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That's a pretty wide-open question. Check the OP?
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Feb 6, 2014 21:53
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Demostrs posted:Big wall-o-text from the last page. Just as a follow-up to this, I've found a decent price for some HiFiMan HE300s. Would those be satisfactory to how and what I'm going to listen to?
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Feb 6, 2014 23:54
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Are external DACs for PCs,laptops or phones worth it? Ive done a bit of googling for "dac abx testing" and it seems they all sound basically the same. Is it all audiophile wank or what? Im asking because my new Moto G sounds significantly worse than my previous HTC windows phone. At just above normal listening levels it starts to crackle like a speaker phone when its up too loud. Im using AK M500 which I love for hip-hop. Will some sort of external dac/amp help? I was thinking I could also use it as a USB dac to put between my PC and speakers.
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Feb 7, 2014 00:58
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DholmbladRU posted:Looking for a set of headphones sub 100$. Dont want in ear. Do not want something to big and bulky. Their main purpose will be to listen to music at work. Creative Aurvana Live are pretty great. Brainwavz HM5 also. bpower posted:Are external DACs for PCs,laptops or phones worth it? Ive done a bit of googling for "dac abx testing" and it seems they all sound basically the same. Is it all audiophile wank or what? Make sure that your phone can even take advantage of a DAC first. I'm not sure how the smartphone market is with them so it's best to check.
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Feb 7, 2014 02:29
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I'm looking for a pair of headphones, and I'd like to spend around $200. Circumaural, closed, no amp, and physical size REALLY isn't a problem at all, I promise. I want to be absolutely sure they go 100% over my ears with some room to spare - just tried a pair of V-Moda Crossfade LP2s and they made my ears sore from my glasses, so I went back to my old-rear end Christmas-gift pair of Bose AE2s. Looking for complete sound isolation, since my roommate's bedroom and bathroom both share a wall with my bedroom and I use them on the bus once in a while. I like bass, but not at the expense of vocals - I'm a big prog rock fan - and I don't know what I want beyond that. I'd also like a band that is thick rather than thin, since my hair really noticeably parts around the thin band of my current pair and it makes me look like I've been wearing a yarmulke. (This has actually been said to me. Multiple times.) However, that's obviously my lowest priority, since it's way easier to just fix that than everything else about phones. e: vvvvvvvvvvv I REALLY hate the way they feel. Never found a pair that didn't make me want to gouge my own ears out, and believe me, I've tried. I really just want an ugly, unsexy, giant pair of cans. I swear. DACK FAYDEN fucked around with this message at 05:23 on Feb 7, 2014 |
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Feb 7, 2014 04:55
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DACK FAYDEN posted:I'm looking for a pair of headphones, and I'd like to spend around $200. Circumaural, closed, no amp, and physical size REALLY isn't a problem at all, I promise. I want to be absolutely sure they go 100% over my ears with some room to spare - just tried a pair of V-Moda Crossfade LP2s and they made my ears sore from my glasses, so I went back to my old-rear end Christmas-gift pair of Bose AE2s. Looking for complete sound isolation, since my roommate's bedroom and bathroom both share a wall with my bedroom and I use them on the bus once in a while. I like bass, but not at the expense of vocals - I'm a big prog rock fan - and I don't know what I want beyond that. Any reason why you wouldn't consider in-ears? They would seem a logical choice given your needs.
