[brooklyn]

I recently started doing some headphone listening again. I have two separate systems.. A Woo Audio WA2 with the Sennheiser HD800S headphones. I feel it's an excellent endgame system for me and I'm very happy with it.

My latest acquisition is a Denafrips Ares 15th Dac.. I'm already using the Pontus 15th in my main system so I'm very familiar with the sound... For a while I’ve been using the HiFiman Ananda headphones with the Mytek Brooklyn Bridge Dac/Amp.. That combo sounded ok but a little on the analytical side for my taste.

The Brooklyn Bridge has an ES9028PRO dac chip which sounds very detailed but I felt it wasn't a good match (at least not to me) for the Ananda headphones which has a similar sound signature.. So I decided to install the Denafrips dac and just use the headphone amp section of the Brooklyn Bridge. Now this combo sounds much more inviting to my ears.. Smooth and a little on the warm side yet it has a very detailed top end.. I like this system very much. So I’m back in the desktop headphone game.. 

Associated gear: Mac Mini M4 connected
with a Zavfino, Majestic USB Cable to Dac

[keenween]

Cool systems. Are the denafrip dacs similar in signature? I don’t investigate dacs much for some reason, I like things on the warm side though, might have to read more on denafrips as I’ve seen them mentioned a lot. Any thoughts on the Zavfino USB cable? Ever compare it to something else, any thoughts about USB cables? I think about getting a good USB cable sometimes but I have my doubts about hearing an audible improvement. I know I see audioquest carbon USB cables recommended a lot. I got a Sony TA-ZH1ES to run my phones but I’ve sadly not used it much. I thought it might front end my speaker system but I like my other dac/preamp better for the system. I think I’ll try it on my desk as I’ve been stuck there a lot more lately. The Sony seems designed more for a desktop or side table. You have a headphone stand for the ananda?

[brooklyn]

Thanks.. Yes, The Denafrips Dac’s sounds a little on warm and musical side but still gives plenty of detail.
I’m very happy with them in both systems.

I don’t put a lot of emphasis on USB cables and don’t see the need to spend crazy money on them..
Just get something of decent quality at a length of about 1.5m or a little longer to preserve data
integrity.. I haven’t done any comparisons on that type of cable so I personally cant say.

The only reason I went with the Zavfino cable was a friend of mind didn’t need it any longer and I
was looking for one at the time so I purchase his.. It’s a nice well made cable for under $200 bucks..
I would think the Audioquest USB would also be fine.. Maybe someone on the forum has a different
recommendation..   

I do have a homemade headphone stand that I made one night at work before I retired.. I found a
couple of scraps of different things and I slapped this stand together you see in the picture below..
It ain’t pretty but it works great.. lol.

[AllanS]

Thanks for this thread brooklyn. It’s a nice reprieve from the morning news.
My cans started getting a lot more use a few months ago after hearing details I just couldn’t discern with a speaker system that still frustrates me a bit.  The Grade SR325 were my first big audio spend 10 years ago or so. They’ve been fine for the occasional use and still sound good for what they are but I decided to blow most of the remaining budget on what I hope will be an end game used Meze Empyrean I.  I’ve only had them a week with 3 left to decide, but so far so good.
I demo’d the Audeze LCD3 and HD800S and would love to have them both. But for my ears and budget the Empyrean I strikes a good compromise between LCD3 lushness and HD800S expanse.
I’d also like to step up from my Lyr+ to that WA2 and maybe replace the Eversolo DMP A8 with a T8 and Pontus 15th, and add a nice listening chair, and see world peace, and, and, and… Reality is saving the last few $ for a few tubes to play with and keeping an eye out for a used Schiit Syn to add a bit of cross feed to the mix.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Cool systems. Are the denafrip dacs similar in signature? I don’t investigate dacs much for some reason, I like things on the warm side though, might have to read more on denafrips as I’ve seen them mentioned a lot. Any thoughts on the Zavfino USB cable? Ever compare it to something else, any thoughts about USB cables? I think about getting a good USB cable sometimes but I have my doubts about hearing an audible improvement. I know I see audioquest carbon USB cables recommended a lot. I got a Sony TA-ZH1ES to run my phones but I’ve sadly not used it much. I thought it might front end my speaker system but I like my other dac/preamp better for the system. I think I’ll try it on my desk as I’ve been stuck there a lot more lately. The Sony seems designed more for a desktop or side table. You have a headphone stand for the ananda?

