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Audio Bliss with Bose
Topic Started: 3 Mar 2007, 06:48 PM (623 Views)
teddysaur
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I hate to write this but I think I found audio bliss with Bose QC2 headphone with Tomahawk of course.

I have an UM2 and recently went to buy an Ipod nano g2 and Tomahawk. Before getting the nano & TM, I was listening to UM2 with iaudio U3. Much better combo than Bose with U3. So UM2 took up most of my time. However after switching to nano and TM, the sound did not the least please me. it was boring, unengaging, and overly bright. The sound imaging seems far and 2D. I was at the verge of selling this combo. While my Bose is sitting in my drybox, I decided to take it out to test with nano, TM & QC2 combo.

Surpisingly, the music became engaging, wide soundstage and 3 dimensional. I feel like sitting first row alone with the band in the indoor stadium. Vocal is sweet and detail to a point you can understand what the singer is trying to express. I smiled :D

Knowing Bose SQ is not the best and there are better headphones in the market, I should give other headphones a try. HD650? DT880? K701?
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aaron-xp
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Boy
I suppose it has a lot to do with your personal preference in sound signature (ie. more bassy and dark, rather than "mid-rangy" stuff). However, it probably has a lot to do with the nano, seeing how you preferred the UM2 when using the U3.

I personally would not recommend using the HD650, DT880 nor the K701 for a portable set-up (it just seems ridiculous to carry around such huge stuff). Higher end universal IEMs? Or even customs (though it seems a tad bit risky to go for customs when your are unsure of your liking towards certain IEMs).

A change of source will probably do you some good, but I wouldn't recommend that if you have just got a new nano. Perhaps a refurbished 1st generation Shuffle for an ultra portable?
team Lover, You Should've Come Over
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teddysaur
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Definitely it's a personal perference but a few factors that made me feel the "WOW".

Firstly, UM2 is a IEM and will produce sound directly recorded from the mic. This creates a "in the band" imaging in the head. This is good for U3 combo. However after switching to nano & TMH, somehow the sound became somehow strange. TMH somehow broaden the soundstage seperation of the instruments and brought vocal further. Imaging such soundstage is just confusing, or rather not right however Bose had a sound image which I like.

I get the sense that vocal is singing in front of me(not directly in my ears). Clear and detail. the music felt 3 dimensional, huge soundstage yet behind the vocal. I really like such sound imaging which I gave the "WOW" factor.

UM2 also does not handle sibiliance well. TMH makes it worse and listening to such music is a pain to my ears.

I'll be interested to see how E500 will perform with nano & TMH combo.
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zonalblitz
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I suppose if you want to look for a headphone that share the same or better analytical qualities, you might wish to look at the Beyerdynamic Monitors. Although they are little more expensive than the audiophile line, some said they are nearly flawless in their sound reproduction quality.

I am a fan of closed headphones and monitors myself. I would certainly recommend the Beyerdynamic monitors if you are seeking high resolution audio for analytical listening yet musical as its balanced form. I am not sure about your preference in detail but this is what I gathered about your love for details.
If impressing/being impressed is how it gets you around, forget it. It is not gonna happen.
The world of audiophile and fine living is not an Olympics.

Team "> Two Thousand Dollars Only" per Portable Audio Rig

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genocide
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well qc2 is good for bass freak, if ur looking for clarity, then this would not be a good choice.

Comfy wise, ill say nothing beats it till today :D

since u said u find audiobliss with toma, now im interested to get 1 too to try on my qc2 as well.
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Fongalv
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What member?
Hey teddysaur, I'm just curious, have you tried other likes of full sized headphones? I'm not trying to discount the QC2(I know its got its own due of supporters), and definitely it performs pretty well as a headphone, but its usually the price/performance ratio that makes it so unappealing among the likes of us, and not because that it gives poor SQ.

From your posts, it seems to me that "you like QC2 because it sounds better than the UM2". Do bear in mind that you are comparing an IEM with a full sized headphone here, and even a pair of cheap KSC-75 can easily smoke any IEM out there in terms of soundstaging. IMO IEMs usually offer a more "upfront" and "intimate" experience, and is usually more suited for rock/vocals, while coming a little short when it comes to big band/orchestral works.

Its great that you seem to have found some kind of synergy between the Tommahawk and the QC2 that you like a lot, but once you have the chance to upgrade(or need to upgrade :P), try to base your further comparisons within the same category, ie. IEM with IEM, headphones with headphones, etc. That would give a much clearer picture :).

My 2 cents.

Music, without life is lame...Life, without music is crippled...
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teddysaur
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I did some A/B testing between Nano -> QC2 and Nano -> TMH -> QC2

Nano -> QC2

Vocal is more upfront and wider overwhelming the background music. IEM tends to do that.

Nano -> TMH -> QC2

Vocal seem further back and narrow. Able to visualize a person infront of me singing.

I have not tried other full sized headphone yet but definitely will be interested. Gotta find time to drop by Jaben again.

The synergy with Bose is definitely impressive enough to take notice. Probably not on the clarity on the instrument but the overall presentation. The vocal is definitely clear and smooth to my ears and standing in front of me singing. When you close your eyes and visualize, you can hear as a person standing infront singing and focus like a point. I didn't really test with orchestral works though.

UM2 has became piercing to my ears now :cry: Hopefully it's not a change of taste
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zonalblitz
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Anyway, I noticed the Tomahawks tend to bring the soundstage forward towards the listener or to the sides. The amplifier is also responsive to interconnect changes and stuffs like that.

Have fun!
If impressing/being impressed is how it gets you around, forget it. It is not gonna happen.
The world of audiophile and fine living is not an Olympics.

Team "> Two Thousand Dollars Only" per Portable Audio Rig

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ahdui
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aux!
The tomahawk pushes the soundstage forward towards the side to create a wider soundstage.

To change the sound signature of your um2, you can change your interconnect since it is cheaper to change because i doubt you will want to sell your beloved tomahawk lol.

Headphones and IEMs are of 2 different worlds and for the same price you pay for either a headphone or an IEM, the headphone is usually of superior SQ.
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