Anybody have suggestions on a good pair of headphones? I have these koss headphones that are probably 4 years old, they have good sound still but they hurt if they are on too long. I prefer the ear covering versions.. looking to spend $100 or less preferably, maybe more if its definately worth it.
i like my sony mdr-7506. but there are other cheaper and better sony models.
there are a lot of really great in-ear headphones. the only downside is that many have weird sound profiles--some lack low frequencies significantly.
there are a lot of really great in-ear headphones. the only downside is that many have weird sound profiles--some lack low frequencies significantly.
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I picked up some Sennheiser HD-580s from Amazon a while back for 130 USD. they're not available on Amazon anymore, but you might be able to find them somewhere else for pretty cheap. they've been discontinued, I think.
anyways, some good sources if you want info about different models are head-fi.org forums and headphone.com.
are these for home use or portable or both?
anyways, some good sources if you want info about different models are head-fi.org forums and headphone.com.
are these for home use or portable or both?
mostly home.. i just want some comfortable, good sounding ones. I dont mind wearing gigantic ear covering headphones while walking around and around people, so it doesnt matter really. i like how they feel more solid than plain ear sized, or ear buds.
http://www.headphone.com/products/headphones/ … 80-pro.php is looking pretty promising.. according to the site at least.
i don't like their reviews too much. i'd do lots of research elsewhere before making a purchase, if i were you.
here's a really neat feature of headphone.com!
http://www.headphone.com/technical/product-me … -graph.php
that's the best part about headphone.com, imho. head-fi is great for opinions/reviews.
http://www.headphone.com/technical/product-me … -graph.php
that's the best part about headphone.com, imho. head-fi is great for opinions/reviews.
so my shures have been lost for a year now. bummer.
in the meantime i've used apple headphones, some $30 panasonics, and now one of the panasonic buds lost its silicon thing (it was in-ear).
so now i'm rocking some ghetto sony open ears. that might be too positive.
http://i.pricerunner.com/prod/15_16_0_7_20769 … 101LP.jpeg
in the meantime i've used apple headphones, some $30 panasonics, and now one of the panasonic buds lost its silicon thing (it was in-ear).
so now i'm rocking some ghetto sony open ears. that might be too positive.
http://i.pricerunner.com/prod/15_16_0_7_20769 … 101LP.jpeg
Sennheiser PX-100s! best deal.
wow they're only 36 bucks on Amazon! I thought they were more.
i was playing chess at a coffee place today, and my friend had some open hear over the head portable headphones.
he was like, these are sennheisers. and i was like 'are they px100s?' and he was like. yes. you read my mind.
thank you ttf.
he was like, these are sennheisers. and i was like 'are they px100s?' and he was like. yes. you read my mind.
thank you ttf.
like, yes.
:) did you try them?
no, i should have! i was basking in the glory of a chess win (and this dude is totally brilliant, so i was proud).
i actually don't mind the over ear style now.
i actually don't mind the over ear style now.
i found some sennheiser px300-b earbuds in my house, so i'm using those now.
my dad used them with his ipod until he got shure 530s. :O
http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SE530-Sound-Isola … amp;sr=8-1
my dad used them with his ipod until he got shure 530s. :O
http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SE530-Sound-Isola … amp;sr=8-1
holy shit @ that price
yeah no kidding. he is a huge audiophile though, has spent tens of thousands on various stereos scattered about their house. i respect it... but do not understand it. i'm working on training my nose... ears will come later
i'm going to buy grado sr60s when i start working this summer. i also need to do some diy repair on my sennheiser hd-270s.
