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Well I can confirm the Cadenza is hecka good, especially for the price. Very simple, small build that fits great. They need very little power to get going. The cable is a really nice 4-twist that's extremely light and thin but not at all microphonic or kink prone. It's fantastic except for the right angle plug but it's SO thin and light that I kind of question its long term durability. It seems well built and strain relieved though, so it's probably fine. Etymotic should take some loving notes. I'm still putting them through the paces so I don't have detailed impressions yet but they sound like they graph: very well tuned. I'd buy em again for the price. e: more impressions: Included tips did nothing for me, though there are a lot of them. Spinfits were the solution. Bass is not BLON levels of booty, but neither do you end up with a warm tilt to the midrage. Lots of sub rumble and great impact as expected from a beryllium coated dynamic. Mid tuning is just a bit hot around 4k but does not get into honky territory. Enough to give vocals a little push but not enough to screw with timbre. 8k presence is good, not too much, some good air up past there as well but no crazy extension. Basically enough of a V shape to sound correct when walking around outside and fun while not. They're not detail or soundstage or imaging kings, and they sound just a bit compressed at times, but they're $35. Good lord. e2: someone suggested wide bore tips so I threw on some spring tips and yeah, it gives you more 8-10k which really helps detail perception. It really should come with wide bore tips in the box, but again for the price I aint complaining. Great set. Dr. Fishopolis fucked around with this message at 19:14 on Dec 15, 2022 |
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Dec 14, 2022 15:37
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Godzilla07 posted:
Wanted to swing back and say thanks for this. I didn't actually end up getting the PC38X I went with the H6PRO Open which seem to be a little upgrade from the 38X. I managed to get the combo off amazon warehouse for $120 which included the GSX 300 External Audio Card which as it turns out I don't actually need because I bought a GSX 1000 like months ago because it was $50. I'm using the H6PRO right now on my MacBook to listen to some music and they do sound pretty nice but I'm gonna try some xbox gaming with them in a bit and see how they sound. As an aside I really have no idea how amazon warehouse even works because the listing said used like new but the box had clearly never been opened lol. It was $60 discount from retail so I'm not complaining.
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Dec 14, 2022 22:45
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I finally got my Xenns Up from Linsoul's black Friday sales in the mail today. Initial thoughts are "hello endgame". Not much to comment on the sound as many good reviewers have done it well already and better than I ever could. Dan's audio reviews describes it well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz49kf_1tao Anyway "as described" is what I can say. Exactly to my personal listening taste. The included cable is one of those newer ones where you can swap the termination plug so transforming it into a 4.4mm takes only seconds. Nothing a aftermarket $40 tripowin one can't also do though. Didn't even bother looking at the stock tips because I had spinfits waiting for it on my desk. Very pretty shells. Comfy. Gosh I'm happy with these things.
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Dec 15, 2022 08:05
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kid sinister posted:Who makes a decent pair of wireless earbuds these days? My wife broke my pair of Sennheiser wired earbuds that I bought nearly 20 years ago and it's Christmas present season. I just got a set of Anker Life P2i partly based on recommendations from this thread and after a couple weeks of using them am very happy with them. Below your budget by quite a bit and not especially premium (e.g., no noise cancelling, no app control like the higher shelf Ankers offer), but they're nearly exactly what I wanted. Close enough anyway.
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Dec 19, 2022 21:08
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DancingShade posted:I finally got my Xenns Up from Linsoul's black Friday sales in the mail today. Initial thoughts are "hello endgame". Not much to comment on the sound as many good reviewers have done it well already and better than I ever could. Dan's audio reviews describes it well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz49kf_1tao Anyway "as described" is what I can say. Exactly to my personal listening taste. I didn't like the Xenns up.. at all, but i'll just hang back. I'm glad you like em bro! I'd just say that for a basshead they are pretty cool.
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Dec 22, 2022 02:10
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redeyes posted:I didn't like the Xenns up.. at all, but i'll just hang back. I'm glad you like em bro! I'd just say that for a basshead they are pretty cool. Oh I totally get it. If I was primarily listening to stuff like the Cloud Atlas OST I'd want something with a lot more treble emphasis. One of those library choices I guess.
