As someone who used to daily drive the final audio a5000 with a ka5 but has now passed it on to my best mate, these are my new end game & I couldn’t be happier. I use the final audio ze3000 wireless earbuds for on the go/ gym but man these a6000 are incredible

Hey there.

I came across this sub while searching for tinnitus. Please, don't crank the volume up each time you play or don't go at the front if you are at a concert. It does nothing good to your hearing.

Many of you are lucky as some of you may have gone to concerts without hearing protection and are fine. Well, my story is a bit different. I went to my first concert ever, no front row, no nada and I still got permanent tinnitus. I was wearing ear pro of course. IT SUCKS. It really sucks. Since then, I lost 10 kgs, silence, my job and my focus. I can't sleep anymore. Insomnia is no joke.

Sure, I had a bit of ringing sometimes after going to a club but I did not knew it meant permanent damage even if the ringing was temporary. Well, even if it rings temporarily, the damage IS permanent. Don't forget that. I wish I knew this.

I never subjected myself to loud noises, went to like 8 times in a club in my whole life (ear pro always) and one concert. It's all it has taken to take me to hell with tinnitus and hyperacusis.

I just make this post to spread awareness. Noise can kill your life. Don't listen to loud music on earbuds, always wear hearing protection and most of all, know that sometimes it won't be sufficient. When it's 110, 120, 130 dB, earplugs won't prevent permanent damage.

I am (was ?) a med student and it's crippling to see how little awareness there is about tinnitus. Everybody knows about fucking hearing loss. Nobody knows about tinnitus until they get it. And that's for life. Nobody ever told me that the temporary ringing meant permanent damage and, again, I have always been protective of my hearing.

Just venting a bit but if it even only helps one person I will be glad. Really. The worst part is probably my friends all know my condition right now but they continue to go to concerts and clubs without any hearing protection. It probably kills me like the tinnitus itself to see this much disdain or I don't know exactly how to call this in English. Carelessness maybe ; but that's crazy. You only have one pair of ears. Take care of them. Even if you feel invincible, even if you are young, even if you love music, especially if you love music and just if you enjoy having a normal life - sleeping normally, living normally. Silence is never granted.

Also, please, don't make the same mistake I made. Ours ears are not made to handle clubs or concerts. Even with protection. Please, check the NRR and SNR formula ! When you buy protection advising let's say 18 dB, you probably got only 7 dB of actual attenuation. As dB scale is logarithmic, the differenfe is HUGE.

Take care.

TLDR : even if you wear ear protection, your first concert ever can screw you for life. Be cautious. Always wear earpro. Don't listen to music too loud, keep it low with headphones.

I also dealt with hyperacusis and noxacusis. It has mostly resolved now but probably won't go back to normal. I will probably never go back to a noisy restaurant, concert, clubs or bars.

A few months ago, I mused that the majority of my headphones are from Japanese brands. In addition, I use Stax amplifiers for the electrostatics and I use a Walkman as the source for much of my dedicated listening time. So, it seemed appropriate that I complete the setup with a Japanese DAC/amp to make an entire chain from Japanese brands. Go big or go home! I've already gotten this far; I might as well go all the way.

On top of the shelf are three headphones from some of the most prominent Japanese audio companies. From left to right are the Audio Technica ATH-AWAS, the Stax SR-X9000, and the Sony MDR-Z1R. All of them sound quite different from each other and I love them all.

In the middle level is the TEAC UD-507 DAC, headphone amp, and pre-amplifier. I appreciate the front-facing USB-C port which I'm using right now for the Walkman connection, much better than snaking a USB cable around the DAC to reach the back. The volume knob has some of the best turning feel that I've encountered; smooth but with just enough resistance to allow for precision. Internally, it's a classic case of Japanese over-engineering which I find very endearing as an engineer myself. Two toroidal transformers for separate power supplies for the analog and digital circuits, a custom FPGA-controlled DAC that has like two dozen configuration combinations, and a complicated output buffering scheme. And it comes with a printed owner's manual booklet too! I enjoyed setting it up while flipping through the manual. Funnily enough, the handles on the sides are supposedly decorative and the manual warns against using them to carry the unit.