I've got a pair of speakers in my room now :).
nice. my speakers are terrible - 2w dinky ones i found.
this summer i seriously need to do an overhaul of my computer audio system.
when i move i will be using this (http://blog.stereophile.com/ces2008/010808zeppelin/) as the stereo in my living room, etc.
for my computer i'm planning to invest in:
* grado sr60/sr80 ($80)
* uncertain usb digital-audio converter
* amp (might be able to borrow one from audiophile father)
* speakers (ditto. might go for powered speakers, then i could skimp on the amp)
more anon.
this summer i seriously need to do an overhaul of my computer audio system.
when i move i will be using this (http://blog.stereophile.com/ces2008/010808zeppelin/) as the stereo in my living room, etc.
for my computer i'm planning to invest in:
* grado sr60/sr80 ($80)
* uncertain usb digital-audio converter
* amp (might be able to borrow one from audiophile father)
* speakers (ditto. might go for powered speakers, then i could skimp on the amp)
more anon.
I've thought about doing a setup like that with a DAC, but I don't think that any computer-based playing method would be ideal for me. I don't want to store lossless audio, I don't want to listen to MP3s through a nice amp & speakers, and I don't want to use my computer's CD drive to play audio CDs all the time.
plus I already have a CD changer with digital audio out capability, if I ever want to get an external DAC.
the biggest downside of this is that my Last.fm page sucks now :(.
plus I already have a CD changer with digital audio out capability, if I ever want to get an external DAC.
the biggest downside of this is that my Last.fm page sucks now :(.
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on a positive note, I just bought a receiver/amp:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190213381267&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching
so you play vinyl or what?
i don't get the cd/mp3 hate.
i don't get the cd/mp3 hate.
nice amp
most of my music isn't in cd format, and isn't likely to be until i start earning real money 4-5 years. therefore i'm listening to high bitrate lossy and lossless, either out of my computer or out of my ipod (on the zeppelin). but because my music collection is quickly approaching my ipod's hard drive space, my computer will become my home stereo.
there is a whole site around this sort of thing - http://computeraudiophile.com/
generally people get an expensive usb dac (benchmark dac1 ~$1000) but i'm a little sceptical of the marginal benefits of that kind of purchase. i'm thinking around $250 for a nice dac (the one that http://devilsound.com/ makes looks good, and was reviewed on computeraudiophile), and some decent powered speakers (audioengine 2, $200). the stereophile reviews are very positive on the audioengine 2's, and they seem the best value as I wouldn't need to get a separate amp. when i do get an amp i can still plug my system in, i would just turn off the amp in the speakers. this way i'm looking to the future instead of getting some kind of monolithic solution (like the headroom total bithead amp+usb dac).
most of my music isn't in cd format, and isn't likely to be until i start earning real money 4-5 years. therefore i'm listening to high bitrate lossy and lossless, either out of my computer or out of my ipod (on the zeppelin). but because my music collection is quickly approaching my ipod's hard drive space, my computer will become my home stereo.
there is a whole site around this sort of thing - http://computeraudiophile.com/
generally people get an expensive usb dac (benchmark dac1 ~$1000) but i'm a little sceptical of the marginal benefits of that kind of purchase. i'm thinking around $250 for a nice dac (the one that http://devilsound.com/ makes looks good, and was reviewed on computeraudiophile), and some decent powered speakers (audioengine 2, $200). the stereophile reviews are very positive on the audioengine 2's, and they seem the best value as I wouldn't need to get a separate amp. when i do get an amp i can still plug my system in, i would just turn off the amp in the speakers. this way i'm looking to the future instead of getting some kind of monolithic solution (like the headroom total bithead amp+usb dac).
when i say people... i mean crazy audiophiles, not *people* :P
I'm not hating on CDs, just hating on the idea of playing audio CDs in my MacBook's optical drive all the time. it's noisy and don't think the drive would very much appreciate playing audio CDs constantly.
the hate on MP3s is because of the quality. I suspect that I'd be able to hear a difference through a nice amp and speakers as opposed to listening on my headphones on the train, in which case I'm perfectly ok with MP3s.
the hate on MP3s is because of the quality. I suspect that I'd be able to hear a difference through a nice amp and speakers as opposed to listening on my headphones on the train, in which case I'm perfectly ok with MP3s.
yeah cd + macbook is no good. get a nice cdp if you want to go the traditional stereo route.
