Best Headphones

Different headamp designs. Since I've not listened to one, I've not much idea what the difference is othat than to say that a PPA is usually classified as being "better". A pimeta is pretty good, though.
 
How about I show you?


PPA----->
guts.JPG




Pimeta---->
Pi432.JPG


The case is exactly the same in both pics
 
ok and how about you tell me, how is the sound quality difference? subtle or as big from a soundblaster to a emu0404
 
Adding a Stepped attenuator and Black Gates to a Pimeta would put it nto the same price range as a "basic" PPA.... and that PPA would shred it so what is the point?
Click to expand...


Don't you just love it when you ask a question that has already been answered? :p

No. The differance is not subtle.
 
dano1122 said:
why are you so seclusive? rumor has it you build these things. can i get more info?
Click to expand...

I have never heard the word "seclusive" before.

Thank you.
 
Mister X said:
How about I show you?


PPA----->
guts.JPG




Pimeta---->
Pi432.JPG


The case is exactly the same in both pics
Click to expand...

Ah, so the PPA uses electronics, while the Pimeta uses the placebo effect to enhance sound.

I was wondering...

;)
 
MartinX said:
Ah, so the PPA uses electronics, while the Pimeta uses the placebo effect to enhance sound.

I was wondering...

;)
Click to expand...
If you are alluding to the aesthetic considerations of the enclosure
Then nope....nothing placebo about it.
In fact some people have reported that a Benchmark DAC1 is only a "SMALL step above in sound quality" when compared to a Pimeta. ;)
 
Mister X said:
If you are alluding to the aesthetic considerations of the enclosure
Then nope....nothing placebo about it.
In fact some people have reported that a Benchmark DAC1 is only a "SMALL step above in sound quality" when compared to a Pimeta. ;)
Click to expand...

Heh. no, it was an allusion to the way the angle of the photo obscures the electronics in the pimeta somewhat, making it look quite sparsly populated compared to the overhead PPA shot.

Visually they are quite appealing.

If I hadn't assraped my wallet by buying a dell2405 (@$1700, us Eurotrash get treated real mean by them US firms) and a set of DT880s+Cardas I'd consider making an order.
In fact, depending on how my PortaCorda2 handles the Beyers when they (finally) arrive, I may yet.
 
I see. :)
DT880s plus cardas are the beyers you are reffering to?

I do have a top down image of that pimeta but it was to big to post. :D
 
How long ago did you order those?
Seems like it has been about a month or so....
 
Mister X said:
How long ago did you order those?
Seems like it has been about a month or so....
Click to expand...

I got my "Verified" email on the 1st of march, and their online tracking page says "backordered".

I might throw them an email, but my experience with buying stuff from the US invariably involves lots of waiting so I don't get worried until the month+ mark.

I am slightly more worried that they'll be carefully dismantled by customs using a sledgehammer, to check for concealed terrorists or something.
 
I would make sure you know what you like: forward and bright, or more even, and accurate and not colored.

I am finding that I like Grado but not Sennheisers b/c I prefer forwardness, brightness, and supreme clarity, which being a little bright tends to give the illusion of, at least to me. The only time I've ever gone ohmygosh with headphones were with the SR-225.
 
Mister X said:
In fact some people have reported that a Benchmark DAC1 is only a "SMALL step above in sound quality" when compared to a Pimeta. ;)
Click to expand...
Are you being serious X, because I have had pimetas, and I've used a DAC1 and I cannot even fathom that statement. And isn't a DAC1 usually used in conjunction w/ an amp as a source....
 
I agree, the comparison doesn't even make sense...a DAC is a source, an amp is an amp. You should be comparing the DAC1 to your soundcard, not your amp...
 
sorry X still can't fathom it as my mind still isn't able to comprehend comparing an amp and a phono line out against each other for quality purposes, lol.
 
Re: pimeta = DAC1, seems weird to make such a post though based on one statement. I didn't find the headphone outputs great on the DAC1 but it is a good half of a source component as long as you have something good feeding it. On the other hand, I found the Pimeta reasonable and the maxed-out PPA a POS. I bet that's one quote that MisterX won't be making use of, right? :p
 
Mister X said:
I understand but that was not the intent of my post....
Click to expand...

If it's any consolation, I know what you meant.

For the rest, if you look at that head-fi post you'll observe that the emu0404 is common to both configs, and it's a pretty damn fine source in it's own right, so it's reasonable to expect only a marginal benefit from using a DAC1.

However, that's still not point, the posters way of phrasing his disappointment made it look, wrongly, like he was saying that the pimeta was equivalent(nearly) to the DAC1, which is what Mister X was riffing on, not actually supporting the comparison.

Oh, and my Cardas upgraded DT880s are finally shipping today, there was some screw up on Cardas' part with supplying the customised cables (I kind of assumed Headroom just got a bail of cable and cut/terminated themselves, but apparently the cable for the mod comes from Cardas already split, sheathed and terminated for attachment to the 880s), as a result I'm getting an 8ft cable instead of 10 (with my consent), which is still like, a couple of feet more than I actually need, so what the hey, less copper=better signal.
 
ooze said:
On the other hand, I found the Pimeta reasonable and the maxed-out PPA a POS. I bet that's one quote that MisterX won't be making use of, right? :p
Click to expand...

Possibly..... but only if you can tell me WTF maxed-out means. :confused:
 
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