[nickrundall]

The Oor + Hypsos will have to remain in my dreams for the time being (let alone the Halo May!) - I'm just at the beginning of my journey by the looks of things! I'm a studio guy and I was very pleased with my LCD-X direct into my audio interface until the HEDD arrived. I've just upgraded my interface to the Neve 88M which sounds beautiful and does everything I need from a studio production point of view, but not enough to drive the HEDD properly. I'm going to get a balanced cable from maybe HEDD or Cosmic Cables and then I can manage a HP amp in the £500 range for now. SA-1 or A90 being the main contenders. My goal would be transparent / analytical to start off with as I do a lot of mixing on HPs as well as pleasure listening.

 

[newworld666]

Monolith THX 887 with FIIO M17 is my main use of the HEDDphone, though I tried some speakers amp which were worth to try too.
For me the TXH887 amp is just near to perfect with the HEDDphone for fast deep impacts and good organic sub low frequencies (under 50hz) when music needs it, as it can handle this with my Planar DCA Stealth too !!!
My end game set, for a while now, is the HEDDphone One as open headphone, the planar DCA Stealth as closed headphone, though I use a bit a Grado GS3000 sometimes (though it can't really handle under 80hz as low frequencies).

 

[Klabauters]

My end game set, for a while now, is the HEDDphone One as open headphone, the planar DCA Stealth as closed headphone, though I use a bit a Grado GS3000 sometimes (though it can't really handle under 80hz as low frequencies).

also owning the M17 currently mainly paired with the Paltauf HPA100 (wich is a very powerfull and quite neutral HP AMP) and Final D8000 PRO (the HPA100 is here almost too powerfull) ..... after having read the whole Heddphone thread, I just could not resist any longer and I decided to order a brand new Heddphone + the XLR Hedd cable (for the beginning)

@all Thanks for all your postings dealing with the Heddphone and the insights I am already very curious how they will pair and sound.

 

[nickrundall]

One of my favourite things about the HEDD is how natural everything sounds. In comparison, my LCD-X's kind of make a track sound like it was all recorded with the same mic model - they put a subtle sonic signature across it all. The HEDD seems so transparent in comparison and everything sounds natural and individual, tonally. There is way greater resolution of tonality - if thats a thing. As a sound engineer it's way easier to hear the differences between different mics.

 

[KaiSc]

I'm a studio guy and I was very pleased with my LCD-X direct into my audio interface until the HEDD arrived. I've just upgraded my interface to the Neve 88M which sounds beautiful and does everything I need from a studio production point of view, ..
...My goal would be transparent / analytical to start off with as I do a lot of mixing on HPs as well as pleasure listening.

This would ask for an RME ADI-2 DAC.
I had the HEDDphone on my RME ADI-2 Pro, single ended (contains the same DAC/Amp) and never came even close to need it’s full power.

The built in goodies like the Parametric EQ, Crossfeed and others can be used for a retouch.
For mixing the EQ can even be used to simulate small speakers like smartphone’s, to check how the mix would sound on those.

RME serves me well in my studio BTW, very transparent sound.

 

[nickrundall]

Yes, the RME is amazing and was top of my list for a while, but the Neve is actually a better all round solution for my needs with it's built in (amazing) preamps. Just a shame the HP amp isn't as powerful as the RME. However, having to use a set of LCD-X for some things instead of HEDD's when travelling light isn't exactly a problem I'm going to loose sleep over. Having Neve level preamps built in is more useful to me, all things considered and adding a more powerful HP amp for the HEDD is less of a compromise.

 

[DecentLevi]

I am extremely pleased to announce the arrival of my custom HEDDphone cable last week.

RUBI prototype Shielded Mega 18AWG OCC copper + 18AWG Pure Silver hybrid from Darren in Singapore.​

This is a design I swear by for both RCA interconnects and for the r70X headphone, which run circles around all other cables I've put them up against. I must admit I was a bit nervous if this would sound good on the HEDDphone, being its' replacing their weird circuit the original cable has in the Y-split... but all my worries vanished after giving this thing a go!