if you don't mind mp3s on your ipod with your senns, you probably won't tell the difference on speakers. headphones are the best way to get amazing sound for less money.
i have to do some research on mp3 vs lossless. some people on the internet say v0 vbr (or 320 cbr) is equivalent to cd quality, while others say only lossless will get you accurate reproduction. i'm sceptical of everything, and i want to test this myself. this doesn't really affect my plans for computer hi-fi as i can go lossless if necessary.
on a different note i might have access to a 1970s accuphase tube amp for my stereo :P
if you don't mind mp3s on your ipod with your senns, you probably won't tell the difference on speakers. headphones are the best way to get amazing sound for less money.
i have to do some research on mp3 vs lossless. some people on the internet say v0 vbr (or 320 cbr) is equivalent to cd quality, while others say only lossless will get you accurate reproduction. i'm sceptical of everything, and i want to test this myself. this doesn't really affect my plans for computer hi-fi as i can go lossless if necessary.
on a different note i might have access to a 1970s accuphase tube amp for my stereo :P
MP3s on my portable player with my PX-100s isn't bad, but I can tell a difference listening to the portable vs. listening through my receiver. I don't know if that's because of CD vs. MP3 or because of portable MP3 player vs. CD changer+receiver though.
I guess I'd need a source that played both CDs or other lossless files as well as MP3s. I could just try to A/B/X something on my MacBook.
I'm still skeptical that an MP3 going through a nice pair of speakers is going to sound as nice as something lossless though. I suppose I could burn some MP3s to a CD, put it on shuffle and see if I can tell.
I guess I'd need a source that played both CDs or other lossless files as well as MP3s. I could just try to A/B/X something on my MacBook.
I'm still skeptical that an MP3 going through a nice pair of speakers is going to sound as nice as something lossless though. I suppose I could burn some MP3s to a CD, put it on shuffle and see if I can tell.
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asemi said:
so don't get/make low quality mp3s.
you won't be able to tell the difference between lame's apx and a cd. period. or you could encode your mp3s as cbr 320kbps and not worry about it.
nestor said:
cbr 320kbps is lossless. v0 vbr is not lossless. but it's virtually impossible to tell the difference between v0 vbr and lossless with the human ear.
asemi said:
probably both. ipod? and what quality of mp3?
asemi said:
depends on the quality of mp3.
is 96kbps as good as lossless to our ears? no.
128kbps? no.
192kbps? probably most of the time.
224kbps? virtually all of the time.
320kbps? guaranteed (lossless).
remember that you can do lossless using flac, mp3 at 320kbps, wav, or other ways.
the hate on MP3s is because of the quality. I suspect that I'd be able to hear a difference through a nice amp and speakers as opposed to listening on my headphones on the train, in which case I'm perfectly ok with MP3s.
so don't get/make low quality mp3s.
you won't be able to tell the difference between lame's apx and a cd. period. or you could encode your mp3s as cbr 320kbps and not worry about it.
nestor said:
some people on the internet say v0 vbr (or 320 cbr) is equivalent to cd quality, while others say only lossless will get you accurate reproduction.
cbr 320kbps is lossless. v0 vbr is not lossless. but it's virtually impossible to tell the difference between v0 vbr and lossless with the human ear.
asemi said:
I don't know if that's because of CD vs. MP3 or because of portable MP3 player vs. CD changer+receiver though.
probably both. ipod? and what quality of mp3?
asemi said:
I'm still skeptical that an MP3 going through a nice pair of speakers is going to sound as nice as something lossless though.
depends on the quality of mp3.
is 96kbps as good as lossless to our ears? no.
128kbps? no.
192kbps? probably most of the time.
224kbps? virtually all of the time.
320kbps? guaranteed (lossless).
remember that you can do lossless using flac, mp3 at 320kbps, wav, or other ways.