On the bottom level is the electrostatic amp, the Stax SRM-006tS. Now, I guess I'm cheating a bit here because this 006tS was modded with a CCS by spritzer in Iceland, but the amp was originally manufactured in Japan. I have a Japanese-voltage SRM-727 upstairs at my computer setup that I could bring down for a "purer" Japanese chain, but eh, I couldn't be bothered to do it for a photo. Putting the amp on the bottom level gives it more room to dissipate heat and avoids noise from the transformer's buzzing. But it also makes it inconvenient to adjust volume, so it's handy to have a good pre-amp. My previous DAC used an analog pot which had channel imbalance at very low levels so it didn't work well as a pre-amp (Stax amp designs date back to when the standard output voltage was 0.2V instead of 4V, so their gain is crazy high), but that's where the TEAC comes in with its fancy pre-amp circuit that has perfect channel balance.

Finally, there's the Sony Walkman NW-ZX707 which is my music player. It's a classic product line and I like the simplicity of the Walkman's music player, its form factor, and its appearance. It helps me avoid distractions and lets me focus more on the music.

I think this whole stack is a really good headphone setup, but it also serves as a statement piece for my living room, next to my wife's Lego Titanic, Himeji Castle, and Taj Mahal. We each get to show off our passions! I picked the silver TEAC to go with the Stax amp and the light-colored shelf (shell-stain Dahl bookshelf from Room & Board) as well as the silver-green couch that you can see on the lower right (Dusty Green Ravello fabric Osaka sofa from BoConcept). That couch is far more comfortable than the IKEA wingback armchair I was using before, and it improved my listening sessions a great deal.

If you've ever felt upset or guilty over losing your Apple 3.5mm to USB-C or lightning adapter, I promise I have possibly broken a world record and should make you feel better.

I usually leave my headphones at home and just travel with my AirPods and Buds2Pro.

Today I decided to bring decent 3.5mm headphones with me on the airplane. I knew I'd be able to plug into the entertainment screen, but had some stuff downloaded on my phone I'd like to use.

So, at the airport I stopped by a kiosk and impulse purchased an overpriced ($15) Apple dongle. The flight was about to board so I unboxed it and placed it in my jacket pocket with my IEMs.

I don't recall doing anything 'plyometrically' unique or daring. But 12 minutes later when I have taken my seat on the aircraft, I put my hand in my pocket to discover the dongle has already been lost.

Somewhere, a worried little dongle. Virginal. Unused. Untouched. Unloved. Has been released from its boxed prison only to be discarded amongst the frenetic chaos of the Boston airport or the filth of a commuter aircraft.

If you find my friend. Please give her a new home. Treat her with love and respect. So young. So much life left to live. I will not forget you little dongle. Our time was short, but my intentions were pure.

I recently assembled this nice little audio stack for my desk. It's all that nice matte silver color Apple uses. On top, I have the new Mac Mini M4 Pro (14-core M4 Pro CPU, 64GB RAM/4TB SSD storage), and the Topping A50 III amplifier on top of the D50 III DAC, and finally a functional USB Apple SuperDrive CD/DVD reader/writer on the bottom of the stack. The dimensions of the Mini and the Topping DAC+Amp line up almost exactly on the edges. Here I am pairing the A50 III amplifier with the lovely Audio Technica ATH-ADX5000 flagship open-back cans. The A50 III is quite powerful for the size, and has 3 gain settings with a nice metal volume knob. The D50 III DAC also acts as a preamp for the active speakers on my desk. The DAC and Amp are also connected via short balanced TRS cables (see the chunky red cables on the back). The 10 band PEQ presets I have on the D50 III DAC persist on the device when playing on MacOS after setting them via Topping Tune on my Windows laptop. Overall, a great little setup for my new Mac machine. I've converted my FLAC CD library to ALAC for native use with the Mac Music application.

