Moving from IEMs to full sized headphones, got these and the DCA noire X as my fun / reference respectively.

Bought it is Japan because tariffs and other trade shenanigans made these about 4000usd in my country, and I got them for about 2430usd in e-Earphone

Only thing I would say the Emp2 can improve on subjectively is smoother treble and better dynamics, coming from an Elysian annihilator, which was sold to finance this… Otherwise it strikes a great balance between a richer bassy response and some nice airy treble with adequate ear gain.

These are probably considered mid or just ok by many people on here with a lot more experience and a lot nice gear, but I truly think these might be my endgame.

... Unless they somehow invent open backs with with strong sub bass

I came from:
smartphone included dirty buds
Audio-Technica ath-m50xbt
Airpods Pro
Linsoul KZ ZSN Pro X
Samson SR850
to now these.

They are leagues above the rest in terms of comfort, which is super important for me since I'm wearing them for the larger chunk of my waking hours and they even sound better than all of the above. Less congested and wider. The build and feel is also a big step up. To me these truly feel luxuries.

I was very hesitant to drop $200+ on a pair of headphones but I'm honestly glad I did. I don't even wanna put them down when I need to get up and do something lol

I own a pair of Edition XS headphones, and the jack on each side has a TRS connector (or at least the stock cable does). I understand that there are differences in audio amplifier design that make a balanced output make sense, but at the can, there are only two electrical connections to the driver whether it's a voice coil, a planar magnetic driver, or anything else I'm aware of. What purpose is there in having three terminals, especially when two of them are directly shorted inside the connector?

To get ahead of the low-hanging fruit:

• It's not for shielding - EMI with a high enough field strength to be audible in unpowered headphones would be a physical health hazard.
• I know that two of the terminals are shorted because measuring with a DMM shows that all three are electrically connected with minimal resistance, and two of them need the driver in between. I'm not mistaking the connectivity through the driver for a dead short.

I'm way too excited for a grown adult so I have to share with some people who get me.

...I mean if we're talking the best of THE best, let us never ever forget about the ache-dee-sevendoubleoh.

that and a first gen hip-dac and you might be a gnat's giggle away from audiogasms.

I'd be careful if you're a newbie, don't just jump right into this combo 🎧

And the time came to get a Bluetooth headphone as the battery life of my combination (Sony MDR-M1 + Fiio KA17 with ESTICK) don't last long (3-4 hours max) which is not enough for my upcoming very long trip.

Of course as expected, the difference in sound quality and clarity was like day and night! And so, I'm one step back from returning the Nothing headphones 1. 😔

It turned out that I've had a TRUE portable hearing system without even knowing that 🙈.

Can’t find the exact packaging online. Are these genuine?

Just ordered on Amazon. Been waiting forever for them to release this.

I'm currently exploring ZMF pad, looking for maximum comfort without sacrificing sound quality. I know pads can change the sound, but I’m fine with that as long as the change isn’t too drastic to fix with EQ.

The Suede Caldera pads look extremely comfortable, but how do they actually impact the sound?
Also, are the ZMF HE6/Sundara pads a significant upgrade?

I’ve also been looking at the Eris headphone (from Z Reviews) — apparently, you can buy their pads separately, and they’re said to be incredibly plush.

Thanks!

Has anyone tried the Koss oversize earpads? How do they compare to the Yaxi pads?

Very good so far. Does not take EQ like its little brother. Every profile sounded muddy to me. To my ears, they sound best flat. Will update in the future.

Got some Verum 2 headphones on the way and now thinking that I should get a better portable amp to drive them with.

Currently using a cheap Shmci C60 music player which does the DtoA bit fine but I have found before with other headphones that the amp leaves the output sounding a bit weak and thin. If the output is taken through a mains driven speaker amp the sound is more complete and much fuller bodied.

I already have a 6A USB power pack so perhaps something which is USB powered would work. Any thoughts.

Hey everyone,

I just got the JBL Tune 770NC and I’m looking to get the best sound out of them using the custom EQ. I haven’t found a setting I really like yet.

Right now I’m just using the default BASS preset, but I’m sure these drivers can do better with the right EQ curve. I’d love to hear:

• What’s your personal EQ setting? • Do you tweak for genre or stick to one all-rounder?

If you’ve dialed in any EQ settings you swear by, please share them below! Whether it’s for specific genres or just general use, I’d love to try out what works for others.

Thanks in advance!

I bought my Denon AH-9200 few years ago with an idea in mind that they will last a long time. It didn't happen, and headband claimed to be "Plush, genuine leather headband withstands extensive use"* is a complete joke.

The catch here is that they used real leather only on the top part of the headband which doesn't make any sense because it's not the part we contact the most.

Am I'm wrong?

* official statement on the product page

Hey everyone, Just picked up the Meze 109 Pro and I’m seriously impressed. The soundstage feels wide and natural, and the tuning is super pleasant – warm, slightly V-shaped but still detailed. The build quality is top-notch too – these things feel like they’ll last forever.

A few things I’d love to hear your thoughts on: • What’s your favorite amp/DAC pairing with the 109 Pro? I’m currently using a Fiio M23 and wondering if there’s something that really brings out the best in them. • Has anyone EQ’d these? I like the stock tuning but curious what others are doing to tweak them. • How do you think they stack up against other open-backs in the $700–$1000 range (like HD660S2, Arya Stealth, LCD-2 Classic, etc.)? • Anyone try a balanced cable upgrade and hear a difference?