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Feb 7, 2014 05:21
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DACK FAYDEN posted:I'm looking for a pair of headphones, and I'd like to spend around $200. Circumaural, closed, no amp, and physical size REALLY isn't a problem at all, I promise. I want to be absolutely sure they go 100% over my ears with some room to spare - just tried a pair of V-Moda Crossfade LP2s and they made my ears sore from my glasses, so I went back to my old-rear end Christmas-gift pair of Bose AE2s. Looking for complete sound isolation, since my roommate's bedroom and bathroom both share a wall with my bedroom and I use them on the bus once in a while. I like bass, but not at the expense of vocals - I'm a big prog rock fan - and I don't know what I want beyond that. double your budget and get the bowers & wilkins p7 http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Headphones/Headphones/Headphones/P7.html fits every criteria on your checklist to the T, except they look fantastic. Best closed headphones I've ever heard and absolutely the best no expenses spared mobile. Just gotta bite the bullet (the build quality exceeds those of $1000+ headphones, if it makes you feel better)
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Feb 7, 2014 05:44
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DACK FAYDEN posted:I'm looking for a pair of headphones, and I'd like to spend around $200. Circumaural, closed, no amp, and physical size REALLY isn't a problem at all, I promise. I want to be absolutely sure they go 100% over my ears with some room to spare - just tried a pair of V-Moda Crossfade LP2s and they made my ears sore from my glasses, so I went back to my old-rear end Christmas-gift pair of Bose AE2s. Looking for complete sound isolation, since my roommate's bedroom and bathroom both share a wall with my bedroom and I use them on the bus once in a while. I like bass, but not at the expense of vocals - I'm a big prog rock fan - and I don't know what I want beyond that. Isolation without active noise cancelation is tough with over-ears. However, listening at a sufficient (but safe) volume is enough for many people. Sounds like you might like the Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro. If you ever get tired of any part of it, throw it away and get a new part. You can also change the level of bass emphasis to your liking. If you have trouble with headphones sucking with glasses, I've heard using the velour pads help a lot. GonadTheBallbarian fucked around with this message at 13:55 on Feb 7, 2014 |
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Feb 7, 2014 06:39
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I have a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7B's that I'm happy with, but they don't have a built in microphone. Since they do have a detachable cable I'm wondering if I could just purchase another cable that has an integrated microphone and use it in place of the one it came with? Something like this seems like it would work?
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Feb 8, 2014 00:12
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What the gently caress does it mean when someone says the "bass sounds fast"? Sometimes I feel like headphone reviews are like craft beer reviews. Maybe the OP could update with a guide to understanding common descriptive phrases. Some other confusing bullshit, found quickly: quote:musical mids though recessed, slightly fatiguing highs. "Musical" mids? What the gently caress else would they be? I understand 'fatiguing'. quote:warm leaning signature... It's like when a beer review mentions 'notes of sawdust on an Autumn evening... light mouthfeel with a slightly underdone biscuit presence complimented by aromas of burnt coriander roasting over a chicory fire at night when a car horn honks..." me your dad fucked around with this message at 01:07 on Feb 8, 2014 |
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Feb 8, 2014 00:53
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me your dad posted:What the gently caress does it mean when someone says the "bass sounds fast"? Shibboleths. One of my old posts was saved touching on some of it, but much of it is the language used in marketing and enthusiast realms. It isn't sexy to talk about a shift in emphasis at xHz and what that means for your cymbals or middle C, so this stuff gets used a lot. GonadTheBallbarian fucked around with this message at 01:10 on Feb 8, 2014 |
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Feb 8, 2014 01:07
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me your dad posted:What the gently caress does it mean when someone says the "bass sounds fast"? You should read http://www.head-fi.org/a/describing-sound-a-glossary. That will help you to figure out what they are talking about.
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Feb 8, 2014 05:30
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DACK FAYDEN posted:I'm looking for a pair of headphones, and I'd like to spend around $200. Circumaural, closed, no amp, and physical size REALLY isn't a problem at all, I promise. I want to be absolutely sure they go 100% over my ears with some room to spare - just tried a pair of V-Moda Crossfade LP2s and they made my ears sore from my glasses, so I went back to my old-rear end Christmas-gift pair of Bose AE2s. Looking for complete sound isolation, since my roommate's bedroom and bathroom both share a wall with my bedroom and I use them on the bus once in a while. I like bass, but not at the expense of vocals - I'm a big prog rock fan - and I don't know what I want beyond that. Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro? I can't think of anything else that fits your needs. The 80ohm version works decently enough from an iPod to consider. Super comfy and bassy. You're going to have recessed mids though, you've gotta sacrifice something in your price range. me your dad posted:What the gently caress does it mean when someone says the "bass sounds fast"? As someone who reviews both headphones and beer, I totally get where you're coming from. It's very hard to explain a subjective experience though. I promise that not every reviewer is submitting their next beer/headphone review to their English teacher as an exercise of adjectives, or a feat of creative writing. Sometimes we just want to make it interesting to read, while getting our points across. Now if someone were to tell me that they felt the bass sounded fast, I would imagine that they meant that the bass is present but it doesn't linger as bass naturally would reverberate off of walls. Musical mids, I think I've used a similar term before. Perhaps lively? Regardless, it's hard to explain. I know I can not. When I describe mids as musical/lively I'm telling you that they carry the energy of the recording. They make you want to air guitar, they make you want to sing/scream along, they get you grooving. My advice to you is to read some reviews on headphones you currently own and find a reviewer who your ears fall in line with. Then you have a steady source of reviews with someone who hears things the way you do. Remember we all hear things differently. As for me updating the OP with a common phrase guide, it's already there. Right in the OP!
