Death Meets Moe

Sennheiser HD700 review

Quazacolt — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 12:34:29 +0000

image source: pixiv illustrator akinbo (hyouka fuyou) page: “tits and headphones” おっぱいとヘッドホン (page is R-18 so you need to be a registered pixiv member. and yes the original un-crop image is NSFW)

I will be using a similar format/style of writing i’ve used in my previous AD900 review, however considering the rather short period i’ve got my hands on the headphone, auditioning on a laptop setup (which i only use for gath/meets TBH LOL!), i will lay out a disclaimer that this review is SOLELY of my opinion, based on what i have at the time (setup, source which are just 320kbit mp3′s as opposed to some of the FLAC rips or even DIRECT CD playback for some of the songs that i use for analytic listening)
a minor note is that i will only be using anisong for auditioning, and of course there will be a lot of comparisons with my current AD900

The setup i am using for this review are: Winamp 5.621 32bit with ASIO4All 2.1 -> Dell Studio XPS1340 IDT integrated audio -> GoVibe Peak Amplifier -> Sennheiser HD700. The music source are all 320kbit MP3 files played via thumb drive plugged into laptop.

Sound Quality

Bass/Low frequency
this sorta sits somewhere in between the modded Alessandro MS1000 (which imho has the best damn best ever) and the AD900 (with modded ear pads)/AD2000, not as much bass volume/depth as the AT counterpart, however more refine in bass response/quality similar to the MS1000; overall an interesting mix/feeling on the bass/low frequency department. There are some tracks where it loses it’s finesse especially on rock centric tracks, however it really shined during orchestral play backs, especially the heavy/low kick drums decays. In certain way i think it exceeds even the ms1000 when it comes to those certain instruments/performance.

Midrange
Vocals seems very recessed/laid back in comparison to the AT’s. Then again, it seems unfair/biased as i am very used to/prefer the coloration on female vocals from the AT lineup. That said, male vocals didn’t seem too bad to be very honest, they seem to have a very unique “style” (or sound signature if you will) that came out with the recessed mid sound signature. i personally find it very interesting, not to say i like or dislike it, just can’t really place my standpoint on it to be honest.
faster paced drums on the other hand seems to hit really well; PRAT is surprisingly well on this can despite the laid back sound signature. it seems more of a sound stage issue? (which i will get to later on) Rock centric music didn’t seem to play too well despite the adequate PRAT. I think if i were to describe it, general Sennheiser sound stage puts you further back in the mid/back of the hall/concert, while in rock concert, you’ll probably want to get as close as you can towards your favorite artists
supposedly this would be an issue with the AT AD series sound stage, however, i think i can probably relate it with “crowd surfing” and you’re kinda above everyone. not to mention the pronounced guitar/string sparkes really do help a lot!

Trebles/High Frequency
Personally, i don’t think trebles/high frequencies are Sennheiser’s forte. (i am almost certain to get a lot of backlash from silver/symphonica cable users )
That said, orchestral instruments such as violins being a popular instrument, seems to go really well with the HD700. Every pulling can be heard well, coupled with the very well done sound staging, it almost seemed as if you can hear the very exact position of the pulling!

this track would be my very reference on the above statement:

Click here to view the embedded video.

and yes, that bass slam goes very VERY well on the HD700 too!

on the usual strings, guitar plucking/rifts, id still have to stick with the AT; I just prefer the sparkles/coloration it has and yes, this is more of a personal taste than anything.

Sound stage and instrument separation
Initially, i poped in my usual anisong, rock/pop based, it just didn’t seem to go well with the hd700 much; more so when i’m just so used to the AT AD coloration and what not. and yes, i’d admit of biased opinions right there. This is when i remembered: “Sennheisers are more renowned on their amazing sound staging!

now, what’s better to audition/test out on sound staging than orchestral tracks?
I mainly used gundam unicorn tracks to audition it, and man, with the HD700, it really made me feel like i was right in this:

Click here to view the embedded video.

such a beautiful piece, brings a tear to my eye man (i totally refrained from man tearing during the audition :rolleyes: )

and yeah, usually in orchestras, you wouldn’t want to be too close to the stage so you can have a good view and listening experience from the whole stage

That said though, it isn’t ridiculously wide like it’s bigger brother hd800 is. in fact, i prefer the hd700 a lot as the hd800 soundstage *seems* a bit fake to me. it’s just too spacious which kinda put a weird vibe to a lot of music especially if they aren’t orchestral centric.

As for instrument separation, for some odd reason, for orchestral tracks, i totally prefer this over the AT AD, however when it comes to rock based music, it just seems to pale a lot in comparison. Not sure if it is the more pronounced strings/guitar, or the vocals being a factor. For orchestral tracks, it almost seems that you can even count how many violin/trumpet players are there on the stage. however when it comes to rock, i can barely tell if there are 1 or 2 guitarists around, if there’s even a bass guitarist or not >.>

Image from Amazon.com

Design
The futuristic design of the HD800 and eventually this HD700 has always been of my interest. In fact, in more ways i actually prefer it over the Audio Technica AD series design, more so if they didn’t have that cool looking 3D-wing design.

While it may seem very plastic-ky in design/look, i can assure you that it very solid, something that you can expect from a Sennheiser higher end range. While it is solid, a lot of parts of the headphone can be turned/twisted or even flex (the headband) to cater to all sorts of heads in shapes/sizes, which is a good thing.

