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To the guy with the Shure iems asking about tips: get the Shure 'black olive' tips and avoid the Comply tips. I have had a single pair of black olive tips last years (5+) whereas comply last a month or two. The black olives are more comfortable and can be washed, too. I only went to comply when I changed to iems that didn't fit the black olives. I actually convinced the manufacturer to find a tip with the same material as the black olive and when their new stuff is released they will be standard kit.
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Aug 7, 2013 21:23
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I can't wait to hear Midorka's opinion of the Asgard 2. I am about to get some serious low impedance iems and am considering getting one to go with them. My current amp has output impedance higher than the impedance of my new custom ten driver iems, so I figure that can't be good...
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Aug 10, 2013 03:11
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Agreed posted:Depends on how important your square waves being square are to you I just want it to sound good and not destroy my headphones. Am I mistaken that having higher output than input impedance is a bad idea? I suppose I should have taken some EE back in the day to get the square wave comment...
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Aug 10, 2013 03:29
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cigani posted:If I took a picture of my ear canal would this help you decide what size I should buy? I can put a needle in the picture for size comparison. They used to sell a set with a small, medium, and large so you could try them all for a decent price rather than buying multiple pairs that may not fit. That or just get medium.
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Aug 11, 2013 05:30
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Pudgygiant posted:The Bose QC15 are pretty drat good, they're pretty tinny with the noise cancelling on, but not nearly as top heavy as the Ultrasone pro 900s are bottom heavy and I love those. I'd say those are the exception to the rule for Bose, all the other QC sound like poo poo compared to a decent Senn/Shure IEM and don't have nearly as much isolation/cancellation. Also there needs to be a customs section in the OP, they really are their own category once you move up to something like JH or UE. I had multiple pairs of the QC15 and every one of them cracked where there was a right angle corner of plastic on the bands. Warranty replaced them all but I stopped traveling with them when I got the og Shure E500PTH. At the time both were fine but there is much better out there now. MY Dad has some UE9000s that have good noise canceling and sound way better than the Bose. Even then, noise cancellation is so Y2K. I am squarely in the iem isolation camp, and eventually replaced the Shure with a universal five BA iem from a company that no longer exists. These are an order of magnitude better than the old Shure tripe drivers (though the newer 535 are also improved). I totally agree that custom iems deserve their own section. I have seen pictures of my new CIEMs and I don't have them yet but I hope that my iem journey ends at this pair. Hand built by a wizard, ten drivers in each ear. I can't wait.
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Aug 20, 2013 04:44
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frozenpeas posted:The Westone 4rs were recently on sale so I picked a pair up for $325. I think you are experiencing what I've heard called 'brain burn-in.' You said it really well, you have been programmed to listen to music in certain ways and it takes time to adjust to the new headphones and how things sound. Once you start to adapt, you will hear things in music that you didn't before. It can be a lot of fun. There was one track I remember where I had a big AHA when I heard that there was a male singer backing up what I thought was only a single female singer. Maybe try listening to stuff you haven't listened to in a while, or some new stuff and then go back to familiar tracks once you have adjusted a bit. That being said, if you like a little thump the 4rs may not have been the best choice. I have a different 4 driver iem and also found them lacking in the low end, but brilliantly clear in other ways.
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Sep 3, 2013 15:08
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Skim Milk posted:I just ordered a pair of Shure SE215s, I'll let you all know how that goes. I had a pair of Etymotic ER-6is years ago and loved them but I'm looking for something a little more casual. I'm curious to see how the Shure's compare to my HD650s, AKG K702s and Denon D2000s. From what I've read, the Shures have a sound in the same vein of those headphones. The 200 series Shure are a gateway drug. You will listen to them and grow to like them and then compare them to other things you like and then all of a sudden you are going for newer sets, more drivers, etc. I think the pair of E2Cs I started with a very long time ago have made it to multiple new owners who all caught the bug and now have multiple pairs of iems. You chose a great pair to start. shymog posted:So I built a new computer and now I'm using the onboard ASRock "purity audio" headphone amplification rather than using my old Headroom amp for my VSonic GR07s. I honestly can't notice a difference, so I'm happy except for the lack of analog volume control. You may want a volume attenuator. Shure and Bose both used to pack them in with certain models and may work cleanly enough for you. No reason not to get an amp though, they can control things nicely and there are decent FiiO and other inexpensive brands. With an attenuator you would just go loud from the PC and notch it down.