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Feb 8, 2014 06:06
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So this happened to my 14 month old AKG K 495 NC's. Local dealer offers a 12 month warranty and claims that physical damage isn't covered by it anyway. The thing is, these headphones were for desktop use only and they broke when I was putting them on. I only had maybe 200 hours of use on them too. Contacted AKG support directly and they said that they provide a 24 month warranty and they'll replace them with no questions asked.  Thinking about selling the warranty replacement ones when they arrive, but have no idea what to buy...
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Feb 8, 2014 10:51
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Hamelekim posted:You should read http://www.head-fi.org/a/describing-sound-a-glossary. That will help you to figure out what they are talking about. Perfect, thanks! I ended up picking up new Shure SE215 IEMs last night. I ride the train to work and I spent a few days this week trying to figure out how to best manage the long cord of my ATH-M50 when I decided the cord was simply unmanageable for transit and was best suited to a stationary life (which is why I bought them, so that's fine). me your dad fucked around with this message at 13:54 on Feb 8, 2014 |
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Feb 8, 2014 13:50
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Was gonna get some "gaming" headphones but instead saw the Sennheiser 558's are $119.99 at frys today. So i pm'd at bestbuy and got those instead. Holy crap they are amazing. Using the razer surround software I dont even need to buy a soundcard to do 7.1 simulation. So my question, should i do the foam removal mod? How does it change the sound quality?
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Feb 8, 2014 21:49
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Don Lapre posted:So my question, should i do the foam removal mod? How does it change the sound quality? The main thing it does is decrease the 2kHz and 4kHz frequencies so it may decrease listening fatigue, if it were even a problem with the HD558s. But it may impact speech audibility...I think its reversable so its worth trying anyway and seeing which version you prefer.
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Feb 9, 2014 11:53
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Just thought I'd let you guys know that the Beyerdynamic DT990 250ohm Pro model has been on sale for a while at an incredibly low price of 140-150usd! http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-DT-990-Pro-250-Professional-Acoustically-Applications/dp/B0011UB9CQ/
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Feb 10, 2014 00:32
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Tactical Lesbian posted:Just thought I'd let you guys know that the Beyerdynamic DT990 250ohm Pro model has been on sale for a while at an incredibly low price of 140-150usd! They discounted the 770 Pro 250 as well. http://slickdeals.net/f/6707796-beyerdynamic-dt-770-pro-250ohm-headphones-132-99-fs-at-amazon Out of stock now, but they may take backorders.
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Feb 10, 2014 01:09
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I would jump on the DT990 sale if I could put it in my budget. I've heard them briefly and I firmly believe that they are one of the best all-around open headphones in existence.
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Feb 10, 2014 01:36
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I'm trying to find a more durable successor to the Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00906E03I/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) Nearly everything about this headset was perfect for me, I just break the thing too drat fast. I've gone through two pairs in about a year. The plastic near the left headset/mic that bends when I take the headset on and off always breaks. Any recommendations that are around the same price?
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Feb 10, 2014 04:44
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Midorka posted:I would jump on the DT990 sale if I could put it in my budget. I've heard them briefly and I firmly believe that they are one of the best all-around open headphones in existence. I'm glad you think so; I'm loving mine and definitely recommend them! Though they don't do very well with low bass, they have a very warm sound in the low to midrange to me. The highs can be a little crystalline, which can be a blessing or a curse depending on the song. If you listen to them at sane levels though, it all sounds amazing. Definitely one of the most comfortable sets I've worn, ever.
