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Headphone options for a Novo?
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jamescodway View Drop Down
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Points: 320 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jamescodway Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Feb 2009 at 11:37am
My tenuous link to this thread is that we've been discussing the (discontinued) HD250 II Linear as a good partner for the Novo... and yesterday afternoon I saw one for myself at Noteworthy Audio in Aylesbury. I checked they were for sale but forgot to ask the price... doh! Anyway, just wanted to raise a couple of other interesting/vaguely relevant points.

Peter at Noteworthy is a nice guy and has some headphone knowledge. But they only stock Rega, Creek & Earmax pro dynamic amps. He has sold some of Graham's phono stages apparently but claims to be a "valve guy". He's particularly keen on a Kimik modified Stax amp with 4040s. I didn't get to hear that as I went to hear the Earmax pro in case it did something good with RS-1 and/or K701.

Noteworthy has a decent stock of mid-range Senns; 25SP, 25-I, 595, 600 etc. Grado SR80 & SR325i and AKG K701   

So, to the Earmax pro comparison with 2006 solo/PS-1... I heard a friend's (now discontinued) Consonance Cyber 10 (3.5w S.E.T) just after Xmas and it really made the RS-1s sing beautifully. HD650s were also very lively & engaging. K701s decent but didn't cure its basic problem ( to me) of coldness.

I guess I was hoping the Earmax pro would have the right kind of power for RS-1 but aS it happens, it turned out as expected from other reports... v. good things with the HD650s but horrendously underpowered for K701 and definitely underpowered for RS-1.

So I walked out the shop with only a pair of Rothwell attenuators to tame the hot RCA output from a Consonance CD player ... AND... it seems to me it makes a big difference to the sound of the Solo where the attentuator is set????

Previously it would be 9-11 o'clock range depending on the can, now it is 1-3 o'clock and I can feel there is more power if a little sacrifice on dynamic range?

blah blah blah

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miT View Drop Down
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Points: 890 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote miT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2009 at 7:54am
I agree about the "coldness" of the K7s; the bass is just too underwhelming. My Shure & Westone IEMs blow them away for bass response, even my lowly Senn PX100s! But for analytical listening, I can't fault them.
 
In my brieft time with them I've found that they are great with classical music & film scores, but don't expect your socks to be blown off with anything else. I played some drum & bass & random dance stuff through them as a laugh not to long ago. Simply shocking, although once again the highs are just so crisp...
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mrarroyo View Drop Down
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Points: 1401 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mrarroyo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2009 at 11:43pm
miT how many hours of burn-in do you have in your K701? If less than 800 you have a long ways to go. Wink
Miguel
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miT View Drop Down
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Points: 890 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote miT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Feb 2009 at 12:55pm
Maybe around 100, but I did burn in using Graham's technique for a few days (which worked for him). Actually, I stopped counting after I did that anyway... Embarrassed
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mrarroyo View Drop Down
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Points: 1401 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mrarroyo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2009 at 1:29am
OK, but I feel the Novo need a good 300-400 hours. Plus it benefits from being left on all the time.
Miguel
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miT View Drop Down
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Points: 890 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote miT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2009 at 8:22am
My Novo has gone through the suggested 500 hours and is always left on (as I don't want to do that again). As I didn't have the K701s at the time I unfortunately couldn't have them running for the full 500, hence their not as burnt in.
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miT View Drop Down
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Points: 890 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote miT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Feb 2009 at 9:36am
I have now decided to go for the full 800+ hour burn in with the K701s in the hope of acheiving... Something! I actually don't know what more I'm trying to find with them as I don't have any complaints, for analytical listening anyway.
 
I also have my new source, finally! I have another thread but it is a Cambridge Audio Azur 740C (check the post to see why) so now I really need to choose my hifi set of headphones so I can stop swapping my K701s between my two seperate sources.
 
The shortlist stands at the Denon D5000/7000, the Sennheiser HD600/650s and the Audio Technica ATH-W1000/5000. Now, to find some dealers where I can demo the Denons & Audio Technicas...
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