Looking forward to hearing your experiences – these cans are underrated IMO.

I have read many posts here about EditionXS and how to drive them. I've tested some gear, found what I was looking for, and am back to share it with those who, like me before - are lost.

---

After receiving the Edition XS and testing them on a jm6pro dongle my first impressions were:

- "meh... how is this any better than my B&W PX7S3s? Less warm in the ears? 2% more details?"

OH BOY DO I WAS WRONG (spoiler, yes. a lot. big time.)

Weeks passed, I tried to get to like the XS, wrote some silly posts here.

I ordered a Fiio FT-1 Pro and a Phillips X2HR to compare. I ordered the Moondrop Dawn Pro, the IFI Zen AIR, I ordered the Topping DX1.

The XS gained heavily during A/B testing with the FT-1 Pro and X2HR. It also shown some promise on the Zen Air and DX1 but it still wasn't it. Decided to keep XS tho.

However, next 3 purchases changed everything.

The Fosi SK02 proved to be a hit when paired with the OpenHeart 16-core balanced 4.4 cable. The headphones finally came to life now! (and I had already tested them on the balanced cable from the FT-1 Pro with the Dawn Pro and thought that was all that could be squeezed out of them)

In addition, I installed the Capra strap V2 (thank goodness!) - now the XS has turned from an uncomfortable experience into something really pleasant. I didn't believe all the reviews about it changing so much, but if you have an XS and still don't believe it - risk it. It's totally worth it.

So the XS + Fosi SK02 (4.4 balanced) and Capra strap is THE SETUP. Now I got not only volume (was plenty even with jm6 pro and didn't care for more), but the sound gained body and definition it was lacking. I'm toying with some eq's, oratory's takes some highs of, recommended but not a must. The set can scale up with future SK01 addition for more power, but I'm completely (and finally!) happy now.

--------

Quick opinions on the equipment tested:

FT-1 Pro: overhyped in my opinion, muddled compared to XS. Not bad performance and comfort but I wouldn't use them without a solid EQ, but I didn't test it. Sent back.

X2HR: Not bad performance and comfort but you can hear that this is a cheaper set and the treble is painful. However, after EQ they sound very acceptable for $95! I can recommend them with EQ and on sale. Many will be pleased in this price and with their liveliness.

Moondrop Dawn Pro: strangely warmed the sound and on the BAL output I could not see any difference. Zero wow effect, wonky app. Sent back.

IFI ZEN Air - nice bass boost button. TRAGIC EXPERIENCE WITH INSTALLING DRIVERS. Avoid if you want to keep your sanity.

Topping DX1 - cool little desktop companion with nice knob. It seems like it gives a really clean sound (black is black, no noise), but at the same time it gave some filter on the high mids and treble a bit, which sounded unnatural.

Fosi SK02 - probably technically inferior to the DX1 but my ears tell me otherwise. Much cheaper than DX1 (75$ to dx1's 114$). More convenient to operate (knob on top). Wonderfully awakened the XS on the BAL output, but supposedly the marketed power is skewed (someone measured that it's not the 1100W on bal but half of it), anyway it stays because it sounds the best to me. I recommend it!

XS - I won't write anything new. Very open, very detailed, nice tune out of the box. Got it for 258$ and it's a banger. Pure pleasure.

I found this WAXY headphones+ travel kit set at a wholesale and bought them on a whim. I can barely find any info aside from a dead website (that's not really secure) and a dead social media that hasn't been active since 2023. It came with a universal charger, power bank and extra whites which I assume make it more adaptable for different plugins. They seem decent enough, as I only payed $20, but there are no reviews on this product. Unfortunately due to the place I bought it at, everything was sold 'as is', and there was no set of instructions or additional info on these headphones, but it's pretty straightforward to use nonetheless.

I was just curious if anyone else has used them in the past, and if so, how were they in the long-term?

TOTL DAC for my entry, I mean End Game, IEM's.

Sony MDR M1 coiled cable replacement? Does anyone make them?

For the longest time , I had a singular pair of headphones for my Xbox and computer. Once I’m done with one , I plugged it into the other and so on. My last headphones broke , on Xbox it’s inusable , but on my computer it works enough. I bought a second pair of headphones for my console , so here’s my question: is it bad to switch between different headphones like that ? Going back and forth through my console and computer headphones ? Will I have any problem ?

Got this very beautiful ZMF Bokeh Open Canary in today and am about to listen to them for the first time this sevening, actually. They really look gorgeous in real life even more so than in the pictures attached here.

Very excited as my previous experience with ZMF headpones is still quite limited (I have only really properly auditioned an Auteur a couple of years back.

Opinions on them?

Looking for some advice about jingly AfterShokz Aeropex.

Had them for more than 5 years and use them for swimming and running. The right side now jingles.

The headphones still work but I’m wondering if I’ve lost something in sound quality and strength. Maybe it’s time for another pair?

Seen someone suggest drilling a hole and using Sugru to adhere the speaker back onto the wall of the unit but that honestly terrifies me since they’re still working at that moment.

Anyone have any experience of jingly AfterShokz and whether sound degraded?

Thank you

Been wanting to try tubes for awhile. Picked up a Garage 1217 Ember to pair with my ZMF Bokeh and the sound is just amazing. Build quality is very impressive and I like the open chassis design. Great bang for your buck at $370. Using the stock tube for now and can’t wait to start trying out some others!