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Dec 23, 2022 06:24
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I figure this is the optimal thread to ask, because my request is very picky even if it's not at all fancy... My mom has a ten-year-old TV. Not smart at all, no Bluetooth, yes component (red and white) and headphone jacks, plus something labelled "Digital Audio Out (Optical)". She wants a pair of headphones for it that are, in priority order: 1) wireless 2) on-ear (not over-ear, but supra-aural, as small as we can get, ideally as small as these very cheap headphones that she used a cousin of back in the '00s) 3) not noise cancelling (my dad will try to talk to her and she has to hear him) - do I need "open back"? Ideally it'd be small enough to not have a distinct back? And here are some things we don't care about : 4) functional from ten feet away (range isn't an issue) 5) sound quality totally irrelevant (love ya Mom, but you'd agree it's true) 6) not mandatory: plugging directly in to charge (no charging dock) weakly preferred, but we'd live either way, and battery life is irrelevant 7) also not mandatory: it'd be great if it turned on automatically when the TV did, rather than using a distinct power button, but I've already asked her specifically about this and it would not be a dealbreaker I do not live in town so I want it to be as set-and-forget as possible - would prefer to buy one product rather than buying an adapter and an unrelated pair of Bluetooth headphones, if that makes sense? But if that's what it takes to get the form factor, so be it. I've seen the Avantree HT5009 which has all the features I'd like but also is likely too large. Ditto the Sennheiser RS 135. Hoping that someone in this thread knows the magic secret words I've missed with my brief Google forays. I even tried "for seniors" and "for old tv"!
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Dec 23, 2022 17:21
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Look for "RF" or radio frequency headphones.
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Dec 23, 2022 19:58
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DACK FAYDEN posted:I figure this is the optimal thread to ask, because my request is very picky even if it's not at all fancy... Another alternative would be to get an APT-X Low Latency transmitter (like this) and then just get any old cheap set of headphones with APT-X LL that have the form factor your mom wants. Not sure that you'll get any wireless headphones with an open back, depending on your budget you might find a set with noise cancelling that also has an ambient sound setting that lets in outside sounds.
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Dec 23, 2022 20:01
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DACK FAYDEN posted:I figure this is the optimal thread to ask, because my request is very picky even if it's not at all fancy... Could something like this work, if you adjust the use case slightly? It does have a headphone port, so you get free choice of any kind of wired headphone to plug into the receiver. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn3hKbl9f-U
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Dec 24, 2022 13:37
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Xenoborg posted:Still trying to figure out the constant buzz in my new headphones. Its buzzing in only one ear, and only on one input type (2.4 ghz only, bluetooth and 3.5mm are fine). Does that sound like a hardware defect? Quoting this from a month ago since I just found something new, when I plug in the USB charging cable the buzz completely stops and they sound perfect. Any ideas what this points to as the problem? A grounding defect in the power system in the headphones themselves?
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Dec 27, 2022 05:54
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Got some Bose QC Buds 2 for Christmas and they fit great and sound great but the device switching is pretty wonky compared to the Buds 2 Pro which I guess had quick switching and these don't? It's not a huge deal but I think I have to disconnect on one thing to connect to a different device instead of just picking the device in the Bluetooth list and having it switch from my phone to my laptop or whatever. Edit: also it kinda sucks for the price of these for there not to be wireless charging in the case but eh. I knew that was a thing with these so it's not a surprise but still, was nice to pop my other buds on the charging pad when I wasn't using it. explosivo fucked around with this message at 18:24 on Dec 27, 2022 |
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Dec 27, 2022 18:02
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Got a pair of beats solo 3 for Christmas, they sound good but they are unfortunately too small for my big head and squash the hell out of my ears which gives me a killer headache. Assuming I can return them, can anyone recommend a pair of headphones similar in quality and price that are comfortable for big heads? Or earbuds with good battery life?
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Dec 27, 2022 18:47
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I don’t think I have a large head and I had the same issue with the solos. I dunno who they are made for tbh
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Dec 27, 2022 18:56
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I was able to snag the 6xx for under a $180 back during Black Friday - haven't had the chance to use a DAC/AMP with it yet, but my laptop feeds it enough power that I've been pleased with it so far using it alone. That said, B-Stock Sundara is on sale for $209 on HiFiMan's site - I'm working abroad at the moment where I can't get the chance to demo it anytime soon, but I can still get them shipped to me. Anyone find it worthwhile to own both? I've read enough to know the sound signatures on both are slightly different, with the edge given to the Sundara for soundstage and bass. But everything leads me to believe the Sundara's won't match the longevity of the 6xx and somewhere down the road, I'll have to rely back on the 6xx if I don't plan to replace the Sundara.
