Axe-Fx III and Headphones

I'd really like to try the 880 and 990 back to back. I think I'd prefer the more open back 990. Part of me thinks I should avoid buying another midrange set and jump to the 1990s. But it's all luxury past what I have already so I'm trying to enjoy what I got since it technically still works.


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BTW, my 250 Ohm Beyer Dynamic 880 pros are only loud enough to use with the Axe 3 if I pull the jack out from the Axe headphone output about 1/4 of the way out. If I push it all the way in it’s all screwed up - very low volume and abnormally heavy on the effects, nothing like what is set on the patch. Very strange I have no idea what’s up with that. The only thing I can possibly think of is that the adapter jack which I need to use isn’t right. It’s a mini to 1/4” Stereo Adapter. Maybe I need a TS adapter instead.

You might have a bad ground/common connection in the headphones, cable, or in the adapter.

When the ground doesn't connect, you'll then hear a difference signal between the left and right headphone signals in both headphones, out of phase, between left and right. The common sound (typically mono guitar panned center, vocals, bass) will cancel; you wont hear it well. You'll just hear the part the the signal that is different between left and right like reverb, chorus, or anything panned away from center.

I used to slide my headphone cable partially out of my CD player on purpose to cancel vocals and hear just the guitar parts of my Dream Theater albums.
 
For anyone using the Blue Sadie’s, do you like to use with the built in amp on? I’m unfortunately getting a lot of white noise when using them through the AF3 with the amp on. If I turn the amp off, it goes away completely. If I route directly into my computer there is less white noise than if going through the AF3.
 
Also, I just picked up a “like new” pair of the Blue Lola’s on Amazon to try as well. $59! Not a typo...

Good Lord, that's an unbeatable price. I ordered a pair just now as well, might as well!

Said there are 14 pairs left, so worth checking for others...I think these are what Cliff recommended (or similar anyway).
 
Also, I just picked up a “like new” pair of the Blue Lola’s on Amazon to try as well. $59! Not a typo...
Good Lord, that's an unbeatable price. I ordered a pair just now as well, might as well!

Said there are 14 pairs left, so worth checking for others...I think these are what Cliff recommended (or similar anyway).
Link please? I can't find them...

Edit:

Found them by going to this product link:

BLUE Lola Sealed Over-Ear Headphones Black Amazon product ASIN B016A8OUUQ

Then clicking the "more buying choices" link.
 
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I recently retired my tried and true Blue Mo-Fi (padding deterioration over a long period). I took the plunge on Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro. My first open-back cans ever. Of course I was curious how they would measure up, given they cost twice as much.

Worth. Every. Penny. The stereo field is enormous, and incredibly detailed at every frequency. I can hear stuff going on now that I didn't even know was there before, especially in the upper bands. While the bass is tight and punchy without being over-hyped. Incredibly helpful for locating and killing off nasty bits in my audio.
 
Hi ....
What s the difference between Blue Lola and Sadie,
I really have the intention to purchase one of both even i have no way to try one of them.... my choice will only be based on fractal forum .
Which the best between both and why .....
Thanks ..
 
Sadie: built in pre-amp
Lola: no built in pre-amp
Thanks .....i see the huge difference but most don t often use the preamp , after reading many threads on Blue Products
i Have a significant question and something mystery to me .....the Mix Fi , Lola or Sadie ....are far from being neutral , from giving flat response ....what makes them so popular ...???? i m really interested in understanding this .
 
Thanks .....i see the huge difference but most don t often use the preamp , after reading many threads on Blue Products
i Have a significant question and something mystery to me .....the Mix Fi , Lola or Sadie ....are far from being neutral , from giving flat response ....what makes them so popular ...???? i m really interested in understanding this .
Yeah, hard to say. Personally I've owned the Mo-Fi's (old name for the Mix-Fi) for about 4 years and really like them. I purchased them after they were spoken of highly on this forum, and haven't regretted the purchase one bit. They sound great for casual music listening at work, and 100% of the time I play my guitar/axe-fx it's through them, I dig 'em, they sounded way better than the audio-technica M40s they replaced. Maybe buy from a place with a favorable return policy and if you don't like em, return 'em, headphone preferences can be super subjective.
 
Yeah, hard to say. Personally I've owned the Mo-Fi's (old name for the Mix-Fi) for about 4 years and really like them. I purchased them after they were spoken of highly on this forum, and haven't regretted the purchase one bit. They sound great for casual music listening at work, and 100% of the time I play my guitar/axe-fx it's through them, I dig 'em, they sounded way better than the audio-technica M40s they replaced. Maybe buy from a place with a favorable return policy and if you don't like em, return 'em, headphone preferences can be super subjective.
Yes ....as you say very subjective but unanimity among everyone who own them .....so i can t imagine that they don t sound so good with the Axe ,
i was about to buy them a few months ago but hesitation came to me after reading a few tests , reviews on the net that gave different feedback from here ........
 
