Audio equipment

[David L]

I've just bought myself a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4 Noise Cancelling Wireless headphones.

I had a hearing test the other week and, unsurprisingly, my high frequency hearing has tailed off somewhat. This is a classic age-related issue and is not helped by subjecting your ears to prolonged exposure to, among other things, loud music. I've always been fairly sensible when it comes to volume levels but loud gigs have probably played their part too. I resisted the offer of some electronic assistance at this time and the audiologist agreed that was OK if I was not too bothered about it at the moment. I have found myself increasingly struggling with 'quiet' or 'unclear' voices but I suppose I'm not ready for a pair of 'deaf aids' just yet!
Having discussed my listening habits with the audiologist, I decided it would be a good idea to try a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to help reduce my listening levels to try to help slow the deterioration a bit.

I have been using ear buds for some time whilst exercising on the treadmill and there's no doubt that I'm turning the volume up considerably to overcome the background noise. Ear buds are a poor choice, it turns out, as they direct the output directly into the ear canal (potentially) causing far more damage than 'on ear' or 'over ear' phones. Also, having recently struggled to listen to in-flight entertainment with the crappy phones supplied by the airline over the drone of the engines, I thought the investment would be worthwhile (we'll hopefully be flying more frequently, possibly long-haul, now we are retired). And I love buying audio kit 

I already have a pair of wireless Sennheisers (RS120) that work on a radio connection rather than bluetooth. They are the second pair I've owned and have been great. I had them connected to a headphone amp so can listen to any music source and the TV. I listen to the TV using the w/less phones every night so as not to disturb the wife who retires to bed long before me. The good thing about the RS120s is the range is fantastic and I can wander all over the house and even work all around the garden and enjoy listening to music, radio etc. Bluetooth has always been rather limited in range but, after doing some research I thought I could probably equip myself with ANC and replace the RS120s. Bluetooth has developed to the point that the compromises in audio quality have largely been overcome and range can be increased with a decent Bluetooth transmitter.

So today I completed the change, fully, to Bluetooth. Along with the Sony phones, I've set up a  1Mii B03Pro+ Bluetooth Transmitter/Receiver. This excellent fag packet-sized bit of kit allows the Sonys to use a high quality LDAC Bluetooth connection for best audio quality and improves the Bluetooth range. Connected to my headphone amp via the transmitter's 3.5mm 'aux input', I've now got all the functionality I had previously. The BT Transmitter sits on a small glass wall-mounted shelf where the RS120s were located. It really is a neat solution with a small LCD screen on which you can see all the connectivity info.

The Sonys have a good number of adjustments via the app and the ANC works well when required. So much better to listen to music now when the wife is watching TV in the same room. I haven't yet tried them when I'm running on the treadmill but one of my biggest concerns would be that they would be too loose on my small bonce but I'm confident that won't be an issue.

I decided, also to buy a really neat two-headphone bracket to hang both the new Sonys and my wired Focals on - a really neat solution to storing both sets close to my hi-fi rack.

I'm pretty chuffed tbh. the only issue I've found is that when the Sonys are not 'paired' to the 1Mii B03Pro+ I get a low squeal of interference over the speakers, if amp volume is up, every minute or so. However, I guessed that this was the transmitter searching for a BT- connectible device so turning the transmitter off sorted that out. Luckily the transmitter has an on/off switch on the side so no unplugging necessary and pairing to the phones is super easy and quick when required.

I'm in headphone heaven 

[Thenop]

Nice,

I love headphones, I had a pair of these and donated them to my wife when I bought my Focal Bathys. I have had 2 pairs of Sony's (XM2 and XM4) a Dali IO-6 (good but not good enough) and now the Bathys. I commute by public transport so it is a must have, plus I am not a fan of IEMs.

LDAC is a great audio codec, quality is fantastic.

For exercising I am not sure this works, even though the Sony's ANC is unrivaled the constant up and down motion makes for a 'thump' that is clearly audible. That might just be something you need to get used to of course.

Enjoy!

[Thenop]

After having been a Sennheiser guy for nearly 2 decades, I have now ordered a Fiio FT7.
It's a different beast, a planar type set so I am curious to find out what this will do for me. I have read may reviews, seen some even on YouTube and they nearly all describe this one as a giant killer. Meaning headphones far more expensive do less for reviewers.