The sound
This is the most speaker-like sound I've ever experienced at home. The floodgates of sonic reproduction for the HEDDphone are now opened up. I can hear every tweak in my system and just cannot fault this. It's a silky, smooth, luxurious sound with impeccable handling of rhythm / PRaT, smooth highs, robust lows and big soundstage. And the biggest improvement is in both micro and macro detail - MUCH MORE INFORMATION COMING THROUGH than the original cable. It's definitely closer to an electrostat sound. At this point the HEDDphone cannot be compared to its' former self and is different than any other headphone - maybe I'd put the sound somewhere between the Abyss 1266 and Orpheus 2 (which I have tried). I have been to about 14 trade shows including CanJam and a few I hosted myself and have about 1 year with Darren's Rubi cable line-up that I helped to usher in, so such a statement is not made rashly.

Also note this fantastic sound is also thanks to the mod I'm using mentioned here, but this cable really took it to a whole new level of performance.

The construction
18 AWG per connection OCC copper + pure silver hybrid, as shown below with this and his other cables.
A good part of such excellent performance I believe is also thanks to the specific silver plated shielding he uses.
The Y-split of this particular cable happens to contain a ferrite bead, something he said was a welcome result.

Darren has options for any headphone connection type or color, as well as interconnects and I'm also a hugely happy customer for his DC cables I just had him make too. In the works are pure litz cables which is said to edge out even more sound (something hard to fathom), as well as a more flexible version of this. The cost is highly reasonable and shipping from Singapore was fast and reliable every time. For queries feel free to reach out to Darren:
https://arctand.com/

 

[Klabauters]

also owning the M17 currently mainly paired with the Paltauf HPA100 (wich is a very powerfull and quite neutral HP AMP) and Final D8000 PRO (the HPA100 is here almost too powerfull) ..... after having read the whole Heddphone thread, I just could not resist any longer and I decided to order a brand new Heddphone + the XLR Hedd cable (for the beginning)

@all Thanks for all your postings dealing with the Heddphone and the insights I am already very curious how they will pair and sound.

... today my Heddphone arrived .

I already had one hour to listen to it ...

The Heddphone fits perfectly to my quite small head. The seal is excellent. The comfort is quite o.k., in regards of its weight - but needs some proof in terms of long time usage.By now no problems with the weight.

Yes and the sound?
The Heddphones makes the sun shine . Used it with M17/ AR-M2 as DAC and the Paltauf HPA with CCA tube as HP Amp. Absolutely natural sounding, huge soundstage in width, while there is still some room which could be filled in terms of depth. Excellent reproduction over all frequencies, while the treble seams to be a bit taken back in comparison to my D8000 PRO but not too much. Probably an advantage in terms of long time usage, where I faced some issues in the last time with the D8000 Pros (probably just listened too long and too loud).

By now I am absolutely happy and fascinated by this Heddphone, which plays absolutely fabulous already on the standard Hedd XLR wires (which somehow remind me on bell wires covered in sleeves ...) and without any burn in.

Taking into consideration that the price incl. the additional Hedd XLR wire was below 2k EUR, and it can swim with the really big fish ...


Let's see how things will develop further ... by now I am ABSOLUTELY amazed and happy.

 

[nickrundall]

I am always amazed how many people hear the difference in cables and what you read in the forums afterwards. You'd think they all had a new HP. I can change cables however I want, I definitely never hear a difference between copper, silver or anything else... just nothing!

Either my ears are no good or it is clearly the placebo effect! One is always amazed what the placebo effect can do, the pharmaceutical industry has already cost billions!

Maybe it’s time we all pasted audiologists reports into our signatures so our comments can be taken within context of the authors hearing sensitivity! Could be interesting!??? )

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

Maybe it’s time we all pasted audiologists reports into our signatures so our comments can be taken within context of the authors hearing sensitivity! Could be interesting!??? )

WHAT???!!!

 

[Chris Kaoss]

Maybe it’s time we all pasted audiologists reports into our signatures so our comments can be taken within context of the authors hearing sensitivity! Could be interesting!??? )

It'd be helpful in many ways, i think.