We own 2 AQ Carbon cables.  They are DAC dependent.  They can sound veiled and muddy with some DAC's and others it sounds great.  Others have found the same issues with the Carbon.  Same for my Wire World Starlight Red 7.  It is terrible and muddy sounding with my Luxman DAC.  I use a WW Starlight 7 Platinum with my Luxman. It is so smooth and organic sounding with a hint of warmth.  It is just fabulous sounding.  I do not like spending a lot of money on cables but this one was a game changer.  I bought it used for $300 which is half off.  No edginess or digital glare.  It makes digital sound more analog if you can believe that.

I just ordered a Neotech 3020 cable and should get it today.  It is pure OCC copper with a triple shield and it is supposed to have a warmer sound. I needed another warm usb cable.  I got it on sale for $85 and I will let you know how it sounds.  It is supposed to be warmer sounding.

USB cables are very DAC dependent.  We found that out doing DAC and usb cable shootouts.  A cable can sound warmer with one dac and bright or neutral with another DAC and visa vera.  It was an eye opening experience.

[brooklyn]

Allan,
I haven’t reached the point that I’m not hearing details from my speakers but nevertheless, I can hear much more details with headphones.. it’s a nice change of pace.

I purchased the Grado SR325i’s from someone on this forum awhile back.. I loved the sound but hated the scratchy ear pads.. Someone on the forum said to throw them in the washing machine.. I didn’t want to do that so I washed them in the sink by hand with dish soap and warm water.. some of the black dye poured out of the pads but after they dried and I reinstalled them they were nice and soft.. The other thing I didn’t like about the Grado’s was the cables, they were microphonic when I touched them.   

Those Empyrean’s look like a solid pick, very nice.. I was thinking of adding the Meze109 Pro’s to my small collection.. after watching a few review videos I think I’d like to give them a try. I’m just waiting for the price to come down a bit. I can wait..

What is a Schiit Syn? Do you mean an SYS?

This sentence made me laugh out loud.. Thanks, I needed that.. 

I’d also like to step up from my Lyr+ to that WA2 and maybe replace the Eversolo DMP A8 with a T8 and Pontus 15th, and add a nice listening chair, and see world peace, and, and, and…

[AllanS]

Glad to have shared a smile 

I opted for the L cushion for the 325 from new and never experienced any of discomfort many have written about.  The L Cush sits over / around the ears rather than on.

The Schiit Syn is a discontinued product that Jason Stoddard developed to provide 5 channel surround from a stereo analog signal. Something about old school matrix analog processing or the like that’s independent from and immune to any decoding format changes. The way I remember the story is his motivation was his AVR taking a dump but some of his gamer employees immediately recognized how it could be used to shape HP listening.

It was on my short list for the longest time but I never had a real use for it up until it was discontinued.

[keenween]

I do have a homemade headphone stand that I made one night at work before I retired.. I found a
couple of scraps of different things and I slapped this stand together you see in the picture below..
It ain’t pretty but it works great.. lol.

Nice headphone stand! I've looked at a lot of them...a lot of ugly/expensive ones out there. I think DIY is the way to go if you have the tools/time!

[keenween]

We own 2 AQ Carbon cables.  They are DAC dependent.  They can sound veiled and muddy with some DAC's and others it sounds great.  Others have found the same issues with the Carbon.  Same for my Wire World Starlight Red 7.  It is terrible and muddy sounding with my Luxman DAC.  I use a WW Starlight 7 Platinum with my Luxman. It is so smooth and organic sounding with a hint of warmth.  It is just fabulous sounding.  I do not like spending a lot of money on cables but this one was a game changer.  I bought it used for $300 which is half off.  No edginess or digital glare.  It makes digital sound more analog if you can believe that.

