Headphones

Discussion in 'hardware' started by whitedragon551, Oct 1, 2013.

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  1. whitedragon551

    whitedragon551 Registered Member

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    Is anyone here into Headphones at all? Ive come up with quite a collection and just wondering if there are more enthusiasts here.

    So far I have had the pleasure of using:

    Etymotic HF2
    Grado Labs SR80i
    VMODA Crossfade LP
    Brainwavz R1
    Dunu Topsound I3CS
    HiSoundAudio PAA1-Pro
    Shure SRH750DJ
    Thinksound MS01
    Gorilla Ears AT5 CIEM
    Heir Audio 3.Ai
    Aurisonics ASG2.0

    These headphones range everywhere from a generic universal $50 in ear monitor up to a $1200 custom 5 speaker per ear in ear monitor.
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2013
  2. J_L

    J_L Registered Member

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    It's cheap earphones and whatever that came with the device for me. Is there a big difference that's worth the price?
     
  3. whitedragon551

    whitedragon551 Registered Member

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    Depends on if you consider your an audiophile. If you cant tell a difference between 192kbps MP3 and 320kbps MP3 or FLAC then I doubt it would be worth the money for you.

    The more expensive sets get you more accuracy, detail, stage width, instrument separation, etc. If you dont care about those things then upgrading would probably do you no good.

    Personally most of the headphones I have I have done reviews for so have gotten them either free or at a steep discount.
     
  4. SweX

    SweX Registered Member

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    First, I wish my neighbours would use headphones more often :cautious:

    This could be an interesting thread. As when I listen to music I always do it with my headphones.

    I currently use Sennheiser HD555. And I have had them for around 7 years now.

    The first headphones I ever had was a cheap model from Philips, but then they broke, and I looked online for a good reliable brand, I found Sennheiser and it was the HD555 I bought, may sound weird to only have had two during the last 15 years. :p But the thing is I don't need several pairs, plus they don't break that easily if you handle them with care so they do last a long time.

    And yes you get what you pay for, that becomes even more clear if you walk into a store and try out a few. A store in my town have around 15 headphones lined up cheap to more expensive ones with music playing in them, so if you try one of the cheaper ones first 30$, and then another from the not so cheap range one can hear a clear difference in sound quality, but they also differ between brands of course.

    And I can say right now that my next headphones will also be from Sennheiser, the same HD555 if they are still being produced, or a similar model. As I think Sennheiser has a good balance between price, build quality, and sound quality over all. :thumb:
     
  5. SweX

    SweX Registered Member

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    I could give a long answer, but the short answer is Yes it is. But only you can say if it is worth the price or not IMO :D
     
  6. Cruise

    Cruise Registered Member

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    I like to listen to music or watch movies while flying to my destination. Are there any headphones that can cancel-out the loud airliner jet engine noise?
     
  7. SweX

    SweX Registered Member

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    Yes there are headphones that is better to keep noise out whether it is a jet engine, or people talking next to you. ;) But I can't say a specific brand or model that does this better, it's more about if they are Open or Closed I think. :doubt:

    This explains a little bit about the Closed vs Open design.
    http://www.tested.com/tech/accessories/348-the-difference-between-open-and-closed-headphones/

    Maybe whitedragon551 have more knowledge on this :)
     
  8. BoerenkoolMetWorst

    BoerenkoolMetWorst Registered Member

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    I have them too, huge difference of $40 headphones I had before :)
     
  9. SweX

    SweX Registered Member

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    Really, you have the Sennheiser HD555 ? Fantastic :D

    Yes indeed, ones you have tried or bought a pair of headphones from the not so cheap segment there's no going back. And you say to yourself, "I should have bought these several years ago!" :argh: :D
     
  10. 0strodamus

    0strodamus Registered Member

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    Which one do you like the best?

    I've tried quite a few pairs in the past, but my favorite is the Bose around-the-ear headphones (I have the older model).

    For earbuds, I like my Etymotics. They are great on flights and no batteries or hiss to worry about, like the noise cancellation ones.

    Etymotic also makes an awesome set of earplugs for concerts too. They lower the sound level without making anything sound muffled. They really are fantastic.
     
  11. BoerenkoolMetWorst

    BoerenkoolMetWorst Registered Member

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    Yes, indeed :D If you consider how much hours per year you use them it almost becomes a sin to listen to degraded sound from cheapass headphones :p And I bought them 5 years ago already so countless hours of listening, making the value for money is really great as well.
     
  12. whitedragon551

    whitedragon551 Registered Member

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    Ah I knew I was forgetting a set. I had a set of Etymotic HF2's as well at one point.

    All of my sets are better at different things. The Gorilla Ear AT5's have great detail and clarity, but lack in the bass department. The ASG2.0's have a nice low end and seem very clear from the limited listening.

    I think right now my favorite sets are the ASG2.0s.
     
  13. J_L

    J_L Registered Member

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    Guess I'm not much of an audiophile then, barely noticed the difference. Might be worth an extra $5, and that's pushing it by my standards. :D
     
  14. 0strodamus

    0strodamus Registered Member

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    They're nice. Did you make your own impressions or get them done at an audiologist? What is that like? I imagine because they're custom fitted, they must be very comfortable.
     