Thanks .....i see the huge difference but most don t often use the preamp , after reading many threads on Blue Products
i Have a significant question and something mystery to me .....the Mix Fi , Lola or Sadie ....are far from being neutral , from giving flat response ....what makes them so popular ...???? i m really interested in understanding this .
To my ears, they’re plenty neutral for a $400 headphone, if you keep the bass boost off. Neutral enough that I’m confident knowing what I’m hearing.
 
You might have a bad ground/common connection in the headphones, cable, or in the adapter.

When the ground doesn't connect, you'll then hear a difference signal between the left and right headphone signals in both headphones, out of phase, between left and right. The common sound (typically mono guitar panned center, vocals, bass) will cancel; you wont hear it well. You'll just hear the part the the signal that is different between left and right like reverb, chorus, or anything panned away from center.

I used to slide my headphone cable partially out of my CD player on purpose to cancel vocals and hear just the guitar parts of my Dream Theater albums.
It's gotta be the jack or your plug. My 880 pros are amazing with the axe. You're not summing out 1 to mono are you?
 
I’ve now done a bit of back and forth between the Sadie (built in amp) and the Lola (no built in amp). First off, there is plenty of power coming out of the AF3 headphone jack, so needing (or using) the built-in amp on the Sadie’s is not necessary at all.

Comparing each headphone with the built-in amp off, I initially found the Sadie more pleasing. They are definitely EQ’d differently and the Lola’s don’t sound bad by any stretch, but I played more inspired with the Sadie.

It’s hard to describe, but I would say the high end is less pronounced in the Lola and high notes and open strings were getting lost in the mix. I was also having a hard time distinguishing the bass as much in the Lola.

In terms of how well either pair translates to FRFR, I would say you shouldn’t tweak presets through headphones. For example, I know that changing the bass parameter a quarter turn on an amp could be the difference between no bass on a preset and flub city. Unfortunately, through headphones I couldn’t really tell where the bass started sounding bad. What I have found though is that any preset that sounds good on monitors, will sound great on the Sadie.

Net/net, they may not be a flat representation of the AF3 presets, but I think I’ll keep the Sadie model and return the Lola.
 
Yeah I just got the Lola's in this afternoon,

First impressions, these things are incredibly heavy but they sound good. I think they sound like what the Audio Technica M50X want to sound like. They have a pretty neutral sound to me, maybe a little boosted bass, pretty clear, not harsh in the high end, maybe even a bit too rolled off in the upper highs. They sound kind of like the Beyer DT880's with more bass and rolled off high end. But the bass isn't overwhelming or overly boomy.

I'll have to plug in a guitar and see how I like them but I think they'd work well with the Axe. Typically warmer headphones are better than brighter, especially with distortion. We'll see about the comfort over time though because they are just plain heavy.

Oh, they also seem to drive pretty easy. I have them hooked up to a headphone amp but the gain is pretty low.
 
I got my Lolas last week... Spent an hour or so playing Axe Fx thru them. Not a fan so far. Compared to my HD-650s the top end sounded bad to me.

I'll give them a bit more time... Might leave them plugged in while using my FRFR to break them in a bit.
 
Yeah I just got the Lola's in this afternoon,

First impressions, these things are incredibly heavy but they sound good. I think they sound like what the Audio Technica M50X want to sound like. They have a pretty neutral sound to me, maybe a little boosted bass, pretty clear, not harsh in the high end, maybe even a bit too rolled off in the upper highs. They sound kind of like the Beyer DT880's with more bass and rolled off high end. But the bass isn't overwhelming or overly boomy.

I'll have to plug in a guitar and see how I like them but I think they'd work well with the Axe. Typically warmer headphones are better than brighter, especially with distortion. We'll see about the comfort over time though because they are just plain heavy.

Oh, they also seem to drive pretty easy. I have them hooked up to a headphone amp but the gain is pretty low.
Hi ... really interresting comment , i had à chance to tried the Byer DT880 in 250ohm , a friend let it to me for a few days , i had good feels with it ,really good sounding , lots of Pleasur using them but i had to raise output 1 at his maximum with i would say ... normal level presets like factory presets , that s why i m still searching for great and good headphones ... maybe Blue saddie or else ...
Still hoping for advises .....
 
Hi ... really interresting comment , i had à chance to tried the Byer DT880 in 250ohm , a friend let it to me for a few days , i had good feels with it ,really good sounding , lots of Pleasur using them but i had to raise output 1 at his maximum with i would say ... normal level presets like factory presets , that s why i m still searching for great and good headphones ... maybe Blue saddie or else ...
Still hoping for advises .....

There has to be something off. Maybe you need to do a backup and try a factory reset? I have the exact same headphones and I use them with the volume at about 25%. I could never even turn up halfway because that would be way too loud.
 
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