Honestly, pc37x only for starters. Then figure out a DAC amp. Given the eagerness and gaming focus, Mayflower Arc MK 2. If that doesn’t scratch the itch, focal has options and honestly the Elegia’s are a way to get LCD X like sound without the harsh treble some complain about (I don’t on the LCD X). From there… A lot of experience and information will be gained without going terribly deep and under budget.
The pc37 has pushed treble right? For better footsteps.
Doesnt that go Bad for music im Not Sure tho
Mid forward and pleasant treble. Bass is there but doesn’t have the slam or impact. Sound stage is on the narrow side for imaging. The imaging is superb!
Main reason for the pc37x… It’s the most comfortable headphones I can say I’ve worn near 14 hours straight. Long cable + volume control makes it oddly versatile.
I do already own an external mic, so that functionality isn’t important to me, just FYI. I understand the headphone component is the most important part.
Otherwise, I think I have a couple options I can go with here and will sleep on it tonight. Hopefully I can wake up to further discussion tomorrow and I can start making some progress towards finding the perfect audio setup for the long haul!
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You cant do that. You have to pull him down into the hole with us.
Doomed to travel broke forever.
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You need to see this. Reason's why I'm glad I won't see Zeos at a bar
“Some say the road to hell is paved with pure audiophile enthusiasts”
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Wow this is absolutely perfect! The one good thing about me is that once I’ve decided on something and purchased it, I tend not to constantly revisit things over and over. I’ll only end up with one pair of headphones like this (wired, for at home listening) because that’s how I feel I will best justify the expense.
Anyway, thanks for all of the help tonight guys. I’ll look into these options further and hope I can make a decision here in the next few days on what to do.
What is that zeos what the…
One other offer I have if like to run by you all, I was offered the RNHP for $375 shipped the other day. Reading back through your suggestions M0N it feels as though this is a very desirable amp, and judging from other sale prices this seems favorable. Does it make sense to snag this as a building block for the final setup? Or is it questionable enough based on me needing to find the desired signature that I should pass?
Thanks all!
M0N the M0D i have to Research that RNHP i often read about it from him
Rnhp is a great amp, but not sure if its something you would want to start with for experimenting. Asgard3 is probably your best bet imo, and would work with a lot of headphones. Especially the Sundaras, dt1990, and 6xx/650/660s i cant say for sure the rnhp is the “best” option for those headphones, but im sure they will sound great with them, just maybe the a3 could give them some more impact. Thats just my experisnce, but I could be wrong. 
Pretty solid deal imo, just make sure it hasn’t been modded in a weird way
It could be, but by buying the rnhp you kinda automatically narrow down your headphone choices later on unless you sell it (but at 375 it should be an easy sell without loss). Like I don’t think the rnhp is a best match for a sundara or the larger driver hifiman, and I don’t think the LCD 2 or 3 would be my first choice on there either, but the focals and lcd x would be pretty excellent on there imo, as would the auteur and eikon (as long as impact isn’t a priority)
So the 1990s and 660s/650/6xx are very good pairings with the rnhp, but I agree the sundara could use more juice where the a3 is a better match with it
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You really can’t go wrong with the Elegia if the $426 deal comes up again. At that price you’re stealing from Focal lol.
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You are getting an excellent headphone with a shit cable in return lol
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I’m using the HP-3 cable on the focal. Seems fine. There is a meze noir cable on Amazon that works well enough.
Just giving everyone an update on where I stand as of now, with hopes that a few that have helped along the way will confirm this is the best course of action at this point.
I was able to find excellent prices on Amazon (directly from them) for a used set of DT 1990, HD660s (may go 6XX as returns are also free and it’s less up front cash) and Sundara. These ship prime and have free returns. I plan to purchase each of those headphones to compare their overall sound signatures.
I do need to pick up a stack/combo unit to run these and after reading through my options and also being in communication with Zach at ZMF it’s been suggested that the Element 2 would be a great pairing with the Aeolus if I end up that way, and I believe it would be an excellent unit with the other three I am purchasing to test. From what I understand unless I get into a very high end setup the Element 2 will be a great fit for me all things considered. Would you guys agree with this idea?
There are three potential issues with this that could throw a wrench in my decision.
First, someone has a beautiful pair of Auteur for sale on Reddit and in an email response from Zach he mentioned they could be a good option for me, and these were recommended here as well. They’re being sold for $1,300. This feels like a really good price? I feel pretty strongly that one of the ZMF products will work for me, just not sure which one. Is this worth jumping on?
Second is the pending availability of the Aeolus I was contacted about prior. I know, I know. We’ve discussed this heavily already. There is just something about this brand that makes me want to own a set. That coupled with me perceiving their rarity on the used market, it adds a level of pressure when a pair shows up.
Third is the DAC/amp choice. I really don’t want to get into a cycle of buying/testing these over and over after I’ve decided on what headphones to purchase and being transparent I don’t know that I will feel comfortable allocating the kind of cash to some of the products that @M0N suggested. I’m absolutely positive they will sound amazing, I just honestly don’t want to have that kind of cash tied up on those components. $400-$700 all in for amp/DAC? Yeah I could probably do that. So the question lie in this, for the sake of my testing does it make sense to just simplify everything, pick up the Element 2 and call it a day OR should I find an inexpensive stack that I can also purchase from amazon for testing and simply return the whole setup after I am done so I can start fresh with a clean audio slate?
If anyone has product suggestions that I could purchase there via prime that would be amazing. I want to use them ideally for the speed of shipping/refunds and the ease of the entire process. I appreciate any input you all are able to offer!
Also @DagoRed how are the Eikon’s?!
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very nice, curious to see what you think. Personally what I would suggest is to not get them all at one, and spend time with them exclusively before trying the next thing, as you don’t want to compare directly without spending a good amount of time alone with them
I would agree, it would give you quality versatile sound without breaking the bank or buying something too specific right away
That’s a good price, but I would actually offer around 1250 and see if they go for it. It should be pretty easy to sell afterwords if you aren’t a fan. I guess it’s up to you in what you want to do here
Also up to you, if you really want them that bad, no real harm in going for it. While I personally feel that something like the auteur/eikon is a much higher preforming set, depending on the price it could be reasonable. But personally I would still lean towards the higher end zmf
So this is a harder one. I think what you could do is stick with the element to actually get a closer representation of what they can do, and when you find the headphone you go with, you could use the element ii as a dac until you have the cash to sell the element ii and go for that higher tier dac
You can see here: 🔷 ZMF Eikon
I will say… ordered a new set of pads already (got the Suede, just ordered the lamb skin) but the RNHP has shown that tonely might bet the best damn amp in the price range. Eikons love the RNHP. The mic cable mod is solid and EXACTLY what I was looking for.
Right now it’s a matter of holding off on judgement since biocellulose drivers take some serious burn in time. Think baseball glove with them, yeah once the glove is broken in it’s useable, but a nicely warn glove over time just can’t be beat… same with these drivers. So it’s going to need 100 hours so of break in before I’ll understand the true sound.
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If after all these people’s suggestions, you are still interested in a Element II, I am willing to sell mine if you’re interested.
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Haha leave it to McLovin to hang around the entire time and just strike while the iron is hot! That’s awesome! But yeah, I’m interested. PM?
@M0N the Auteur’s sold so it looks like it is back to the original plan. Kinda disappointed. Oh well!
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