Would like to try Balanced Headphones and Planar but unsure?

Jenz · 14 Apr 2021 at 22:20

I have an incoming Drop 789 and a Balanced Dac.

I would like some recommendations on Balanced Headphones to purchase and I would like to also try a Planar Headphone. Budget would be £500 each.

I currently use Senn HD58X (can get a balanced cable but won’t something higher) and AKG 7XX.

I was thinking of Hifiman Sundara for the planar but am nervous about the Quality Control issues in rainforest reviews.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks Neil.

Jenz · 15 Apr 2021 at 14:42

Thank you so much. I had been debating the Ananda's but wanted to cap my budget

hence Sundara.

My Dac is the Drop + Grace Standard Dac Balanced. Probably will be identical to my current JDS OL USB Dac but it's Balanced Outputs and USB powered.

Jenz · 15 Apr 2021 at 16:30

TALON1973 said:
The 789 isn’t a fully balanced amp. It’s got the connections but apparently it’s not technically balanced. I’m waiting on mine to arrive as well.

Which Headphones do you plan on using?

Jenz · 19 Apr 2021 at 12:14

TALON1973 said:
@Jenz

I’m assuming your 789 order is from drop? When did you order it ? And are they sending it via boat ? Also on the receipt all I can see is shipping and handling charge... does that mean we get hit by an import tax when it gets to uk?

Drop now has a Rainforest Dot Com Store. I ordered it via there so that it was shipped via UPS.

5 day delivery via plane arriving tomorrow. It's in the UK depot now. I bought the matching Dac also. So Dac + 789 = $508 before Import Tax which is calculated and charged by Rainforest at $105. Totalling $614.21 or £459.50.

Jenz · 20 Apr 2021 at 10:03

TALON1973 said:
When did you order ? Mine turned up today. Took it out of the box to look , but not hooked it up as not long back from work. Will try tmoz as I’m watching recorded Monday night football

I ordered Thursday morning. It's arriving to me this morning so very good delivery timeline. I also decided to pick up an "open box" set of HifiMan Sundara's for £235 :cry:

as my "let's try a Planar"!

Jenz · 20 Apr 2021 at 12:30

And UPS just dropped mine off

Jenz · 22 Apr 2021 at 09:01

Yes - extremely pleased.

Just using SE Headphones at the moment whilst I await my balanced cables to arrive for my Sundara's and my Senn HD58X's.

Goes very loud without distortion and I am liking the build quality compared to my JDS Labs Atom.

Jenz · 23 Apr 2021 at 10:33

Using Balanced Cables on both a set of HifiMan Sundara's and a set of Sennheiser HD58X's. Very, very pleased. Might also try a decent closed back set but not as yet sure what to try.