320kbps cbr mp3 is not lossless. all mp3 is lossy. people say you shouldn't even bother with 320 cbr as you may as well just go with lossless compression for a smidge more in filesize.
the argument for v0 vbr over 320 cbr is that vbr is more efficient. in passages that are more complex, it is encoded at a higher bitrate. in less complex passages i believe v0 preset will dip to a minimum of 192kbps. 320 therefore wastes space. this makes sense to me and in the future i am going to stick to ripping all my cds in v0 and try to download the same (once i fix my waffles ratio!).
both come very close if not practically equal to lossless, although my father and my uncle who are both diehard audiophiles swear they can tell the difference between 320kbps/v0 and lossless. i don't believe them though :D
the argument for v0 vbr over 320 cbr is that vbr is more efficient. in passages that are more complex, it is encoded at a higher bitrate. in less complex passages i believe v0 preset will dip to a minimum of 192kbps. 320 therefore wastes space. this makes sense to me and in the future i am going to stick to ripping all my cds in v0 and try to download the same (once i fix my waffles ratio!).
both come very close if not practically equal to lossless, although my father and my uncle who are both diehard audiophiles swear they can tell the difference between 320kbps/v0 and lossless. i don't believe them though :D
> my father and my uncle who are both diehard audiophiles swear they can tell the
> difference between 320kbps/v0 and lossless. i don't believe them though :D
Well, there's this thing called the placebo effect...
> difference between 320kbps/v0 and lossless. i don't believe them though :D
Well, there's this thing called the placebo effect...
Yeah, I agree. A lot of audiophilia is about just that... I don't want to go that far :D
You would be shocked at the lengths diehard audiophiles go to - thousands of dollars spent on power cords, little plastic pucks to put on optical drives to balance them, 'power cleaners' that are plugged into the same socket as the equipment, hours spent shifting speakers around, etc.
You would be shocked at the lengths diehard audiophiles go to - thousands of dollars spent on power cords, little plastic pucks to put on optical drives to balance them, 'power cleaners' that are plugged into the same socket as the equipment, hours spent shifting speakers around, etc.
yeah, 320 CBR is not lossless.
I don't know if I personally can tell the diff between a 320 kbps CBR MP3 and a CD, but there IS a difference between them. I'd have to A/B/X it before concluding that I can hear a difference.
regardless, I like owning CDs.
I don't know if I personally can tell the diff between a 320 kbps CBR MP3 and a CD, but there IS a difference between them. I'd have to A/B/X it before concluding that I can hear a difference.
regardless, I like owning CDs.
nestor> 320kbps cbr mp3 is not lossless. all mp3 is lossy.
thanks for the correction. i only like speaking strongly if someone is going to show that i'm wrong if i am.
okay, so the filterbank is what makes the mp3 lossy, which is part of the compression. for some reason, i thought that the compression was perfect, it was just the bitrate that was (usually) less than perfect.
thanks for the correction. i only like speaking strongly if someone is going to show that i'm wrong if i am.
okay, so the filterbank is what makes the mp3 lossy, which is part of the compression. for some reason, i thought that the compression was perfect, it was just the bitrate that was (usually) less than perfect.
Be sure to get a good volume control like this one
And you wouldn't want some cheap knobs with that so: http://web.archive.org/web/20070518175333/http ://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=NOB_C37_C
Too bad they don't offer the knobs anymore.
And you wouldn't want some cheap knobs with that so: http://web.archive.org/web/20070518175333/http ://www.referenceaudiomods.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=NOB_C37_C
Too bad they don't offer the knobs anymore.
For more must-have equipment, check this out: http://www.ilikejam.org/blog/audio/audiophile.html
:o the mockery
hahaha awesome
Cool!
I'm gonna burn all my programs on a CD and use that equipment on it, it will recover lost bits and will enhance my programs so they will run faster and more stable.
