Firefly Custom Made Silver Litz interconnect cable 3.5mm to 3.5mm.

I had a local specialist audio shop make me up a short length of Firefly Custom Made Silver Litz interconnect cable with stereo 3.5mm to 3.5mm gold plated jacks on each end. This is used as an interconnect between one of my portable head amps. and my MP5. On testing the results were astounding, clarity is unmatched by any other interconnect, all unnoticed details previously tucked in the back ground were apparent without becoming overbearing. I always felt that silver interconnects were the best and would always bet even the best High - OFC interconnects.

Vinatage Cans: Koss Technician VFR.

Back in the days when I was still at college in UK in the late 70s I purchase dmy first hifi system which consisted of a pair of Mission floor standing speakers, the Rotel RA-1412 integrated amplifier which was much loved, a pair of Koss Technician VFR headphones, a Technics turntable with a SME 3009 series III tonearm mounted using a shure V15 cartridge.

I miss the old Rotel RA-1412 amplifier, I think it was amongst one of the best sounding amps that I ever owned and of course I miss the Koss Technician VFR headphones. The VFR's were unfortunately crushed and damaged beyond repair when I was moving house and I never got around to replacing them, something I still regret to this day.


They were are very good sounding set of can and the VFR stands for variable frequency control. They were the only set of headphones that you could tailor the frequency response for each driver individually.


Although I do not have any information any more on their specifications, I have found some photos which I would like to share with you. If you have any information on their specification, please email me.


I am looking around for a pair in good mint condition and hope to find a pair someday.

Dr. Ion Pouch System for Portable Headphone Amp and MP4/5

I have purchased a couple of the Japanese "Dr. Ion" media pouches because I found them to be most suitable to stack my portable headphone amplifier and MP4/5 player properly together. Durable made of nylon with velcro fasteners and slips onto your belt conveniently. Also comes with karabiner to hook up to your back back.

Dr. Ion on the web: http://www.strapya.com/products/3066.html&zenid=6d4a8c9b1d2a3fda35f39bce9b891d04

Full Size Cans: Sony MDR-900HD High Definition Studio Monitors.

I am going to talk about the Sony MDR-V900HD full sized dynamic headphones, they should not be confused with the standard MDR- V900 studio monitors which are no longer in production (See my other review). The HD stands for High definition - 5Hz - 80,000Hz - frequency response rating would classify them as high definition ear cans.

About the sound, the highs are clear and sharp and I have noticed new details in some of my favorite pieces of music as a result using the Sony's. They are a bit more refined and well rounded generally when compared to my MDR-V900 standard model. Great highs and Mid range, very warm sound, very sensitive. Insufficient bass definition for bass-heavy music.



There is some controversy about burn in for headphones, IMHO there is a period where all new hi fi equipment needs to burn to reach it's intended optimal performance and headphones are no different. With these cans, I found the sound and dynamics opening up even further after about 40 hours of use and the bass extension further improving. But to be frank the M-Audio Q40 Studiophile headphones are much better sounding. The lower price range Sony MDR-V700DJ take a mere 15 to 20 hours to burn in. To be fair to the HD's, after the burn in period, I found the bass extension improving quite a bit and the bass tightening and being better controlled. You need to give them time.

The Sony MDR-V900HD Studio Monitor are a Close-Type Headphone System which features an Aura-nomic design. 50mm driver. High Definition driver. Neodymium magnets. Reversible ear cups for single side monitoring. Concealed, single-sided class 1LC-OFC coiled cord. Sony retails them for $259.99.

These headphones are good but for the price range they are not what I expect for the value hence I would only give them a 4.6 out of 5. Ambiance and aire are a selling point of the monitors which give live recordings and vocals a very vivid and almost real sound stage.

Note: I received a comment that the brown padding on the ear cups and head band seems to indicate a fake. On the contrary if you check out the Sony website and study carefully, the padding is not black but very very dark brown. The second photo that I took is over-exposed the first one is the correct color tone. The cans came from Sony in original box direct with warranty so I am not that worried. I have also ordered a set of look alike and have made comparisons. The cushions are of a different feel, the molding for the ear cups are not finished as well as the originals and the padding for the ear cups do not fold well over the molding. As for sound, there is some difference between the look alike and the originals, less details, sound stage is not well defined and the bass is muddy.

Check the Sony website for your self and study closely the padding and the ear cups and you will see that they are indeed very very dark brown in color: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11033604


Construction is very good and they are extremely attractive and look good.

Audio

• Driver Unit : 50mm
  
• Frequency Response : 5Hz - 80,000Hz
  
• Impedance : 24 ohms
  
• Sensitivity : 107dB/mW
  

General Product Type Headphones Headphones Headphones Type Headphones - Binaural Headphones Form Factor Ear-cup Headphones Technology Dynamic Connectivity Technology Wired Sound Output Mode Stereo Diaphragm 2 in

Connector Type

1 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )

Miscellaneous
Cables Included	1 x Headphones cable - Integrated - 10 ft

Full Size Can: M-Audio Q40 Studiophile.

