HD600 vs Medusas

Uriel

Uriel

Uriel

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I know, I know. Mismatch of the century. Thought this deserved a mention in Sound City rather than the thread in the gaming forum in an existing thread.

I have an Asus Xonar D2 arriving tomorrow and have persuaded a friend to lend me his HD600s. The HD600s will just be plugged into my Sony Hi-Fi amp rather than a dedicated headphone amp so I may nothear them at their best. I've defended the Medusas in a few threads and I think I have the Medusas set up to get the best out of them. Will it be game over for my Medusas? Can I go back to them after a good stereo set? Which will I prefer in games and movies - 5.1 headphones vs stereo with CMSS3D (on the current X-Fi) or Dolby headphone? Will also try the medusas in stereo mode, as well as 5.1. I'm pretty sure music listening is a foregone conclusion. We'll soon see.

I'm pretty sure that if I still maintain that the Medusas aren't that bad afterwards I'll be branded a heretic and cast into the wilderness...
 
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The HD600s will be so, so so SO much better.

I can't stand to go back to normal earbuds now I've got used to decentish IEMs either.
 
porsche 911 vs fiesta........ For speed and handling.

They need a while to bed in if new, but will sound awesome even out of the sony amp, and the medusas will be like ipod headphones compared to them.

Enjoy the 600s, great phones.
 
HD600's without a headphone amp will still floor the Medusa's.

Just make sure you have it set up right if using the Sony amp rather than direct PC connection, I personally have my 595's set to 5.1 in Windows and on games, just tick Dolby Headphone for gaming, I don't use them for movies so not sure what's best for them, make sure you untick Dolby Headphone for music as I find it sounds much better with it off.
 
If they don't sound better, go and get your ears syringed TBH. :p

I have 580's (which are to all intents and purposes 600's), and yes they are amped, but listening to several other headphones through the same amp, they blow them away- including some decent AKGs and (not so much so) some prodigal Yamahas from the eighties.

If the 580's are anything to go by, as they should be- amping is apparently smoewhat a good idea for the 600s.
 
I use a Grado RA1 clone I made - it stays plugged in all the time. It has to- my 580s only have a 1/4" plug! No other way to connect them to my PC, and using an adaptor would be sacrilege IMO.
 
You're quite correct both the HD600s and the HD650s have a high impededance, 300ohms. Both benefit from amplification. However, the choice of 'phones is a matter of individual choice. For music I use my amplified Audio Technica W5000s with the exception of folk music, for which my preference is a set of industrial ear defenders.:cool:
 
I dunno why anyone defends the Medusas, they're poor in both 3D sound and sound quality IMO. I suppose they're ok for a bit of light gaming, but honestly for the same money I'd take a stereo sennheiser headset. I have heard worse mind you, those Zalmans took sucking to a whole new level.

Make sure you compare with something nicely recorded like some classical.
 
Yeah, I was wondering about that. I now have the HD600s but will have to give them back fairly soon. Hopefully the Xonar will turn up later today so I'll be ready to go when I get home. I had a look online for some well recorded CDs suitable for Audiophile level listening but only turned up a bunch of people arguing on forums. I'm led to believe that the remastered versions of the first few Van Halen albums are good examples of their genre and I have those.

I have my doubts about the classical CDs in my collection. I may see if I can make a purchase this lunchtime. Any suggestions.

I'm also interested in getting a good quality binaurally recorded music CD for headphone listening. I'm thinking about Radiohead's In Rainbows, Lou Read's Street Hassle or Take no Prisoners (Live) or Pearl Jam's Binaural. Any comments on these?

Any other recommendations?

Will be taking a trip to the local independent record shop at lunchtime.
 
Hmm maybe too hard to find but the XRCD of dire straits is supposed to be very special. Or just find some earlier diana krall, and goldfrapp supernature rox too.
 
I'd just try and listen to some of your favourate albums, I'm sure you'll have at least one which is well produced and mastered... Unless you are into dutch gabber or something crazy like that. ;)

If you like yer prog rock, the first Mars Volta album sounds amazing thru HD-600's.
 
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