okay gents - my finances are forcing me to have to move out from the large flat that i have now into a much smaller place .... so im getting rid of all my audio equipment and restructuring because the new place has different rules etc in terms of loud music and loud TVs etc
i have decided that for stereo music with my main computer i am going to go with a headphone based setup so i have sold the Nuprime IDA-8 that was connected to it .... and im also going to sell the bookshelf speakers that were there ...... but for now i have decided to replace the IDA-8 with a Ifi iDSD Micro Black Label .... I always had told myself that if i was going to replace my uDSD it would be for one of these - so im basically getting this which is currently IMHO one of the better units for transportable DAC/AMP duties since it can be used with phones and laptops and also in a fixed install ..... and yes im sure i could have gotten a pretty good fixed alternative for example the Audio-GD for sale in the classifieds now BUT i wanted some measure of transportability here so i opted against a totally fixed setup .... so in that respect i think that the iDSD Micro black label is a pretty decent option .... and for now im going to use it with my Sennheiser HD555 which have had the infamous HD595 done to them and also my AKG Y50-BT which can be used with a cable as a wired option if i want a warmer much more bassy sound quality though these are closed back so they wont have as open a soundstage as an open back setup
however i will eventually want to sort out a good pair of headphones when i sell my Home Theater setup since i cant use that in the small place anyway ..... the floor standers are going to too large and bulky and the additional Dipol3/bipole rear speakers are going to cause too many complications in the new flat .... so to finance a new pair of highish end headphones i will probably use some of the money from selling my AVR and surround setup
now there is a set of Sennheiser HD700 in the classifieds currently for R5500 but i dont have the cash for them right now - if they are still available in a month or two (my AVR already has one or two interested parties so i should have at least R6k available in and around a month or two - a close buddy wants to pay me two installments to take it from me) then it makes life easy for me ie I just grab those but i'm working on the assumption that those will probably be sold by the time the guy pays me
so what kind of headphones do i plan on in the meantime - there is the forum favourite ie the Sennheisser HD600 which is at the limit of what i can afford brand new - and it seems like a decent option because some reviews that i have read say that it is better at vocals than the HD700 but i have heard neither so i would like some opinions from people that have heard both
then the other alternative is the Hifiman HE400s on special at R3490 (not sure how long that price will last) as i said i will probably buy in around two to three months time)
https://www.cplanaudio.co.za/products/hifiman-he-400s-headphones-full-size-planar-magnetic-audiophile-over-ear-headphones-ships-next-day-he400s-he-400s
but the Hifiman Sundara is also on special at R6990 ..... is this one worth basically twice as much as the HE400S - is it going to be better than the HD600 - if so i can make a plan for the extra money ..... bearing in mind that i have dealer buddies who can get me sennheisser stuff at very good prices so the HD600 is also going to be a fair amount cheaper
https://www.cplanaudio.co.za/collections/hifiman/products/hifiman-sundara-full-size-planar-magnetic-audiophile-over-ear-headphones-ships-in-4-6-weeks
also would these Hifiman headphones work well with an IFI DAC or would the Sennheiser work better .... speaking of that if anyone has any experience with that IDSD Micro Black Label they can chime in with a few comments on that here as well .... it would be much appreciated
i have decided that for stereo music with my main computer i am going to go with a headphone based setup so i have sold the Nuprime IDA-8 that was connected to it .... and im also going to sell the bookshelf speakers that were there ...... but for now i have decided to replace the IDA-8 with a Ifi iDSD Micro Black Label .... I always had told myself that if i was going to replace my uDSD it would be for one of these - so im basically getting this which is currently IMHO one of the better units for transportable DAC/AMP duties since it can be used with phones and laptops and also in a fixed install ..... and yes im sure i could have gotten a pretty good fixed alternative for example the Audio-GD for sale in the classifieds now BUT i wanted some measure of transportability here so i opted against a totally fixed setup .... so in that respect i think that the iDSD Micro black label is a pretty decent option .... and for now im going to use it with my Sennheiser HD555 which have had the infamous HD595 done to them and also my AKG Y50-BT which can be used with a cable as a wired option if i want a warmer much more bassy sound quality though these are closed back so they wont have as open a soundstage as an open back setup
however i will eventually want to sort out a good pair of headphones when i sell my Home Theater setup since i cant use that in the small place anyway ..... the floor standers are going to too large and bulky and the additional Dipol3/bipole rear speakers are going to cause too many complications in the new flat .... so to finance a new pair of highish end headphones i will probably use some of the money from selling my AVR and surround setup
now there is a set of Sennheiser HD700 in the classifieds currently for R5500 but i dont have the cash for them right now - if they are still available in a month or two (my AVR already has one or two interested parties so i should have at least R6k available in and around a month or two - a close buddy wants to pay me two installments to take it from me) then it makes life easy for me ie I just grab those but i'm working on the assumption that those will probably be sold by the time the guy pays me
so what kind of headphones do i plan on in the meantime - there is the forum favourite ie the Sennheisser HD600 which is at the limit of what i can afford brand new - and it seems like a decent option because some reviews that i have read say that it is better at vocals than the HD700 but i have heard neither so i would like some opinions from people that have heard both
then the other alternative is the Hifiman HE400s on special at R3490 (not sure how long that price will last) as i said i will probably buy in around two to three months time)
https://www.cplanaudio.co.za/products/hifiman-he-400s-headphones-full-size-planar-magnetic-audiophile-over-ear-headphones-ships-next-day-he400s-he-400s
but the Hifiman Sundara is also on special at R6990 ..... is this one worth basically twice as much as the HE400S - is it going to be better than the HD600 - if so i can make a plan for the extra money ..... bearing in mind that i have dealer buddies who can get me sennheisser stuff at very good prices so the HD600 is also going to be a fair amount cheaper
https://www.cplanaudio.co.za/collections/hifiman/products/hifiman-sundara-full-size-planar-magnetic-audiophile-over-ear-headphones-ships-in-4-6-weeks
also would these Hifiman headphones work well with an IFI DAC or would the Sennheiser work better .... speaking of that if anyone has any experience with that IDSD Micro Black Label they can chime in with a few comments on that here as well .... it would be much appreciated
