jacobffeldman

Never posted here with my latest workhorse keyboard...

Never posted here with my latest workhorse keyboard...

Yeah sorry, as I said I dont come here too often. I could have sourced you something custom or perhaps a TEX alu case from mechanicalkeyboards but im sure you will be happy with what you have! 

Okay thanks, I will update it.

I am currently running my GON skinny with MX browns and my OTD 356 mini with MX reds in rotation!
 
 

Officially joining the Mech KB Club!
 
Mine's a portal-themed Vortex Race 2 75% keyboard with Cherry MX Browns and white backlighting:
 
Number Keys, Tab, Caps Lock, Shift and Win key are portal-themed.

 
 
Arrow keys, Enter, Right Shift and End

 
 
Full view

 
With Backlighting:

 
The keycaps were custom printed from wasdkeyboards.com. Since the layout of the Race 2 is non-standard, I had to sacrifice the modifier keys (Ctrl, Win, Alt) to have the arrow keys + the right shift and end printed. To compensate for that, I replaced them with some MKC metal modifiers from banggood.com.
 
You'll see that I also have a set of metal WASD keycaps made from MKC, also from banggood.com.

I am currently running my GON skinny with MX browns and my OTD 356 mini with MX reds in rotation!
 
 

I am currently running my GON skinny with MX browns and my OTD 356 mini with MX reds in rotation!
 
 

I am currently running my GON skinny with MX browns and my OTD 356 mini with MX reds in rotation!
 
 

That is not so hard, definitely go with a good set of headphones, maybe you will even consider getting a normal set of headphones and adding a mod mic instead of the game zero. The headphones will be more versatile and will give you better audio quality. If you really want surround just use a program like Razer surround.

The cable looks flimsy, but is actually pretty durable, I certainly wouldnt be too violent with it. I was looking for a durable cable to buy for it, with a thicker lining, but none exist without the audiophile prices for .999999999% silver.

Let me begin this review with a recap of my previous adventures...
 
About four months ago I rented and reviewed the notorious lcd-2 headphones from Audeze. These brilliant headphones opened my eyes in many ways, however their were downsides to those headphones that I could not ignore. If you want to check out that previous review here.
 
I decided that I wanted to have that level of audio however in a more compact form factor, with noise isolation so that I could use them anywhere without everyone around me being able to hear my music. Enter JH audio. JH Audio is a company based out in Florida, specializing in the manufacturing of custom in ear monitors. The founder of JH Audio, Jerry Harvey invented the technique many years ago, and having established both JH Audio and now rival company, Ultimate ears, he has set to making the ultimate in ear headphone. While these in ears, originally designed for performing musicians, the audio community has become enthralled in their use for just plain amazing audio. 
 
After a great deal of time, and a lot of hours working minimum wage, I sucked it up and bought their upper end model the JH 13 Pro, containing 6 balanced armature drivers in each ear, what does that mean, clarity is what it means. 
 
Now for the actual review portion. While it may seem ridiculous to pay such large amount of money for in ear headphones it makes sense for a few reasons. For one the audio is outstanding (as it should be for that price). I can honestly say that the audio produced by the jh13 is my definition of perfect. However, that does not mean necessarily that they are worth the price, after all who knows how much I could of payed and gotten the same experience. The real perks come with the fact that they are a custom product. In order to get a pair of custom in ears you have to go to an audiologist and get your ears filled with silicon and send those impressions to JH Audio so that they can hand craft a set of in ears specifically for your ears. as a result the jh13's I received were the most comfortable set of headphones I have ever owned, and they block out enough sound that you can hear your music without any leaking or distraction from outside noise. I had previously owned the Ultimate ears triple fi in ears, but the tips hurt my ears to the point that they were unbearable, these solved all of that. The JH 13's specifically amazed me with their outstanding detail and brilliant dynamics. I usually don't like to go into all the details about the audio just because you end up going into things that are purely artificial, without any real substance to back up claims, but what I can say is that the jh 13's sound great, like they should. In comparison to the LCD-2's, the clarity was on par if not better, however the "soundstage" was not the same and some of the mids were a little more muddled than the lcd-2. Overall I think the Jh13 competes with all full sized headphones even coming with some unique advantages. A while back Jerry Harvey created a technology called "phreqphase" which aligns the low mids and highs that enter your ear within a tenth of a millisecond, what that creates is an effect that I can actually perceive. The first time I put in the jh13's I realized that I couldn't quite sense the center of the audio. Where as in most headphones you can sense where the center of the stereo image is, with the jh13's the sounds have no definite center, and this is actually what Jerry Harvey reports, its an interesting thing that only adds more to the detail of the Jh 13's sound.
 
