Thinking of upgrading my 595's to......

Those frequency graphs are useless unless you use them in the right context, it's not simply a case of, "if it looks flat, it must sound flat". You can have to take into account every part of the audio chain and also how human hearing works. A completely flat sounding headphone is generally not preferable for music listening and this proven by the fact that, most of the top tier headphones out there right now, have distinct colourations.
 
Hi Guys

This is a link to the tutorial for equalising headphones - its long winded but excellent!

http://www.head-fi.org/t/413900/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-a-tutorial

You can see in the second graph down the peaks at certain frequencies on their dummy - that is roughly how you are hearing it now!

Its amazing - I thought it sounded great until I heard more like what it is supposed to sound like on an equalised set of cans and then I realised I was hearing it like those graphs indicate - hugely peaked in the upper mids and low top end - terrible!

My equalisation for my HD 558's now looks extreme - but look at what he has done for the 650's - it still looks pretty extreme! But is actually a transformation once done
Whats amazing - when you start equalising you think you are losing sparkle and detail - but eventually you realise that sparkle is distortion and its completely masking the rest and it brings out more detail - especially in the mid range

eqpic1.th.jpg
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Thats a pic of my eq - the last 3 dots are 5000htz, 7501htz and 11500htz and the are reduced by between 8.5 and 9.5 db its not perfect but its way better than with it off!!

a good way to tell is to run a signal sweep - as its goes up the frequency range you will hear it get much louder, then quiter - a peak then a dip.
once equlalised that is reduced and its roughly one volume all the way - I say roughly as mine is no where near perfect
 
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The great thing about this is once you have done it - you can adjust the eq in the sound card drivers so you get a similar eq for your gaming as well!!

with the asus drivers / software - you can use hifi mode for music listening - then it will disengage the eq in the drivers for music (you obviously dont want double eq), but use it for games when hifi mode is turned off - perfect!!!

If you are reading this with a auzentech or creative - you can use entertainment mode eq off in the console for music - and then game mode turn the eq on in the console and adjust it in there - perfect!!
 
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Mate just read your post in the slee forum - I am a member on that as well.

Have you tried any of the advice in the tutorial yet?
I.e run a signal sweep and see what you hear - You will hear peaks clear as day
I will post on that forum as well :)
 
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Game up equalizing. Cannot notice sharp peaks of loudness easily at all and end up with a stupid ling list of what appears to be loudness spikes.

Cant be arsed :p
 
I haven't bought the HD650's yet as i dont have the funds.
( should do at the end of the month )

Can anybody recommend any other headphones, i know someone said the Denon D2000's were good.
 
The D2000s are good, especially with electronic music like DnB. They would also be fine with just an STX. The only thing is you wanted good vocals and the D2000s mid-range would seem recessed relative to the HD650. But then if you never hear the HD650 it probably doesn't matter!
 
Im starting to lean towards those Denon D2000 as i do mainly listen to electronic music.



edit: But.. I dont need closed cans and the open cans are normally the preferred choice in a quiet environment right?
 
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They are both fine headphones that sound great. The only thing is they sound different. It's a matter of preference.

It's just a shame you can't hear them for yourself and make up your own mind on which you prefer! Relying on other people's subjective descriptions of the sound isn't ideal when deciding.
 
Sin_Chase said:
Game up equalizing. Cannot notice sharp peaks of loudness easily at all and end up with a stupid ling list of what appears to be loudness spikes.

Cant be arsed :p
Click to expand...

hello mate

what are you using to try and identify the peaks? Are you useing Sinegen?
The main peak will be around 7500 - concentrate on that first slowly move the slider up from say 5000
when I do it I gradually hear it get louder from about 6800 until its at its loudest at approx 7500. You are trying to find the peaks loudest point - to clarify, that the freq you want to eq

Once you have the loudest freq set macros for that freq @ -1, -2, -3, -4, -5 -6,-7,8,-9 then set another macro at say 6000 @ 0db (assuming 6000 does not seem to be peaking)

then go from 6000 @ 0db to the -1 macro back to 6000 @ 0db then to -2 all the way through to -9 db until you hear them sound their closest.
You want the one that seems the same volume with the 6000 @ 0db
Its doesnt have to be perfect its just a starting point :P

pic2ua.th.png
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That is me showing what I have doen today - with another of my peaking freq approx 4800
 
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EllisDJ said:
hello mate

what are you using to try and identify the peaks? Are you useing Sinegen?
The main peak will be around 7500 - concentrate on that first slowly move the slider up from say 5000
when I do it I gradually hear it get louder from about 6800 until its at its loudest at approx 7500. You are trying to find the peaks loudest point - to clarify, that the freq you want to eq

Once you have the loudest freq set macros for that freq @ -1, -2, -3, -4, -5 -6,-7,8,-9 then set another macro at say 6000 @ 0db (assuming 6000 does not seem to be peaking)

then go from 6000 @ 0db to the -1 macro back to 6000 @ 0db then to -2 all the way through to -9 db until you hear them sound their closest.
You want the one that seems the same volume with the 6000 @ 0db
Its doesnt have to be perfect its just a starting point :P

That is me showing what I have doen today - with another of my peaking freq approx 4800
Click to expand...

Hey, Sinegen indeed - as per the guide.

I might revisit this when I have a little more patience to mess around. Your explanation above makes things a little clearer with regards to comparing.

My Sinegen opened with a default of -19 dB and I did move it back to 0dB, I assume this is correct? It certainly appeared that way from what I could see in guides/screenshots?

I might bring my default listening volume down a little more also, it seemed like I was getting loudness peaks quite often but perhaps not at all.
 
Yes you want 0db as the level - and watch your overall volume as its not good to blast your ears with these noises too loud - you might end up mutton :)

Try and get yourself a signal sweep when you hear it, you can hear the peaks - its very hard to put into words how it sounds but its a bit rollercoaster ish -
if you want I can email you one if you give me your email address mate

its also good to give your ears a break - when you go back to it with fresh ears its easier to hear - mental but true.
 
I think I officially prefer my D2000s to my HD 650s now. The 650s are better for vocal, but the D2000s are so much better for electronica/hiphop, simply due to the bass. That and they are more comfortable and closed so offer more isolation at the same time as keeping your ears warmer. :p
 
I listen mostly to metal and rock based stuff, including a lot of female fronted bands, which benefit greatly from a lush and upfront midrange and the HD650 provides this in spades. Still, I also listen to quite a lot of electronica (mostly IDM and psytrance) and the lush midrange is totally welcome here too. For me the midrange is most important. It's the biggest part of the audible frequency range and also the part that our ears are most sensitive too. For non-synthesised music, a poor midrange can totally screw the immersion factor.
 
I agree with what you're saying, but for what the D2000s give away in midrange and soundstage (only slightly), they deliver spades upon spades of well controlled bass which the HD 650s just can't hope to match.
 
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