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Sep 4, 2013 04:29
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shymog posted:The attenuator sounds like what I need to look into. An amp seems like overkill to just gain analog volume control when I'm already happy with the sound directly from this. In the meantime (as in, the hours that it'll take to wade through the audiophile cesspool I find when searching for "headphone volume attenuation"), I'm just going to assign two of my unused mouse buttons to VOL+/VOL-. Look for something like this http://www.earphonesolutions.com/leatwivoco.html?cmp=googleproducts&kw=leatwivoco&gclid=CKzA9K7xsLkCFcN_QgodSU4Aug Should be no more than $15, maybe half that if you find a knock off brand.
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Sep 4, 2013 05:19
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By "gateway drug" I meant that you will like the Shure 215s enough that you will want to find ones that are better, because they aren't good enough to stop there. I mean they are pretty good, no shame in liking them. Then you start to wonder and hear some other pairs and then over a few years you realize you have spent more money than is sane or reasonable on iems. Hopefully my looking for more stops tomorrow when my new customs arrive... I am giddy like a schoolgirl, I can't freaking wait.
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Sep 6, 2013 05:31
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Midorka posted:I thought the term black background was bullshit til I heard my T50rp. And I had my first run in with background when I paired a Headroom Total Airhead portable amp (powered by four AAA batteries!) with an iPod (before there were different versions) and some Bose QC15 headphones. The noise floor was audible, even with music at low-ish volumes. It actually made scratchy sounds when changing the volume because of the design of the amp. Good times back then. I think I ran into one person in a million miles of travel who knew what a headphone amp was at that time.
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Sep 6, 2013 05:44
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Midorka posted:Not true. I'm having a pain in the rear end time trying to find a portable amp for my IEMs which are all low impedance. Try a JDSLabs C241 yet?
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Sep 23, 2013 15:10
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I like the ODAC with speakers, still looking for an amp like the Asgard 2 to drive IEMs on my desktop. In other news, I spent a week with custom IEMs, ten drivers each side. Totally amazing, but had a fit issue so I sent them back for refit. Will also likely tweak the design to get something more incredible so they look as amazing as they sound.
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Sep 23, 2013 18:07
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terre packet posted:I'd love some recommendations for headphones. I'll be using them primarily for travelling, so I'd like to avoid unecessarily long cables. If you want isolation have you thought about IEMs? There are a good number of excellent IEMs at that price point.
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Oct 1, 2013 18:20
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terre packet posted:I haven't, but I can change that. The Etymotics are supposed to be very flat and have the best isolation if you can take a deep insertion. Might be a little lacking in low end, but otherwise excellent and bang on your price point. Head-fi also has a gigantic IEM review thread with what must be getting on 300 different reviews, so that may be worth some research beyond what is worth linking here (simply too much data). Shure products are also great, but may not be the sound signature for you. Best fit and the olive tips are absolutely the best hands down of any IEM tip I have used. I would also have recommended Heir Audio 4.ai but since the founder left its not clear who is manning that business or what the quality is like. There are used pairs out there that are good and would be well within your price range. Heck, I'd sell you mine since, they are a great little 4 driver 'custom universal.'
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Oct 1, 2013 21:08
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Zhent posted:I need a pair of headphones for a series of flights tomorrow. I have read through the thread and I haven't seen anything about the Bose noise canceling IEMs other than the general 'stay away from noise canceling.' Get iems that have double/triple flange tips and foam tips all in multiple sizes. Something like foam, if you get ones that fit you well and are comfortable will have great isolation without using any noise canceling gimmick. For something you can go get in a store easily Shure has some good options, or check out the iem hall of fame on inner fidelity or your favorite review site. Lots of widely varying signatures in iems, from flat to colored to bassy. The only reason why I mention Shure is their black olive foam tips are pretty much the best I have ever used for comfort and isolation.