A quick note about the HTC One m8:
 
I recently bought the HTC One m8, and to my surprise the audio produced from the m8 was better than any other device I own, having less background distortion than my ipad, msi realteck laptop, or imac.
 
Whats really important when you buy a product like this is to evaluate the real value of high end audio. To me, having solid audio improves my productivity when I am working, and I love moments when I can sit back and relax listening to something that can really capture your imagination, only good audio can do this. While I think many of the audiophile pursuits, like cable upgrades and expensive amplification are mostly snake oil, their is something to a good pair of headphones that nothing can replace. I find that having something that is portable like is so much more valuable than 
having the big LCD-2's which need amplification from some bulky DAC/amp. Overall I think for me the jh13's were worth it, they are comfortable, sound great, and fit in my backpack. One other great perk is that having custom in ears means that they cannot be shared with anyone, because they will not fit into their ears, meaning never again will you have to hand your friend your $1000 investment and get ear wax all over them. Moreover, the very fact that they are a custom product brings a smile to my face knowing that unlike the LCD-2s nobody else can have what I have. they also happen to come with a very well made carrying case that is engraved with your name!
 
My conclusion is that for me the jh 13's where worth it. While not everybody will appreciate great audio in the same way I do, the pure convenience and comfort makes sense for me. If that is all you are looking for go for one of JH audio's lower end models, which will have all the same perks just with lower audio quality!

Let me begin this review with a recap of my previous adventures...
 
About four months ago I rented and reviewed the notorious lcd-2 headphones from Audeze. These brilliant headphones opened my eyes in many ways, however their were downsides to those headphones that I could not ignore. If you want to check out that previous review here.
 
I decided that I wanted to have that level of audio however in a more compact form factor, with noise isolation so that I could use them anywhere without everyone around me being able to hear my music. Enter JH audio. JH Audio is a company based out in Florida, specializing in the manufacturing of custom in ear monitors. The founder of JH Audio, Jerry Harvey invented the technique many years ago, and having established both JH Audio and now rival company, Ultimate ears, he has set to making the ultimate in ear headphone. While these in ears, originally designed for performing musicians, the audio community has become enthralled in their use for just plain amazing audio. 
 
After a great deal of time, and a lot of hours working minimum wage, I sucked it up and bought their upper end model the JH 13 Pro, containing 6 balanced armature drivers in each ear, what does that mean, clarity is what it means. 
 
Now for the actual review portion. While it may seem ridiculous to pay such large amount of money for in ear headphones it makes sense for a few reasons. For one the audio is outstanding (as it should be for that price). I can honestly say that the audio produced by the jh13 is my definition of perfect. However, that does not mean necessarily that they are worth the price, after all who knows how much I could of payed and gotten the same experience. The real perks come with the fact that they are a custom product. In order to get a pair of custom in ears you have to go to an audiologist and get your ears filled with silicon and send those impressions to JH Audio so that they can hand craft a set of in ears specifically for your ears. as a result the jh13's I received were the most comfortable set of headphones I have ever owned, and they block out enough sound that you can hear your music without any leaking or distraction from outside noise. I had previously owned the Ultimate ears triple fi in ears, but the tips hurt my ears to the point that they were unbearable, these solved all of that. The JH 13's specifically amazed me with their outstanding detail and brilliant dynamics. I usually don't like to go into all the details about the audio just because you end up going into things that are purely artificial, without any real substance to back up claims, but what I can say is that the jh 13's sound great, like they should. In comparison to the LCD-2's, the clarity was on par if not better, however the "soundstage" was not the same and some of the mids were a little more muddled than the lcd-2. Overall I think the Jh13 competes with all full sized headphones even coming with some unique advantages. A while back Jerry Harvey created a technology called "phreqphase" which aligns the low mids and highs that enter your ear within a tenth of a millisecond, what that creates is an effect that I can actually perceive. The first time I put in the jh13's I realized that I couldn't quite sense the center of the audio. Where as in most headphones you can sense where the center of the stereo image is, with the jh13's the sounds have no definite center, and this is actually what Jerry Harvey reports, its an interesting thing that only adds more to the detail of the Jh 13's sound.
 
