Great Guide to Op-Amps

Wow!  This guide is quite comprehensive for starters on the commonly used Op-Amps out there.

For you to understand my subjective evaluations, here are the definitions of the terms I will use in the description.
Resolution is the ability of the sound card to reproduce clearly all the sound sources in a sound scene. A high-resolution card can “draw” the sounding objects against a dark background so that the objects do not get fuzzy or intermingle. The resolution is lacking if you don’t feel the distance to the sounding objects.
Lack of depth versus flat scene. In the former case, all the objects are too close to the listener but the resolution is not poor since you can tell that the objects are at a different distance from you. In the latter case, the objects all merge into a solid wall of sounds and there is no resolution at all.
Transparency is one more constituent of high resolution. Sounds and echoes do not merge together. There is always a perceivable layer of air between sound sources.
Coloring, particularly of vocals, is the addition of unnatural or irritating intonations to the timbre. Coloring often provokes a desire to switch the sound off but never to make it louder.
Tonal balance is the perception of the total volume of all the objects sounding at different frequencies. Comparing the tonal balance by quickly switching sound sources allows to easily discover a coloring as it makes a certain range of frequencies stand out above the rest.
Micro-dynamics is the sound card’s ability to reproduce the quietest sounds and reverberations in all detail. For example, a struck string is going to get quieter and quieter, but its timbre must remain the same until its sound goes out completely.
Detailedness, as opposed to micro-dynamics, does not tell anything about how natural the quiet sounds are. Some sounds can be heard but you won’t know their origin.

In any case, if you are interested in a value for money DAC/Amplifier series, I would personally recommend FIIO. They have a range of DAC/Amplifier to suit your needs and I have a Fiio E7 for portability and Fiio E11 for the desktop. You will definitely notice a different in sound quality along the lines of the above described article.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/auzen-xfi-home-theater-hd_6.html#sect0

How to Listen to Music Critically!

This is a good blog on how to listen to music critically using your headphones and amps and dacs.

With all the reviews by headphones and IEM gurus about what they spot in the sound signature and details of the music thru' their headgears and accessories, wouldn't you want to be able to identity what the gurus picked up. This is important training for your ears as it helps to open them up to a whole new dimensions and make your EXPENSIVE headphones worth its price.

For untrained ears, we actually do not need anything above $200 because we will not notice a big difference between a $100 and >$200 headphones nowadays. It is simply because we do not know what to details to catch or spot.

So, just try this simple app and then try your sub$100 headphone and <$200 headphone and be marvelled at your EARS kung-fu!

How to Listen is a desktop software application developed by the Harman International R&D group for the purpose of training and selecting listeners used in audio product research, development, and testing. The software consists of a number of training exercises where different kinds of timbral, spatial and dynamic distortions commonly found within the recording and audio chains are simulated and added to music.

The listener’s task is to identify, classify or rate these distortions according to a number of well-defined perceptual attributes and scales. The software automatically adjusts the difficulty of each training task based on the listener’s performance. 

We are happy to offer a free beta version of this software to audio enthusiasts in the hope that they will use it to improve their critical listening skills and appreciation for high quality sound reproduction. Enjoy!

http://harmanhowtolisten.blogspot.sg/

AKG Q701

The flat-out perfection that you would expect from Quincy Jones.

Why not choose the only brand of headphones that GRAMMY® award winning producer Quincy Jones swears by? Click here to View Larger

Music producers depend on studio headphones for their success, and with an unprecedented 79 GRAMMY® nominations, no music producer has achieved greater success than Quincy Jones. Here at the home of AKG® audio technology, we are proud to honor Quincy's long association with our brand by creating Signature Edition Q701 headphones, the most accurate and responsive headphones we've ever produced. Featuring the revolutionary flat-wire voice coils and patented two-layer diaphragms of their studio counterparts, Q701s deliver pinpoint imaging in an endless soundscape of unequaled realism. And they do it with all the style and élan of the man himself.

"These are the only headphones I've heard that bring out the true sound we were striving for on records like "Billie Jean," "Thriller" and "Give Me the Night." It's the best quality  sound I've heard, ever." -Quincy Jones

Click here to see what others are saying!

Listen Closer.

AKG® Acoustics was founded in 1947 in Vienna, Austria. The company quickly established a reputation for superior microphones and other audio equipment in radio stations, theaters and jazz clubs around Europe.