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Oct 9, 2013 02:16
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Electric Bugaloo posted:Also- would they be good headphones to fly with? Reviews seem to peg their isolation as "only ok," so I figure they won't beat a good set of IEMs in that department, but are they more usable for travel than, say, your average pair of inexpensive headphones/earbuds? IEMs with foam tips. Midorka has recommended several reasonable pairs in this thread in your price range or below. WugLyfe posted:Usually active noise-cancelers are best. Many people suggest in-ears if you don't have a lot of money, but if you don't get a perfect seal that engine noise will be annoying as hell. Active noise cancelling is a terrible gimmick. an IEM with a foam tip will isolate much more, and across everything and not just the drone of a jet engine. Having had five kinds of active noise cancellation and even more iems and a very comprehensive collection of tips with fifteen plus years of travel, I can really confidently state that if you can stand using an IEM, its the only way to fly. Price has no real relevance to the isolation argument. Foam tips are cheap and can be found for any iem, and I have had expensive and cheap IEMs and active noise cancellers. Yes, some of the more expensive active cancellation is better, but foam is the best, and I am proof that you can spend top of the line money on IEMS (my ten driver customs were Audize money).
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Oct 17, 2013 22:30
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WugLyfe posted:ANC is pretty much designed to do one thing and one thing only (cancel out a constant drone), but there's so few sets that work well enough that it's usually best to avoid 'em if you can, but airplane use is not one of those times. True, and true actual aircraft grade/use headsets with ANC are totally awesome (I have ridden in enough small planes with those). Every IEM I have ever used has had some tip option that seals well for me. I suppose there are those for whom no IEM with any tip will fit and seal well. I have given the 'iem + foam tip' recommendation to scores of people, and maybe one couldn't find something that worked. They went with the bose NC set instead. For a while I actually used an ANC set just for the noise cancelling with an iem in ear underneath. Incredible isolation, just made my ears sweat and was kind of a hassle. Midorka has posted a bunch of pretty low cost IEMs that seem great. I agree that at the low end there must be some IEMs where the tips aren't so good. Heck, there are some danged expensive ones with strange tips and fit, too.
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Oct 18, 2013 00:38
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Midorka posted:Here is a graph of how the Momentum isolate vs the M50, Apple earbuds, and the Sennheiser HD25-1 II. The HD25-1 II isolate the most and I've heard great things about them. graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=6&graphID=4193&graphID=2941&graphID=3121&graphID=513&scale=30
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Oct 18, 2013 17:00
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Midorka posted:Edit: Everyone praises the Mr. Speakers Mad Dogs? Buy the Ad2000 used and get a better experience or buy the Brainwavz HM5 and get 95% of the experience. Not a fan so far. Interesting that you don't like the Mad Dogs. I really need closed cans, and those were high on my list to consider. The AD2k sound great, but are totally open...
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Oct 28, 2013 16:55
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The impedance talk is interesting. I get to spend dozens of hours on planes this coming week, and I may use my portable amp to buffer the airplane audio. Good times. Anyone here have a portable amp they like with >40 hours of battery life?
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Nov 2, 2013 06:30
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poopkitty posted:I'm looking for some custom molded earbuds. Can anyone recommend a brand or share some experiences? I'm in Japan and so I've been looking at 'canal works' since they carry them at e-earphone in Akihabara. But I've also been looking at Earsound Customs. You can't exactly "try" out custom IEMs, so I'm wary. Get thee to head fi, there is a good thread on custom comparison. I just got my first pair of custom iems myself, made by the Wizard (Google him) at Noble Audio (okay maybe his own hands didn't do all the fabrication but his design and team). I will say this: you need to get impressions done by someone who knows how to take impressions for IEMs. I know Noble has someone in Japan, and there are a number of makers based there as well (wizard is in Thailand and has a lab in China). Even with a good impression I had to have them redone because of a minor, minor issue with the way the acrylic dried on one part of the canal. At least Noble also does silicone instead of acrylic for some models, and that is supposed to be more comfortable as it is a flexible instead of rigid material. But for the love of whatever deity you prefer, get impressions done by someone who knows how to do it specially for an IEM. And use a bite block. Lastly, there are some custom iem makers who give dealers a "universal" build of their iem products so you can get an idea of the sound. They will be a little different from full customs but it may be an option depending on the brand and dealer. I still haven't managed to go see my local Noble guy to compare their demo K10 against my custom, but I know they have a demo unit.