A quick note about the HTC One m8:
 
I recently bought the HTC One m8, and to my surprise the audio produced from the m8 was better than any other device I own, having less background distortion than my ipad, msi realteck laptop, or imac.
 
Whats really important when you buy a product like this is to evaluate the real value of high end audio. To me, having solid audio improves my productivity when I am working, and I love moments when I can sit back and relax listening to something that can really capture your imagination, only good audio can do this. While I think many of the audiophile pursuits, like cable upgrades and expensive amplification are mostly snake oil, their is something to a good pair of headphones that nothing can replace. I find that having something that is portable like is so much more valuable than 
having the big LCD-2's which need amplification from some bulky DAC/amp. Overall I think for me the jh13's were worth it, they are comfortable, sound great, and fit in my backpack. One other great perk is that having custom in ears means that they cannot be shared with anyone, because they will not fit into their ears, meaning never again will you have to hand your friend your $1000 investment and get ear wax all over them. Moreover, the very fact that they are a custom product brings a smile to my face knowing that unlike the LCD-2s nobody else can have what I have. they also happen to come with a very well made carrying case that is engraved with your name!
 
My conclusion is that for me the jh 13's where worth it. While not everybody will appreciate great audio in the same way I do, the pure convenience and comfort makes sense for me. If that is all you are looking for go for one of JH audio's lower end models, which will have all the same perks just with lower audio quality!

I generally listen to Rock, Folk, Country, Random Access Memories (the only electronic music i have ever liked). Just to be clear by the way, i am not saying the bass is bad, i am saying that it can sometimes overwhelm the other frequencies because of how punchy and realistic it is. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being etymotic er-4 neutral and 10 being just a sub woofer, i would give it a 3.5. 

*Originally posted in audio sub forum, thought it would be better suited here

I understand that the forum is not dedicated to high end audio, and is rather bitter about expensive equipment after the whole teksyndicate "Audio myths" fiasco. However, I feel like the forum could still benefit from the opinion of someone who took the time to try it all out.

About two weeks ago, while browsing the interwebs for audio equipment I came upon a rather interesting sight called "the cable company." While I am not proponent of high end cables, that is I detest people who claim to hear drastic differences from high end cables, they had a service that allowed customers to audition high end audio equipment for up to two weeks with a 5% money down deposit. A deposit that turns into credit if you choose to purchase the equipment. I had been considering upgrading my audio setup so i decided to just see what a true audiophile setup really sounded like so I could gauge my spending. My choices came down to this: The Audeze Lcd-2 (MSRP $1000 or so) and the cheapest desktop amp they offered for auditioning, the Centrance DACmini CX (MSRP around $700). Now before mayflower electronics hunts me down I would like to make it clear that i got something simple that allowed me to drive the headphones and if I were to buy this setup I would undoubtedly go for the ODAC. That said I made the deposit, and two days later, because of how close I am to their headquarters, received the items. Here now are the impressions from my point of view, from the perspective of someone who is taking his first dip into hifi equipment.

The first thing i noticed was the outstanding build quality of the headphones, for years I have used cheeper "plasticy" headphones and these simply blew them away with the wood and aluminum elements that really felt expensive (I am not exaggerating, you could tell). However the real nirvana came when I began to listen, while the huge ear cups on the LCD-2 make for some rather clunky listening, however the soundstage that the large, orthodynamic drivers produced, was simply outstanding. Certainly comparable to the imaging of a set of nice speakers. Moreover the "imersiveness" and "musicality" (you will notice that I use the strange audiophile terms in quotations) was out of this world. I felt more connected and engulfed in the harmonies and vibrato than ever before. For example listening to my least favorite genre of music, Dubstep, allowed me to appreciate the nuances and huge sounds that they produce in their music. While listening to my normal stuff such as Yes's Symphonic Live album gave me the huge sense of space and power that they convey with Wakeman's keyboard and Anderson's airy vocals.