The first time I put on these headphones and listened to them I was sold and fell in love with them in well under five minutes, the sound is excellent, bass is tight and well controlled and extension is very good, mid range a upper range definition are superb. They are comfortable, isolation from outside noise is excellent. They look great - I would describe them as sleek and sexy.

Extremely well designed with detachable cord. You cannot say no and you have to buy them and take them home, they are just that good. This is a must own headphone and I give it a full 5 out of 5 rating.The stereo imaging is top notch and the sound stage is very definite, clear and well defined. Two thumbs up on an excellent set of headphones from M-Audio.

Below is M-Audio's marketing:

Comfort and Convenience

The Studiophile Q40s are designed to go the distance with you—from traveling the globe to marathon studio sessions. A collapsible design means they’ll easily fit in your carry-on luggage. The included storage bag protects them from dust and damage. The convenient removable and replaceable cord extends the life of your investment. And the large, padded ear cups completely surround your ears, ensuring a comfortable fit hour after hour.

Superior Drivers

Full frequency response owes much to the size and construction of a speaker’s driver. The Studiophile Q40 headphones feature extra-large 40mm-diameter drivers—bigger than most other headphones—for extended low frequencies. Bass response is also enhanced by efficient components like neodymium magnets, copper-clad aluminum voice coils and vented diaphragms made of low-mass treated mylar. These elements come together in M-Audio’s custom enclosure, which has been specially tuned to further maximize low-frequency extension.

Closed-back, Circum-aural Design

With sealed backings and comfortable ear cups that completely surround the ears, the Studiophile Q40 headphones deliver excellent sonic isolation for accurate monitoring. You’ll hear more detail at lower volumes, so you can protect your hearing while tracking, mixing or listening in any noisy environment. In addition, the Q40 headphones afford privacy when working in a shared space.

Full Frequency Response

Headphones deliver a level of sound quality matched only by speakers costing a great deal more—especially when it comes to low frequencies. With the Studiophile Q40 headphones, you’ll feel like you’re listening to a full-sized set of reference monitors in a professional studio environment. The Q40s provide excellent imaging and a wide sound stage for accurate mixing—without the hassle of worrying about speaker placement or room acoustics.

Top Features

40mm drivers > exceptional frequency response and detail

closed-back circum-aural design > excellent isolation from outside noise

lightweight frame with comfortable earpads > superior comfort for extended usage

detachable, replaceable cord > convenience, protects your investment

collapsible design > take them anywhere Specifications frequency response: 10Hz to 20kHz sensitivity: 116dB SPL (1mW IEC318) rated impedance: 64 Ω weight without cable: 0.25 kg magnet material: neodymium driver: 40mm Mylar

Fun Cans: Zumreed Dream ZHP-005 Color Headphones.

The Zumreed ZHP-005 Color headphones are a fun pair full sized dynamic type cans which are colorful incorporate a retro style look and provide above average performance. I have not said excellent because I think the bass is not tight enough and the bass extension although adequate could be a litte more. The mid range and upper range clarity is extremely good.


Zumreed is known for their bright and color headphones. The newest addition to their line, the Dream ZHP-005 Color Headphones, are no exception. These retro looking spherical headphones are available in five colors, ranging from bright green, blue and pink to the more subdued black and white version. The bands are padded around high quality stainless steel for a durable, yet fashionable look. Be the envy of everyone on the street and the first to sport these ultra-trendy headphones. These are indeed a fun pair of cans with good performance.

Specifications:
Driver Unit: 40mm
Impedance: 32 ohms
Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000Hz
Largest input: 40mW
Sensitivity: 104 +/- 3db
Plug: Stereo mini-plug (diameter 3.5mm and straight type, 24K gold-plating)
Cord length: 1.2 m
Size: W140 x H175 x D67 mm

EPC-303 MP5 8GB 3.0 Inch TFT LCD Screen Player - Red / Black

Today I am going to introduce to you my Chinese made EPC-303 MP5 8GB 3.0 Inch TFT LCD Screen Player - Red / Black. Resolution:400*240, 16:9 wide screen with 16000K true color with lively & vivid picture. Supports video format: AVI, RM, RMVB, MPEG-4, WMV & FLASH.


This bad boy plays movie directly (load from internet) without Transcoding Tool. Most of movies downloaded from the interest are supported directly. Music formats supported: PE,FLAC,MP3,WMA,RA,ACC,OGG. Adopts PlayFX technology for 3D & true sound effects. With FM and FM recording. Built-in EQ: 8 EQ system of Normal, Rock, Pop, Classic, Self-defined, Bass, Jazz, Play-FX.

Supports small picture preview, lantern slide play, picture circumgyrate and zoom, music background ect functions. Clock function, Stopwatch function, Calendar function.