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Nov 22, 2013 03:17
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powderific posted:Are there any more affordable custom iem's? $700 for those nobles is well beyond anything I'd ever spend, but I may need to replace my Etymotic HF3's soon as the cables have started fraying. The custom molds I got through Etymotic are fabulous though and I can't see myself using iem's without a set. At the moment I'm leaning towards either just getting another set of HF3's or Er4's so I can use my existing inserts. I like the idea of something that's one integrated piece though. And it'd be cool to try something new. The custom iem comparison thread on head fi has lots of options. I wouldn't expect much under $300, but I could be mistaken. Getting custom tips for a universal iem is also an option, but then you basically have to buy both a custom tip and the whole iem. If you like the feel of a custom try a Shure iem in your price range with their black olive tip. Isolated better than my custom and the pinnacle of comfort. I actually fit them just as deep if not deeper than my custom. Replacing your existing ones may really be your best bet.
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Nov 22, 2013 04:03
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powderific posted:Checked out the giant comparison thread on Head-Fi and got some ideas, but just discovered that Etymotic will sell you replacement sets at a pretty good discount if you send them your broken set. Upgrading to the ER4S would be $180 that way. Not too bad since my HF3 custom sleeves are in perfect shape and fit the ER4. I'm a bit worried that wearing the cords over the ear won't work with the ER4S since they stick out so far though. Well there you go, sounds like a great solution. If you like the Ety sound, jump all over this.
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Nov 22, 2013 05:59
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Until the ACS custom sleeves on the HF3 I'd never been able to wear any IEM more than 15 minutes at a time.
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guppy posted:The goal is specifically engine noise. Well fitting iems with the right tips (which specifically vary by person) will block out pretty much everything, including engine noise. Bone conduction will still happen if you rest your head against something like the wall of the plane but it is true that with good tips and even a little. USC or something you basically can't hear anything.
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Nov 23, 2013 18:43
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TheRamblingSoul posted:Hey, just window shopping for new quality headphones I want to replace my ailing Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones with. I would also be interested in the responses to this request. Mad Dogs maybe?
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Dec 13, 2013 01:22
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Oh my, what have we here?
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Apr 1, 2014 02:33
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Midorka posted:Before I post to Reddit or Head-Fi, I'm selling my Mad Dogs for $200 as a goon special to USA. Let me know if interested! How did you like the Mad Dogs? That is a fantastic price, kind of wondering why you are getting rid of them.
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May 5, 2014 02:18
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Lovable Luciferian posted:I went ahead and bought Audio-Technica ATH-M50. I am very well pleased with my purchase at $108. Though I do admit that I'm not adept enough to know if I would have been better served by the $70-$90 cans recommended to me by the thread. The M50 are a gateway drug. They started me down a very expensive path. Enjoy them!
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May 5, 2014 02:57
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eddiewalker posted:I wanted to try a pair of knockaround noise-canceling phones for air travel. As great as the isolation is with IEMs, sometime I get some fatigue and head pressure. If you get fatigue and head pressure with IEMs something isn't right. I ended up over the years amassing quite a tip collection as I sought to improve fit and isolation and got to the point where I could go full international without removing my iems. Have you considered a custom fit iem? I made the leap late last year and would have a hard time going back now. So comfortable and good isolation. I may try a custom fit silicone set for even more isolation but the acrylic customs I have now are fine for even 10+ hour flights. And for the record I went from the Bose ANC stuff to iems, so I get the journey and what you are looking for...
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May 7, 2014 00:47
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NicelyNice posted:Are there are any sealed bluetooth headphones worth mentioning? I ride a packed subway to work everyday and my cord has been getting snagged quite a bit. I need something that leaks zero sound so I don't annoy people and would prefer noise canceling to remove the hum of the subway If they still make the UE9000 they may fit the bill.