I will briefly go into the sound of the headphones themselves for anyone interested in buying a pair, which I find unlikely for this sight. The Audeze LCD-2s have been praised many times for their mid range awesomeness, something I could appreciate. Where as replacing cables or amps will produce marginal differences, a good pair of headphones is a huge jump into music that I could never imagine otherwise. They had outstanding mids, controlled highs, and the bass was realistic and neutral, something I liked quite a bit. Overall they are a grat set for anyone looking for a really "fun and exciting" experience.

In conclusion, the week I had to audition these headphones was a blast. I used them not only for home listening but also for some recordings for a show I was working on (I am a sound engineer, part of the reason this made sense). Although they were a burden to carry around and often worried me because of their value, I found I appreciated the awesome audio in every facet of my life. As stated before, music became alive, and although I tried using different bit rates of music, with no noticeable result, good recordings really were critical to the experience. Overall, for anyone who is considering investing in audio, it is something you will not regret, and something I plan to pursue even though I returned the headphones. Moreover if you are like me and you need to be on the move, maybe consider a pair of custom IEM's from either JH audio, Westone, or Ultimate Ears. Specifically the JH-13's, which I am considering buying, have been said to bring similar quality and precision to a more reasonable size(however similarly outrageous price). Lastly, If you want to have this same experience I would absolutely recommend the cable company for auditioning, especially if you live in the North East. They have excellent customer service and were very lenient when I sent the headphones back a day late. Furthermore, with them every penny you pay for a set of headphones turns into credit so if you choose to buy it you get your money back.

Hope you enjoyed this review,

Jacob Feldman

*Originally posted in audio sub forum, thought it would be better suited here

I understand that the forum is not dedicated to high end audio, and is rather bitter about expensive equipment after the whole teksyndicate "Audio myths" fiasco. However, I feel like the forum could still benefit from the opinion of someone who took the time to try it all out.

About two weeks ago, while browsing the interwebs for audio equipment I came upon a rather interesting sight called "the cable company." While I am not proponent of high end cables, that is I detest people who claim to hear drastic differences from high end cables, they had a service that allowed customers to audition high end audio equipment for up to two weeks with a 5% money down deposit. A deposit that turns into credit if you choose to purchase the equipment. I had been considering upgrading my audio setup so i decided to just see what a true audiophile setup really sounded like so I could gauge my spending. My choices came down to this: The Audeze Lcd-2 (MSRP $1000 or so) and the cheapest desktop amp they offered for auditioning, the Centrance DACmini CX (MSRP around $700). Now before mayflower electronics hunts me down I would like to make it clear that i got something simple that allowed me to drive the headphones and if I were to buy this setup I would undoubtedly go for the ODAC. That said I made the deposit, and two days later, because of how close I am to their headquarters, received the items. Here now are the impressions from my point of view, from the perspective of someone who is taking his first dip into hifi equipment.

The first thing i noticed was the outstanding build quality of the headphones, for years I have used cheeper "plasticy" headphones and these simply blew them away with the wood and aluminum elements that really felt expensive (I am not exaggerating, you could tell). However the real nirvana came when I began to listen, while the huge ear cups on the LCD-2 make for some rather clunky listening, however the soundstage that the large, orthodynamic drivers produced, was simply outstanding. Certainly comparable to the imaging of a set of nice speakers. Moreover the "imersiveness" and "musicality" (you will notice that I use the strange audiophile terms in quotations) was out of this world. I felt more connected and engulfed in the harmonies and vibrato than ever before. For example listening to my least favorite genre of music, Dubstep, allowed me to appreciate the nuances and huge sounds that they produce in their music. While listening to my normal stuff such as Yes's Symphonic Live album gave me the huge sense of space and power that they convey with Wakeman's keyboard and Anderson's airy vocals.

I will briefly go into the sound of the headphones themselves for anyone interested in buying a pair, which I find unlikely for this sight. The Audeze LCD-2s have been praised many times for their mid range awesomeness, something I could appreciate. Where as replacing cables or amps will produce marginal differences, a good pair of headphones is a huge jump into music that I could never imagine otherwise. They had outstanding mids, controlled highs, and the bass was realistic and neutral, something I liked quite a bit. Overall they are a grat set for anyone looking for a really "fun and exciting" experience.