If there are any complaints on the build, i think it would have to go with the outer side on the drivers. It seems to be only covered by a thin sheet of aluminum which upon press, seems bent/deform. think of a coca cola aluminum can, when you press it, it goes down with a light “pop” sound (yes the same thing happened to the hd700, which really scared me as i was afraid of wrecking a brand new hd700 ><) and upon releasing pressure it just restore back in shape. So far so good for the HD700, however personally if i’m gonna spend so much on a headphone like that, that can be VERY nerve wrecking which was very evident on that night

overall though i believe the entire headphone frame is made off metal/alloy, so that shouldn’t be a problem on durability unlike a lot of negative feedback from the senn 5xx series that are mostly plastic made.

Comfort
Really comfy stuff i have to say. (lol)
Headband’s a lot thicker than it’s hd800 counterpart, which means more comfort! same velour based materials on the ear cups/pads and the headband as with the hd800. Personally i have sweating issues that the velour pad may not be so good at, however during the audition it was in a cold air conditioned room, so i can’t really comment on that.
Despite the smaller ear cups/pads compared to the hd800, the hd700 is in no way less comfortable, and no parts of my ears touched any portion of the pads/cups as with the hd800, and i believe i do have larger ears than most people have. (in comparison to avg asians anyways, and yes the AD900 drivers do touch my ears which can get uncomfortable for really REALLY long listening duration)

Overall if you love the hd800 comfort level, you’re going to love the hd700 just as much, if not even more.
Can’t say the same to the hd650 though, then again, matter of preference/shape of head/face/ears etc ^^;

Overall
150ohm impedance only as opposed to the 300ohm from it’s bigger hd800 brother, more noob friendly, and more musical than the hd800 that’s ‘too dependant on whatever you feed it with’
hits a really sweet spot for more casual listeners.

If i were to put it in my way of describing:
It’s basically a scaled down hd800, with a lot of “casual” put into it; Or instead of casual, maybe the more “familiar Sennheiser sound signature” is more appropriate

Special thanks goes to TJ from Sennheiser Malaysia for bringing this wonderful Headphone, and Asus Malaysia for organizing the audiophile meet/gathering event

Merry Christmas 2011 from Death Meets Moe and Happy Ikaros day!

Quazacolt — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:04:53 +0000

author: http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=586538
twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/mayachiii

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas from Death Meets Moe as well as Happy birthday to Ikaros from Sora no Otoshimono!

This year’s christmas? Fuck christmas lol. Totally late by a day on this post, down with a flu, and this video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

I mean, comparing last year’s post and the previous post before it, it seems that Christmas each year doesn’t seem to get better

Oh well, at least i got a new job, much better pay, though my personal life is kinda losing grip because of this new job （ ´,_ゝ`)

Jabra Extreme Bluetooth headset

Quazacolt — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 19:23:35 +0000

image source: Pixiv member: Ayaka

Some of you may have remembered me asking around at jaben thread (or even directly at jaben’s store lol), Audio Technica thread for an ear phone (buds, not IEM). That quest has been proven quite, tedious and futile. mainly because:

1) don’t feel like spending much for portable as i’m not really a portable person
2) i can’t have IEMs in the office in case my colleagues/boss calls for me and i can’t hear a damn thing (they are supposed to be sealed aye? else it’d defeat the very existence/meaning of IEMs)
3) need something really easy to drive (no amp required) while being relatively good on clarity (lets not forget the bass guys!) and being within the budget of rm100-200 (refer item 1, and yes I’m being cheap if you just HAVE to ask)

So recently while i was accompanying my friend to Lowyat Plaza, i had the urge to buy a new BT headset (i previously had one, however that was absolutely horrible so lets not go back on reliving painful memories lol) and i went to the shop, saw that jabra had an extended warranty promotion going on, and i do know for a fact that jabra is a reputable brand in Bluetooth headsets, so i gave it a try and dragged my friend to test along with me.

Main thing for a BT headset is that, it has to work well in a noisy environment. and by working well, i didn’t mean just you able to hear the other party’s voice during calls, they also need to be able to hear you too, and with cheap BT headsets, without DSP/dual microphone technologies, its just a futile effort.

having tested the Jabra EasyGo, a single mic BT headset, i was quite surprised at the vocal quality as we all know how noisy shopping complexes can be. (again, inside Lowyat Plaza)

without hesitation, i went on with the Jabra Extreme

i mean, if a single mic is this good, dual mic should be way better right? further more the brushed aluminium design totally captured my attention. i didn’t even bother to test it and straight away proceed on price negotiations (i’m also buying a charger, and buying a mid/high end bt headset and for the total price, they don’t mind giving me extra discounts too )

And here comes the interesting part:
This headset allows multi device connections. (2 to be exact)
So, why not try hooking it up to the laptop while its also hooked to my phone ready for any incoming calls? i did exactly just that, and to my utter surprise, the sound quality is far better than what i expected, even capable of producing decent bass!

Bear in mind, this is a mono sound output, and regardless bass output is not needed in a BT headset that is meant for voice calls. So having the capabilities to play some decent bass, definitely surprised me. I won’t be giving out an extensive review like i’ve done with the AD900 headphone, as i guess people would like to read reviews that are of quality, and things that are in the “right application”. Again, this is a mono output BT headset, and it is after all meant for voice calls, not for music listening. To achieve what it could is definitely a blessing, and most importantly, it fulfilled my needs of a portable music device within my office/work premises mentioned above.

Audio Technica ATH-AD900 Earpads and Crossroads Headphone stand Modification

Quazacolt — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:32:37 +0000

As mentioned briefly from the previous review post, i have made some changes on my AD900 headphones’ ear pads, and in addition to that a bit of a “ghetto modification ” to my crossroads headphone stand so that it no longer hard presses with the headphone ear pads. After all, the new ear pads are kinda pricey (say, almost MYR 300 ^^;) and i wouldn’t want it to get damaged by the very stand it rests on. I will be doing a bit of a review with the sound signature for the AD900 after the ear pads modification. It is highly recommended to read the previous review post before this as there are a lot of references and comparison from that post. The headphones definitely have quite a significant change considering the ear pads for the Audio Technica w5000 (wooden closed can) are very different than the pads of the AD900.