Of course a 14 day return policy helps as well, if it sucks (it won't) I can return it. It's an investment, for home use but consdiering I was contemplating a Senheiser HD800s or even an 820, this is much better value for money it seems.

Roll on delivery day!

[R6GYY]

Nice.

I've got a set of Fiio FT1 Pros myself. Part-exed my trusty old Grado 'phones in Richer Sounds a few months ago.

Love 'em. Open back planar.

[Thenop]

It's in! First impressions count and I am not disappointed.

A few observations:

this set comes with 2 sets of earpads, the leather ones are on it as a standard but the treble is overwhelming, the fabric pads smooth that out a bit and considering I have been Sennheiser-ing (and Focal-ing on the road) this amount of treble is easily mistaken for unconformtable. It is not, the longer I listen the less I notice it.
What is very noticeable immediately: it is unforgiving. A bad mix is very quickly spotted. This may sound strange but a lot of speakers and headphones are designed to mask that. They do not pull apart the frequencies, they smear them together. These open back planars don't do that. it's like listening with the window open and letting the air in. It really is quite remarkable.

I will however keep my HD660s on hand as well because, well, metal is notoriously badly produced. Which is not strange considering the volume and distortion levels that need taming, so that needs a little more smoothing over

So far I am happy, and like with every new piece of kit I am re-discovering my music catalogue. Lovely.

[David L]

After a long search, I've just ordered a new phono stage. I currently have two TTs, a Pioneer PL530 with a Shure MM cart and a self-designed deck with an Ortofon Cadenza Bronze MC cartridge. I'm using a Tom Evans Microgroove for the MC and a cheap (but great) Angle Audio MM stage. Both connected to my Primare Pre30 amp via two RCA inputs.

My aim has long been to employ a phono stage that has two (or more) TT inputs that can be configured for MM or MC with a balanced (XLR) output. I have a spare balanced input on the amp and this should be the optimum connection for both TTs.

I finally settled on a Musical Fidelity M6x Vinyl phono stage based on price/features and reviews. I'm buying the phono stage from Peter Tyson who currently have it on offer and are prepared to accept a pair of Monitor Audio PL100 speakers in part-ex (replaced by a pre-owned pair of Yamaha NS1000s a while back). They're giving me a good price which will help greatly towards my new purchase.I'm hoping this will scratch the itch and also provide a quieter signal from the MC which suffers from a slight hum, although not noticeable at the levels I listen at.

[David L]

I've lived with the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones for a couple of months now. I'm very happy with them. Along with the 1Mii B03Pro+ bluetooth transmitter, they provide everything I was looking for in a noise-cancelling headphone.

I can now listen to my music in the lounge with no audio interference whilst the wife is watching TV. They also work very well on the bike trainer and treadmill, where I pair them with the iPad positioned on the integral bracket. With the 1Mii B03Pro+,  range is great too! Combined with comfort, a great upgrade. Looking forward to trying them on a flight in the future.

[Thenop]

I've lived with the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones for a couple of months now. I'm very happy with them. Along with the 1Mii B03Pro+ bluetooth transmitter, they provide everything I was looking for in a noise-cancelling headphone.

I can now listen to my music in the lounge with no audio interference whilst the wife is watching TV. They also work very well on the bike trainer and treadmill, where I pair them with the iPad positioned on the integral bracket. With the 1Mii B03Pro+,  range is great too! Combined with comfort, a great upgrade. Looking forward to trying them on a flight in the future.

Handed them to my wife. She wore out the XM2 and I wasn't using them. I have my Focal Bathys.

[David L]

I've lived with the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones for a couple of months now. I'm very happy with them. Along with the 1Mii B03Pro+ bluetooth transmitter, they provide everything I was looking for in a noise-cancelling headphone.

I can now listen to my music in the lounge with no audio interference whilst the wife is watching TV. They also work very well on the bike trainer and treadmill, where I pair them with the iPad positioned on the integral bracket. With the 1Mii B03Pro+,  range is great too! Combined with comfort, a great upgrade. Looking forward to trying them on a flight in the future.

Handed them to my wife. She wore out the XM2 and I wasn't using them. I have my Focal Bathys.

I use my Focal Elegias for 'serious' listening 

[Thenop]

I am considering getting a pair of Wharfedale Linton Heritage speakers. If anything to just compare them to my much more modern sounding Dali Oberon 7s.

Matching them with my amp and habit to play vinyl I am curious to hear how it sounds. Lush and 70s I suppose. Forgiving like the speakers of that era were.