In conclusion, the week I had to audition these headphones was a blast. I used them not only for home listening but also for some recordings for a show I was working on (I am a sound engineer, part of the reason this made sense). Although they were a burden to carry around and often worried me because of their value, I found I appreciated the awesome audio in every facet of my life. As stated before, music became alive, and although I tried using different bit rates of music, with no noticeable result, good recordings really were critical to the experience. Overall, for anyone who is considering investing in audio, it is something you will not regret, and something I plan to pursue even though I returned the headphones. Moreover if you are like me and you need to be on the move, maybe consider a pair of custom IEM's from either JH audio, Westone, or Ultimate Ears. Specifically the JH-13's, which I am considering buying, have been said to bring similar quality and precision to a more reasonable size(however similarly outrageous price). Lastly, If you want to have this same experience I would absolutely recommend the cable company for auditioning, especially if you live in the North East. They have excellent customer service and were very lenient when I sent the headphones back a day late. Furthermore, with them every penny you pay for a set of headphones turns into credit so if you choose to buy it you get your money back.

Hope you enjoyed this review,

Jacob Feldman

Well all Logitech is junk and you should never buy audio equipment from a peripheral company. I'd personally go with the Audioengine A2+ but they're around $200 without a sub.

I understand that the forum is not dedicated to high end audio, and is rather bitter about expensive equipment after the whole teksyndicate "Audio myths" fiasco. However, I feel like the forum could still benefit from the opinion of someone who took the time to try it all out.
 
About two weeks ago, while browsing the interwebs for audio equipment I came upon a rather interesting sight called "the cable company." While I am not proponent of high end cables, that is I detest people who claim to hear drastic differences from high end cables, they had a service that allowed customers to audition high end audio equipment for up to two weeks with a 5% money down deposit. A deposit that turns into credit if you choose to purchase the equipment. I had been considering upgrading my audio setup so i decided to just see what a true audiophile setup really sounded like so I could gauge my spending. My choices came down to this: The Audeze Lcd-2 (MSRP $1000 or so) and the cheapest desktop amp they offered for auditioning, the Centrance DACmini CX (MSRP around $700). Now before mayflower electronics hunts me down I would like to make it clear that i got something simple that allowed me to drive the headphones and if I were to buy this setup I would undoubtedly go for the ODAC. That said I made the deposit, and two days later, because of how close I am to their headquarters, received the items. Here now are the impressions from my point of view, from the perspective of someone who is taking his first dip into hifi equipment.
 
The first thing i noticed was the outstanding build quality of the headphones, for years I have used cheeper "plasticy" headphones and these simply blew them away with the wood and aluminum elements that really felt expensive (I am not exaggerating, you could tell). However the real nirvana came when I began to listen, while the huge ear cups on the LCD-2 make for some rather clunky listening, however the soundstage that the large, orthodynamic drivers produced, was simply outstanding. Certainly comparable to the imaging of a set of nice speakers. Moreover the "imersiveness" and "musicality" (you will notice that I use the strange audiophile terms in quotations) was out of this world. I felt more connected and engulfed in the harmonies and vibrato than ever before. For example listening to my least favorite genre of music, Dubstep, allowed me to appreciate the nuances and huge sounds that they produce in their music. While listening to my normal stuff such as Yes's Symphonic Live album gave me the huge sense of space and power that they convey with Wakeman's keyboard and Anderson's airy vocals. 
 
I will briefly go into the sound of the headphones themselves for anyone interested in buying a pair, which I find unlikely for this sight. The Audeze LCD-2s have been praised many times for their mid range awesomeness, something I could appreciate. Where as replacing cables or amps will produce marginal differences, a good pair of headphones is a huge jump into music that I could never imagine otherwise. They had outstanding mids, controlled highs, and the bass was realistic and neutral, something I liked quite a bit. Overall they are a grat set for anyone looking for a really "fun and exciting" experience.
 
