Headphones can help people build good cheap systems, and/or also not have to worry about the room, annoying others with loudness. There's some ground to cover that shouldn't be THAT hard or expensive. If you've "given up" on finding good headphone sound, that's ok, I was already able to take in some good information anyways, but keep in mind you're like an "all knowing master" of audio to some. I think overall what's most important to find are the headphones and then the amp and most successful implementation of them you've found. You seem to like the studio type closed headphones I suppose...could a closed Stax be good? have you tried in-ears? some recent/future ones have more drivers now, from Shure, Westone, Ultimate Ears. Hey! Audio-Technica supposedly have a new studio reference called the ATH-M50...compared to your ATH-M40fs, bigger driver (40mm-45mm), decreased frequency response (5-28,000hz-15-28,000hz), lower ohms (60-38)..who knows? might be a reasonable upgrade to your Audio-Technica, if it is better. Just what amps should we be looking at here? There's a bunch of amps mentioned on the ipastudio gallery section. Also I don't remember much expanding on your experiences with your non-portable sources...not all of us can afford such a great CD transport and all that and well..you know. Of course everyone else here should share some of their experiences with headphone setups too if they feel qualified...I might eventually.

Hi, SearcherOfBetterSound, welcome…

I like headphones a lot and being a software developer I been using them for years. I do not pursuit for “better” headphones then I have. In my past I did - was baying “better” headphones, was baying and building “better” headphone amps but I failed in each of my directions.

With all my “audio strangeness” I keep my loyally to a headphone setup that I discovered many years back: the simple ATH-M40FS headphones driven by Panasonic SL-CT470 walkman. The A-Shock on the CT470 should be off and I use S-XBS EQ curve. I do not claim that it is perfect headphones of sores but TO ME it is a very good Sound. It is the sound that I found extremely neutral from musical perspective and I have no problems to listen it. Interesting is that the CT470 as a player is absolutely horrible. Of course I was trying to drive it into my “big” playback - it was nightmare. The very same is with the M40FS headphones. There are objectively better headphones but they do not do a lot of good for me musically and in many cases juts irritate me (I own the top of the line AudioTechnica headphone and hate it).

So, I have no experience with what might be considered as “headphones”. I would tell you even something more… The way how I see it: when I sit at my couch playing my headphones and then I take them off and play my “room installations” then the sound should not change. Well, it should become better in many aspects: better bass, imaging, space and so on but it should not be affected tonally of change it’s dynamic structure…

Interesting that despite how bad the CT470 and M40FS are but they (from my point of view) do something very proper. If the rest audio will do the same then from where I stay any pursuit for “better” high-end should not be necessary.

I know, it makes sense to think about me in such a way because of not knowing more about me, but I definately have potential to get to good places in audio if I just had some things improved here and there... I have belief in my capability even with my limited experience and technical skill, and this capability is perhaps stange and rare in the young and old audio people world. Sure, I was definately less informed and even crazy before, but recently I have been more serious and learned in audio than I ever have been before. Ever read that one guide on Amazon when looking at headphones? That's where I put the majority/most important of my thoughts for others and myself... Based on what I can find somewhere or create in my head, I actually have some ideas on some stuff sometimes..maybe pretty reasonable ones too, who knows... Reference points compared to you? I don't know...to others? I'd say pretty good...an important thing I'm lacking is experience, I already said I'm young and can't afford much. If I had enough money near the start of my high-end learnings, I probably would've just got a Koss ESP-950 electrostatic headphone system with whatever player and maybe whatever DAC or something you know, and be satisfied for some years or something, just longer than I did from before...but, you really have to take my words from the point of a teenager (which I am by the way).. In a way I just wanted to hear better sound, not reaching for perfection sound, but the whole thing became too equipment oriented too much I suppose, and I suppose lack of funds got me to crack down on learning, and now I probably know more than the average person my age and in general...does this make sense?

I do not know why you got my comment as something about you. To think about you are less that I care. Instead of thinking what I or any other Moron said about audio I would propose you to develop own thinking. Dacs, electrostatics, headphones… they are juts the empty cards in the deck of foolish audio and you might endlessly shovel them, regardless how much money or knowledge you have:

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/set/messages/50629.html

You may follow the pattern of endless Morons (like the Rick R describes) or you might develop identity and rational of own motivations. If you do then the real audio would start.

Anyhow, if you looking for any practical advise from me regarding your headphone then I would encourage you to pay attention to this:

http://www.goodsoundclub.com/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=432

Understanding and practicing it would be an absolutely mandatory from my point of view.  Please understand that it is nothing personal – juts strictly business.

Sorry for being a jerk,
Romy the Cat

SearcherOfBetterSound wrote:

These are overall the best headphones I've used, having neutrality, details, and natural sound.

Nope, they do not have what you call “details”. In fact they are very lay back in the “details” world. However, they do superbly natural sound

SearcherOfBetterSound wrote:

Sort of hard to tell if I like the headphones more alone or with the amp, but I'd say the amp improves the sound pretty reasonably or at least is good for louder volume. Ok, so I've recently did a considerable amount of "window watching" on quite a bunch of tube headphone amps...and I'll say the most interesting ones in overall aspects or instincts I feel now, are the Radii ones and the Antique Sound Lab ones (coincidently, both also sell impedance converters and have 5 headphone products I think)...I guess it sort of makes sense why I feel this way, both create other reasonably professional looking and varying products too (which could equal more experience), unlike a lot of other makers, that sort of probably focus too much on headphones or expensive prices.

It is not my experience – drive them from a headphones jack if your consumer stereo and you will have the result that un-necessary to beat. BTW, the Antique Sound Lab headphones are incredible crap….