Anyone using a headphones only setup?

[Giubanix]

I think this → head-fi.org thread covers the sonic differences between popular Beyerdynamic headphones with their various impedances quite good.

Thanks for the link Werner.

[Cans]

I was pulled down the headphone route when I realised how awful the acoustics of my fairly unique environment were.
You see, I have lived in a motorhome for 7 years.
So, I rethought things when I was so disappointed with my Cambridge amp , laptop, caiman dac and mission speakers.
I used the set up at my girlfriends and it was great. Just like the old days when my hi fi used to give me so much enjoyment before I downsized.
After some headscratching it was obvious that the sound was bouncing off the walls all over the place.
So the solution was a headphone set up.
If it's raining I use the HRT headstreamer. If it's dry I set the generator up and use either the Audiolab M-Dac or the M2Tech Young Dac with a mainscables rus linear psu and a Slee Novo headphone amp.
And attached to all this is a pair of Audeze LCD2's.
Not cheap I know, but....
The HRT sounds great and is well listenable and costs nothing to run remember.
The M-Dac has a no noise psu with a great headphone section and is a lovely detailed listen but it takes a long time before it's properly burnt in.
The M2Tech is a warmer, wider and more detailed sound than the M-Dac.
Either permutation gives me great pleasure.
I have been struggling to get my vinyl rips right as the front end is a 1984 Rega RP1 using a mini A2D phono preamp. My vinyl has been going mouldy in various garages for 7 years.
But with the help of a wilkinson's magic erasor I have scrubbed these clean enough to get a half decent sound from most of them.
One thing I notice with all my things high end though- the sound of electrical interfence, either from the psu from the A2D or the psu from the Novo. Not just in the silence but in the quiet spots of the music.
Ah well, it's the price one pays for having a transparent system I guess...

[daytona600]

Headphones the right ones can be superb and give a taste of super hiend systems
if you do not have the space , the room , neighbours , young kids & the budget
Recently bought a pair of headphones , but really earspeakers as Stax always say

10hz-100khz + ( H2+ ) full range Heli polymer piezo electric drivers with built-in supertweeters
with ( TR2 ) Step-up transformer driven by a pair of 9wpc 300b monoblocks

TAKET from japan just so ahead of the game , known in japan as " the king of headphones " If anybody ever wants to here them let me know
www.taket.jp

[technobear]

You see, I have lived in a motorhome for 7 years.

That must take some doing.

[Mr Kipling]

Hi Ian,

You've mentioned constantly moving your speakers around. Presumabley endevouring to find that magic square inch that will catapult you into audioecstasy. Used to do the same myself. Found this and wondered if it might be of interest.

http://tnt-audio.com/casse/waspe.html

Years ago I discovered an unusual speaker set-up that produced remarkable imagery, but I don't suppose anyone will take me seriously. And I'm still trying to establish a bit of cred here.

Kind Regards,
Stephen

[SquireC]

Yes, by far most of my listening is on headphones. Stax 507's.

Used electrostatic headphones since the mid 70's. Wonderful. About to buy some new speakers as I want the choice between speakers and headphones , having just turned my garage into a music room.

Heard some Magneplanar 1.2's the other day - VERY interesting.

[Giubanix]

Hi Ian,

You've mentioned constantly moving your speakers around. Presumabley endevouring to find that magic square inch that will catapult you into audioecstasy. Used to do the same myself.

Stephen

The problem I have in my room is simply a limited range of movement for both the speakers and listening position. I've left the speakers alone for a while now, since I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get a better sound in the current circumstances.

At the moment, with my listening chair in it's normal, aesthetically pleasing, position relative to the other furniture, I get a nice tonal balance with a nice weight to the bass, but rather vague imaging. If I pull the chair forward about 18 inches, the image is suddenly much more three dimensional and realistic, but the tonal balance isn't so nice - not bad, just seems to lose a little warmth an sounds a bit more brittle.

[Cans]

That must take some doing.

:-) It has it's advantages.
I have no neighbours. If I wish to alter my view , I get in the van and drive somewhere else. My cooking heating and water costs , well, you wouldn't believe me. But I'll try ; the last time I spent money on gas was in January, I use the works shower and tap water. I have no flush and no running water. No need. So zero cost.
The motorhome is paid for.
Which gives me money for the things in life which truly bring me pleasure.
And also a feeling on being on a permanent holiday B-)

[RichB]

I've recently changed jobs for a 3 month secondment which has required me to move down that London where I'm staying weekdays with my sister, brother in law and 2 year old niece and only getting back home to my system (and wife!) on weekends.

This has presented a number of challenges as I cant be without tunes but with us all living on top of each other a normal speaker based set up in my little room down there just wouldnt be practical. To overcome this I'm now using my laptop, a 1TB harddrive full of FLACS, my Hot Audio Dac Destroyer and a pair of AKG K450s. Obviously its no subsitute for my main system and I'm a speakers and amps man but it beats the hell out of the ipod, which I tend not to use when travelling around the city as being a small town boy I like to have all my senses about me.

I know the AKGs have their critics but for the price I paid (£49.99) I find them rather good and much better than 'in ear' phones which I cant get on with at all. I fell asleep with them on the other night listening to a bit of radio paradise, they've got a nice warm enveloping sort of sound for such tiny phones and pack away small when i'm on the road.