I'm gonna burn all my programs on a CD and use that equipment on it, it will recover lost bits and will enhance my programs so they will run faster and more stable.
and look cooler too!
those shure e530s are now mine. muahahahaha!
lucky bastard
so i want small headphones (iem) for under $100.
i'm currently considering:
er6i
e2c
what else should i be looking at? thanks!
i'm currently considering:
er6i
e2c
what else should i be looking at? thanks!
nestor> people say you shouldn't even bother with 320 cbr as you may as well just go with lossless compression for a smidge more in filesize.
i have the national's boxer in both flac and mp3 cbr 320kbps. the flac version is 270mb, while the mp3 cbr 320kbps version is 100mb.
just reread some of this thread. :o
i have the national's boxer in both flac and mp3 cbr 320kbps. the flac version is 270mb, while the mp3 cbr 320kbps version is 100mb.
just reread some of this thread. :o
Well, the 320KB/s MP3 is still ~170% smaller, more than ``a smidge'' IMO ...
As for headphones ... Those are pretty expensive, is there a real difference in quality between $15 earphones and $60 earphones ...?
As for headphones ... Those are pretty expensive, is there a real difference in quality between $15 earphones and $60 earphones ...?
to me, definitely.
e2cs are great. i have owned two pairs.
highly recommended if you have the $.
highly recommended if you have the $.
recommended over the er6i and all other iems for under $100?
sennheiser cx-300s are very cheap, but it's a matter of preference between the two. the e2cs are much more serious
I need a GOOD headphone set for my keyboard. I need the 5 1/2 connector too. Any ideas?
budget? style of phone (bud, open/closed ear cans, etc.)
or what sort of features are you looking for
or what sort of features are you looking for
Creative EP630 is almost same in SQ to CX300 and cheaper. Its a good pair for bass-heads.
Quality is key.
head to http://www.head-fi.org/ :)
do you have any experience with the er6i, nestor? they seem to have a nice freq. response.
I think I need some cheapish earbuds so I can listen to music while wearing my bike helmet.
just ordered some Sennheiser MX 660s. they were mentioned on headphone.com and they're only 25 bucks (35 on headphone.com) so what the hell, I can't go too wrong.
i'd go for the e2cs for the build quality and good bass response, which is nice for such small phones - buds/iems normally have rather poor bass and the e2c does not disappoint.
i have heard the er6i is a more neutral sound but i'd take this with a grain of audiophile-tainted salt.
i have heard the er6i is a more neutral sound but i'd take this with a grain of audiophile-tainted salt.
i can't decide between them. i'm kinda prejudice against shure from my radio days.
you had radio days?
i want to start my radio days
i want to start my radio days
Radio? I vaguely remember something being taught about that at history classes back in school...
nestor: i want to start my radio days
me too, but ham style :o
me too, but ham style :o
i'm going to train for my university's station - http://chrwradio.com/
if i get a show, y'all better listen in, haha
if i get a show, y'all better listen in, haha
i just sold my mdr-7506 to a friend for $35.
i just bought the er6i from amazon for $80.
i just bought the er6i from amazon for $80.
I think I'm going to sell my HD-580s.
i'm pretty excited to get my er6i tomorrow. i've been using some cheap sony earbuds in the meantime.
how much for the 580s asemi?
and why are you selling them? :D
damn I should have asked about selling them on here first. I think I found a buyer in Boston.
I'm selling them because I've probably used them once since getting my pair of speakers a few months ago.
I'm selling them because I've probably used them once since getting my pair of speakers a few months ago.
right, forgot about those. well, if the sale falls through i'm definitely interested.
i'm hearing things in songs that i've never heard before.
and i've listened to these songs hundreds of times, both in my car and with my sony 7506.
so yeah, the er-6i have amazing imaging. props to er.
and i've listened to these songs hundreds of times, both in my car and with my sony 7506.
so yeah, the er-6i have amazing imaging. props to er.