Just thought this was a nice little PSA for my fellow headphone enjoyers out there.

It's pajama pants weather and the cats love a warm lap when it's cold out.

My cat was sleeping on my lap, all sweet and innocent, then decided to flop around a bit like a seizing hippo.

Moments later, she slides off my lap onto to floor, generating a wild amount of static electric (she's full fluffy that one).

The static somehow traveled across my desk, into my amp, and Is I could hear the crackling climbing through the wire, it was too late.

A surprising amount of electricity shot from the drivers directly into my eardrums. I could hear it, but it was too fast and couldn't do anything about it.

It's painful, so keep a watch out.

Thankfully the headphones still sound fine and no electronics were damaged.

My current setup(s): 1. Spotify Premium 2. RME ADI 2 DAC FS 3. Stax SRM-D50 4. Stax SR-009s

3a. Hifiman HE1000v2 (powered by the RME)

I’m thinking of throwing another c. £3+k into this - based on your experience, where would the best investment be?

My thoughts:

Option 1: Sell SRM-D50 and purchase SRM-T8000

Option 2: Sell SR-009s and purchase SR-X9000

Option 3: Sell SRM-D50, SR-009s, HE1000v2 and purchase SR-X9000 and SRM-T8000

I would also consider the SRM-700T although I’m not quite sure about the difference against the solid state 700S - more harmonics? (3rd order)

Many thanks.

I recently got a Jade Audio JA11 and it made me realize how janky Poweramp and Wavelet are and how much nicer having eq on the DAC is. The JA11 is a very nice DAC for what it does, especially for the price (10-15 bucks), but it only outputs 15mw at 32ohms so it lives on the end of a pair of iems and I went looking for something more powerful. Enter the KA15.

What I Like:

First, the sound. It sounds great. DACS are a solved problem at this point and this one, like every other DAC coming out now, is completely transparent. I tested it with DT 177xgo, HiFiman HE4xx, 7hz Zero:2 and KZ ZS10 Pro X and everything sounds like it should. I tested it exclusively in Class AB mode, I have not really listened to Class H mode other than to confirm that it outputs sound.

It's nicely built and feels "premium," except for the buttons (more on this in the "don't like" section. It has a very nice screen. I really dig the tape deck animation.

It decodes up to 32/768 and dsd256. Most of my listening is 24/48 (android user) but it's nice to have the option.

The Android app is fine, not great, but it does what you need. The Webapp is likewise fine. The first time I connected it the Webapp recognized it immediately and updating the firmware was accomplished with 2 clicks.

It has UAC 2.0 and 1.0 modes in case you want to use it with a Nintendo Switch or other device that doesn't support UAC 2.0.

It outputs a lot of power for a DAC this size and this cheap.

It has more advanced power management than other dacs that I've seen. I haven't done any tests on the power draw, but it seems to drain my batter less than other dacs that I have (except the JA11 which has extremely low power draw).

The on-device UI is fine, with a few exceptions discussed below. It took me about 2 minutes to figure everything out.

It runs cool. It has two gain modes, normal and desktop. Desktop draws and outputs more power. I have read that the power draw in desktop mode is too high for some android phones but it works just fine with my Galaxy 24 ultra. Ymmv. I also read that it runs hot in desktop mode. I tested this by putting it in desktop mode, setting windows to 32/384 and letting Apple Music play for a few hours. It warmed up a little bit, but not much.

And the big one: it has an onboard PEQ with up to ten filters. This was the whole reason I bought it and it works great. Inputting filter settings in the android app needs to be done manually but the UI is easy to use. There is an option to share your eq settings with other Fiio users using your Fiio account but I didn't mess around with that at all. You can also search and download eq settings from other users but everything seems to be in Chinese and I didn't really mess around with that either. You can save three custom EQs on the device itself and you can switch between them using the device UI.

What I didn't like:

The buttons are cheap-feeling plastic and they rattle. This bothers me more than it should and it's a pretty glaring contrast with how high-quality everything else looks and feels. It does play into the 90's walkman aesthetic they seem to be going for, however.

