InfernalDeity: Audio Gear

ThyCrossAwaits 01.30.24	My daily use headphones are the HiFiMan Sundaras I’ve had other cans around the same price point and these are superior on every level
InfernalDeity 01.30.24	Yeah, I was looking into getting me a pair of Sundaras. Are you driving them with an amp or are you just plugging them straight into your phone or computer?
budgie 01.30.24	speakers, have owned: pioneer hpm60s, kef iq30s, kef r300s, currently focal aria 906 cans, have owned: senn hd650s, akg 701s, currently: beyer 770s and focal utopias
InfernalDeity 01.30.24	Nice, I need to brush up on my speaker game because feeling the music is a totally different aspect that speakers actually give you. I have definitive technology SM65's powered by a pioneer elite amp and I have a entry level svs subwoofer and it really is a different experience than headphones. I'm trying to be a good neighbor though so headphones have been my primary listen lately lol
InfernalDeity 01.30.24	I didnt have the chance to listen to the Utopias but the Focal Clear blew my mind i cant imagine how awesome the Utopia sounds
budgie 01.30.24	i had the clears for a week really loved them too, id be happy with them
InfernalDeity 01.30.24	Yeah, I need to upgrade soon. The soundstage on the 660s is really disappointing and some more bass would be appreciated as well. How do you feel about those akg 701s?
bellovddd 01.30.24	just earpods whilst at work. at home I some nice Sennheiser AMBEO speakers i use for music making
InfernalDeity 01.30.24	I have some airpods pro's but I cant get a good seal for the life of me
budgie 01.31.24	"How do you feel about those akg 701s? i like them more than the HD650s and beyer 770s. awesome imaging and awesome comfort. lower end is pretty sparse though so if you are a hip hop guy they might not work very well. good for punchy midrange stuff like trad heavy metal. but i mean just save up for the clears. only have 1 life, live it good last i read focal has a 5 year transferrable warranty in the US market and i see pairs on ebay right now for $600. super crazy worth it, id pay 3x without breaking a sweat
InfernalDeity 01.31.24	Sold. What rig do you have running your Utopia?
budgie 01.31.24	i have an RME ADI-2 DAC but it sounds fine out of my google pixel smartphone and i doubt i could discern the two in proper blind testing
InfernalDeity 01.31.24	Yeah, its interesting how some cans scale really well while others are just perfect on their own. My nighthawks are super controversial because to a lot of people they sound very veiled, but if you pair it will a quality amp they are amazing.
blou52 01.31.24	I used to use the Etymotic ER4XR, but I recently got a pair of Thieaudio Monarch MKIIIs and really enjoy them, so that's what I use. I also used to use the Dragonfly Red DAC/amp, but mine developed a connection issue with the USB port internally and doesn't function properly anymore unless I have something pressing down on it the entire time
FrozenFirebug 01.31.24	broken audio technica m50x held together by zip ties and tape exponentially more comfortable than out of the box, unbroken ones still going strong 8 years later
Butkuiss 01.31.24	I just listen to music via the inbuilt speaker on my iPhone X
budgie 01.31.24	butkiss pls
Butkuiss 01.31.24	😘 mwa
VlacDrac 01.31.24	Based Butkuiss.
ThyCrossAwaits 01.31.24	I have an amp but I use it with my way more expensive cans, my Audezes that were $900. They’re my home-only use headphones, usually for listening to vinyl. The Sundaras I plug right in without a problem, they drive pretty well off just my phone.
Dewinged 01.31.24	I recently got the meze 99 classics but the clamp is quite unforgiving for 8 hours of work and music so I usually turn to my trusty Sony buds for exploring/working and the meze for active listening. Wanna get the dragonfly amp too, did some tests at work and it's crazy how much more defined the sound was. I'm not an audiophile though and my ears are old and mistreated after 30 years of drumming and listening to music at insane levels on headphones so don't trust anything I say on this thread.
InfernalDeity 01.31.24	@Dewinged The clamp on the 99 classics should give in a bit. My 660s were head crushers and they fit fine now. Put them on a pair of books for the first few days when not using and they'll open up for you
InfernalDeity 01.31.24	@blou52 my first dragonfly red had the same issue and I emailed audioquest and they gave me like a 100 dollar discount for another one (i was outside the warranty). If youre within warranty i'd reach out to them. They'll even take some money off the cobalt if you want to go for that one, but i've heard the red is so close to the cobalt that it might not be worth it.
Dewinged 01.31.24	Oooh I never thought about the book trick, thanks, I'll give it a try! Otherwise, they sound great but I think they need that extra oomph from an amp. Currently renewing my vinyl listening setup too with some vintage stuff I got from my in-laws.
Sinternet 01.31.24	really don't like the sound of the sundaras tbh i use the ath-m70x and they are not only fantastic sound-wise but easily the most comfortable headphones you will ever wear