I just ordered a Neotech 3020 cable and should get it today.  It is pure OCC copper with a triple shield and it is supposed to have a warmer sound. I needed another warm usb cable.  I got it on sale for $85 and I will let you know how it sounds.  It is supposed to be warmer sounding.

USB cables are very DAC dependent.  We found that out doing DAC and usb cable shootouts.  A cable can sound warmer with one dac and bright or neutral with another DAC and visa vera.  It was an eye opening experience.

Very interesting, thanks for the feedback! Perhaps I'll look for a couple used cables and just do some swapping and sell what I don't like.

[FullRangeMan]

Hi,
What is this your phone?
What are your impressions on Treble and Soundstage ?

[brooklyn]

Hi, The headphones are the HiFiman Ananda's.. The sound stage is not bad but not as good as the Sennheiser HD800S headphones.. The treble is very good but not over done. I don't get any listeners fatigue even after listening for a few hours.. I'm happy with this set of planers..

[FullRangeMan]

Hi, The headphones are the HiFiman Ananda's.. The sound stage is not bad but not as good as the Sennheiser HD800S headphones.. The treble is very good but not over done. I don't get any listeners fatigue even after listening for a few hours.. I'm happy with this set of planers..

Thanks. Its Ananda v1 or v2 ?
The Soundstage is out of the head ?

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Hi, The headphones are the HiFiman Ananda's.. The sound stage is not bad but not as good as the Sennheiser HD800S headphones.. The treble is very good but not over done. I don't get any listeners fatigue even after listening for a few hours.. I'm happy with this set of planers..

Do these lean to the bright or warmer side?  Is the midrange full or on the thin side?  I am asking for my son because just about every planar headphone in the $700  to $1K range seem to lean on the brighter and fatiguing side.

[brooklyn]

I don't like anything that sounds bright whether it's headphones or my main system.. That said, the Ananda's were never fatiguing for me, not even when I plugs them into the Mytek Brooklyn Bridge using it's dac which is the Sabre ES9028PRO chip. The Brooklyn Bridge leans more towards a detailed and transparent sound signature but I still didn't find them bright. Even though the sound was clean it wasn't warm and musical.. I don't believe it was the best paring.. I would also say the midrange sounded a little thin..

Since I started using the Denafrips Ares dac with the Brooklyn Bridge headphone amp, the Ananda's became more palatable.. The sound now leans slightly more towards the warmer side.. The mids and the bass have a more fuller and pleasing sound.. I wound say the Ananda's with the right amp/dac combo sounds much more pleasing to my ears..

[brooklyn]

Nice headphone stand! I've looked at a lot of them...a lot of ugly/expensive ones out there. I think DIY is the way to go if you have the tools/time!

Thank you, it was a spur of the moment thing.. I was living in an apartment at that time and I didn't have a lot of room on my desktop..

[squirejim]

Which VPI deck is that??

[FireGuy]

Thank you, it was a spur of the moment thing.. I was living in an apartment at that time and I didn't had a lot of room on my desktop..

I agree, your HP stand does a nice job.  I've always found the banana caddy to be headphone compliant.  Not too much cash, looks good and holds them perfectly.


 

[Armaegis]

I used to hang a piece of cut toilet paper roll on the banana hanger to prevent dents in my headband. Later I upgraded with a piece of pool noodle lol.

[AllanS]

I came across a pic of a DIY stand using a pvc reducer and glue plug. Imagine the reducer with half the larger diameter removed leaving a semicircle for the headphone cradle and the full smaller diameter slipped onto the plug that is mounted onto a wooden frame.

[Tone Depth]

I have some "antique" Sennheiser headphones, and I hang them on their 1/4" plug, very convenient, plugged into the back of my keyboard.