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Dec 27, 2022 22:36
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I know nothing about headphones and what makes a good pair of headphones, so I come to you all with this question - My folks need some nice headphones for watching TV and movies. Their dog has developed a lot of anxiety lately and its come to a point where can't watch any films or TV shows with loud noises or thunder or anything that might startle the dog. I suggested they get some headphones, but don't know what to recommend for them. They just assumed that headphones wouldn't really work for them (they basically don't know anything tech-wise), but I hoping to really knock their socks off with this. I don't know if TV brand matters, but they have a Vizio TV. I don't know if there are setups where I can just get a pack of two headphones for them or if they should just buy two individual headphones. Budget would be somewhere in the range of up to $200 per pair, or under $400 for the combo, but would always prefer less. Also, looking for ones that are over the ear with minimal noise leakage. Thank you, everyone!
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Dec 28, 2022 21:25
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Mordiceius posted:My folks need some nice headphones for watching TV and movies.
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Dec 28, 2022 21:52
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DACK FAYDEN posted:I was just looking for my mother a few posts back, and while I have no firsthand experience, the Avantree HT41899 comes in a two pack and was recommended by websites targeting seniors. So uh, might be right, might not be, at least worth a look! Thank you for this. From this recommendation, I found another from the same brand that seems like it will work perfectly - https://www.amazon.com/Avantree-Duet-Wireless-Headphones-Transmitter/dp/B0B316KBD9/
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Dec 29, 2022 01:03
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emdash posted:Depends on how long "a while" is to you. I can wear the xm4 for over an hour before i start to notice them, but I also virtually never need to wear them for more than an hour A month old post but I found the memory foam tips the buds came with were uncomfortable after an hour or so, or had issues with staying in (using the small or medium sized one.) I switched back to the old plastic tips from my wired earbuds and they are more comfortable, but they are have a more noticeable sweat problem (where I need to take them off and clean them, alot more than I had to when hooked on the wire.) So everything is a trade off. On 12/26 I needed to go to the Sony repair center in town because every since the last update in the beginning of the month, the battery life has been significantly worse (like, cut in half, if not more.) Looking online this had been an issue with some people, so hopefully they replace or fix whatever happened.
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Dec 29, 2022 05:45
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One more stupid question, what's the term for "these will turn on/off automatically when they detect an audio source, rather than requiring a power button"? I believe such things exist because I have read that the Sennheiser RF135s do it, and I'd love to look for more things that do it because it's a hell of a selling point compared to having to hit a power button.
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Dec 31, 2022 06:24
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You might try Auto Wake as a search term, EDIT: Sorry. Doesn't seem to be used much as a term for headphones that work that way. Yuns fucked around with this message at 22:46 on Dec 31, 2022 |
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Dec 31, 2022 22:43
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These bose QC buds II's are kinda wonky. Get random bluetooth disconnects all the time and I have to put them back in the case, close the lid, wait a second, then either re-open them and put them back on or sometimes I have to fully reconnect them through the bluetooth menu. It also seems like the left bud on it's own doesn't work a lot of the time? I can't tell how many of these issues are Windows bluetooth related and how many are because of the buds but other than the fit and the sound quality it's been a bit rocky. I sorta figured since these weren't Samsung that they would support switching between various non-samsung devices better but that's definitely not the case. Edit: Oh apparently you can't use the left bud on it's own at all. Seeing some stuff about a firmware update slated for 2023 that should allow the left bud to be used independently but nobody knows when or if that's just bullshit people are saying on reddit. I guess that explains that. explosivo fucked around with this message at 17:49 on Jan 2, 2023 |
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Jan 2, 2023 03:13
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Has anyone used MEE Audio's M6 IMEs? https://www.meeaudio.com/EP-M6PROG2/ I just saw Adam Neely mention that they are indestructible and under $50 which spiked my interest. I have ER4s and Samsung's Buds Pro both of which are fairly expensive and could be easily lost or damaged (and require cables which are a pain in the rear end to source) when I'm traveling a lot. The latter's ANC isn't particularly effective either. So I assume they sound at least pretty good, or he wouldn't be using them, but is the isolation any decent? Unlike Etymotic they don't seem to list spects for that, but they can be used with the classic 3-flange eartips so that's encouraging.
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Jan 2, 2023 15:55
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They're loving terrible. Neely's a great musician but that was an outdated rec 10 years ago.
