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Re: Time to go Planar!
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 10:03 pm
by Fretless
Switched around some interconnect leads to fine-tune two of the headphone installations: the €40 Sabaj PHA3 valve-amp now has a €180 MIT Matrix 6 cable connecting it to a Cambridge Dacmagic Plus and this combo sounds absolutely glorious with the Monoprice M1060C closed-back cans. This set is really addictive and is getting priority over my downstairs vinyl rig at the moment.
Upstairs, an Accuphase Blue cable now connects the Sabaj A10h and Metrum Musette, with Hifiman Sundara headphones. The Accuphase brings a roundness to the sound and reins in what was a slightly bright performance.
I think the Mogami XLR leads in the office are still burning-in. Every time I use this setup, it sounds slightly better. The budget Sabaj A10d DAC is surprising me with its clear and authoritative sound and the Monoprice THX 887 amp is just incredible with the truly awesome M1070 headphones.
Monoprice.eu had a sale on so I've ordered a very cheap set of DJ cans for outside work
Also an i/c cable and a headphone stand.
My planar trip is paying off enormously. But what now to do with all of the dynamic headphones I no longer listen to?
Re: Time to go Planar!
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:08 pm
by George Hincapie
Fretless wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 10:03 pm
Switched around some interconnect leads to fine-tune two of the headphone installations: the €40 Sabaj PHA3 valve-amp now has a €180 MIT Matrix 6 cable connecting it to a Cambridge Dacmagic Plus and this combo sounds absolutely glorious with the Monoprice M1060C closed-back cans. This set is really addictive and is getting priority over my downstairs vinyl rig at the moment.
Upstairs, an Accuphase Blue cable now connects the Sabaj A10h and Metrum Musette, with Hifiman Sundara headphones. The Accuphase brings a roundness to the sound and reins in what was a slightly bright performance.
I think the Mogami XLR leads in the office are still burning-in. Every time I use this setup, it sounds slightly better. The budget Sabaj A10d DAC is surprising me with its clear and authoritative sound and the Monoprice THX 887 amp is just incredible with the truly awesome M1070 headphones.
Monoprice.eu had a sale on so I've ordered a very cheap set of DJ cans for outside work
Also an i/c cable and a headphone stand.
My planar trip is paying off enormously. But what now to do with all of the dynamic headphones I no longer listen to?
Keep them mate.
You can never have enough headphones
Re: Time to go Planar!
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 10:23 am
by Fretless
These just in from the autumn sale at monoprice.eu. The 8323 DJ-style headphones at only €17.
Not an ultimate audiophile-drool set but a rugged, lightweight, working headphone that sounds astonishingly good with a refined, detailed top and full-bodied, punchy bass; these have absolutely no right to sound this good at this price. Ridiculous.
Gets my feet-tapping which is a good sign - AND you can head-bang without them slipping!
Stocking-filler for Xmas. Have fun!
Re: Time to go Planar!
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 10:40 am
by ljones67
Still no email from monoprice to say my headphones have been dispatched. Ordered 1st December so would have thought they'd be on their way by now. Delivery is supposed to take 5-7 business days so should hopefully arrive by the end of the week.
Re: Time to go Planar!
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 10:54 am
by Fretless
ljones67 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 10:40 am
Still no email from monoprice to say my headphones have been dispatched. Ordered 1st December so would have thought they'd be on their way by now. Delivery is supposed to take 5-7 business days so should hopefully arrive by the end of the week.
I put my order in at monoprice.eu on Thursday and it arrived yesterday. They are based in Germany so for me in Holland it is very quick. Delivery to the UK means they will be put through UK Customs and that might cause a delay.
There was a mail 'Your order is on its way' on Friday.
Re: Time to go Planar!
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 11:51 am
by ljones67
Looks like the warehouse is in Holland and monoprice sorts all the customs. I will give it another day and then email them to see when it will be dispatched.
It was odd as I had an email to say it was back in stock and they only had one pair left. I was busy and when I went back it was out of stock. Then, when I checked a little later, one was available again so I went for it. Just hope there wasn't a stock mix-up.
Re: Time to go Planar!
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 12:09 pm
by Fretless
Hadn't spotted that the warehouse was here in NL. No wonder things came so fast.
I recently received a package from the UK, it sat for about a week in Customs and the Christmas rush is on so things could be delayed in the sorting process.
But a good idea to mail them if you aren't sure about the status of your order.
Re: Time to go Planar!
Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2022 6:39 pm
by Vinyl-ant
Got the electrets set up after finding somewhere to do it.
Nva a20 audio technica at706 astell and kern xb10 by
anthony cresswell, on Flickr
We have my modded nva a20, the headphones themselves with their transformer box and an astell and kern xb10 bluetooth dac. (the black disc on the top of the 70s tastic brown tx box)
No pre required because it is only using tidal via the phone and the dac and both the phone and dac have volume control.
Completely different presentation to the p5s as you would expect, a complete lack of isolation from outside noise too compared to the p5s.
They do have an uncanny clarity from the planar drivers which is why I wanted them after I sold the ath7s
they need to be run a bit as they haven't been used in a long time, so does the a10 for that matter. Wonder if i can convert it into an ap10h and run 'normal' headphones off it too...
Re: Time to go Planar!
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 12:36 pm
by ljones67
Emailed Monoprice yesterday. Unfortunately my suspicions were true. The headphones I ordered that were showing in stock were actually out of stock. It's taken them a few days to realise their system wasn't keeping up with orders. The reply I've got also says the 1070s are no longer available so I've been given a refund. No mention of new stock arriving soon. Might send the Sabaj back as well as I'm not sure it's worth keeping for my existing headphones. Never mind.
Re: Time to go Planar!
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 4:37 pm
by Fretless
ljones67 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 08, 2022 12:36 pm
Emailed Monoprice yesterday. Unfortunately my suspicions were true. The headphones I ordered that were showing in stock were actually out of stock. It's taken them a few days to realise their system wasn't keeping up with orders. The reply I've got also says the 1070s are no longer available so I've been given a refund. No mention of new stock arriving soon. Might send the Sabaj back as well as I'm not sure it's worth keeping for my existing headphones. Never mind.
They look to be in stock at Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monolith-Headp ... 126&sr=8-1
Or check out the Sundara.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/HiFiMAN-Sundar ... 102&sr=8-3