Author Topic: Headphone Thread.  (Read 1309170 times)

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Offline arplod

  • Posts: 186
Headphone Thread.
« Reply #700 on: Tue, 30 August 2011, 15:18:34 »
Headset IMO. Senn 360?

If headphone, if you want a real jump I'd say something like the HD650 - which would justify the purchase of the Fiio.
« Last Edit: Tue, 30 August 2011, 15:23:22 by arplod »

Offline NamelessPFG

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #701 on: Tue, 30 August 2011, 16:20:31 »
Quote from: arpod;407507
High fidelity isn't necessarily game-worthy. My G35 does a better job in that regard than any high-end phone I own/ed. I also own the Beyer MMX300's but I use them primarily for Skype duties, preferring the Logitechs for gaming.
Point taken, but have you even owned Stax before? Or any other electrostatic headphone (Koss ESP/950 or some other non-Stax vintage models), for that matter?

With the G35, how much of that preference goes to the actual sound signature of the headset itself, and how much goes to Dolby Headphone? That's another thing that has to be considered; the G35 is hard-wired to its own USB DAC/DSP, while I don't even know what the source for your high-end headphones would be, let alone if it provides binaural surround ala Dolby Headphone or CMSS-3D Headphone.

Whatever the case, I'll find out soon if the Stax sound is for me.

Offline Chobopants

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #702 on: Tue, 30 August 2011, 16:24:16 »
Anyone try the 598s yet? How do they compare to the 555s? I've been eyeing them for a while but don't know if it's worth it.
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Offline arplod

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #703 on: Tue, 30 August 2011, 16:58:58 »
Quote from: NamelessPFG;407653
Point taken, but have you even owned Stax before? Or any other electrostatic headphone (Koss ESP/950 or some other non-Stax vintage models), for that matter?

SR-007 MkI / II, as well as the Orpheus. Experience enough for you?

Quote
With the G35, how much of that preference goes to the actual sound signature of the headset itself, and how much goes to Dolby Headphone? That's another thing that has to be considered; the G35 is hard-wired to its own USB DAC/DSP, while I don't even know what the source for your high-end headphones would be, let alone if it provides binaural surround ala Dolby Headphone or CMSS-3D Headphone.

Whatever the case, I'll find out soon if the Stax sound is for me.

I'm not saying the G35 specifically is the be-all and end-all, you understand. I'm saying horses for courses, and that it's easy to get too wrapped up in this stuff that you're hammering the law of diminishing returns for what you're trying to achieve. This guy isn't for example listing music as his primary use. And I'm saying that some gaming headsets manage to provide more than adequate performance for gaming, are definitely usable for actually enjoying music, and are more tractable as everyday-use items than some chi-chi headphone for gaming-first use.

In my home office setup for example I keep a Beyerdynamic T1 on the side for what you could call critical music listening, but the truth is that I almost never use it - I'll go into the living room if I actually want to listen - but the vast majority of time the G35 or the MMX 300 are far handier to use and deliver absolutely acceptable sound for checking out music, and the G35 in particular is far more useful for gaming. If I was 'gaming-first' I wouldn't even bother having the Tesla around in that room.
« Last Edit: Tue, 30 August 2011, 17:12:14 by arplod »

Offline arplod

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #704 on: Tue, 30 August 2011, 17:05:00 »
Quote from: Chobopants;407656
Anyone try the 598s yet? How do they compare to the 555s? I've been eyeing them for a while but don't know if it's worth it.


By all accounts they're reskinned 595's which should mean an improvement over the 555 - but personally as I said I'd rather just make the jump to the HD650.

Offline NamelessPFG

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #705 on: Tue, 30 August 2011, 17:34:41 »
Quote from: arpod;407668
SR-007 MkI / II, as well as the Orpheus. Experience enough for you?

More than enough. Those were flagships!

Quote from: arpod;407668
I'm not saying the G35 specifically is the be-all and end-all, you understand. I'm saying horses for courses, and that it's easy to get too wrapped up in this stuff that you're hammering the law of diminishing returns for what you're trying to achieve. This guy isn't for example listing music as his primary use. And I'm saying that some gaming headsets manage to provide more than adequate performance for gaming, are definitely usable for actually enjoying music, and are more tractable as everyday-use items than some chi-chi headphone for gaming-first use.

In my home office setup for example I keep a Beyerdynamic T1 on the side for what you could call critical music listening, but the truth is that I almost never use it - I'll go into the living room if I actually want to listen - but the vast majority of time the G35 or the MMX 300 are far handier to use and deliver absolutely acceptable sound for checking out music, and the G35 in particular is far more useful for gaming. If I was 'gaming-first' I wouldn't even bother having the Tesla around in that room.