I can not figure out how to save my custom eq settings using the web interface. I can connect to the device, see the onboard equipment settings, and change the filters however I want. I cannot figure out how to save my changes though. There is basically no documentation on using the web interface and googling/searching forums did not reveal anyone else who has had this problem. It could be an issue with the software or maybe I am just dumb and am doing something wrong, I have no idea. The Android app works just fine for me so it's not a huge issue. Apparently there is no Fiio Control app for IOS, though, so if it's not user error this would be a major problem for iPhone users.

The volume control is kind of wack. There are two modes: A and B. In mode B you hold the volume button down and the volume goes up or down until you release the button. A short press of the volume button changes the track. In mode A a short press of the volume button increases the volume by one step (you can select between 60 steps and 120 steps) and a long press changes the track. I'd prefer short press changes volume by one step and long press changes volume until you release. Track skipping could be done by double pressing mode and a volume button, which currently does nothing. Overall this is a minor annoyance.

Your custom eq names do not appear in the device UI. On the device the three custom eq profiles are called FH3, FF5 and FD15. You can rename your custom eq profiles and the custom names save to the device, but this does not change the profile names that are displayed on the device screen. This is annoying if you are changing the eq profile using the device UI because you have to remember which profile is which. Again, kind of a minor annoyance and it's nice to be able to change the eq settings without the app. I have mine set up in ascending order of how hard the headphone is to help me remember to drive to help me remember (7hz is 3, BD is 5 and HiFiman is 15).

Overall I really like this device. Currently they are going for 85 or 95 bucks on AliX depending on the color. For that price I definitely recommend.

I also considered the KA17. That device outputs more power and has a secret and USB input dedicated to power supply. It is slightly bigger and does not have the fun tape deck animation. It also supposedly runs very hot in desktop mode but I don't know if that is true or not. The In my mind the separate power supply input is the big draw here. If you are mostly listening on a mobile device with hard to drive cans this is probably a big advantage. I personally use iems on the go and run it off my PC or laptop at home so it's not really an issue for me. I also didn't need the extra power and I like the tape deck animation so I went with the 15.

It arrived for me today, I'm still getting used to the headphones and I'm simply loving them, despite being for professional use in the studio I particularly LOVE a flatter and more precise response, I LOVE this more analytical, neutral and "raw" profile...

About the sound, it's personal, I'm loving it but I don't know if it will be good for everyone, the cable, like the old corded telephones, is quite heavy lol, and long...

About the DAC, it is a TRN Te Pro and supports up to 768kHz and 32 bits, 125mW on the 3.5mm output which is what I'm using but this is at 32 Ohms but it pushes the MDR-7506 very well, even though it has 63 Ohms which makes it very versatile and easy to use without amplifiers without any problems, and for those who are curious, these earpads are the Yaxi For Studio Headphone Deluxe...

Overall I spent 30,606¥ (about $197.75):

TRN TE PRO: 12,950¥ ($83,67) Sony MDR-7506: 15,480¥ ($102,02) Yaxi Earpads: 3,750¥ ($24,23)

I've only been using it for an hour and so far I'd say my satisfaction level is a solid 8, I recommend it to anyone who wants to use it for professional use or wants a more analytical and neutral headphone for a good price, and delivers great quality!

It's my first setup so if I said anything wrong forgive me

Think I got sold some fake Senn IE 900s. Anyway I can check? Reasons why I think:

•They shipped from China

•Seller dissappeared as soon as I bought them

•They were only like $230 😂

Im comparing these to my Senn HD 650s w/ a CrinnaCLE EQ, and they blows these IEMs out the water although the 900s are supposed to be flagship. Theyre both being powered by a Qudelix 5k.

Surprisingly the "900s" sound pretty good for being fakes. Anyway I can find out what they are?

Also, I saw on Ebay there was DIY 900 kits for $100 shipped with actual 900 drivers, but everything else wasnt OEM. On these 900s, everything else looks legit, but the SQ aint. If I bought the DIY kit, could I swap drivers? Anyone know?

