IMO a lot of the mhdt stuff is on the looser side of things bass wise, perhaps the analog devices one might be the least flabby in the bass, but it’s still not very strong in that regard vs other options. I personally liked the orchid the most as long as the tubes were swapped with something cleaner leaning and it was fed a good digital source, but only really liked the mhdt stuff when feeding into an already cleaner and/or dryer leaning pairing, would figure it would be way too much on the apex. Have you tried the lampi on it out of curiosity?
I haven’t heard the adcom, but just given it’s age and how adcom tend to sound, I’m going to guess it’s likely not really going to help much in that regard either (as you’ve already noticed lol)
Also regret selling them as well lol. Wish I kept onto my he500 and he6 6s, but oh well, I can’t really see myself using them much these days anyways so not hurting too much
Interesting
Had tried them with a gsx mk2 and older diy gilmore designs and wasn’t really a fan of the results
The Adcom was completely rebuilt, so it’s effectively a brand new, upgraded/modified version of what was originally released back in the early 90s. The only original parts are the PCB, PCM63, and DF1700. Otherwise, every cap was replaced (Panasonic FC series for the 6 main filters, stacked film for some, polystyrene caps in the feedback loop), resistors all replaced, the regulators upgraded to Sparkos and the opamps were replaced with OPA627s.
It’s truly a remarkable DAC after all the changes, easily better than the Lampi L4/G4 (which I have not tried with the P2).
And on a whim, I tired the Shure SRH1840 with the P2 and I am completely blown away. These headphones sound absolutely incredible. I previously felt their highs were slightly harsh, but no…they are beautifully detailed and airy.
These headphones definitely tighten up the bass and they hit about as hard as the Atticus do, shockingly, but their staging and imaging is breathtaking. I did not expect anything from this pairing and it’s the best headphones have sounded in a long, long time.
Wow. Wow.
And I was just about to pull the trigger on a set of HE500s on USAM. I think I’ll spend that money on a better cable for the SRH1840s instead because these stock ones are hot garbage.
Currently I know that I want one but Im not sure which of these I want
Grado ps500, ps1000, gs3000e or gs3000x
The PS are because i love vintage metallic grados but dont know what to expect from the series
When i was starting my audiophile journey I heard grado gs1000e which had its flaws but left a lasting impression which makes me wanna try the higher GS.
Id also go for PS2000e but its out of budget.
I own 3 grados which I liked the most from their series (heard a bunch): rs1e, rs1 vintage with ps1000e drivers (sounds the best) and an sr325i gold edition.
I have GS300X which I enjoy quite a bit for the variation it provides over other headphones in my collection. It’s not quite as detailed as Susvara or Utopia (OG) but it has a unique soundstage which is its stand out for me. It’s like being 4 rows in front of the stage or behind the mosh pit in a metal show with a good depth.
I had compared them extensively with Utopias and the imaging on Utopia was far better but then they are known for that. The highs do not have any unpleasantness. The sub bass is not as present (I’m comparing to 1266 TC here) and perhaps doesn’t extend as deep, but the texture of the bass guitars is very good, especially on rock and doom metal.
They scaled pretty well with better amps, especially with tubes. I mostly listen to them on Studio B (300B) and Viva Egoista 845 but also tried them on JDS Element III for comparison.
Actually from what I’ve heard the ‘x’ driver change was a fairly meaningful one. I haven’t heard the ‘e’ so can’t say from firsthand experience but if you can hear them side by side, that would be best.
Although they scale and sound great with tubes, they sound pretty good on portable gear or things like Element 3. I didn’t do very extensive listening on Element but the only thing that stood out was sometimes violins or electric guitar becoming a little too high for me which was not the case with tubes. Another option to try would be something like a bottlehead crack if you wanted to try it on tubes without breaking the bank.
Another reason I like them above pretty much all my other headphones is their weight but you already know that since you have multiple Grados.
Most people say the change comes with more bass and sub extension, which could help, and also maybe imaging but I still think the e series was very good and for the right price a good choice.
Maybe the X series helped the GSs the most
I have 6 amps so one of them should do, also gonna get a quicksilver hpa when I can. I know grados usually sound good of anything but to unlock their true potential usually needs a great amp
Thanks, youve put the gs3000x on my priorities for now
Curious about others opinions. Would you rather have a balanced 4pin xlr cable termination with a adapter to 1/4" or the other way around? Assuming you have an equal amount of amplifiers with both 4pin xlr and 1/4’ connectors.
I’ve been thinking about getting a higher tier cable and wasn’t sure which route to go on terminations
I’ve personally had some issues with xlr headphone connectors being a little finicky or not as secure compared to 1/4"
Only your first option is doable, XLR → 1/4” adapter as doing the opposite of 1/4” → XLR will jack up your equipment.
Or did you mean only go 1/4” over XLR? If that the case, I would still go with your first option as it gives you the flexibility and if you have an amp with both connections (also same output power, some amps like BHA-1 halves the output when using the 1/4”) you can choose the connection you feel most secure with.
really is this is one of the biggest doubters of this hobby in my life. but he came into some money so hes doing a overhaul of his stuff. just so glad he finally gets it
That depends on what you’re looking for and the system driving them. I traded the opposite way. If I started from scratch though, with no intention to get to a system like mine, they would be in my top two just after Utopia to build around.
For my tastes, if you have an amp that works well w/ the Susvara NO, i would not let it go.
I really enjoyed the D8k HP, and being so much easier to drive than a Susvara found it a worthy endgame contender simply for the fact that it’s one of the few TOTL pieces that can work well off a chain that doesn’t have to cost stupid money to enjoy
You must be bored @Rhodey and simply looking for change for the sake of change
Personally if i managed to get a Sus to play well i would not let it go, once you manage to finesse a TOTL piece the effort to do so to another just seems so cost prohibitive to me based on the detailed info and experiences available from others here.