So it's also a matter of convenience. I already know that SRD-7SB is going to have to warm up at first (might even take a whole hour to do so), among other things.

Note that headsets with boom mics don't factor in heavily for gaming in my case because I already have a desk mic and just use that. What I am concerned about is hearing potential threats and from what direction, and some people seem to find this much easier with electrostats compared to dynamics or orthos. Smyth even bundles a basic Stax setup with the Realiser.

Also note that I do enjoy my fair share of music (especially when I find new bands I happen to like; not difficult with very limited music experience/knowledge overall), even if the vast majority of it is merely 16/44.1 CD quality at most. Maybe buying $250+ (more like $300+ when you factor eBay prices) headphones is overkill, but I'm still reasonably sure there's room for improvement over the AD700s on the same source material.

The law of diminishing returns is definitely something I'll have to be wary of (especially with all the audiophile snake oil and hype flying about), but I don't see myself needing anything better than that Lambda for a long while.

Ultimately, though, you have one thing I don't when it comes to audio equipment, and that's experience. You've already heard flagships of all sorts in action, whereas the best headphones I've ever had are mere AD700s (at least until Thursday). A lot of this boils down to simple curiosity-how much better does it get (within reasonable budgets), and what do electrostatics sound like compared to dynamics?

Offline Chobopants

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #706 on: Tue, 30 August 2011, 17:43:38 »
Quote from: arpod;407670
By all accounts they're reskinned 595's which should mean an improvement over the 555 - but personally as I said I'd rather just make the jump to the HD650.

This is actually probably good advice. Once you're hovering around the $200 range you may as well go to $350 and get the best.

I've used 595's side by side next to 555's and the different wasn't striking enough that I felt any desire to upgrade. I think I'll just continue to enjoy my 555's and try to ignore the audiophile discussions that lead you down the path to ruin!
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Offline NamelessPFG

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #707 on: Thu, 01 September 2011, 15:49:32 »
I've had my Lambda for a few hours now, and so far, I'm liking it.

-It's very light and comfortable. Even moreso than the AD700, which is saying something.
-They're not kidding when they say the music just tends to float into your ears. Very, very little eardrum-thumping compared to dynamic drivers of any sort. I'm not complaining.
-Music seems to be less...veiled, for lack of a better term. Perhaps this is what the Stax fans meant by "clear sound".
-Gaming with CMSS-3D Headphone is just as effective, if not moreso. Front imaging seems a bit better over the AD700s, though I haven't ruled out the possibility that it could be even better if CMSS-3D Headphone's generic HRTF settings perfectly matched my own unique HRTF.
-The TrackClip Pro fits better on the Lambda's headband than the AD700's. Not that this is going to concern most people, but as comfortable as these things are, I'd rather not have to wear a baseball cap with a reflector clip on it whenever I'm in a dogfighting mood. (While I'm at it, what if it could be used to approximate the head-tracking feature of the Beyerdynamic Headzone and Smyth SVS Realiser in software?)

Still just first impressions, though, and confirmation bias could be kicking in. Regardless, I already like these, and the only real negative is that I need this huge receiver on my desk just to serve as a speaker amp for the SRD-7/SB.

Offline strum4h

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #708 on: Fri, 02 September 2011, 06:54:02 »
I have been eyeing a pair of AIAIA TMA-1's for a while. I mainly listen to Jazz, Trip-Hop, House, and IDM. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with these.
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Offline csm725

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #709 on: Fri, 02 September 2011, 07:30:37 »
How are the 558's? I love the 598's look.

Offline arplod

  • Posts: 186
Headphone Thread.
« Reply #710 on: Fri, 02 September 2011, 10:43:20 »
Quote from: NamelessPFG;408987
I've had my Lambda for a few hours now, and so far, I'm liking it.

-It's very light and comfortable. Even moreso than the AD700, which is saying something.
-They're not kidding when they say the music just tends to float into your ears. Very, very little eardrum-thumping compared to dynamic drivers of any sort. I'm not complaining.
-Music seems to be less...veiled, for lack of a better term. Perhaps this is what the Stax fans meant by "clear sound".
-Gaming with CMSS-3D Headphone is just as effective, if not moreso. Front imaging seems a bit better over the AD700s, though I haven't ruled out the possibility that it could be even better if CMSS-3D Headphone's generic HRTF settings perfectly matched my own unique HRTF.
-The TrackClip Pro fits better on the Lambda's headband than the AD700's. Not that this is going to concern most people, but as comfortable as these things are, I'd rather not have to wear a baseball cap with a reflector clip on it whenever I'm in a dogfighting mood. (While I'm at it, what if it could be used to approximate the head-tracking feature of the Beyerdynamic Headzone and Smyth SVS Realiser in software?)