In conclusion, the week I had to audition these headphones was a blast. I used them not only for home listening but also for some recordings for a show I was working on (I am a sound engineer, part of the reason this made sense). Although they were a burden to carry around and often worried me because of their value, I found I appreciated the awesome audio in every facet of my life. As stated before, music became alive, and although I tried using different bit rates of music, with no noticeable result, good recordings really were critical to the experience. Overall, for anyone who is considering investing in audio, it is something you will not regret, and something I plan to pursue even though I returned the headphones. Moreover if you are like me and you need to be on the move, maybe consider a pair of custom IEM's from either JH audio, Westone, or Ultimate Ears. Specifically the JH-13's, which I am considering buying, have been said to bring similar quality and precision to a more reasonable size(however similarly outrageous price). Lastly, If you want to have this same experience I would absolutely recommend the cable company for auditioning, especially if you live in the North East. They have excellent customer service and were very lenient when I sent the headphones back a day late. Furthermore, with them every penny you pay for a set of headphones turns into credit so if you choose to buy it you get your money back.
 
Hope you enjoyed this review,
 
Jacob Feldman

I understand that the forum is not dedicated to high end audio, and is rather bitter about expensive equipment after the whole teksyndicate "Audio myths" fiasco. However, I feel like the forum could still benefit from the opinion of someone who took the time to try it all out.
 
About two weeks ago, while browsing the interwebs for audio equipment I came upon a rather interesting sight called "the cable company." While I am not proponent of high end cables, that is I detest people who claim to hear drastic differences from high end cables, they had a service that allowed customers to audition high end audio equipment for up to two weeks with a 5% money down deposit. A deposit that turns into credit if you choose to purchase the equipment. I had been considering upgrading my audio setup so i decided to just see what a true audiophile setup really sounded like so I could gauge my spending. My choices came down to this: The Audeze Lcd-2 (MSRP $1000 or so) and the cheapest desktop amp they offered for auditioning, the Centrance DACmini CX (MSRP around $700). Now before mayflower electronics hunts me down I would like to make it clear that i got something simple that allowed me to drive the headphones and if I were to buy this setup I would undoubtedly go for the ODAC. That said I made the deposit, and two days later, because of how close I am to their headquarters, received the items. Here now are the impressions from my point of view, from the perspective of someone who is taking his first dip into hifi equipment.
 
The first thing i noticed was the outstanding build quality of the headphones, for years I have used cheeper "plasticy" headphones and these simply blew them away with the wood and aluminum elements that really felt expensive (I am not exaggerating, you could tell). However the real nirvana came when I began to listen, while the huge ear cups on the LCD-2 make for some rather clunky listening, however the soundstage that the large, orthodynamic drivers produced, was simply outstanding. Certainly comparable to the imaging of a set of nice speakers. Moreover the "imersiveness" and "musicality" (you will notice that I use the strange audiophile terms in quotations) was out of this world. I felt more connected and engulfed in the harmonies and vibrato than ever before. For example listening to my least favorite genre of music, Dubstep, allowed me to appreciate the nuances and huge sounds that they produce in their music. While listening to my normal stuff such as Yes's Symphonic Live album gave me the huge sense of space and power that they convey with Wakeman's keyboard and Anderson's airy vocals. 
 
I will briefly go into the sound of the headphones themselves for anyone interested in buying a pair, which I find unlikely for this sight. The Audeze LCD-2s have been praised many times for their mid range awesomeness, something I could appreciate. Where as replacing cables or amps will produce marginal differences, a good pair of headphones is a huge jump into music that I could never imagine otherwise. They had outstanding mids, controlled highs, and the bass was realistic and neutral, something I liked quite a bit. Overall they are a grat set for anyone looking for a really "fun and exciting" experience.
 
In conclusion, the week I had to audition these headphones was a blast. I used them not only for home listening but also for some recordings for a show I was working on (I am a sound engineer, part of the reason this made sense). Although they were a burden to carry around and often worried me because of their value, I found I appreciated the awesome audio in every facet of my life. As stated before, music became alive, and although I tried using different bit rates of music, with no noticeable result, good recordings really were critical to the experience. Overall, for anyone who is considering investing in audio, it is something you will not regret, and something I plan to pursue even though I returned the headphones. Moreover if you are like me and you need to be on the move, maybe consider a pair of custom IEM's from either JH audio, Westone, or Ultimate Ears. Specifically the JH-13's, which I am considering buying, have been said to bring similar quality and precision to a more reasonable size(however similarly outrageous price). Lastly, If you want to have this same experience I would absolutely recommend the cable company for auditioning, especially if you live in the North East. They have excellent customer service and were very lenient when I sent the headphones back a day late. Furthermore, with them every penny you pay for a set of headphones turns into credit so if you choose to buy it you get your money back.
 