I've been liking my Sennheiser earbuds lately over the PX-100s, for the simplicity of shoving a pair of earbuds in my pocket when I get to work and stuff. so I ordered some Yuin PK2s yesterday. I hope they live up to the 80-dollar price tag!
got the Yuins today. they are pretty awesome. and absurdly loud. and they came in a cute little wooden box.
that's sweet that they have a wooden box.
not the nicest wood, but cool nonetheless. the headphones themselves came in a little plastic canister kind of like a film canister. I should take pics.
wow, those are beautiful. 1400 dollars on Amazon!! I had some HD-580s from Sennheiser that were great.
I'd rather have some of these
http://omploader.org/vMTQ1NQ
http://omploader.org/vMTQ1NQ
I'd like to listen to Grados some more.
the driver on my right earbud is fucked. guy at Headroom said they'd send me out a new pair this week though. great service! especially since it took me almost a month to notice the driver was blown by cranking my music ridiculously loud.
just thought I'd mention this…
got a replacement pair of PK-2s. right driver was blown again. sent both pairs back asking for a pair of PX-100s and a refund for the difference. they say they never got the PK-2s back. they find the tracking number they sent me, say it has never been used (wtf?). next day they email me saying they got the box with a different tracking number (their error, I guess).
over a week goes by with no word from them after the guy saying something to the effect of "I just got the package I will deal with it Monday." I email them saying I'd just like a full refund because it's taken so long and I've bought headphones elsewhere. this was like three days ago. today I get a box with a pair of PX-100s in it. still no refund for the difference. if it doesn't show up by sometime next week I'll email them.
all in all, not so impressed with the service. it hasn't sucked, but hasn't exactly been great either.
got a replacement pair of PK-2s. right driver was blown again. sent both pairs back asking for a pair of PX-100s and a refund for the difference. they say they never got the PK-2s back. they find the tracking number they sent me, say it has never been used (wtf?). next day they email me saying they got the box with a different tracking number (their error, I guess).
over a week goes by with no word from them after the guy saying something to the effect of "I just got the package I will deal with it Monday." I email them saying I'd just like a full refund because it's taken so long and I've bought headphones elsewhere. this was like three days ago. today I get a box with a pair of PX-100s in it. still no refund for the difference. if it doesn't show up by sometime next week I'll email them.
all in all, not so impressed with the service. it hasn't sucked, but hasn't exactly been great either.
that's disappointing.
I'm considering getting one of the Sennheiser Travel line headphones with "NoiseGard active noise cancellation": http://www.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/home_en. … ravel-line
These headphones record the ambient noise and cancel it out by emitting reverse sound waves (180 degree turned) to cancel them out.
Sounds great ... But how well does it work in real life I wonder? I am also a bit doubtful as to how (un)safe it is to use while on the bike in traffic if it's very effective ...
Might as well get a good one like the PXC 350 or PXC 450 while I'm at it ...
These headphones record the ambient noise and cancel it out by emitting reverse sound waves (180 degree turned) to cancel them out.
Sounds great ... But how well does it work in real life I wonder? I am also a bit doubtful as to how (un)safe it is to use while on the bike in traffic if it's very effective ...
Might as well get a good one like the PXC 350 or PXC 450 while I'm at it ...
> 180 degree turned
precise frequency phase shift?
precise frequency phase shift?
Yeah, I think they use the Heisenberg compensator to generate a quantum flux hole which puts a transwarp conduit around the waves.
I don't think transwarp conduits go well with biking.
haha
Quite happy with my Sony MDR-V6s
i need to get some new headphones for the office. i can do all the selection reading on head-fi or elsewhere here once i figure out if i want closed ear cans or iems. this is for the office. any thoughts? i'm leaning towards closed ear because i would leave them at my desk and have never had a pair before.
I got a pair of Beyerdynamic T70ps last year for office use. They're closed, but sound like they're open! I replaced my Sennheiser HD595s and amp with them.
http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-70-Over--- … B005E8MV14
http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-70-Over--- … B005E8MV14
look at what I got. the audio technica ear suit. closed, look classy, meant for the office.
i ended up getting brainwavz b2 for commute. could still use some closed cans for the office.
earsuit! earsuit!