Random non audiophile thoughts on all my stuff.
Equipment Schiit Bifrost 2 Dac, Schiit Asgard 3 amp, Monoprice Liquid Platinum amp, Monitors are Kali Audio Lp6, Headphones are Dan Clark audio Aeon 2s, Drop Focal Elex, Hifiman Edition X V2, Audioquest Nighthawks (OG), Drop Hifiman He4x, Drop Sennheiser 58x, Sennheiser 558s, Koss portapro classics, Koss Kph30i, All of my headphones are pretty much open back as no one here to complain…
I am not very good at necessarily describing sound or thoughts but will give it a shot. Definitely not a Audiophile review, just look at the title.
I have been watching Josh Valour for almost a year… He always mentions a certain album… Amber Rubarth, sessions from the 17th ward, I finally sat down and listened to this rather interesting and excellent recording on Spotify
and it really shines on headphones.Being able to pinpoint the instruments perfectly and hearing things coming from angles not heard before is rather strange.
It may not be what I would listen to on a regular basis but Holy Hell it sounds great on this setup. All of my equipment I have some may say leans to the warm side.
To me but maybe others differ. I seriously enjoy each and every piece of equipment and I sought expert advice surfing this forum when needed. So many helpful people here. So now here goes…
DCA Aeon 2, Crisp clear Highs with no extremes, Given the power these will slam hard as well. Mids are clear and enjoyable. Comfort and isolation from outside noise is awesome. Can be worn for hours. Top two in comfort Extremely portable as well which is a bonus. (due to their small size when collapsed)
Hifiman Edition X, Same goes as above and then add big tall sound, Once again fed with power they are amazing. I find these especially enjoyable due to directional sound even easier to pinpoint. comfort also quite good not so portable (open back and sheer size)
Drop Focal Elex. Comfort, slam, and range is very good on these headphones. Focal just feels solid to me. Once again not so portable (open back)
Audioquest Nighthawks, Still not sure why discontinued as I think everyone should own these at least once. Unbelievable comfort, These kind of disappear on my head for hours, A little darker and definitely stranger. Highs seem to be muted but the sound is there if you look for it so to speak
. almost feel like they are floating on the side of my head. Hell no they are not leaving my space. nuh uh not gonna do it!! (open back)
Drop Hifiman He4xx, Beginner planar and like having pillows on my ears. I do not think they have anywhere near the detail of these others but still enjoyable. As I evolve I may part with them but still throw them on every now and then for a change of pace. (portable if you want everybody to hear what you are listening to)also open back
Drop Sennheiser 58x, My first Purchase from Drop. Good beginner Dynamic and they have their uses. I like them on my hybrid LP but might be better on a full tube, Dunno as I do not own one. Comfort is a little tight but can be tweaked to fit well. I do not EQ but believe they could benefit from same.
Sennheiser 558, My oldest but still useable and enjoyable, Sennheiser comfort and just a really good old headphone, I use these mostly on my Simrig. (open back)
Koss portapro classic, What else does one say about these that has not been said, can be used portable but also at home with a dedicated desktop amp, If you just want something light and cool (temp)to wear at your desk.
Koss kph30i, pretty much the same as above, portable, comfy and if they break not that much at all to replace (open back)
Schiit Bifrost 2, Wow This Dac is awesome and is the beginning of my chain. Futureproof in the way it is designed, smooth and a hint of warmth, It is nice and feels built like a tank and exactly what I want. Simple to connect and simple to use.
Schiit Asgard 3, Single ended amp with a lot of horsepower under the hood! Once again simple, awesome and a hint of warmth This also powers my Kali audio Lp6s. Gets stupid loud!!
Monoprice Liquid platinum, Balanced headphone amp, Like the Asgard it has a shit ton of power, Love this running balanced as the Asgard 3 does the single ended. Cannot even begin to use all its power.
Kali audio LP6. Some may call these budget monitor’s but to me they are beyond phenomenal. They are my number one when it comes to listening at home. Having the front port tube makes it easier for placement and the boundary eq setting dipswitches are great for customization.
As I stated these are my thoughts and some may differ in opinion and that is fine with me… At the moment I have reached endgame but we all know this rabbit hole is bottomless at times… I always thought it was rabbit hotel so I walked through the door and fell in like so many of us do !!