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Feb 10, 2014 08:04
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They look like open DT-770's, do they have the same drivers?
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Feb 10, 2014 11:56
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Retarded Pimp posted:They look like open DT-770's, do they have the same drivers? I may be wrong, but I think they all use the same drivers, at least the ones with the same impedance.
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Feb 10, 2014 17:48
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After reading and posting way back in this thread or the previous incarnation I ended up with a pair of Ultrasone HFI-780s for at-work use. I'm very satisfied with how they make my usual listening sound but I wear glasses, and it's becoming more and more noticeable that they get uncomfortable when on my head for an extended period. Velour pads did help but I still want get some input from the thread for comparable sounding options that might be more comfortable. With this particular objective it seems like IEMs should be on the table, although I think I'd need to budget for custom tips based on my experience with the UE Triple Fi IEMs I used for some years prior to buying Ultrasone- They weren't super comfortable at long stretches (may have just been using the wrong size silicone or foam tips?) and since I do work in an office and get interrupted periodically, getting them back in my ears over and over got irritating. It seems like custom tips are easier to get a good seal with although if that isn't necessarily a good assumption please correct me. In other words: Budget: $250ish (could go over this for IEM + tips) Source: iPhone, infrequently PC Preferred type: Closed headphone or IEM Tonal balance: Balanced, prefer clarity over super-emphasis Preferred music: Metal of all kinds; generally black, folk, and death, lo-fi/diy production to clean, elaborately arranged material. (Toxic Holocaust, Nile, Inquisition, Mgla, Bathory, Blind Guardian, Primal Fear would be a representative spread) Past headphones: Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10 - Punchy in general, but muddy bass, unpleasant harshness in some highs e.g., cymbal, synth Shure E2C - Babby's first. Don't actually remember much about how they sound
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Feb 10, 2014 19:25
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Custom Art Music One are $260 for customs. You need to get a custom molding, ~$50, but then you're good to go.
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Feb 10, 2014 19:32
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Any recommendations on mine? I may go with the same headset, but I wanted to see if there were any other comparable options. Pretty much just need the closed set/mic like the LifeChat LX-3000 has.
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Feb 11, 2014 02:38
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 My motherfucking headphones have arrived
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Feb 12, 2014 01:13
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Hallowed Turban posted:
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Feb 12, 2014 01:36
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The HE-400's are on sale for $300 at Amazon right now, good pick. I bought them months ago for $400. They're amazing provided you have a good DAC/Amp. Just a heads up.
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Feb 12, 2014 02:21
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Thanks for the help, guys. I'll just go my own way.
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Feb 12, 2014 02:51
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z06ck posted:The HE-400's are on sale for $300 at Amazon right now, good pick. I bought them months ago for $400. They're amazing provided you have a good DAC/Amp. Just a heads up. Given that they have just 35 ohm impedance, what about them makes a good amp particularly desirable? Just curious 
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Feb 12, 2014 05:16
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Orthodynamic/planardynamic headphones require a lot of juice to power due to their general inefficiency in design. Imepdance matching is still important but the required power (V^2/R) to produce sufficient volume levels is higher since the dBSPL @ 1 milliwatt is much lower.http://www.apexhifi.com/specs.html posted:Let's take the HiFiMan HE-6 headphones, which are pretty inefficient at 83.5dB SPL @ 1 milliwatt, with an impedance of 50 ohms. Let's say you want to be able to drive 110 dBSPL into these headphones, about what you would hear at a typical rock concert. If we re-arrange the equation above, P = 10 (( dBSPL - dB(1mw) ) /10 )... so P = 10 (( 110 - 83.5 ) /10 ), or 446 milliwatts of power. To convert this to voltage, re-arranging the power equation above, E = sqrt( P * R ), or sqrt (0.446 * 50), which equals 4.7V RMS. You can also calculate the current... I = sqrt (P / R), or sqrt (0.446 / 50) or 95mA RMS. Of course HE-6's are a really extreme example, to my amateur knowledge the above is still true.
