Probably would have been easier to just share the link, lol:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144530144245

Honestly, you're better off just getting an RCA switcher (especially if you're potentially looking at other amps down the line):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085W1PPHL/

Or simply pick up some cheap RCA splitter cables:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PKS42P6/

Less complexity, and works perfectly fine. I own both of the above personally, used in different setups, and have no complaints.

Nothing special, just regular cardboard boxes for me. If the tubes came with their own cardboard packaging it makes it easier and neater to arrange, but I have accumulated loose tubes that are mixed in there as well.

Yeah, when Innerfidelity was still a thing, Tyll used to have the Wall of Fame, which was similar to what you are suggesting, and it was certainly helpful. Crinacle and Resolve have their own respective modern lists as well, with Crinacle's being the more exhaustive one. Both definitely have their place as well.

Ultimately, there's bound to be one or more pairs that won't make the cut, and users may still feel slighted to not get a mention. Also, as odd as it is, the double edged sword sometimes rears its ugly head when pockets of communities adopt said lists as gospel, and anything that falls outside is deemed not worth pursuing, which to me is even worse than having no list at all.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. :/

To be fair, how exhausting would it be to review a new pair of headphones, and then have to contextualize and make mention of the 376,798 pairs that came before them? Every. Single. Video.

Oh don't get me wrong, the Omega's have a more appealing utilitarian look to them, for sure. The Lambda's, on the other hand...

Because it was a simple question (with less than 10 words, total) asking about the headphones themselves, and I never assume what sources people plan to use them with.

Sure do. Feel free to go through my post history. :)

If you think the cables are ugly, you should see the headphones themselves. :P

To me, the HD560s has better "clarity" compared to the Clear OG, but it also can be a bit too bright at times, depending on the recording.

I have no personal experiences with the 8XX, but here's a video I watched a little while back about this mod that might be helpful for you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiVeFTL0VQg

As was mentioned, you should definitely look into troubleshooting your installation. Most of the time, it is simply that the Equalizer APO configuration has not been installed on the actual playback device that you are currently using.

With that said, start here to get back to the basics:

https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/faq

And from the above FAQ, there is a linked YouTube video to go through the full setup steps as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doAjkiLIkKA&list=PLFb68BU6_bvwQNIqgK7her48LPCong-PN

It's more daunting than it actually appears, so just take it one step at a time. You've got this. :)

The most important question always boils down to: how long have you used them?

If you've been using the your old pairs <insert literally any headphones> for years on end, and only just listened to these <again, insert literally any other headphones> for a few hours, then give it time. Listen to the new ones exclusively for a week or two on end, and then go back to the old ones to see if you still feel the same way.

The advice is generic and mundane in nature, but it's tried and true to root out any preconceived biases, and to give the new pair a fair shot.

The Space Gray one is the authentic one. When you go back through the photos again, notice how the knock off has so many lines where you realize they had to glue or snap separate pieces into place, whereas Apple's designs are engineered uniformly.

Yeah, I do have a Class AB speaker amp, which I use from time to time on a separate desk setup. It is a richer listening experience for sure, but lately I've been relegated to my WFH desk for the majority of my waking hours, so the convenience of using the Asgard 3 there outweighs the desire to fire up the other rig. Especially since the speaker amp only really works well with the Susvara and HE6se v2, but the Asgard 3 is more than "good enough" (to me) for all other headphones in my stable - including the aforementioned two. :)

For what it's worth, I also like to run the Susvara through a humble Massdrop CTH too, which is severely under powered by most standards, on paper. Yet, something about the synergy between the two keeps drawing me back to that combo, and thankfully the gain levels are truly obnoxious so I cannot even get the volume knob up to ~40-50% before it becomes too loud to bear.

Sorry to hear that. I suppose we're both outliers on opposite sides of this bell curve. :(

Generally, you would want to have matched tubes so that you can avoid channel imbalances (i.e. one side is louder/quieter than the other). So you're essentially paying a fee for someone to test, and match up the closest pair of tubes for the set.

It's entirely optional, and you can always roll the dice, but if you happen to win the one in a million chance of getting obviously mismatched tubes, it would be more of a hassle to get a matching set, after the fact.

Yeah, not sure why that was the case for you. I regularly flip between high and low gain, when swapping between a wide range of headphones, and I have not noticed any noise or distortion - despite how it can come across in measurements. To me, whatever it takes to get it to the right volume is fine, so long as the signal remains perceptibly clean; and so far, I have not had any complaints.

No matter, though. So long as you found something you're happy with, and enjoy using, then it's all good. :)

Meanwhile, here I am driving a Susvara and HE6se v2 from the lowly Asgard 3, lol. To each their own. :P

Yeah. Like I mentioned, it seems like some are playing the lottery with these, but I can only speak for myself. Considering the number of Hifiman headphones that I currently own, I would think I'd have been bitten by the QC bug at least several times over, so either I'm the luckiest person in the world, or the failure rate (while 100% is a very real thing) is perhaps not as large as this vacuum makes it out to be.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Yeah, if the Clear OG is too shouty for you, then the Utopia (at least the pre-2022 versions) will not be any better, unfortunately.

I share similar experiences, but more to the point, it always ends up being the pads needing to wear-in/soften with extended usage.

The Arya and Ananda were notably a bit too hot for me to listen for long, when they first arrived, but over time they eventually "mellowed out". This was unsurprisingly reproducible for me by buying brand new stock pads, swapping them out, and experiencing similar levels of listening fatigue again - but it only took a day or two to get readjusted, and not hundreds of hours, like some would suggest.

With Focals that have stiffer foam padding, I also have similar sentiments as well, and the Clear OG happens to be one of them. Although, I will say that the replacement Clear OG pads (which, seem to only be exclusively sold through headphones.com) are on the softer side, and I didn't notice nearly as much of a difference compared to the original pads that came installed out of the box with the Clear. Then again, Focal aren't exactly known for consistent QC with their pads anyway...

Yeah, it is not very straight forward. This is why it's easier to use MSRP to understand how the company views the hierarchy of their own product lineup. When using this approach, Hifiman apparently values the HE6se v2 above the Arya - regardless of what the actual street prices, and people's opinions/feelings, are.

Between the two, the HE6se is the more punchier and dynamic pair (arguably, even rivals the Susvara, in this regard), whereas the Arya has the more impressive headstage with a meatier low end rumble (at least the Stealth). You can always apply EQ to the HE6se to add more quantity to the sub bass region, but the comfort leaves a bit to be desired, which the Arya fairs much better being lighter while also having a subjectively better suspension headband design.

So it's a matter of what the balance of features you value more.

As I was reading your impressions, my thoughts were you would probably like the Hifiman tuning...

> Sundaras(still my fav so far just not enough bass energy for me. looking at the aryas.

If the Arya's are on the table, and you want more dynamics and tactility, also consider the HE6se v2 - assuming you are based in the US.

https://www.adorama.com/hmhe6sev2.html?emailprice=t&sterm

Some people have found it to be a bit of lottery with these, but all I can share is my own experience, which I've owned since March of 2021, and has been flawless. Your amp should be able to drive them too, and if anything, it may finally be getting a real workout. :)

If you really want to delve into it, look into the "equal loudness contour". It's a nuanced topic, but you can always start with Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour

TLDR; The human ear is most sensitive to the midrange, so you need significantly more SPL for bass and treble frequencies to be perceived as equally loud.

(Side note: Without developing careful critical listening skills to be able to perceive these differences, this debate always devolves into a pointless pissing contest, from both sides.)