back approach I just grab the T1 instead as it has better vocality in my opinion without so much bass as the B pads have and more smooth highs as the 1990 highs can potentially seen as Grainy.
1990 depends on pads but in this case you should compare it with using the Analytical Pads since balanced pads are similar to the 990 instead.
More soundstage, brighter and more detailed, laser accurate imaging, aggressive, analytical, more body / fullness to the sound, Still pretty mid centric so vocals sound great, extremely revealing so errors in recordings will definitely show up as 1990 definitely isnāt the forgiving of sorts. While different in my opinion it is a straight upgrade to both the 880 and 990 together as balanced pads 1990 is a smoother less sibilant 990 with less recessed mids and tighter bass. 1990 also has a planar like slam to itās bass. 1990 is 250 ohms as well so less demanding however it cannot be balanced. Cons: may be a bit too bright for some. Extra treble may be a bit grainy. Pairs terribly with amps that make it brighter IMO.
If you want the true middle ground between 880 and 990 thats the T1 over there and is more relaxed.
Very helpful, thanks. Been thinking of something to pair w. the e30/atom/ and Sundara. The e30 takes the harsh edge off the atom. Do U think the 1990 would work well with that combo?
I do like detail and soundstage, as listen to orchestral and female vocals a lot.
I used to run the spark off the e30 as well as the asgard 3 before upgrading the dac. Works just fine however in 1990s case it may still be quite a bit bright. Atom is quite the neutral clean sounding amp and e30 is warm and can help marginally with treble to my understanding so it should work out.
Other than amps and dacs though you can get a cable filter like from solderdude over on DIYheaven that can deplete that treble peak, equalize it out of course works well if you know what your doing, a change of pads particularly a bit thicker helps tremendously but can also change the sound(dekoni elite velour recommended if you do this that way you gain the 3rd sound signature which is a bit of a U shape like a 177x go).
Absolutely love the 1990 and T1 for more orchestra style music and female vocals really come out with that brightness. The only concern you should have is dealing with the potential sibilance. 1990 isnāt as bad as 990 or T1 in that regard but itās still peaky
Do keep in mind while the Sundara is a bright headphone 1990 is quite a bit brighter and noticeable at that. Granted I would choose a seperate sound signature at that point since both those headphones are bright.
ā¦ and that metallic sound i have been complaining about is gone completely?! everything sounds way richer and fuller and no distortion. Cloud alphas bass he said hahaha
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