 

[nickrundall]

Just received my cable upgrade. I went with a Cosmic Cables 'Mercury' 8 wire 24 awg 5N Pure Silver balanced, plus a converter to SE. My Singxer SA-1 is still in the post so SE listening only for now. I was fully prepared for an expensive lesson in snake oil, but I have to report the differences are obvious to my ears. The silver has way more clarity and detail in the top end. This has a massive knock on effect on the sense of space and realism of instruments as so much of their harmonic overtone information is in these upper frequencies. Basslines are also sounding more defined. When comparing the two cables, the general tonal character of the HEDDs is pretty much the same, but the silver is just letting more frequencies through. It's completing the sonic picture, particularly with well recorded acoustic music it's really making a difference in seeing the actual positions of the instruments in the sound stage in front of you.

My HEDDs do benefit from a few EQ tweaks. But nowhere near what the sine wave sweep tests would suggest is necessary. To get mine sounding more even I just need the following:
+0.5dB, Q6.5 @ 880hz,
-0.75dB, Q6.5 @ 1khz,
+2.8dB, Q3.72 @ 5.8khz
+2.0dB, Q6.5 @ 8khz

There is a big 6db or so dip between 5 & 6 Khz as many others have mentioned, but for whatever the reason, unless you only listen to sine wave sweeps, compensating this with 6dB of PEQ does not make it sound better. With actual music I find less than half is easily enough. Maybe this is to do with effects of harmonic overtones? Masking??? Time for someone more knowledgable to jump in!

Anyway it's a +1 for the 'Silver makes a difference' club. In terms of cost / benefit, if you've already spent a few grand on DAC / Amp / HP's then you'd be crazy not to connect them with these.

 

[plumpudding2]

Just received my cable upgrade. I went with a Cosmic Cables 'Mercury' 8 wire 24 awg 5N Pure Silver balanced, plus a converter to SE. My Singxer SA-1 is still in the post so SE listening only for now. I was fully prepared for an expensive lesson in snake oil, but I have to report the differences are obvious to my ears. The silver has way more clarity and detail in the top end. This has a massive knock on effect on the sense of space and realism of instruments as so much of their harmonic overtone information is in these upper frequencies. Basslines are also sounding more defined. When comparing the two cables, the general tonal character of the HEDDs is pretty much the same, but the silver is just letting more frequencies through. It's completing the sonic picture, particularly with well recorded acoustic music it's really making a difference in seeing the actual positions of the instruments in the sound stage in front of you.

My HEDDs do benefit from a few EQ tweaks. But nowhere near what the sine wave sweep tests would suggest is necessary. To get mine sounding more even I just need the following:
+0.5dB, Q6.5 @ 880hz,
-0.75dB, Q6.5 @ 1khz,
+2.8dB, Q3.72 @ 5.8khz
+2.0dB, Q6.5 @ 8khz

There is a big 6db or so dip between 5 & 6 Khz as many others have mentioned, but for whatever the reason, unless you only listen to sine wave sweeps, compensating this with 6dB of PEQ does not make it sound better. With actual music I find less than half is easily enough. Maybe this is to do with effects of harmonic overtones? Masking??? Time for someone more knowledgable to jump in!

Anyway it's a +1 for the 'Silver makes a difference' club. In terms of cost / benefit, if you've already spent a few grand on DAC / Amp / HP's then you'd be crazy not to connect them with these.

A few more of posts like these and I might have to invest in some silver to see for myself..
Thanks for the eq, I will try it out!

 

[GL1TCH3D]

I was lucky enough to audition the heddphones with an Audio Technica AT HA 5050H and it was pretty nice despite the amp being roughly on the cusp of what the Heddphones want as power.
I've been trying to look at local ads and came across a few that may have enough power for these beasts.
In particular, has anyone had experience with the Violectric V226?

also on another note, does the heddphone feel too tight for others as well? I'm the kind of person that uses the full extgension on the Audeze headphones and was wondering if others found the heddphones problematic as well

 

[c1pseudonaz]

Hi, I am looking for a used one and found a few in my areas, so I am wondering if there have been revisions since the original model in 2020 (if i am correct) ?
Or if I should only care of the condition ? Thanks for your guidance