Headphone tempering

[admin_exported]

Is there any evidence supporting Headphone tempering? I have a set of Shure SRH840 cans connected to a Pro-ject Headbox 2 with an iphone 3gs as it's source connected to the Pro-ject with a Russ Andrews cable. I'm pretty disappointed with the amount of depth to my music despite it all being high bit-rate stuff. It doesn't matter what type of music I play, it lacks warmth and bass. I cannot complain about the clarity and definition which is the best I have ever heard but lacks that low end punch. I see that There is an app for the iPhone called Pocket Hifi which pro ports to 'temper' headphones in orders to run them in fully and enhance their sound. It does this by cycling different sound waves through the phones over the space of ten hours or so. Does this Sound like mumbo jumbo or does there seem any science behind this. I love the clarity of my phones but it all gets a little relentless over time. Here's hoping..... Alan

 

[Cutlass]

Dear Alan, I don't think I can be much help but have also experienced dissapointment with my headphone setup in the past so I think I know how you must feel. However, my following ramblings may be of interest. Firstly I see the SRH840 model is designed for professional audio engineers. I take this to mean that they are like 'studio monitors' in loudspeaker terms which, in my experience, can often sound detailed and natural without artificial boosts in the base and treble parts of the audio frequency spectrum. Not to every ones taste perhaps. Secondly I find Grado headphones give warmth and good base across the product range. Thirdly my upper end Grados only started giving really clean, deep and solid base responses after I started to upgrade the power supply to my Naim headphone amplifier, the better the power supply the better the sound. This really surprised me and has been the only 'wow' moment I've ever experienced with Hi-Fi. It may be worth trying other headphone amplifier/power supply combinations. I'm no longer dissapointed. Paddy