Making the Move to Headphones

[Cincy2]

Over the past 40 years, two channel audio has provided me with immense pleasure and the satisfaction that comes from the hunt for sonic excellence. As time passed, I could tell my hearing was degrading and the volume that I needed to decode upper frequency detail was increasing causing my spouse some distress. At age 69, I decided an adjustment was required. I am selling speakers, mono blocks and subs and replacing them with one or more headphone set ups. The headphones will permit me to play at any volume I desire without impacting anyone. It has the ancillary benefit of freeing the music from any room interactions and liberating my man cave from all the wall treatments.

Fifteen years ago while I was having my house built, I had to use a headphone system to survive while living in a small rental house. I had an Esoteric transport driving a small solid state headphone amp using Sennheiser 'phones. It was remarkably satisfying. The state of the art has progressed much since then. I am looking forward to the experience of finding a solution that pleases my (less than optimized) ears. My MSB M500 mono's, Magico M3's and QSUB 15's will be up for sale through Mike at Suncoast Audio. Please contact him if you have an interest in any of that gear.

My headphone set up will include:

MSB Select II DAC
MSB Headphone amp with STAX 009 electrostatic headphones

I have a huge respect for MSB's engineering capability so this had to be where I start.

For variety and educational purposes, I also have the following on order to compare / contrast headphone and amp techologies:

McIntosh MHA 200 headphone amp (all tubes)
Pathos InPol EAR hybrid headphone amp (tube driver and Class A solid stat output)
XI Audio Formula S headphone amp (all solid state, Class A)
Abyss 1266 Planar Magnetic headphones
Focal Utopia dynamic driver headphones

I have all major technology categories covered and hope to be able to draw conclusions on which set up works the best for me. All of the amps take balanced inputs (although not all are balanced designs) so they will be getting a pristine data stream from the Select II.

Everything evolves. I'm looking forward to this next chapter in my audio life. I'll document my experiences in this thread to hopefully help others with my hearing issues. We audiophiles are not a young bunch.

Cincy

[Nikhil]

All the very best in your audio journey!
Headphones do make a lot of sense in your situation.



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[Randy Myers]

I have also recently been getting more into headphones. I have tried several amplifiers and headphones. I was initially intrigued by the new McIntosh headphone amp, however I choose the headphone amplifier specialist. I recently got a Woo WA22 (2nd gen), which is 100% balanced throughout. Amazing headphone amplifier. I have read about the XI audio (11 audio) amplifiers which Abyss like a lot (Woo is another of their favorites).

In all the headphones I have tried, Mr. Speakers Ether (Dave Clark Audio now), Sennheiser HD800S, Focal Clear, McIntosh MHP1000, Audeze LCD-i4, Audeze LCD-3 (current secondary headphones), etc., I like my Abyss by far the best. I choose the Diana Phi's because while I was considering the 1266 I would also like to use these portable for at work or traveling. Abyss are definitely in another world. And for amps, Bryston BHA-1, Dennis Had Dragon, SimAudio NEO 430HA, SPL Phonitor, among others.

I also heard some really great things about HeadAmp, the GS-X Mini and for electrostatic the Blue Hawaiian are supposed to be among the best.

Obviously the gear you currently have and what you have on order is world class. Enjoy the discovery!

At this point I am very satisfied with my Woo WA22 and Abyss with the Audeze as an alternative!

Ps... if you get a chance to try the Woo WA22 or even more so the WA33 I would encourage it. Abyss actually rate many of these amps very good but they do give their top rating to the Woo WA33!

[Cincy2]

Thanks for the insight Randy. My odyssey is very much going to be a catch and release evolution. Woo was the runner up just one spot off the podium for the first round. Will get to them eventually.

Eric

[CPP]

I've been in headphones for the last 3 years, and there are so many headphone amps these days with tubes, that sound pretty darn nice. Don North Audio ( i just don't like the color) but the amps really perform nice. AMPSANDSOUND lots of tubes that can drive pretty much anything. Eddie Current awesome gear but he sells out so darn fast. A so many SS amps to count at all price levels.

And so many headphone brands that perform to a high standard., Abyss, ZMF, RAD, MAZE Empyrean along with the usual, Audeze, SENN, Dave Clark, HiFiMann, Focal, Grado and others./

IN headphones, a lot of times it depends on the comfort vs all out performance. A great performing headphone regardless of price isn't worth much if you can't wear it longer than a full album. Everyone is different in this area, head shape, ear shape etc... so DEMO DEMO DEMO.

[the professor]

I've tried headphones several times over the last 15 years. First time was when my wife was a manager at Starbucks opening at 4 am, so she was going to sleep about the time I wanted to listen to my stereo - like, when I got home from work!

Second time was when we moved to Oregon and I was still working in Dallas in an apartment.

Third time is now where my curiosity overtook me the. the Stax SR-009S came out. Because from reviews, it fixed an issue I had with the 009s.

Each time - NO matter how much money I threw at the hobby etc - I found that ultimately I enjoyed speakers better. Even if it's a 2 way stand mounted whatever (put in your fav brand). Are they as hifi - nope, can I hear as much resolution - nope ..... but I enjoyed the speakers much much more at the end of the day.

I will say - as weird as this is. Headphones while using a good sub is quite satisfying. But that doesn't work for being quiet. I bring this up, since being quiet isn't your reason per say. Try playing around with using your Q-Subs along with your headphones. YES - it's out of the box. No - I don't expect anybody to agree.

You have the toys to try it - what the ef!

[Mike Lavigne]

i have a significant investment in a 2 channel room and system; as all-in as anyone. even a separate building for it.

yet.......6 months ago i added the MSB Select Electrostatic Headphone amp and the Stax 009S headphones to my system which already included the same MSB Select dac. i'm the same exact age, 69 years old, but am not aware of any need to turn the volume up higher. but being in a separate building from my house, i have never needed to worry about noise bothering my spouse.

10 years ago i invested in some top level headphone gear but ended up selling it off, to fund other audio investments at the time. so i've always had the headphone bug and appreciated the unique magic from the headphone experience. i'm still not exactly sure why i went down this road again. in the last 6 months i've listened to the headphones in stretches on and off. will i still own this gear in 6 months? maybe.

at my age i'm planning on retiring soon, and part of that might involve moving away from my large home and barn and huge living footprint. maybe something simpler. when/if i do that using headphones might be a necessary part of the compromise as having a separate building for my 2 channel may not be our priority. so i fully agree that headphones do allow for lifestyle choices while retaining great music reproduction performance. i don't expect to move away from a speaker based system, but might need manage the level of intrusion, at times, on our living situation. my wife is a light sleeper, and sleeps in, i'm an early riser. been married 48 years. need to keep the peace.

and i can fully endorse your choice in headphone gear. the MSB amp and Stax 009S is a phenomenal sounding combo. and it integrates wonderfully with the Select dac.

[Bongo Beater]

Headphones IMO are good only if you are able to narrow the panning. To many albums have extreme panning.