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Jan 2, 2023 17:14
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Yeah there is an endless stream of new-ish under-$50 Chi-Fi sets that are certainly better choices than older sets that are designed to be actual on stage monitors. Kiwi Ears Cadenza, Tinhifi C3, Truthear x Crinacle Zero, 7HZ Salnotes Zero (under $20). Lotta options now, and not just the same old KZ hybrid repackages.
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Jan 2, 2023 17:58
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Oops! Well thanks for the warning and recommendations lol 
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Jan 2, 2023 18:44
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Yuns posted:You might try Auto Wake as a search term,
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Jan 2, 2023 20:22
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Some listening impressions from last month from the Apple Store, and Audio46 in New York: Moondrop S8: wow, diminishing returns hit really hard after the Blessing 2 Dusk. The biggest improvement that the S8 offers over the B2D is fit, as it doesn't have the gigantic nozzles of the B2D. The bass and soundstage were also steps up over the B2 and B2D. That being said, I preferred the tonality of the Dusk in the mids by a half-step; Beyonce sounded a touch thin on the S8 when I played "Cuff It" compared to how that song sounds on the Dusk. Maybe I should just stop chasing the dragon, and declare IEM endgame with the Dusk. Kinera Skuld: it's a nice piece of jewelry, but I have no idea who would pay $550 for these. There was zero energy here, and guitars sounded wrong. I'd take both the gen 1 AirPods Pro and ER2XR I had on hand over these. I listened to these based off the salesman's suggestion. Focal Clear Mg: alas, if only these sounded as good as they felt in the hand. The Clear Mg sounded way too dark for my tastes, and its soundstage didn't feel competitive with the Arya. Hifiman Edition XS: these seem like they're worth the upgrade over the Sundara just for comfort alone. While I love how the Sundara sounds, I haven't reached for it lately because when I use the Sundara, my ears get hot and cramped like I'm using a closed-back headphone. I had no issues with comfort with the Edition XS's oval-shaped earcups. The Edition XS's headband also didn't feel comically cheap like the Sundara's pleather headband. Sonically, the bass response is the big improvement you get with the Edition XS over the Sundara. But the Edition XS did sound off in the mids compared to the Sundara. If I still feel the need for nicer over-ear headphones after I figure out this upgrade to my desktop near-field speaker setup, I'll think about getting the Edition XS because the Arya is so much money. Apple AirPods Max: if you forced me to buy a new, over-ear ANC headphone, this is the one I'd get. The APM is comfortable, the ANC is great, and most importantly, it sounds generally correct out of the box. Compare this to the the Sony XM3 over-ears I have, which sound like muddy trash without 10 bands of parametric EQ to brute-force a decent frequency response. The criticisms I have with the APM is that while I'd enjoy that much sub-bass in a speaker setup, that level of sub-bass is too much for me in a headphone, and the APM could use some extra sparkle in the treble. The technical performance seemed about on par with the AKG K371, but worse than the Sennheiser HD560S. I found this disappointing given the APM's price tag, and the gobs of money Apple has to throw at DSP and audio research. As a result I'd take the AirPods Pro over the AirPods Max.
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Jan 2, 2023 21:17
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Thinking about upping my open-back game. Hifiman Sundara is $200 right now for B-stock but I keep reading about heat/comfort issues with extended wear. Thoughts on how it compares on that front to the HD 560S ($150) or Drop HD 6XX ($280)? Use case is some ~critical listening~ but also playing VSTs through a digital piano. My SHP9500 are supremely cool and comfy for long practice sessions, but the exaggerated treble can be fatiguing. A bit of EQ fixes it but that's not always practical or convenient.
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Jan 4, 2023 23:25
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Discussion Quorum posted:Thinking about upping my open-back game. If comfort is a top priority, go with the HD560S. The Sundara is a clear upgrade in sound quality but Sennheiser can't be beat for designing headphones around people, and the HD6XX isn't worth buying at MSRP. While the HD560S benefits from a dedicated amplifier, especially if you plan to EQ in a bass shelf, the HD560S also doesn't require an amp like the HD6XX and Sundara both do. I'll note the HD560S is not quite as comfortable as the SHP9500, which is the most comfortable headphone I've ever owned. I still use mine as a monitoring headphone for work calls because it has zero clamp force.
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Jan 5, 2023 00:45
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Discussion Quorum posted:Thinking about upping my open-back game. I'm happy with mine, though the plastic holding the "leather" strap will crumble with time. And you will most likely switch the pads at least once every other year, no biggie 'cause you can find afforadable 3d-party ones with velour or pleather. All in all the sound makes it worth it for me.