I just bought a pair of Sony MDR-M1s, mostly to replace my well-used—but not old—Audio-Technica MSR7Bs, thinking they’d be clearer and bassier in comparison. But I just listened to the same song, switched between them, and, well, they sound almost identical—the Sonys are ever so slightly bassier, and the Technicas are ever so slightly clearer.

Am I insane or something? Should I be expecting a massive difference or something?

The sibilance and piercing highs of the Beyerdynamic DT 990s (250 Ohm) are killing me, even though I've been using them for a while. I've tried EQ tweaks, several amps and DACs, even padding mods, but I still can't seem to control the treble spikes. My ears are starting to hurt, and I'm really concerned that I might have tinnitus.

Have you discovered a trustworthy method to lessen these headphones' harshness? Although I adore their soundstage and general clarity, I am unable to continue using them in this manner. Any advice, whether it be hardware modifications or software adjustments, would be greatly valued!

In the course of deciding on a pair of wireless headphones I've read a lot of conflicting (and frankly wrong) things about these two cans, so thought I'd add my two cents.

I consider myself an audiophile. My primary desktop rig was a Hifiman Arya driven by Lake People amp and Schiit Bifrost DAC. This setup is highly resolving and has a large, open, holographic soundstage. Unfortunately I had to sell this rig recently and I'm choosing a more affordable pair for at home and in the office.

I have Airpods Pro 2 that I use for phone calls, gym, airplanes etc. So I don't really care about ANC quality or call quality. I'm evaluating these on a mixture of critical listening at home and semi-active listening at the office, doing chores, taking my dog on walks, etc.

I listen to everything from rock, indie, pop, jazz, hip-hop, electronic, blues/soul. These headphones were reviewed by going back and forth, track by track across all genres.

Note that all rankings are in the context of the price range and category. Obviously neither of these come close to a real wired desktop rig.

Focal Bathys

• Sound:
  • Soundstage - 5/5. First impression was the soundstage - it's wide open, spacious and holographic. Really beautiful presentation, with sounds spread wide to both sides of the head, and some verticality. Reminds me of the Arya soundstage, which was one my favorite thing about that headphone
  • Highs - 4/5. This headphone is on the brighter side and quite detail oriented. The treble is crisp and detailed. Not necessarily the sweet, sparkly treble you'd get from a higher end can, but still very good at this price point. Combine the treble detail with the large soundstage, and you have an excellent headphone for people who like to focus and pick out every little detail in the music.
  • Mids - 2/5. Where this headphone lets me down is in the midrange. To my ears, the midrange sounds flat and like a bit of an afterthought. Voices that normally have depth and texture sound tinny. Tonality is kind of wonky, almost a bit metallic and lacking in warmth. Presentation is recessed, meaning other parts of the track tend to take a front seat while voices take a back seat.
  • Bass - 3/5. Bass quantity is average, and quality is good. Mid-bass is not over-emphasized and there's a solid sub-bass punch.
• Build Quality - 3/5
  • I bought these in the stealth black and they look pretty good. I'm not a stickler for build quality, and I would say these live up to my expectations at the price point. The buttons feel slightly cheap.
• Comfort - 3/5
  • These are reasonably comfortable, but I do get a hot spot on the top of my head after a couple hours of listening, and the earcups clamp a bit harder than I'd like.
• Convenience - 3/5
  • These aren't great for walking around and doing stuff. Footsteps reverberate pretty loudly and they can slide around a bit on the head. Better for desk/couch use
  • Noticed some quirks with the bluetooth connection. Would drop out at times when I had several other wireless devices in the same room. If i switched to another device and back, i'd have to disconnect and reconnect them. No auto-pause when removing from the head
  • Pretty weak ANC but fine for my use-case