Will have a think, maybe sell some things first.

[David L]

I am considering getting a pair of Wharfedale Linton Heritage speakers. If anything to just compare them to my much more modern sounding Dali Oberon 7s.

Matching them with my amp and habit to play vinyl I am curious to hear how it sounds. Lush and 70s I suppose. Forgiving like the speakers of that era were.

Will have a think, maybe sell some things first.

I had a vintage itch to scratch and bought some pre-owned dirt cheap Leak 'Sandwich' 2030 speakers a while back. They were large sealed cabinet speakers and pretty good. They've now gone, swapped for (again pre-owned) Yamaha NS1000 monitors. I'm really happy with them but they are probably not a 'classic-sounding' vintage speaker like a Wharfedale, Celestion, Kef etc.

If you're really looking for a different presentation, I'd go pre-owned, vintage for authenticity. There's a movement among manufactures to re-create the look of those speakers but, I'd guess, the sound is more modern than the originals. And, of course, they carry an inflated price tag.

Might be worth looking at Celestion Ditton range. Buy them, try them, move them on if you don't appreciate them. There are bargains to be had in the pre-owned vintage market.

[Thenop]

I let the vintage itch for what it is. I focused on my headphone obsession and how to get the best out them.
I was playing my Fiio FT7 through a small ifi stack designed for the Sennheiser HD660, but ever since I have been using the Fiio I felt something was off.

Clearly enough - and I should have thought of that - the Fiio being an open back planar type, need a lot of power (or gain) to drive them properly. Although the little stack (actually a combo of a DAC and a headphone amp, lovely stuff, good looking showpiece on my desk :-)) in principle has enough power to drive them it bordered on overkill. The higesht gain setting gives the power (duh) but that means you start at +18 dB so there is a big chance on distortion and the lack of headroom bothered me a little bit.
While the Fiio should have lightning fast bass response, it did not come really to life.

Being happy with the ifi brand (they're British you know..) I looked a bit further and found they have a line that's bit above what I had, and I plunged in.
The Ifi Neo iDSD2 (too much words) drew my attention and I had been waiting a while for it to drop in price. Not too long ago the 3 was introduced with all sorts of features I have zero intrest in, but it did what it needed to: it made the 2 drop in price.

Received it this afternoon and plugged it in. It has a whopping 5,551 mW (@ 32Ω) and the Fiio operates at 25Ω so I have a ton of headroom and it really helps keeping those deep bass tones in check and make sense of complex and busy recordings.

So, now the fun starts, I asked AI to come up with a playlist of 20 tracks, outside of the known audiophile territory (I know Pink Floyd sounds great, I am not interested in classic rock perse, especially not when testing new gear), I gave it some parameters and it came up with a great list:
Amon Tobin - Sordid
Lorn - Acid Rain
Malika Zarra - Houaria
Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto - Duon
Tigran Hamasyan - The Court Jester
Colin Stetson - Spindrift
The Comet Is Coming - Summon the Fire
Nils Petter Molvær - Khmer
Gojira - The Art of DyingT
ool - Chocolate Chip Trip
Devin Townsend Project - Kingdom
Ne Obliviscaris - And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope
Karnivool - Simple Boy
Porcupine Tree - Anesthetize
The Mars Volta - Inertiatic ESP
A Perfect Circle - The Package
David Sylvian & Holger Czukay - Plight (The Spiralling of Winter Ghosts)
Ali Farka Touré & Ry Cooder - Gomni
Mark Lanegan - Bleeding Muddy Water
Talk Talk - The Rainbow

Browsing and listening now. and thinking of my playlist that I will curate for this purpose.

[David L]

Excellent, I hope it delivers. I see you've got some Alex to listen to on that list   

[Thenop]

Yeah Porky Tree is there. Might replace it with Pineapple Thief, everything seems a mirror image as well. White Mist perhaps.

[Thenop]

pffff, so my new amp/dac sounds fantastic but has an issue with the Xmos chip that is built in, bit of a tech thing I don't really nuderstand (has to do with signals going back and forth to my iMac and the 'closing' of USB ports that do not 100% match with the signal from the amp).
The good news: the solution lies in the new firmware,the bad news: this company has deciced in all its wisdom to make this device compatible with Mac when selling, but firmware updates are only possible through Windows.
Very annoying and disappointing. The only thing I hate more than to fix these things is to send it back - whoich I won't.