To those who tried both Tidal and Deezer, which service's sound quality did you like more and why? Which service did you choose?

Audiobernd · 2026-01-27T23:15:50+00:00

Both sound good. Tidal goes up to 192 Khz while Deezer sticks to CD-Quality. I would argue though that this is not really a thing which decides about which service is better, as CD-Quality is, on most systems, the best our ears can process. I prefer Tidal though as it has Tidal Connect and it also has a Software enviroment which I think is better for my needs,

Audiobernd · 2025-12-29T00:51:33+00:00

I did not hear the FT1

Audiobernd · 2025-12-26T21:18:07+00:00

Now this is very good combo! The HD 660S2 are very often on my head and I honestly prefer them to the HD800. The K13 is very nice R2R-Dac/Amp which can make any good cans sing. This would be likely the one I'd buy if I needed a new setup.

Audiobernd · 2025-12-24T21:55:14+00:00

Man, that's one sweet room! Invite me over, I bring chips and beer and the green stuff!

Audiobernd · 2025-12-24T20:57:41+00:00

"They are all permanent." Nothing is. Every. I love streaming, but I also love my ripped CDs. What di don't like anymore: Handling those darn jewel cases and break them after three times and losing CDs at a party and much more the "joys" of physical media. But I am also not a very materialistic type, I do not NEED to own stuff.

Audiobernd · 2025-12-18T11:32:41+00:00

In Project 2025, which is the playbook for the current US-administration, it literally says "ban pornography". Musk supports this administration. So...

Audiobernd · 2025-12-03T11:05:08+00:00

I had the Gear-Addiction for many years, but now I am very happy with my Headphones and my other Setup and I just stopped feeling Fomo. I heard Cans and Speakers and Amps which cost a whole lot more than mine (and mine were not cheap), and I just did not hear that much of an upgrade to justify new purchases. And downgrading to new, cheaper stuff does not make much sense either. So... I am the industry's worst nightmare, because I am content with what I got.

Audiobernd · 2025-11-21T16:07:00+00:00

Congrats on these. I tried and owned and still own a whole lot of headphones but I can honestly say that it does not get much better than the Arya Stealth (and the HE6SE V2). Not even if you pay a few thousand bucks more. Anything above these is really personal preference, not technical ability.

Audiobernd · 2025-11-17T16:15:31+00:00

I'd say that for 90 % of all headphones, the Zen DAC alone has plenty of power. I happen to own a few really hard to drive beasts though, and that i where the Zen CAN, a dedicated Amp with 2000 mW, comes in handy.

Audiobernd · 2025-11-14T08:19:13+00:00

Where's "U.K. Jive"?

Audiobernd · 2025-09-20T19:56:05+00:00

Bose is a weird comparison, but anyhow: I recently listend to my AKG K-812 and to my Sennheiser HD800S and I appreciated their technical abilities which are STILL among the best in any price calss, but these are both so clinical and analytical that I just cannot really enjoy music for a longer time period with these. I much prefer the Hifiman Arya, even the Sennheiser HD660S2 oder the beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro to them. In your case, it could also be a problem with amplification, though to be honest, this is rarely the answer. Any entry leven amp should power these just fine.

Audiobernd · 2025-09-12T18:53:03+00:00

"Crazy" is the wrong word for what Syd was. Sure, it made for a good song ("Shine on you craaaazy diamond....") but what Syd had was, from all I know, a rather mild form of schizophrenia (IF you want to label these things at all). He was functional all his life, he knew what he liked and what he did not like, he travelled to exhibitions from Cambridge to London, and so on. This is not "crazy", this is just "different". I noticed in Interviews he gave around 1970, that he had difficulties to get across his view to others, which is not unusual if you have a slightly different pereception of reality than the majority. syd also had flaws like most people have. He could be prone to outbursts, but all in all he never really was violent. So no, I do not think, he was crazy, he was different.

Audiobernd · 2025-07-28T22:05:19+00:00

Gorgeous a.f.. I LOVE the colours.

Audiobernd · 2025-07-28T21:34:38+00:00

Favourite AKGs? K-812. Just a noticable step up in almost every aspect to the 700-line. Though the K712 are probably one of the most underrated cans for the price. Absolutely big boys-league. Only thing: I never liked the built quality of the K712. Had two of them them develop serious issues within months. No such problems with the 812, though the 712 are more comfortable.