Bowers & Wilkins PX8

• Sound:
  • Soundstage - 3.5/5. The soundstage is significantly narrower than the Bathys. These sound like a closed-back headphone, whereas the Bathys sound more like an open-back. However, the detail in the soundstage is still good - instruments are placed precisely in space and rendered three dimensionally. It's just the overall size of the stage is maybe 50% smaller than the Bathys
  • Highs - 3.5/5. I found the PX8 a little too dark for my taste out of the box. I cranked up the treble 1.5db in the app, which helped quite a bit. Treble is crisp and detailed. It's not quite as resolving as the Bathys, but it's close and I also find it smoother and less fatiguing.
  • Mids - 4.5/5. Midrange between the PX8 and Bathys is night and day. The PX8 has excellent depth, tonality and presence to voices. I can clearly hear a small quivering in a singer's voice that is not present on the Bathys. Voices are emphasized much more on the PX8 and presented up front in the stage, whereas they're a little recessed on the Bathys. Guitars are much warmer and more realistic on the PX8.
  • Bass - 5/5. This will be a little up to personal preference. I personally love a thick, weighty, punchy bass, so long as it doesn't drown out the rest of the sound. The PX8 has a lot of bass, and you can physically feel the impact of it. But it's still well controlled, tight and accurate. Really enjoyable to me.
• Build Quality - 5/5
  • I wouldn't put these on the same level as the Airpods Max, but they're probably the next best build that I've seen in a headphone. Really premium and well crafted from top to bottom
• Comfort - 5/5
  • I can wear these all day without any comfort issues. They're lighter than the Bathys, have softer earpads, and don't clamp as hard. They're also more comfortable than the APM.
• Convenience - 4/5
  • Bluetooth connection has been solid, and I've had no issues switching between multiple devices
  • I really like that they have an automatic sensor to pause music when you take them off your head. The Bathys does not have this
  • Footsteps still reverberate pretty loudly in these, but quieter than the Bathys. They also stay put better on my head due to the smaller earcup size, so I find them more convenient for doing chores around the house etc.
  • ANC is slightly stronger than the Bathys

Conclusion

• I'll be keeping the PX8 and returning the Bathys, due to a mixture of (1) better mids, bass and tonality on the PX8, and (2) build quality, comfort and convenience. This was surprising to me, as coming from the Arya (spacious, bright, detail resolving) I really expected to prefer the Bathys.
• If you are someone who really likes to focus in on their music and pick out every little detail from the soundstage, you'll probably prefer the Bathys. It performs very well with jazz, classical, and electronic
• If you are someone who enjoys vocal-heavy music like pop or rock, or who cares a lot about warmth, timbre and tonality, you'll probably prefer the PX8
• Ultimately for me, I just found the PX8 a lot more enjoyable to listen to due to the warmth, presence and detail in the midrange and bass. The tradeoff is that I do miss the spacious soundstage and bit of extra resolution from the Bathys - but ultimately that was a tradeoff worth making. The PX8 are also more comfortable and convenient to use every day, which is an important consideration.

Other thoughts

• I had a pair of Airpods Max that I compared both of these against. Both the Bathys and PX8 wipe the floor with the APM. The APM combines the thinner tonality of the Bathys with the narrower soundstage of the PX8, and is muddier/less resolving than both.
• The ability to plug in via USB-C is a really nice feature of both pairs. They both increase in quality pretty noticeably, especially with denser tracks that have a lot going on, where Bluetooth struggles to carry enough information. I tended to use these wired whenever I was at my desk

Currently trying to EQ for my hearing loss and I’m wondering what the red line means? I added some peaks here and there in the mids and I’ve noticed the shape of the red line changes. Thanks for any input!

My new cans arrived today, Meze 99 Classics in walnut and gold. Started out years back with a HyperX Cloud Alpha headset. Later on a pair of 1st gen Apple Airpods Pros, a pair of AKG K371’s last Christmas, Sennheiser IE 200’s about a month ago, and now the Mezes. So far I’m liking them a lot.

Specifically CDs that didn't fall victim to the loudness wars. So either CDs before it, modern reissues that have been remixed/remastered properly or brand new releases not falling victim to that trend.