Before we begin, i would also like to share with you all a video on how to replace an Audio Technica Headphone ear pads. They should all be more or less the same so long they are full sized cans. The following video is from kuboten.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

Really informative video should you own an Audio Technica full sized headphone. The rest would be up to your own careful hands experimenting and learning experience while replacing your own audio technica ear pads.

As you may have noticed, is that the AD900 ear pads are bigger than the w5000 ear pads, very noticeable from the stretched out plastic bag that came with the w5000 ear pads. Another thing to note is that the w5000 ear pads packaging came with both left and right ear pads on a single side, and as you can see, the plastic bag can barely fit even just one pad with the other pad being placed behind the one you’re seeing in the picture above. Just the size alone should warrant a decent change in the headphone’s sound signature already in my opinion. Lastly, unlike the w5000 ear pads which are “firmly sealed” even on the insides, the insides AD900 ear pads are filled with holes lined up around the pad (which exposes the inside spongy filling if you take a closer look). This is probably to promote more air flow which allows for a greater emphasis on the AD series “airy” sound signature.

As much as i’d like to give a more detailed photography/explanation especially for the AD900 original pads as i find them rather unique, i want to sell them off to cover a bit of the cost for my w5000 ear pads, and flipping the ear pads upside down for pictures may be detrimental for its sales. As for the w5000 ear pads, it would be for obvious reason: i’m not flipping over a MYR300 ear pad risking damage to it lol.

That said, i can obviously give my best at showing a good close up shot on the ear pads after it’s being replaced on my AD900, which makes it looks rather luxurious having that genuine leather look and that luxury brand new leather smell!

To be honest, just like the previous review post, taking that photo for the AD900 headphone, is just really difficult. Albeit this is easier in the sense that i don’t have to deal with lighting/flash reflections on the AD900 aluminum honeycomb grill, this photo shoot posed a different difficulty as i do not have a proper macro lens, resulting in those unneeded blur (or bokeh, if you’re familiar with photography terms) and just simply lacking the fine details on those Spanish lambskin leather. Granted, if you zoom in close on the original 4.2k resolution picture, you can catch a good glimpse on the details, however i doubt people would want to load a 4k resolution 7MB picture, and much less zooming in to it for details heh.

Remember from the picture in my previous post? Yeah, wouldn’t want that stand to press against my new leather ear pads, potentially damaging it in the long run. So here is what i did: Blu tack, and unused foam that i got form the Hippo headphone case (refer to headfonia page for info and pictures here: http://www.headfonia.com/headphone-transporter-the-hippocase/ ) that came with my purchase. The way most of the audio technica headphones are designed, it just wont fit well with the foam (which is originally designed to keep headphones firm in place within the case). And as i can see from most Audio technica users (particularly akabane from LYN forum) that are using the same headphone case, they just remove the foam anyways as the headphone will remain firm within the case despite the lack of those foam as the headband itself is quite large to keep the headphones from moving around too much.

As you can see from a more updated picture of my setup, the ear pads are no longer being pressed against the metal crossroads headphone stand, in fact it looks like the foam it self are being pressed by ear pads instead. I’m not sure if it is exactly because the ear pads do cost quite a bit or what, one thing is certain is that i am really taking good care of it. Having dedicated micro fiber cloth to clean it, and even leather care liquid solutions to apply it every once in a while to maintain its pristine looks, feel and scent.

Now onward to the actual review, as mentioned on the previous thread, i will be using the same setup, which are: Winamp 5.572 32bit -> Creative X-Fi Titanium -> Creative Gigaworks G500′s remote headphone jack (for ease of plugging in/out) -> GoVibe Peak Amplifier -> Audio Technica ATH-AD900. The music source are generally FLAC (free loss-less audio codec), or 320kbit MP3 files.

Sound Quality

Bass/Low frequency

In general the most noticeable change towards the headphone is that it has gone from a mid/treble focus slightly towards mid/bass focus. With that said, the bass impact and weight seems to have been improved significantly. That is not to say that the depth/frequency extension has been improved, as that is impossible with just an ear pad change, to have improvement on that would definitely require at least cable replacement/modding, or even direct driver modifications. I think the reason for the significant change is mainly how both ear pads of the w5000 and AD900 are vastly different.

As explained before, the AD900 ear pads are more loose, and even have holes lined around it to provide a much greater air flow, which would also mean air (that carries sound frequencies) will be dispersing/leaking out from the ear pads itself before reaching your ears. With the w5000 ear pads however, there are no holes at all, and the ear pads are much more firmer/stiffer, resulting in a much tighter seal between the headphones and your ear. Another pointer that was mentioned is that since the w5000 ear pads are significantly smaller than the AD900, it does cover the drivers just a little bit, which kind of creates a very slight bit of “muffled” feeling, or generally people would refer it as a warmer/darker sound signature, though probably because of this, the clarity/highs are somewhat traded off a little bit.

For a headphone that has been criticized on the lack of bass, i do think this would be a good improvement as it solves (although not completely) a flaw of this headphone.

Midrange

The mids generally retain the same signature and feel, although being a slightly mid/low focused headphone now, especially drums, or bass notes that is on the mid range level definitely have more definition compared to before, even more so as they go towards lower frequencies as i have mentioned on the bass/low frequency section.

Trebles/High frequency

Here is the trade off i am going to point out, being a more mid/low focused headphone as opposed to the previously mid/high focused headphone, that “sparkle”, and “airy” sound signature is traded off a little. It is quite a pity especially to those that highly appreciate the AD series sound signature, especially its colored sparkle that the trebles/high notes or vocals can give off, that is absolutely moving and makes music a lot more engaging and fun.