Hope you enjoyed this review,
 
Jacob Feldman

I understand that the forum is not dedicated to high end audio, and is rather bitter about expensive equipment after the whole teksyndicate "Audio myths" fiasco. However, I feel like the forum could still benefit from the opinion of someone who took the time to try it all out.
 
About two weeks ago, while browsing the interwebs for audio equipment I came upon a rather interesting sight called "the cable company." While I am not proponent of high end cables, that is I detest people who claim to hear drastic differences from high end cables, they had a service that allowed customers to audition high end audio equipment for up to two weeks with a 5% money down deposit. A deposit that turns into credit if you choose to purchase the equipment. I had been considering upgrading my audio setup so i decided to just see what a true audiophile setup really sounded like so I could gauge my spending. My choices came down to this: The Audeze Lcd-2 (MSRP $1000 or so) and the cheapest desktop amp they offered for auditioning, the Centrance DACmini CX (MSRP around $700). Now before mayflower electronics hunts me down I would like to make it clear that i got something simple that allowed me to drive the headphones and if I were to buy this setup I would undoubtedly go for the ODAC. That said I made the deposit, and two days later, because of how close I am to their headquarters, received the items. Here now are the impressions from my point of view, from the perspective of someone who is taking his first dip into hifi equipment.
 
The first thing i noticed was the outstanding build quality of the headphones, for years I have used cheeper "plasticy" headphones and these simply blew them away with the wood and aluminum elements that really felt expensive (I am not exaggerating, you could tell). However the real nirvana came when I began to listen, while the huge ear cups on the LCD-2 make for some rather clunky listening, however the soundstage that the large, orthodynamic drivers produced, was simply outstanding. Certainly comparable to the imaging of a set of nice speakers. Moreover the "imersiveness" and "musicality" (you will notice that I use the strange audiophile terms in quotations) was out of this world. I felt more connected and engulfed in the harmonies and vibrato than ever before. For example listening to my least favorite genre of music, Dubstep, allowed me to appreciate the nuances and huge sounds that they produce in their music. While listening to my normal stuff such as Yes's Symphonic Live album gave me the huge sense of space and power that they convey with Wakeman's keyboard and Anderson's airy vocals. 
 
I will briefly go into the sound of the headphones themselves for anyone interested in buying a pair, which I find unlikely for this sight. The Audeze LCD-2s have been praised many times for their mid range awesomeness, something I could appreciate. Where as replacing cables or amps will produce marginal differences, a good pair of headphones is a huge jump into music that I could never imagine otherwise. They had outstanding mids, controlled highs, and the bass was realistic and neutral, something I liked quite a bit. Overall they are a grat set for anyone looking for a really "fun and exciting" experience.
 
In conclusion, the week I had to audition these headphones was a blast. I used them not only for home listening but also for some recordings for a show I was working on (I am a sound engineer, part of the reason this made sense). Although they were a burden to carry around and often worried me because of their value, I found I appreciated the awesome audio in every facet of my life. As stated before, music became alive, and although I tried using different bit rates of music, with no noticeable result, good recordings really were critical to the experience. Overall, for anyone who is considering investing in audio, it is something you will not regret, and something I plan to pursue even though I returned the headphones. Moreover if you are like me and you need to be on the move, maybe consider a pair of custom IEM's from either JH audio, Westone, or Ultimate Ears. Specifically the JH-13's, which I am considering buying, have been said to bring similar quality and precision to a more reasonable size(however similarly outrageous price). Lastly, If you want to have this same experience I would absolutely recommend the cable company for auditioning, especially if you live in the North East. They have excellent customer service and were very lenient when I sent the headphones back a day late. Furthermore, with them every penny you pay for a set of headphones turns into credit so if you choose to buy it you get your money back.
 
Hope you enjoyed this review,
 
Jacob Feldman

These benchmarks are useless without high resolution tests!

These benchmarks are useless without high resolution tests!

i have both and i can say that they are both comfortable, but i think the larger ones are better after longer periods of listening.

yes i meant the HE90 otherwise known as the orpheus

Everyone should be very excited because as a team we are set to pass some of the most established teams in folding!