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Jan 5, 2023 00:45
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Godzilla07 posted:While the HD560S benefits from a dedicated amplifier, especially if you plan to EQ in a bass shelf, the HD560S also doesn't require an amp like the HD6XX and Sundara both do. Erf, yeah I thought about the amp issue too. At my desk I plug directly into my MacBook Air, which supplies 3Vrms to headphones over 150 ohms. As I understand it that relies on impedance detection and I'm not sure how that works with planars (probably doesn't). At the piano I am either plugged into a Scarlett 4i4 or the piano itself, both of which seem to be capable of handling 200-250 ohms at their upper limit. Seems like that settles it for either the 560S or status quo. In your experience, since it sounds like you've had both, is it a meaningful upgrade from the SHP9500?
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Jan 5, 2023 01:32
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The Sundara absolutely doesn't require an amp, I use mine directly plugged into my Macbook Air or the headphone jack on my monitor.
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Jan 5, 2023 01:39
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Discussion Quorum posted:Erf, yeah I thought about the amp issue too. At my desk I plug directly into my MacBook Air, which supplies 3Vrms to headphones over 150 ohms. As I understand it that relies on impedance detection and I'm not sure how that works with planars (probably doesn't). For music the HD560S is a big upgrade over the SHP9500. The HD560S is just good whereas the SHP9500 was good for the price, and it also happened to be a nice gaming headset with the BoomPro. You get real bass with the HD560S, and it sounds generally correct through mids and treble. There's also an added sense of space and big jump in detail with the HD560S. njsykora posted:The Sundara absolutely doesn't require an amp, I use mine directly plugged into my Macbook Air or the headphone jack on my monitor. You are missing bass response if you do not use an amplifier with the Sundara, and there is zero EQ headroom with a dongle. The Sundara requires about 10-15 dB more than my K371 and Blessing 2 do from my Element III, and the latter headphones are firmly in dongle territory for power needs. A JDS Labs Atom, or even the Qudelix-5K will be sufficient for the Sundara.
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Jan 5, 2023 02:20
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Xenoborg posted:Quoting this from a month ago since I just found something new, when I plug in the USB charging cable the buzz completely stops and they sound perfect. Any ideas what this points to as the problem? A grounding defect in the power system in the headphones themselves? Is the USB port 2.0 or a 3.0 that the usb receiver is in? Doesn't 3.0 produce interference problems? Different but may help, I always had to use a USB extension with my older PS4 gold headset (either plugged into the ps4 or my PC) as I would get some crazy interference and the headset would cut out depending on how I was sitting. Moving the receiver away from anything metal and locating it above my tv cabinet fixed the problem.
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Jan 5, 2023 05:20
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HD560s sounds good, but if you have a large head, it feels like the Casino vice scene after half an hour
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Jan 5, 2023 08:48
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Puddin posted:Is the USB port 2.0 or a 3.0 that the usb receiver is in? Doesn't 3.0 produce interference problems? No.
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Jan 5, 2023 17:32
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A USB 3.0 port just existing doesn't inherently cause interference, but USB 3.0 SuperSpeed transfers can produce noise in the 2.4GHz range which can escape poorly shielded connectors. Here's Intel's whitepaper on the subject, distributed by the USB-IF themselves: https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/327216.pdf If the connectors are properly shielded it's not a big deal, and modern 2.4GHz gear has usually at least been tested in these environments, but if you're pushing the boundaries of RF range or using older dongles that might not have been designed with this in mind you should try to maintain physical separation. Personally I've plugged my wireless dongles in to my monitor's USB hub for years because it keeps them close to where I probably want them no matter where I put my tower, and that neatly avoids this problem as well, but for what it's worth I've been lazy with the dongle for a recent set of Logitech headphones and just have it in a USB 2 port on my case right next to the USB 3 ports I use with cheap flash drives. I'm sure there's an impact, but I haven't ever actually noticed it. edit: I just tested and I lost about 15 feet of range through three walls while transferring 90MB/sec to an adjacent Microcenter store brand USB drive. wolrah fucked around with this message at 21:47 on Jan 5, 2023 |
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Jan 5, 2023 21:39
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Any recommendations for a pair of wired over ear headphones with decent isolation for under £100? Mainly for watching YouTube/TV + I wear glasses. IEMs not really an option unfortunately
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Jan 6, 2023 13:50
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AKG K361.
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Jan 6, 2023 14:26
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