  15. Carver

    Carver Registered Member

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    I have Sennheiser HD265, it quite a difference from $85.00 headphones I had before.What I like about Sennheiser is their Modular approach to its headphones. If the cord wears out you can replace the cord and only the cord. I use the headphone for DVDs; HDTV; Video games and music, so it would pay to get a pair of headphone with a better audiophile sound Quality.
     
  16. whitedragon551

    whitedragon551 Registered Member

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    I went to an Audiologist to get the impressions. Its very uncomfortable. The audiologist I went to jammed a cotton ball on a string as far into my ear as they could, put a 1" bite block in my mouth to hold it open and filled my ear with what felt like silly putty. The pressure in my head was thrown way off and I got very light headed at first. Takes about 15 minutes per ear to dry enough to pull it out and ship them.

    They would be more comfortable if they were a softer material, but being 100% acrylic they are fatiguing after a few hours of use.
     
  17. 0strodamus

    0strodamus Registered Member

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    Good to know. That's a lot of trouble for a pair of earbuds that aren't very comfortable. You've just saved me much trouble and money. I've been considering getting something similar and will take a pass now. Thanks!
     
  18. guest

    guest Guest

    I usually just use the cheaper ones as well. I often drop them to the floor, so when it's broken I'll just buy a new one. No regret. :D

    As for now, I'm using a 4Tech headphone. Dunno if it's a good brand or not, but the sound output is acceptable to me.

    I wish I had a Sennheiser headphone too, though. Heard that they're excellent, but never got my hands (and ears) on them. :(

    Very true, SweX. Very true. But I have lots of psychos living around me. They even step in beyond my fence without my permission. :mad:

    Ditto. :thumb: Though I mostly use a headset instead.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 1, 2013
  19. whitedragon551

    whitedragon551 Registered Member

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    They arent uncomfortable and they do have other materials other than the acrylic. Some manufacturers use a silicone material to make their CIEM's.
     
  20. innerpeace

    innerpeace Registered Member

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    There not great but I have a set of AudioTechnica ATH-M40fs. IMO there are very comfortable but they lack deep bass and a spatial sound scape. I knew this before I bought them though.

    I also have the AKG K44 headphones. They are cheaply built and uncomfortable. I don't like the hard pads and the adjuster band. They sound ok though and I keep them plugged into my tablet. I learned what I don't want from my next set of headphones ;).

    I would like to try the ATH-M50s as an upgrade but I have a feeling I should be looking for something more spatial for movies and games. I guess I'm looking for a headphone set that can handle music (trance and rock mostly), movies and games. All for a budget of $100. I can't really justify spending more so I keep an eye out for sales.
     
  21. SweX

    SweX Registered Member

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    Personally I am always careful with my "things" cheap or more expensive. Even so, it's hard to not break the cheaper stuff though :)
    The sound "sounds" acceptable because you haven't tried anything from the higher league :p
    Go to a store, try a pair out, and you will start smiling. I promise :D
    Yeah I know that feeling. When they cross the "border" next time, go out with your headphones on your head and yell at them "Hey! First get the Fa** out of here, and secondly get a pair of these" -> pointing a finger on your headphones sitting on your head..... Nah don't do that it may cause more problems than it solves :D
    Yeah I guess I would do that too if I were gaming online more often, infact I should have had a headset during the time I played CS 1.6 a lot. But I thought it was unnecessary to own a pair when I had sucha good headphones instead. Sennheisers gaming headset are good quality and very comfy too, I have looked at them several times but have never bought them.
     
  22. guest

    guest Guest

    Yeah, it's hard to be careful when you're wired and focus on what you are doing with your computer. Or want to go to the bathroom out of a sudden. :D

    Fair enough. :D I probably will buy a Sennheiser headphone someday. Though I need to prioritize an image scanner first.

    Actually, I have done that. But in a less offensive way. And without the headphone. :p

    I usually use the headset to listen to musics from my mobile phone. Mostly I listen to them while laying down on my bed. Headphones would be too uncomfortable for that. But when gaming or computing, headphones FTW!!! :D
     
  23. Carver

    Carver Registered Member

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    For my computer I have a Plantonics-Gamecon 780 USB headset, I would prefer a headset that I can just switch from my Audio-video Receiver to my computer. But my Sennheiser HD265 doesn't have a mike boom for Skype. So a USB headset was the easiest way to go and the Gamecon was only $60.00 at Amazon.com
     
  24. guest

    guest Guest

    USB headsets? They do actually exist? I thought every headsets and headphones connect through a 3,5mm jack? o_O
     
  25. SweX

    SweX Registered Member

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    Yes if it's not the bladder that is full then it's something else that wants attention, and you forget about the cable....:argh:
    No hurry, I will be waiting for your Sennheiser review. ;)
    I assumed you understood that I was only joking, but good that you did it in a more calm manner, if you haven't noticed a change in their behavior then it was because you didn't wear your headphones, they didn't get the message that by using headphones they don't disturb anyone else :D
    Isn't headset the same thing only that they also have a Mic connected to them?
     
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