The main reasons for the changes, as mentioned on the low/bass section, is because of the lack of holes that the AD900 ear pads had, and also a much more stiffer pad, which eliminates ease of air flow, and that definitely would be detrimental to the headphones’ airy sound signature. The reduction in the “sparkles”, or high/treble extension (somewhat) would be attributed to the w5000 ear pads slightly covering the driver surface, and most likely of the slightly increased distance between your ears and the headphone drivers itself.

There is a saving grace for this however, is that some people may find the trebles/highs harsh, which can be quite common in female vocals (especially Japanese female vocals), or some electric guitars for example, and this would be somewhat reduced or even completely solved. I have personally never felt any harshness of the AD900 trebles/highs, so it wouldn’t be that much of a difference for me, though having a warmer feel on the highs has its own merits. Lastly, there are also some people who may not like the coloration of its trebles/highs, and with the ear pads changed, the coloration (that “sparkling” sound signature) is reduced, and the headphone may actually be appealing to those who did’t like it before.

Sound stage and instrument separation

The spaciousness of the sound can be very good for orchestral music, but on the other hand, the energy of the sound does get dispersed and you can lose the focus and intensity when playing an intense piece of progressive rock.

quote from headfonia’s AD series review

Smaller/closed headphones tend to have a better focus of the energy, though you have to live with the “claustrophobic sound” when your music demands spaciousness, would be my personal opinion in this. That said, the w5000 leather pads definitely provides a much better seal, in which the energy of the sound would be much more in focused as opposed to before. The trade off would be a slightly narrower sound stage, though i reckon that the change would be for the good, especially if you consider the above quote from headfonia.

Comfort

I have mentioned that i have serious sweating issues along with the hot climate my country has, and my computer is constantly giving off some 50-60 Celsius excess heat being an overclocked and high-end system (4 years ago at least). Having the velour pads constantly soaking up sweat, i could barely last long at all during listening sessions with the impending irritation on both sides of my head. With the new leather pads, it feels as if the headphone is a part of me now! Like the leather sorta assimilated with my own skin, exaggeration, i know, but i hope you get the idea. Unlike the previous velour ear pads, these leather ones don’t soak up sweat at all, and it has a more stiffer/puffier feel, which makes it even more comfortable compared to the sort of “loosened” feel for the AD900 original ear pads.

Another important thing to note is that some users (like myself) of the AD900 may have irritation over long listening periods due to the driver itself touching the ears, in a way, the w5000 ear pads would solve this being essentially thicker, and stiffer, furthering the gap a little bit between the driver and the ear.

Overall

Depending on what your preference is (if you prefer more treble/bright sounding, or more importantly the AD series “airy signature”) it may even be a downgrade since it emphasizes mid-low than the previously mid-high. To me i think its an improvement because low is what the ad900 or rather, the AD series (with the exception of the AD2000 as reviewed by headfonia) lacked, and improving that department, even if it meant sacrificing the highs/airy sound signature a bit, is a fair trade

credits to this review goes to the forum posts/review that i have took reference from:

Head-fi forum thread

headfonia’s AD series review

special thanks to akabane from LYN forum for the recommendation and link to bluetin.com’s website for the w5000 ear pads.

Audio Technica ATH-AD900 Review

Quazacolt — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:17:33 +0000

image source: illustrator Kunieda’s website “Heddohon shōjo” ヘッドホン少女

Been a while since the last post (as usual it seems lol), so hello everyone if anyone still reads this blog! Now you may probably wonder what is a Headphone review doing on this website especially with a description like “Anime, Figurines, Gaming, and Otaku’ism” right? Well if you’re familiar with anime shows/movies, you will probably notice that the opening or ending of every episode or movie, there will always be an opening or ending theme song playing. Yes, Anime song – short “anisong” is rapidly gaining popularity everywhere around the world and that is what I’ve been listening to for my music ever since i have left the English music scene somewhere around the year 2004/2005. I can go on for a while on the comparisons between the 2 music scenes, reasons of why i made the switch and so forth, however that’s not why i am writing this post. This post will be all about the Audio Technica ATH-AD900 review, so lets get on with it shall we?

First off, i personally find it very hard to have an idea on what i should be writing. I mean, how does one write something that cannot be written? How does one even accurately describe music reproduction? It is already a very subjective subject to every individual, and to even write something off it, i honestly find it to be a waste of time. Then again, this particular headphone just have this “something” that makes every anisong that i listen to feels so lively, so emotional, the energy that the song carries, are being expressed so accurately through the headphones. I just had the strong urge to write up a review for it, something that will do it just despite it is clearly something that is beyond my capabilities. I don’t see myself being an exceptional writer, much less writing something that i barely have a clue of, so what i did was i read up some headphone review and forum posts, and use them as my reference in writing up this review. You may find some direct quotes along the way as they have put it best on describing the AD900 which i find it as good as it gets and instead of wasting my time to try and improve it, i might as well just directly quote them.

Anyways, i have always been an audiophile (do visit the wiki page for its definition if you’re unfamiliar with the term “audiophile”) myself for quite some time having invested quite a lot for my car audio, and even my 5.1 sound system for my PC. That said, i was never a huge fan for earphones/Headphones even having a Koss KSC-75 clip on earphone. It was 2 months back, during my birthday Singapore trip in March, where i was recommended by my friend Sichiri to visit a shop called “Jaben” which is an audio shop that is specialized in earphones/Headphones mainly, along with other audio equipments such as amplifiers.