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Feb 12, 2014 19:11
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Armchair Calvinist posted:Orthodynamic/planardynamic headphones require a lot of juice to power due to their general inefficiency in design. Imepdance matching is still important but the required power (V^2/R) to produce sufficient volume levels is higher since the dBSPL @ 1 milliwatt is much lower. Ahh, understood. Didn't realize there was another factor. Thanks for that informative post.
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Feb 13, 2014 01:46
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Okay, so after having a few of sets of headphones crap out on me and the wife taking hers back, I went and did some research to figure out about a replacement and I still don't know what's what. To provide information on what sort of use they'll be getting I offer the following: I absolutely hate any sort of in-ear headphone. They're uncomfortable and I've never found a pair that has a sound I like. I've traditionally used closed, on-ear headphones and been fairly satisfied with them. I don't think I've ever had open headphones though, so I don't have any comparison. I was interested in discussing open vs. closed, but I realized my most frequent use of the headphones (in the darkroom/studio with other people, traveling on planes/trains, and at night when my wife is sleeping) necessitates closed. I usually listen to music on my phone or laptop. I tend to listen to a variety of punk/hardcore/ska/indie/metal/etc depending on mood. I'll even pop in some orchestral pieces from time to time. The only things I really don't like are really twangy country (which is honestly most of it to me) and anything that is bass-heavy, as it invariably gives me a headache. I like clear highs and mids though. I have minor hearing loss in my left ear as well as tinnitus in both. A lot of my music is converted from lovely old four track records, so sound quality isn't a huge issue for me. I can't stand having a wire go to each speaker. I'm usually doing something where I need my hands and those little wires constantly get in my way. The only wireless headphones I've seen are in-ear, and I'd rather deal with one wire than settle for in-ear. I'd also like a detachable wire Because I seem to be breaking headphones regularly (headband on one, speaker died in another, and what seems to be a loose wire in a third) I either need something indestructible or cheap enough to not care about. In all honesty, I'm not sure how much the wife will let me spend on them, seeing as I've been through three sets relatively recently. I wish I could remember what those headphones were, but I can't help much there. I think one might have been Skullcandy, another was a star wars set that someone bought for me, and the last were made by Aerial7. I wasn't particularly fond of any of them (other than the fact that the star wars set had stormtroopers on the sides.) It was largely the build quality that I didn't like. The skullcandy headphones felt cheap and broke quickly. The Aerial7's were incapable of staying put once I sized them for my head. Sound was usually adequate, but nothing exceptional. In short: $: ? (less if they'll break, more if they're durable) must be closed listening to lovely punk on phone in the darkroom and laptop at home with the occasional record when I can find the time to sit and relax only one/detachable/no wire
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Feb 13, 2014 19:45
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Senn HD-25 II. Mine have been indestructible, pretty much, after destroying 3 pairs of lesser headphones in a year or so.
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Feb 13, 2014 20:09
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Thanks. That looks perfect. I'll run it by the wife and see what she says.
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Feb 13, 2014 21:35
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the amber trap posted:Thanks. That looks perfect. I'll run it by the wife and see what she says.
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Feb 13, 2014 23:12
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I'm honestly surprised Sennheiser hasn't killed off the HD-25 completely. Last year they discontinued the HMD-25 (the same phones plus a sportscaster microphone) and replaced them with the *completely awful* HMD-26.
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Feb 14, 2014 00:38
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| # ? May 14, 2024 13:15 |
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I just got my ATH-M50s today, and I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed. Mainly in the low end. I started off with a couple songs that have really prominent basslines ("Sic Transit Gloria" by Brand New and "Come Together" by the Beatles) and they don't sound too different from my Monoprice 8323s. There was actually some rumbling distortion in "Come Together", but that might have just been the EQ. I guess they do sound warmer, and the highs are more detailed, but they don't sound $110 better. Also the cord is way too loving long and not detachable.
Monday_ fucked around with this message at 05:25 on Feb 14, 2014 |
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Feb 14, 2014 02:58
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