This sucks


I just liquidated my old system [http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vstrt&1125889203&view] and replaced it with the follwing: Marantz SA8260 (on Mapleshade Surefoot), to Purist Audio Maximus ICs, to Cary 300SEI (on Mapleshade Heavyfoot with PS Audio Lab I PC and Sophia 300b) to Blue Dragon headphone cable to Senn HD650. There is NO bottom end and the whole soundstage sounds smeared and just overall horrible. What the hell was I thinking?? Is there a link in my current chain that might be causing this?? Is this the best I can expect from my headphone system?
pawlowski6132
You need to let us (or your dealer,therapist,etc) why you wanted to go from such a differnet transducer i.e the Von Schweikerts to a headphone?If it were and issue that you needed quiet in the house you might have done what a fellow did in a virtual system recently posted which was ditch the he man rig and go for a Cain&Cain with nearfield drivers and flea power since he wanted to listen at lower levels because he just had a baby and wanted lower volume without sacrificing dynamics.Break in maybe as suggested.A swap out hear or there to get what you want MIGHT do it but maybe you thought it was going to sound like $20K Senheisser tube unit.Though different in a variety of how music is recieved some folks for years insisted that electrostatic headphones (usually STAX) were THE BEST and PUREST way to listen to music.Me I'd rather a basic $10K rig with maybe Maggies or the new Quads or better yyet the plethora of $20K speakers from Ariel or $100,00K set up's by Martin Logan or Wilson.Maybe Chucki has the bestb idea for you.Of if you can swing the new model 99 (?) Von S speakers made for the SET crowd.On the cheap there are some well regarded $500 Omega's using Fostex drivers though the Cain & Cain while tall have a small print and everybodyn loves 'em especially for the price.My guess is no cable,interconnect,or headphone will make you happy.
Sympathy and best of luck rising from the ashes
Chazzbo
Pawlowski6132 again, as was mentioned before, I don't think it's the gear. How long have you burned it in? I haven't found a cable or piece of equipment that doesn't come into its own only after many, many, sometimes a hundred or more hours of break in. I have cables that needed two hundred running hours, no less... but it has been worth it. Hang in there. To say you made the right choices... only your ears can be the ultimate judge of that. LOL Cheers!
The problem is the Senn's.

Try the Beyerdynamic DT880's, and maybe some of the Audio Technica phones for more bass.
You are comparing apples with oranges. There is no soundstage with headphones, there is nothing in front of you, it is all between your ears. There is no real bass with headphones. Real bass is felt as well as heard, and you can't get the feeling part from phones.

They are what they are. They serve a purpose but they can't replace speakers.

Besides, I can't relax at home when I'm listeming to headphones as I always have this paranoid feeling that someone is sneaking up behind me and I can't hear them. I like them for air travel though.
I agree with you, "What the hell were your thinking?" It's not surprising that you're not happy now since you were never able to clearly articulate why and for what purpose you wanted to change your system. Changing things just to change will get you nowhere faster than the rest of us.

Herman is partially right, headphones do not soundstage like speakers, but they can have deep bass. In fact, headphones are capable of far better bass reproduction than speakers because they are not effected by room modes.