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Jun 5, 2014 01:06
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terre packet posted:The headphones I bought today came with this thing, what the heck is it? While it is true that these are for airlines, it's not just old planes that have them. I fly long haul (intercontinental) too much these days and the majority of planes I have been on, even newer ones, have this connector. Woe unto he stuck on a 15 hour flight without an adapter wanting to use anything other than the ten-for-a-dollar headsets the plane hands out to passengers (or worse charges $2-$6 for the privilege of using). That being said, if you have good headphones you care about, do not plug them directly into the armrest even with an adapter. The output impedance of these jacks can be very high, and airplane power systems driving these electronics can have problems that damage headphones. I run through an amp to make sure that the amp takes the brunt of any problem and also can give me a clean, lower volume signal for my IEMs. It's pretty funny though, I have gotten some great sound for movies on planes with the newer digital personal seat entertainment systems and my little portable amp. Picture quality isn't always great, but the sound can be very good.
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Jun 14, 2014 14:59
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Can anyone recommend headphones for children, specifically to use while traveling/airplanes? We don't want to spend three hundred on Bose noise canceling but there has to be something good for kids, durable, and to help with the noise.
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Jun 27, 2014 17:41
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BreakAtmo posted:I was curious about something and was hoping I could get some help here - I apologise if this has already been covered in the thread. Maybe something like the Abyss, just welded all together once just for you?
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Jun 30, 2014 01:55
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crunchytacosupreme posted:Fiio E07k or JDS Labs c5d? I'm looking to pair them with an iphone5s and work laptop. They will drive modded grado sr125e (turbulent labs mahogany cups and g pads) and hifiman 400. The Fiio wins on price but the JDS gives me a made in the USA boner(great support). Thoughts? Isn't battery life of the c5d like five hours or something abysmal like that?
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Jul 8, 2014 05:09
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eddiewalker posted:Well, my 5 year old "Alien Ears" dual-driver customs were starting to give me comfort issues. A hard drop shattered one ear, so I guess now I'm fully in the market for a new pair. I don't know that Heir is even around really, but Noble was formed by the key Heir people and are doing well. I had some a heir stuff and got a pair of customs I quite like from Noble when they spun out from under Heir. Noble will do acrylic or silicone, and they do amazing artwork. Check out their Facebook page or Head-fi thread. The Noble guys also did my impressions for me, so depending on where you are that may be a selling point.
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Aug 20, 2014 03:57
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Elysiume posted:I'm looking for a good pair of headphones for music and gaming. Anyone have experience with Audio-Technica ATHM50RD Pro DJ Headphones? The ratings are really good and the price is in my range. They are just ATH M-50 headphones in red. Very popular suggestion for an entry level audiophile sort of headphone. I still have a pair hooked up to my computer rig since I don't have an amp I trust to run my more expensive headphones. Totally fine but not spectacular in any way.
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Aug 22, 2014 04:15
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Elysiume posted:Yeah I know nothing about headphones and didn't know that Audio-Technica is a good brand or that ATH M-50s are a good headset. A couple of friends respectively told me those two things, and the red ones were the cheapest option. Ordered next day delivery because it was cheap. I believe they are frequently suggested as a first "expensive" headphone to people looking for something of quality and is willing to pay for it before heading down the slippery slope of ever more expensive headphones and gear. I like them for general use with my computer, light gaming and youtube and a little music. You made a solid choice. In other news, has anyone heard of the iFi iCAN nano? I just ordered one to replace another amp, and it seems it meets my requirements of portable and long battery life but I have heard it doesn't do well with sensitive phones or iems, which is all I have...
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Aug 22, 2014 06:04
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eddiewalker posted:I asked about custom IEMs recently. After spending way too much time on Head-fi and having a really great windfall at work, I bumped my budget up and I've got my eyes on a pair of 1964 V6's (non-Stage). I hope you took 1964's instructions for the audiologist and you used a bite block. If an audiologist does IEM impressions regularly you are probably good but if you went to one who doesn't do it much the instructions are crucial for success.
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Aug 26, 2014 18:54
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eddiewalker posted:It was the same doc who did my last set and the results were fine then. Those look good. How deep a fit are you getting?
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Aug 27, 2014 01:10
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Giraffe posted:I'm in the market for two different sets of headphones, hope you guys can help me out. For IEMs in that price range have you thought about getting customs? I went from Shure iems to custom ones from Noble and I don't think I could go back. Technically foam can isolate a little more, but my acrylic customs are great for long plane rides (have done 18 hours in total comfort including head on pillow time). If you could swing a silicone model it would isolate more and maybe be even more comfortable.
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Sep 11, 2014 03:39
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