Supports Micro SD, bulit in Speaker,LI-Battery,Photo Viewer. The main features are:

• Supports Multi-Format Audio / Video Files as MP3, WMA, MPEG, AVI, RM, RMVB...etc.
• 3.0 Inch TFT LCD Display Screen
• Internal Memory: 8GB
• Multi-Tasking Function Supported
• Supports Audio Playback - MP3, WMA, FLAC, APE, AAC, PLAY FX sound effect; Excellent sound effect performance
• Supports TF Card of Storage Capacity 512MB to 2GB
• Supports Photo Browsing in JPEG, BMP, GIF format and automatic photo browsing
• Long Time Voice Recording with Built-in Microphone
• Energy-saving setting, adjustable brightness and automatic shut-off setting
• Multiple Sound effects and repetition models for selection
• FM Radio Function (may be selected)
• Supports WIN2000, WIN XP, VISTA system
• Supports high speed USB2.0 transmission with speed up to 4MB/s
• Supports E-book reading and bookmark functions
• Supports DRM9 data superiority management
• Movable disk function
• Supports multi-tasking function, can read E-book and meanwhile listen to music
• Multi-language support: English, Chinese...etc.
• Approved: CE / FCC
• earphone
• USB cable
• Power Charger adapter
• User manual(Chinese)
• Mini CD with driver or software
• SRP = $63.48 per pc.
• SNR: >85dB
• Frequency response: 20HZ~20KHZ
  
• Supports break point memory play, spectrum, ID3, lyrics display functions etc.
  
• Battery capacity: 3.7V 600mA Polymer li-ion cell
• Operation: Windows2000/XP/Vista

Two Head-Fi'er Reference Periodicals.

There are two head-fi'er periodicals that I subscribe to which I call my Bibles as they are the most up to date source of information on all matters relating to headphones, earphones and head amps. The first is the Headphone Collectable source book for 2008-2009 from Taiwan and the second is the Headphone Style magazine from Japan. See below:

Dire Straits: Walk Of Life.

Dire Straits: So Far Away.

Eric Clapton: Layla (Unplugged).

Peter Frampton: Show Me The Way.

Heart: Magic Man.

The DFX Audio Experience.

Remember I wrote about the DFX software plug in another thread, well there is a DFX outboard sound adapter that I also use. A USB outboard sound card adapter. Cost US$49.99 from: http://www.fxsound.com/dfxadapter/index.php?vendor=0&subvendor=0&plus=0&refer=0 Read below the manufacturers details on the DFX Sound Adapter:

Dramatically Improves Audio Playback Quality Most PC's and all laptops include an "on-board" audio system used for audio playback. Unfortunately, in order to keep the manufacturing cost as low as possible most PC manufacturers tend to use rather low quality electronics for these on-board sound cards. In addition, all motherboard mounted sound cards suffer from unwanted noise and distortion due to the fact that they receive a great deal of interference from the other closely mounted digital electronics. The DFX Adapter uses high quality audio components, specially selected for low noise, low distortion, and high audio separation. In addition, the audio systems in the DFX Adapter are located away from the digital noise generated by the PC motherboard. These two important features allow the DFX Adapter to dramatically improve your PC audio quality. Surround Sound Processing The DFX Adapter provides the outputs for stereo systems as well as all six outputs necessary for 5.1 Surround Sound Systems. The DFX Adapter also generates a full Surround Sound audio field from your normal stereo MP3 files. This makes full use of your Surround Sound audio system with normal stereo audio files. Highly Improves Audio Recording Quality If you plan to use your PC for recording, for example recording live music events or converting your LP record collection into MP3 files, the DFX Adapter is a very affordable way to insure top quality recordings. The audio recording systems built into most PC's are typically very poor, even much worse than the audio playback systems. The DFX Adapter gives you a recording quality that is only equaled by recording systems costing hundred's of dollars. Easy Installation, No Driver Required The DFX Adapter interfaces with your PC or laptop using the standard preinstalled Windows USB driver. This means you don't need any special software installation procedures. Installing your DFX Adapter is as simple as plugging it into a USB port and then plugging your speakers into the DFX Adapter's speaker output. Highly Portable, use with your Desktop PC and your Laptop Since the DFX Adapter is truly "plug and play" you can use it both with your desktop and quickly take it with you to use with your laptop for music listening on the road. It can be disconnected from your PC and reconnected to your laptop in literally just seconds. DFX Adapter Out Performs in Lab Tests One of the most important measures of audio performance is the Signal to Noise (S/N) ratio. This ratio shows how much undesired extra noise has been added to the audio signal by the audio system. When comparing the DFX Adapter to popular PC desktops and laptops we found that the DFX Adapter improved the S/N ratio by as much as 22 dB, and in no case was the improvement less than 10 dB. The laboratory testing showed similar dramatic improvements in reduced distortion and improved audio separation.

Works great with DFX Audio Enhancement plug-in

Our DFX Enhancer software restores the audio fidelity and depth that is lost during the MP3 encoding/decoding process. The DFX Adapter complements the DFX Enhancer software by greatly improving the hardware quality of your PC audio system. The combination of the DFX Enhancer software with the DFX Adapter hardware gives you the best possible audio quality from your PC.

Vintage Cans: Technics EAH-Z100 Earphones.

Today I was doing some house cleaning and came across a pair of old vintage ear cans I had forgotten about, the Technics EAH-Z100 earbuds. These old faithfuls were very good in their day. So I plugged them in for old time sake and they still work as good as ever. I will remember to use them a bit more. Here are just a few pics of this good oldie.