See, the main thing that separates Jaben and other audio shops is that they allow to audition almost every headphone/amplifiers available to them even to the highest top of the line headphones so long it is available during that time. That is very important as you just simply cannot tell how well a headphone may sound to you regardless of how well/accurate a review may be. After all, music is a very subjective and personal thing. During my visit, i have spent several hours trying out different headphones as recommended by Sichiri since he is much more versed in ear/headphones compared to i am. The headphones i’ve tried out are: Beyerdynamic’s DT231 and DT880, AKG’s k702, Sennheiser’s HD598 with the 2 songs “Joint” by Kawada Mami and “Perfect world” by Rocky Chack as those are the only 2 songs from my HTC Desire phone. All of the mentioned headphones are also driven by the GoVibe Peak amplifier. All of the headphones are just lacking that something that makes me find it reluctant to stretch my initial budget of MYR500, or just simply aren’t worth it for me (DT 231 for example) to even considering the purchase after hearing what mid-high end headphones can do.

It was just when we were just about to call it quits, i remembered another friend of mine Sora that mentioned his friend having an Audio Technica AD700 headphones. The first thing that came to my mind was that i remember Audio Technica is a Japanese headphone maker, so leave it up to the Japanese to make their own music sound good, right? After all, we’re already in Jaben, no harm to spend some more time to try out as many headphones as we can. Initially we took a look at the AD700 since that’s what i remembered, however it had this really ugly purplish color which i am not fond of, so i moved up to the AD900, which is in a standard black/silver color. And boy did i found just the perfect headphone, call it love at first sight if you may, it is the only headphone in Jaben which driven me to push it harder on the volume knob of the GoVibe peak amp to the point where i reached ear fatigue for going too loud on the volume. The folks at jaben even recommended me to try out the AD1000, however the difference wasn’t significant compared to the additional money i have to fork out.

Ultimately i have chosen the AD900 despite having a lesser package deal compared to the Beyerdynamics’s DT880 package deal. I guess if you really like something, money just comes second. The package i had gotten was for SGD538, i get the Audio Technica ATH-AD900, a CrossRoads Headphone stand, the GoVibe Peak amplifier, and the Hippo headphones hard case.

On a first glance, the packaging does look really sleek and refined, with some Velcro spots underneath the front cover that allows you to open the said cover and that reveals a see through plastic surface which allow you to get a good look at the headphone inside that is placed firmly on a fitting plastic headphone stand. Included with it is also a 3.5mm to 6.5mm adaptor that should be a standard for mid/high end headphones.

The amplifier that was included along with the bundle is the GoVibe Peak amplifier, and i think its a pretty decent amp for its price. While it can be a little lacking on the bass gain control, especially in driving something like the AKG’s k701/k702, it does a good job for almost everything else like the ATH-AD900, and more especially the Beyerdynamic’s DT880. (which has a damn irresistible bundle with the GoVibe Peak) Not that i have much knowledge in desktop amplifiers, this is what i got to try out with at Jaben’s, and i am satisfied enough with it for what it’s worth.

Not much that i can say about these stands since they come for free. They do look really damn good for the silver color (which is the one i gotten) and should fit for most headphones. The only main downside for these is that your headphone pads will get pressed on the stand cylinder itself and that could potentially damage your headphone’s pads in the long run, or at the very least leave a 2 line marking which i am sure most would prefer not to have.

This is how i setup my AD900 Headphone, which you can see there are quite a number of figures in the background and even little mini ika musume on the keyboard. If you’re interested to see how my room is like, feel free to check out my previous room post here. And from that picture, you can already see how the AD900′s ear pads are pressing against the Crossroads stand.

Now after all the tldr, (“too long didn’t read” lol) it’s time to really start off for the review. The setup i am using for this review are: Winamp 5.572 32bit -> Creative X-Fi Titanium -> Creative Gigaworks G500′s remote headphone jack (for ease of plugging in/out) -> GoVibe Peak Amplifier -> Audio Technica ATH-AD900. The music source are generally FLAC (free loss-less audio codec), or 320kbit MP3 files.

Sound Quality

Bass/Low frequency
Starting with the bass, i personally think the AD900 bass may be a little bit lacking, especially if you compare directly to the Beyerdynamic’s DT880, or even the sennheiser’s hd598 where by the DT880 have a little more depth in terms of how low the bass can reach, while the hd598 tends to give out a much more solid bass probably due to its already standard warm signature. This however is by no means saying that the bass of the AD900 is weak, as it is capable of delivering the needed bass especially in upbeat songs, and i think it really excels if the bass that is required isn’t low/hard boomy ones, and rather those punchy tight/fast bass. On tracks like “Joint” where the drum beats tends to be really fast, that is where the AD900 really shined as it kept in pace on the beats without showing any signs of an inaccurate, slowed or bloated bass.

Midrange
Vocals for the AD900 are very clear and natural, and sort of have that very lively feeling. Everything can be heard clearly without it being too harsh or too direct “in your face” sorta deal. While it may not excel as well as other headphones like the AKG’s K702 if the vocals go into high notes, I still think that it is adequate enough for majority of the songs i listen, and most importantly it feels lively to me, and i can feel that energy and emotion that the singer is trying to express, something which i cannot seem to find in the other headphones i tested with. On the instruments, the snare drums/toms are really precise and punchy, and they aren’t too direct like some headphones would, rather it has a bit of a distance before reaching you, sort of like a sweet spot in the cinema where you’re somewhere around the middle seats, not too close or too far from the screen, just perfect. Electric guitar riffs are also very dynamic and gives off that really exhilarating feel especially the really fast ones, as if a jolt of electricity coursing through your body, starting from your head. From the top of my head i could think of a recent song called “Shinsou” from Imai Asami from the game blazblue, the electric guitar solo, absolutely thrilling.