More than 60 years and 1,500 patents later, the AKG® brand is one of the most famous in professional audio-producing microphones, headphones and wireless technology for recording studios, radio and TV stations and opera houses. AKG equipment has gone on tour with Frank Sinatra, Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart and Kanye West. In 2010, AKG engineers received a GRAMMY® award for their technological innovations and contributions to the music industry.

Highlights

The AKG Q 701's flat-wire voice coils increase efficiency for a stronger more uniformm magnetic field than found in the typical round voice coil design

Revolutionary flat-wire voice-coil technology.

Once upon a time, the airy, immersive soundstages of true dramatic sound were the exclusive domain of high-end speakers and microphones - that is, until AKG® became the first to engineer flat-wire technology into the headset's voice coil. Flat, aluminum wire creates a stronger, more uniform magnetic field in the voice coil, enabling the Q701s' diaphragm to track audio signals with unprecedented accuracy. It also allows for a lighter, smaller coil that increases motor efficiency and significantly lowers impedance, resulting in a soundstage of unequaled realism you'll notice, especially in the lower frequencies.

The Q 701's patented Varimotion diaphragms deliver unparalled detail and transient reponse, much like a high-end loudspeaker. Click here to View Larger

Patented AKG® Varimotion ultra precision two-layered diaphragm.

The Q701s generate accurate sound and exceptional transient response by optimizing the diaphragm to prevent unwanted vibration modes. Its stiff 80-µm center acts as the tweeter, providing a pistonic, undistorted HF response while the more pliant 40-µm perimeter handles the increased excursion required to generate perfect vibration performance in the mid- and low-frequency ranges.

Even the Q 701's cable is engineered to deliver the highest possible audio signal from what ever you may be listening to.

Bi-wiring, high-performance cable with a 1/4-inch jack plug.

We never compromise at AKG®, and to ensure you get the best possible audio signal from amplifier to eardrum, we have engineered the same level of quality and revolutionary technology in the Q701s' cable assembly as we have in the headset itself. It begins with true bi-wiring. Independent grounds for each motor assembly rather than a common ground result in a balanced design for maximum possible stereo separation. Then we utilize detachable, oxygen-free (99.99% OFC) copper cables, terminated with a 1/4-inch jack plug. Two cable lengths are included: 10 feet for hi-fi and 20 feet for TVs or large rooms. Also included is a stylish machined-metal 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch minijack converter.

The Q 701's 3-D form ear pads along with an open-back design. Click here to View Larger

Comfortable, specially shaped 3-D-form ear pads.

The Q701s have been designed in collaboration with the award-winning Austrian design firm Kiska to embody AKG's signature styling aesthetic without compromising functionality or comfort. Foams of different densities combine to create the Q701s' huge, ear-enveloping, velvet 3-D-form ear pads, ergonomically shaped for a precise, repeatable fit. This shape combines with their open-back design, allowing the drivers to be aimed at the ears to produce the ideal acoustical transmission.

The padded headband fits comfortably and stays comfortable over extended use. Click here to View Larger

Padded, leather headband with gimbal suspension system.

We've designed the Q701s to be comfortable and durable by wrapping the unbreakable metal arches of the Q701s'gimbal suspension system in a stylish, padded genuine leather sling. The result is a truly a luxurious fit that is never warm nor tight, allowing you to enjoy the pinpoint imaging and immersive soundscape of the Q701s for hours at a time.

Individually tested and numbered.

The Q701s are hand-crafted in Vienna by our most experienced engineers and are individually tested, calibrated and numbered. They are backed by a two-year parts-and-labor warranty.

Click here to see what others are saying!

Key Features

Evolutionary flat-wire technology

Patented Varimotion diaphragms

High-performance neodymium magnets

99.99% oxygen-free, single sided cable

Individually tested and numbered; made in Austria

"3-D Form" earpads

Professional jack plug

Padded, genuine leather headband

Unbreakable metal arches

3M/6M cables included

Key Features

Evolutionary flat-wire technology

Patented Varimotion diaphragms

High-performance neodymium magnets

99.99% oxygen-free, single sided cable

Individually tested and numbered; made in Austria

"3-D Form" earpads

Professional jack plug

Padded, genuine leather headband

Unbreakable metal arches

3M/6M cables included

Click here to see what others are saying!

Philips Citiscape Uptown Headphone

Philips introduced a few series of headphones targeted at different segment of the market and i got myself the Philips Citiscape Uptown headphone. The segment of market as defined by Philips

The Philips CitiScape Uptown over-ear headset combines premium sound quality and street-savvy style with a comfortable, durable design to deliver a truly immersive sound experience. Inspired by vintage motorcycle gear, these stylish headphones feature noise-isolating memory foam ear cushions and MusicSeal technology to provide complete musical privacy. A quilted leather headband adds to your comfort.

