General Headphone Audio

With LCD-5 I've tried both on FiiO and Luxsin PEQs, baseline then custom via my method ends up in the same place as starting from scratch, maybe some minor variations as EQing isn't an exact science either way but more trial and error to see what sounds good.
 
Fair enough, seems like more effort and harder to gauge to me personally, starting from different unknown baselines on different amps than from stock.
 
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It's not completely unknown though as you can see the values that it applies and how the curve looks so can then approach it logically and not be completely in the unknown. It doesn't matter what target the creator of that preset was going for, what matters is how the curve looks and which filters are applied to give you an idea of how it should sound, and then go from there.
 
If you start from stock though, you can just copy the exact same eq between devices rather then having to work to attain the same curve each time by modifying their profiles.
 
It's not completely unknown though as you can see the values that it applies and how the curve looks so can then approach it logically and not be completely in the unknown. It doesn't matter what target the creator of that preset was going for, what matters is how the curve looks and which filters are applied to give you an idea of how it should sound, and then go from there.

The values that it applies are based off the measurements they've made from each headphone, that's where the issue comes into play, that is the foundation they are using for the presets and target curves that sit on top of that, you may see the FR curve it is applying but that doesn't mean it's correct, especially based off unknown original measurements and how they were taken and all the variables involved, GoldenSound is 100% correct on this point and it's also a point that I considered before he even made that video.
 
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Yes and my point has always been it's not too relevant if you're not solely relying on measurements but instead just trusting your ears. Apply one of the presets, does it sound ok? If yes, continue to fine tune stage. Job done, what the presets were based off doesn't really matter at that stage as the person in that context isn't concerned about it from a pure measurements point of view, only what sounds good enough to their ears.
 
But you're trusting your ears based off those measurements/presets, something that you yourself declare that you don't adhere to, the whole idea of the target curves are measurements, and I'm saying they are flawed, if you truly want to follow your ears then EQ'ing from scratch is much better as it's based off your preferences rather than preset measurements.
 
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Within the context of headphones that don't sound great without EQ, the preset that sounds the best to start with and then tailor myself, yes, that's exactly what I've been saying. There's nothing different about ending up in the same place in half the time as I haven't needed to faff around with getting it to the same sort of baseline i would have otherwise been at going from scratch.

if none of the presets sounded good to my ears then sure from scratch would be the only option, as it stands, only 1 preset on the X9 sounded good to start with and I made that into my own with a few minor changes to the upper end, and ironically it was the JM1 target which is for IEMs.

Meanwhile on the K13 R2R a Harman target 2018 sounded good but needed a boost to the mids and upper range for sparkle.

Job done.

Again, it doesn't matter what the preset is based off, the idea and principle being I am tailoring the remaining half of the EQ to sound where I'd like it to be at the end. I just feel you are misunderstanding what I am saying and simply hearing one thing is all.

The only thing that matters is how it sounds at the end, nothing else matters.
 
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Nobody is saying you can't enjoy a preset, like I said, some people will enjoy a 'jazz' preset on an old stereo, I just think it's flawed and not a good way to home in on your own personal preferences, I personally don't understand why someone that doesn't adhere to measurements why they would use that a baseline when you have the freedom to EQ from stretch, rather pigeon holing yourself with a preset as a starting point.

If your are saying that magically you own EQing from scratch match the presets then whether you like to admit it or not the measurement science it working for you, you can't have ot both ways, otherwise it's like saying you don't believe in combustion engines but you enjoy driving cars, make up your mind.
 
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Again, that is not what I said, I specifically said the preset that sounds good to start with, then fine tune the curve to get the missing bits sorted. If no preset sounds good to the ears then yeah scratch is the only option.

You're ending up in the exact same place either way, an EQ that sounds good for your headphones to your ears, doesn't matter which way you get there, I chose the more efficient approach in this context.
 
I understood what you said, and that is plain to see from my replies, and I'll repeat once more, I just find it strange using a preset that Luxsin pitch as measurement based science (even though it's flawed) when you can do it yourself which would be much more inline with your personal preferences, now maybe you're extremely lucky and magically the preset matched your preferences but that will be highly unlikely based on HRTF variances across multiple people, and as stated based on the fact that the presets are based on measurements we are not currently even privy to in terms how they were even done, and what gear/conditions used or implemented, and this my overall point, that the presets are kinda redundant, you might as well hit an EQ randomiser.
 
It's still the same process to get to an eventual EQ that sounds great, one is just quicker by nearly halving the time it takes to get there. It's really that simple.


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A screw just fell out of the LCD-5 as I went to put them on earlier, it keeps the cup yoke attached to the headband adjuster rod. Checked the other side and that was not tight so likely would have worked loose as well with cup rotation with wear. How is something like this missed at QC.... Can't get a small screwdriver there too as the cup only pivots a certain amount, so had to use my fingers to tighten each bolt, will have to find an allen key with the same hex mm to tighten it properly.

Could have been disaster if I wasn't sat at the desk, cup falling to hard flooring, screw bouncing into some crevice....

This is a common headband design for Audeze so I suggest checking for those with an Audeze.
 
What a ridiculous oversight, even fiio managed to fix this exact design flaw almost immediately on the ft1 pro design.
 
Very different, but I remember my Coolermaster MH751 doing something very similar. A screw you couldn't easily get to becoming loose over time. What with the Fiio FT1 screw being too small on the initial batches it does seem like a common weak point where designers have to be careful. Least it didn't hit the floor as you say.
 
Going by comments on reddit it seems Audeze just changed the headband design entirely on later models so just left the older ones "as is" lol.

But yeah if the cup fell on the floor then that's it finished, one of the downsides to planar is impact shock, the gap between magnets and diaphragm is tiny.
 
But yeah if the cup fell on the floor then that's it finished, one of the downsides to planar is impact shock, the gap between magnets and diaphragm is tiny.

I've never thought about it like that and one to make a mental note of; that you need to be more careful with planars. Not that I drop my headphones - only time I can remember is my K702's going flying as they got caught on the office chair.
 
Yeah I've been careful with all my hifimans, though the Arya Stealth did land on the floor once after slipping off the table and survived :D
 
You do you. I know what I'm saying is on the side of relative logic.
 
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