Trebles/High frequency
The first thing when i think about the high frequencies, are acoustic guitars. While it may not be as good as the AKG k701/k702 where its highs are highly praised for, it has this, how should you call it, sparkle? snap? that really sets it apart from the rest. While i am writing this part, Avril Lavingne’s Complicated came up, and that is exactly i am trying to write – the acoustic guitar part! Every pluck of the guitar string resonates so splendidly, without cutting off at all, having that extra “sparkling” touch. While in some cases it may seem a bit bright to some people, it is by no means harsh at all, at least to me anyways. Even on tracks that is a little bit fast with heavy acoustic guitar emphasis, having the strings resonating so clearly, it is as if you can envision a guitar playing right in front of you if you close your eyes. Violin strokes or riffs doesn’t cut out on the really high notes, while at the same time maintaining itself from being too harsh. Tracks from the OST of “Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto Natsu no Sora” have a lot of emphasis on acoustic guitars and violins, though sadly i cannot find any direct YouTube links to share ^^; Cymbals and hi-hats also have that gentle and soft sizzle, while at the same time being very audible and clear, which makes it very pleasant to hear. Which is very emphasized in the track “Answering song by girl dead monster“. Lets not forget the ever so popular piano/keyboard, on tracks like “Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari by Supercell” or “Love grows (final fantasy 8) by Nobuo Uematsu“, each keys being struck, resonates very clearly throughout the track, and again, that same sparkle that came with the guitar strings can be subtly felt on the piano keys as well, which i think makes it feels really dynamic even for a classical instrument such as the piano.

Sound stage and instrument separation
The sound stage for the AD900 is somewhat in the middle scale, where by it is not as wide as the AKG 701 would be, and not as direct as the beyerdynamics DT880 would be. It is basically in the middle line, as i have described earlier, the middle seats of a cinema hall, where you aren’t too close nor too far, having a perfect view of the movie. Another thing that is very unique to the Audio Technica’s AD series is its very “airy” sound signature, or sound stage if you may. As LYN forum-er techmy puts it:

“open refreshing air, will sound like you are standing on the top of the hill.”

On rock music, it gives an impression that you’re actually in the concert itself, listening to the music live, while acoustic/instrumental music will give off that feel that you’re in a huge open orchestra/concert hall, listening to the live performance. For the more classical/sentimental music, it really gives of that peace of mind that it’s as if you’re on an open field, or as mentioned before, on top of a hill, enjoying the music with a slight breeze of air flowing through.

As for instrument separation, i think headphones like the AKG k701 would perform better, however, the AD900 comes really close behind it, especially if you compare between the 2 on the mid-range, i would even say that the AD900 would perform better on the instrument separation, as the different details of every instrument is being reproduced without fail. With more complex and well recorded tracks, especially the more upbeat ones or even digitally produced music, the AD900 will excel more on its instrument separation, from having all the dynamics being played out, and even more so the direction of singers, where the instrument is playing from. Modern digital tracks that utilizes the stereo/surround features will be played by the AD900 very well, having the sound direction going on back and forth/left to right and vice versa without any sense of the sound being cut off half way.

Design

Over all i am liking the design with its Black/silver finish and most especially that light-weight aluminium honeycomb casing that is somewhat unique to the Audio Technica Air-Dynamic series. Looks really sleek with the honeycomb casing and that chrome ish Audio-Technica name plating. The wing system that is very unique to the Audio-Technica line up of headphones is also very appealing as it gives of that really futuristic design/looks/feel. While i personally don’t encourage going portable with these cans, if for whatever reason you have to, they would seem like a decent fashion companion. The quality of the entire headphone structure also look/feel very solid while being lightweight at the same time. The cable itself is also worth mentioning, being covered in a rubberized material, it seems rather thick and looks like it’s be able to withstand some accidental roll overs (like from your swivel chair for example). The thickness of the cable along with its rubberized property also makes it really hard to get entangled, and that is a something good to have for a 3 meter long headphone cable.

Comfort

The most distinct features of the AD900 headphones (or audio-technica headphones in general) are the self-fitting Wing system Headbands. Unlike most headphone having a full sized headband covering over or back of the head, the self-fitting wing system having very minimal contact to your head, it gives off very minimal pressure to the scalp, resulting in a very comfortable fit while maintaining a decent grip onto the head. That said, this may prove to be a problem for smaller sized heads as your head is required to press against the wings’ pads and for smaller heads, that may not be the case and may have very loose fitting for the headphones. Another thing to note on the wing system is that it doesn’t have any clamping issues at all. (or on your hairs for that matter) And if you have any itching on your head, with the minimal contact on your head, reaching around for a scratch is very easy, even if it is on the spot of the wing itself, gently lifting the wing for a scratch isn’t hard either, and all that while the headphones are still on your head and you enjoying your music.

The large velour pads fits gently on my head softly and of course, no clamping at all while still maintaining a good grip on the ears/head. One thing about the pads are that while they are really soft and comfortable, it does result the drivers to be pressed against the ear and it can be uncomfortable to some. Typically minor repositioning of the headphone itself should solve this issue, and overall it doesn’t feel hot/stuffy on the ears like other headphones or most closed back headphones generally would cause. Now, while i was testing it at jaben Singapore, the shop was air conditioned and i didn’t exactly get to wear the headphone for really extended periods like say, 3 or more hours. It was the most comfortable headphone I’ve ever tried on during the testing, however when i have it back home, where my room is somewhat warm/hot at times, and myself sweating very easily and more oftentimes sweat a lot, the ear-pads does poses a huge problem: sweat stagnating within the earpads as it does soak up quite a bit. This results in a lot of discomfort and i have to frequently lift up a side of the cans whichever side is having discomfort, wiping of the sweat, which is a huge turn off especially when you are on your favorite track. There is a good solution to this which i will further elaborate on a later post.