Glossary

Warm:                  

Concerning the tonal balance, lowend, midrange emphasis and neutral to dark sounding highs which leads to a more thick/fullier/meaty or "fun" sound. 

Cold:                   

Concerning the tonal balance, highs emphasis and neutral to dark / recessed lowend (doesn't necessarily have to be) and midrange, especially recession in the upper-bass to lower-midrange. Thin/edgy/sharp analytical sound.

Forward:              

Up-front/in-your-face/powerful/engaging sound. Often results in smaller soundstage and more smeared instrument separation (instruments flows into each other creating a more united sound).

Laid-back:            

Relaxed/distant sound. Often results in bigger soundstage and clearer instrument separation.

(Tonal) balance:  

The relevance/emphasis of the different frequencies compared to each other across the whole sonic spectrum. Results in various amount of clarity or detail and brightness or darkness in the sound etc.

To give a gauge of what I have been listening, my current collection of headphones are :-
1) Ultrasone HFI-780 (closed-backed) - Forward and Cold
2) Sennheiser HD518 (open-backed) - Laid back and Warm
3) Superlux 668B (open-backed) - Forward and Cold
4) Creative Aurvana Live! (closed-backed) - Laid back and Warm
5) AKG Q701 (open-backed)  - Forward and Cold


 
Below comparison will be with respect to all my 5 headphones.

Design
i) Sound Isolation :- 9/10
Ambient noise is not as audible as compared to the closed-backed headphones I have, let alone the open-backed ones.

ii) Build quality :- 10/10
I would say at the given price point, it has excellent build quality with a very psuedo-luxurious look and feel to it. All my other headphones look cheap in comparison to this one. The headband is supposedly air-filled. I would forsee in the near feature a problem with these as air might leak out. In any case, we can always buy a Downtown headband wrapper for our Uptown. The feel I get is akin to getting an iPad instead of an Android Tablet.

iii) Comfort :- 9/10
Comparable to the Creative Aurvana Live! in comfort as it has very soft and plush pleather pads(looks like pleather similar to those on the Creative). The pads cover your ear without problem unlike the HFI-780 and Creative, which has some parts of the pads touching the tip of my ears. Clamping force is a little bit more than the Creative, but not as excessive as any of the other phones.


Sound Signature
i) Soundstage :- 6/10
Very similar in width to the other closed-backed phones. Definitely the open-backed ones has more width to it. Depth-wise, the Citiscape Uptown actually is not very good. I cannot hear the layering of instruments, it is very congested on a straight line. The Creatives has a better depth and width than Citiscape Uptown.

ii) Tonal Balance :- 9/10
I must say everything just blends in together nicely. The tonal balance is so soothing and laidback with enough bass, forward mids and rolled-off trebles. Everything just gels and you are listening to music, not analyzing it. So, like the niche market targeted by philips for the uptown, this is more for casual listener who want to upgrade to mid-fi (I would say very entry-level mid-fi quality). For critical listener, the Philips Uptown just does not cut it. The clarity and details are actually not as good as any of the headphones I owned. If you think Sennheiser's are like listening to music from behind a veil, this one sounds like you are listening to it from behind a curtain. lol. BUT, I still loved it. It's just so soothing and less fatiguing.


Conclusion
I have bought the Citiscape Uptown and I think I will hold on to this headphones. A value-for-money purchase based on the overall package. I got it for usd$120, but that's the max I would pay as the sound feels like a $90 phones but luxurious feel of it is like a $400-500 phones. This would be a SELLOUT if it was priced below usd$90. They are very comfortable and it sound just right for those lazy days and casual listening. No ear fatigue for this one when compared to my Forward and Cold sets of headphones. I guess I like warm and laid-back most days and only the forward and cold when i'm in the mood for some critical listening.

You can get more reviews from Amazon.

Bugbears that might deter you from buying :-
1) Headphone cable that looks filmsy and cannot be unplugged.
2) Ear pads that are GLUED to the headset itself. No option to change again.
3) The air-quilted headband. If air leaks out, how do you change the headband.
4) No 1/4 inch jack.
It seems either Philips are very confident of their quality or they intend to get you to change headphones frequently. In which case, why would I buy a Philips again if i know it will get damaged and I have no option to swop the minor accessories on it.