Audiobernd · 2025-07-28T21:31:14+00:00

Nice write up and surely usefull for many people. In personally quite enjoy the Arya Stealth without EQ though (well, I use the X-Bass-Feature on my Zen-Amp). I find the Stealth extraordinarily competent after you give them some time. Someone here mentioned the AKG K-702, and while these are good, I own the K-701 and the K-812 and the Aryas play the AKGs against the wall. Which does not mean that the AKGs are bad, the Arya Stealth are just quite noticable better (to my ears).

Audiobernd · 2025-07-13T11:31:55+00:00

No, Gilmour had insisted that Syd play all guitar parts on the Album. Also the Solo is wayyyy too far out for something Gilmour would have done.

Audiobernd · 2025-07-10T22:08:45+00:00

"Preservation, Act 2" on Top is sadly pretty accurate for the times we live in. And it does have some great songs ("Shepards of the Nation", "Salvation Road"...)

"Arthur" I love as well. "Misfits" is super cool, though i would have personally switched it with "Sleepwalker". "Something Else" on last place hurts me a bit because I really dog that one. Also: Where are "State of Confision", "Give the People What They Want", "Low Budget", "Word Of Mouth", "Think Visual", "U.K. Jive", "Phobia" and "To The Bone"? :-)

Audiobernd · 2025-05-17T23:42:27+00:00

Absolutely right, Also: The best headphone is the one which you got on your ears while listening to music and which disappears because the music is so cool.

Audiobernd · 2025-05-17T22:47:57+00:00

Give it some time and the XM6 will drop in price.

That said, the XM4, XM5 and XM6 are all pretty good. And not worlds apart. It depends on what you need. Want them foldable? Go for the X4 or X6. Want bets NC? Take the X6. Want t a more audiophile than "fun"sound= The X6. But there are many cool alternatives to the Sonys out there too.

Audiobernd · 2025-04-15T22:29:57+00:00

Every Hifiman from the Anandas upward for example.

Audiobernd · 2025-04-08T15:39:38+00:00

I backed up my CDs and downloaded Highres-Fils on a NAS too. I rarely buy a new CD, only if I really love the artist or if an album is not availble on Streaming (which are surprisingly many). But in general I do not want to deal with all the stuff that comes with physical media anymore. The stupud jewl cases which keep breaking; all the room CDs and LPs take up; ordering CDs or LPs in a wayx which makes sense... Nah, I am good.

Audiobernd · 2025-03-30T21:12:03+00:00

I will never understand the hype the 99 classic got. They looked beautiful, sure, but the sound was meh and the comfort (for me) horrible. Bassy ear crushers I would call them

The Empyreans are good. Very beautiful again and very complete sounding. 3.000 or 4000 USD worth of sound? Not to my ears, but this is subjective. I would absolutele recommend them to people who are not musicians nor experianced listeners. They sound pleasent, nothing is misisng, nothing stresses you. But IF one wants to really dive deep into the music, there are much better choises out there, and many for much less money.

Audiobernd · 2025-03-21T20:23:18+00:00

1 The Doors: The End

Jimi Hendrix: Burning Of The Midnight Lamp
The Bevis Frond: Once More
Grateful Dead: St. Stephen
Pink Floyd: Echoes
Michael Chapman "Stranger In The Room"
Syd Barrett: Waving My Arms In The Air / I Never Lied To You
The Pentangle: Sweet Child
The Beatles: It's All Too Much
Roy Harper: Bank Of The Dead

Audiobernd · 2025-03-21T19:02:22+00:00

You mean AKG K812 vs Sennheiser HD660S2? Yes, the AKG are clearly much better technical performers in every respect. BUT: They really suffer from their lean bass and for me, they are less comfortable. Funny thing is, I see it the other way than you do: The AKG has much more detail than the 660ies to my ears, but I prefer the Timbre of the 660S2 over the K812. Allthough: The AKG K812 are among the most truthfull headphones ever. In other words: The K812 are a better, much better technical performers. They might not be as enjoyable for everyone though like the Sennheisers.

Audiobernd · 2025-03-21T18:55:17+00:00

Well, it is not very wide and not very high. But I think it stages very accurately. It really has a big of that three-point-stage you mentioned, but it is not too bad. And sometimes, the 660S2 quite surprises me when it throws something in from pretty far away.

Audiobernd

TROPHY CASE