Overall

Overall i find this headphone to be very detailed, with good emphasis on the mids-highs that can even rival more expensive headphones such as the AKG’s k701. The lows and bass on the other hand could use a little improvement, however it shouldn’t be a problem to most people that aren’t bass heads. While it isn’t a completely neutral headphone with a slight hint of warmth in the sound signature, it has this really “sparkling”/”snappy” touch that makes music sound really lively. The airy sound stage is also a plus to those that likes it, not to mention the really engaging sound stage/instrument separation that does not causes listening fatigue. Amongst the best headphones one can get for the price range, and they are fantastic for almost every genre, namely anisong for example where it can vary from slow to fast paced music, classical/sentimental to modern/digital/rock. I would highly recommend these headphones to anyone who has a varied music taste (or anisong! ) looking for the best bang for their buck.

credits to this review goes to the forum posts/review that i have took reference from:

inasafeplace and Chris K from headphonereviews.org

grahamnp, keanex, and flexium from head-fi.org review page

Chris Tch’s review from head-fi forum thread

LYN forumer Techmy’s posts on the Audio-Technica thread

Happy new year 2011 from Death Meets Moe

Quazacolt — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 15:52:50 +0000

Image source: pixiv member jagawo

Year 2010 is now over and right now marks the year of the docile rabbit according to the Chinese zodiac calendar. 2010 had been interesting for me considering it is the year of the tiger (my year whoo!) and things sure had been wild for me, gotten a pretty damn good pay raise on my new contract with IBM, zero Medical leaves taken throughout the year, and many many things wild young tigers should be having XD

Since i’ve been posting new year posts since 2009, sure as hell want to keep the tradition by not missing out this year too. you can see the previous year 2010 post right here. Welp! here’s to hoping 2011 will be a better year for everyone! Again, Happy new year 2011!

Quazacolt’s room update

Quazacolt — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 21:24:48 +0000

It’s been a while since the previous room post on this very site here, and the ones from Danny Choo’s Figure.fm: room, workspace, video tour. So what got me to posting this up if you may wonder? That would be this: http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/25940/Another+300+USD+Giveaway+Rooms.html

Well, regarding that giveaway anyways, i believe I’ve passed the submission deadline, but I’m doing it anyways since its kinda half done and i just want to finish what I’ve started. I would still like to thank Danny for holding this giveaway, as without it i won’t be doing this post, and without this post i wouldn’t have my figures cleaned, or boxed up figures that were on display from Comic Fiesta opened back up to display at home, or even my bed that is a total mess especially the Horo bed sheet that is completely crumpled up in a pile instead of being a bed sheet.

Anyways it is almost 5AM as i am writing this while listening to the just released panty and stocking with garterbelt OST, so i will cut this short and just go picture frenzy with some comment if i find the need to on the photos. Be sure to mouse over each photo as i have attached some minor comment to each of them

If you have checked out the workspace post from figure.fm (linked above), first thing you’ll probably notice is how CLEAN Nono gotten. Yes i have washed her up (cant use duster as the dusts already stuck onto the figure) good, hell, its the whole figure cleaning that’s one of the reasons i couldn’t make the deadline You may even check out the other figures that i display outside of my detolf (they are the ones that get REALLY dusty anyways) comparing to the workspace post.

My current workspace. Not too much difference than before. You’ll notice a bunch of goodies stacked around the right ish side like that Scandal CD over there is from AFA, and various other CD/DVD/BD that i am supposed to go through them before stashing them up for good in the detolf >_< Even got Astraea’s pillow from Nyantype vol.14 on the top of that stack. Sadly it’s too small compared to my current pillow and it won’t fit

You will also notice why there is Klan Klan lying on the table like that. Well the reason for that is that her peg broked during the display at Comic Fiesta 2010. Got it epoxied, and then it broke again /sigh At this point i’ll have to epoxy it as the plastic peg can no longer support Klan Klan. The peg kept breaking on new segments as the epoxy is actually stronger than the peg itself :/

Here you see a plastic bag from Kinokuniya book store. which i just gotten my Nyantype vol.14, Horo Novel vol.3, and May’N photo-book.

Next is my Detolfs where most of my collections are located at. You can see chibi Ikaros is guarding my H-Doujins XD Also recently gotten US licensed Spice and Wolf season1 DVD, which includes a Horo gold coin that looks pretty nice. hell, the coin is the only reason i got the DVD anyways. My most favorite figure of recent has to be Grans’ Ikaros. The wings and pose are just gorgeous! It even have a minor cast off capability and i have even shortened the joint (by cutting it, same as what I’ve done with Benisu in the past) to reduce the seam line on the abdomen. You can also see my WoW Cataclysm and Starcraft 2 Wings of liberty Collector’s edition. For WoW Cataclysm i only buy it to collect, i have already stopped playing WoW lol. And of course my favorite tapestry: Dual chain saw wielding Yandere kotonoha sama! XD

Final place would be my bed. And finally, i have the entire bed being filled with 100% anime merchandise. (i was only lacking the pillow for a while, and with Eris, it is completed) Also 2 straps from AFA 2010, and a Sora no Otoshimono tapestry that i’ve gotten earlier.

That’s it for now, thanks for watching and hope you guys enjoy my yet another room tour (yeah really cutting this short here rofl!)

Merry Christmas from Death Meets Moe and Happy birthday Ikaros!

Quazacolt — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 04:41:32 +0000

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas from Death Meets Moe! And not to forget, Happy birthday to Ikaros from Sora no Otoshimono!

This year seems a little bland compared to 2008′s Christmas, and i think nothing much happened for 2009′s Christmas. Well as i am writing this, i am preparing to go back to home town Ipoh for a Christmas party invitation from my auntie, that should be fun. If not, i still got my laptop with internet from my Horo Desire and Horo novel vol.2 that i STILL haven’t finish ^^;

Oh i will get to work on the Comic Fiesta 2010 photos too i guess, heh. Until next post, laters!

Comic Fiesta 2010 updates

Quazacolt — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:28:50 +0000

Just a few more days away till Comic Fiesta 2010, and here i bring you (yet another slowpoke update, lol) one final update (i hope! lol) for Comic Fiesta 2010. And just in case: it’s at Berjaya Times Square Hotel’s Manhattan Ballroom this time instead of Sunway convention center from previous year(s). Anyways on with the updates shall we?

First off lets here is the master activity list for Comic Fiesta 2010: http://forums.comicfiesta.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6566

For the portfolio session that you guys will be familiar since Comic Fiesta 2008, we have Phil Ortiz & Phil Yeh coming all the way from the US of A! While i don’t have much info at all for both guys (lol), I’ve been informed that Phil Ortiz has won 5 Emmy and he is one of the guys who helped in the animation of The Simpson’s.

We also have KKNM coming from Singapore as well as Little Akiba, and for the first time ever, The Figure Mall (TFM) will be organizing a Figurine Marketplace! If you’re looking for rare, out-of-production figurines, you might just find someone selling them at the TFM booth. I will also be contributing some of my collection for the display just like previous Comic Fiesta; Although not as much as previous years since our lagging sprout haven’t even pass me a confirmation list for figures to be displayed as i am writing this post LOL!

Lastly:

CHILL MOBILE COMIC MAKES A BUZZ IN THE MALAYSIAN COMIC COMMUNITY

Kuala Lumpur, 10 November 2010 – “CHILL is not just a comic, it is a new medium that will change the experience of comic book reading. From one of a kind illustrations designed by Malaysia’s finest, we will be featuring renowned cartoonist and illustrator, Aie G for the very first issue,” says Low Huoi Seong, CEO of Vision Interactive Broadband Services Sdn. Bhd. (VIBS) and Redberry Digital.
With the launch of CHILL, comic aficionados will be introduced to a more convenient way to stock up on the latest stories without running to the bookstore. CHILL is just a download away!
Readers will be able to step into the world of CHILL, a weekly magazine and experience full color comic strips, comic stories, and quizzes all on their mobile phones. Additionally, the mobile comic has features to browse the CHILL store and download mobile wallpapers. Readers can now carry all CHILL issues in their pocket and enjoy comic reading whenever and wherever.
On 19 November 2010, readers can download and experience the 1 CHILL issue for free* at www.lepakchill.com. Plus, cartoonist Aie G will be making a special appearance with the CHILL Crew at the 2010 Comic Fiesta to be held in Berjaya Times Square from 18-19 December 2010. There will be an illustration contest to scout for fresh comic talents and the best will have their work published in CHILL! The team will also be giving away exclusive CHILL merchandise and exciting prizes during the 2-day event. More details on the contest rules and guidelines will be released closer to the date. Comic fans can also follow CHILL on Facebook, DeviantArt and Twitter for the latest news in the comic scene.
The official launch of CHILL will be on 3 December 2010. Chill Mobile Comic is only available for JAVA enabled mobile phones at the start but VIBS has future plans of putting CHILL onto iPads, iPhones and Android models. So get ready to chill! –CHILL powered by VIBS.
Media Contact:
May Hon
Public Relations and Sales Director

That’s it for now. Hope to see you guys there! And to those that are expecting delivery/goodies from me, do kindly remind me again before CF2010 in case i forgot

Comic Fiesta 2010 Aims To Reward Visitors and Challenge Perceptions

Quazacolt — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:30:42 +0000

It has been a very long while since i’ve posted, to be more specific, some 4+ months long. Yeah, thats what things like Starcraft 2, AFA X (lol post fukken where?), and downright laziness would get you. Anyways as you can see from the title, yes, i’m going to Comic Fiesta 2010, so to those wondering, hope this answers you Moving on to the official stuffs:

Comic Fiesta 2010 Aims To Reward Visitors and Challenge Perceptions

Since it’s humble beginnings as a small exhibition at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in 2002, Comic Fiesta has grown exponentially in both size and scope to become the premier ACG (Anime, Comics & Games) event in Malaysia. The 2009 edition of this expo brought in almost 8,000 visitors from all walks of life together under the roof of the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre, the biggest audience yet for an ACG event organized in Malaysia.

Now, Comic Fiesta 2010 looks set to break the record yet again. Being held at the Manhattan Ballroom of Berjaya Times Square Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 19 and 20 December 2010, this year’s iteration organized by Sequential Youth Arts Society (SAYS) is planned to bring “more of everything”, as well as challenge the local perception of what an ACG event can offer to its visitors and the Malaysian ACG community.

In addition to the ever-popular Artists Booth (formerly known as the Doujin Market) and anticipated Cosplay Competitions, Comic Fiesta 2010 will also be premiering new, never-seen-before attractions for all visitors.

Tickets are priced at RM15 for a one-day entry, and may be purchased at the venue itself. Visitors can also choose to pre-order their tickets at RM25 for both days using the order form from the official website. Application forms for the cosplay and karaoke competitions are also available from the website.

For more information of all the activities planned for Comic Fiesta 2010 as well as ticketing inquiries, visit the official website at http://www.comicfiesta.org . It is constantly being updated with new guidelines and the latest announcements.

Comic Fiesta 2010
19 & 20 December 2010
Manhattan Ballroom, Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
http://www.comicfiesta.org

About SAYS

Sequential Youth Arts Society (SAYS) is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization that aims to educate the public about the ever-expanding ACG community in Malaysia. Established in 2009, its ultimate goal is to create a dynamic avenue where local and international creative talents can come together and push the Malaysian creative industry forward through innovative new ideas.