Still just first impressions, though, and confirmation bias could be kicking in. Regardless, I already like these, and the only real negative is that I need this huge receiver on my desk just to serve as a speaker amp for the SRD-7/SB.

Having stuck the Orpheus on the Elite Pro among other CMSS cards, I can say it's no better and no worse from a gaming standpoint than something like the G35 - in fact, for me the G35 implementation might be better. Neither is an actually accurate positioning indicator even in titles I know to be compatible - generic HRTF is generic HRTF. Basically once you get beyond a certain degree of capability (and that is beyond the sub-par AD700 / A700. I dunno why the 'I'm a fauxphile' gamers have recently taken to these) it doesn't make any difference, and in fact, if you want any semi-meaningful degree of positioning capability with generic HRTF it does help to compress down the soundstage so that you get a more manageable sound bubble for CMSS / Dolby effects to take place in. The Ultrasone Edition 8 with the S-Logic soundstaging for example is one previous headphone I've owned that is actually quite a decent gaming headphone. It's also relatively lightweight and tractable and it would make for an incredibly bad-value but fairly effective adjunct to my G35 :tongue1:

One problem of electrostatics is that they can lack the dynamic impact that you'd want from a gaming phone - the Omega II's for example would definitely not be my first choice in a gaming headphone. But for classical / indie / folk etc music-first use I don't see any problems.
« Last Edit: Fri, 02 September 2011, 10:51:31 by arplod »

Offline Chobopants

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #711 on: Fri, 02 September 2011, 13:05:55 »
Quote from: csm725;409258
How are the 558's? I love the 598's look.

From the sounds of it the new series is just rebranded older ones? Probably not worth the upgrade if you already have 555/595s? Was kind of looking for an excuse to try them out but I haven't heard and strong recommendations for them over the older ones.
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Offline NamelessPFG

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #712 on: Fri, 02 September 2011, 15:43:46 »
Quote from: arpod;409382
Having stuck the Orpheus on the Elite Pro among other CMSS cards, I can say it's no better and no worse from a gaming standpoint than something like the G35 - in fact, for me the G35 implementation might be better. Neither is an actually accurate positioning indicator even in titles I know to be compatible - generic HRTF is generic HRTF. Basically once you get beyond a certain degree of capability (and that is beyond the sub-par AD700 / A700. I dunno why the 'I'm a fauxphile' gamers have recently taken to these) it doesn't make any difference, and in fact, if you want any semi-meaningful degree of positioning capability with generic HRTF it does help to compress down the soundstage so that you get a more manageable sound bubble for CMSS / Dolby effects to take place in. The Ultrasone Edition 8 with the S-Logic soundstaging for example is one previous headphone I've owned that is actually quite a decent gaming headphone. It's also relatively lightweight and tractable and it would make for an incredibly bad-value but fairly effective adjunct to my G35 :tongue1:

One problem of electrostatics is that they can lack the dynamic impact that you'd want from a gaming phone - the Omega II's for example would definitely not be my first choice in a gaming headphone. But for classical / indie / folk etc music-first use I don't see any problems.
Understandable. What we really need is something with personalized HRTFs. So far, I only see MyEars (test a bunch of presets, set a "virtual audio cable" as default audio device and lose my X-Fi's gaming features in the process, may be subscription-based) and the Smyth SVS Realiser (requires a surround speaker room to configure properly, EXPENSIVE, still constrained to 7.1 imaging). But for now, CMSS-3D Headphone will do.

For gaming alone, I wouldn't go out and suggest that everyone buy a Stax setup due to the amp requirement and cost (I just happened to get off easy for just $250, most will have to pay significantly more than that). I don't notice a dramatic improvement over the AD700s for that. Diminishing returns have become apparent, to the point where the generic HRTF system has become the bottleneck. In my case, I didn't buy them just for gaming, but for music and the occasional movie too, and I've found that I just happen to like the way electrostatics reproduce music.

I'm actually not really looking for dynamic impact on my eardrums, which is why I don't mind electrostatics. If I wanted that, I'd probably slip a subwoofer under my chair so my whole body gets hammered and not just my eardrums. Even without it, there's still a bit of thump on my ears with the bass notes (and I certainly don't find the Lambdas anemic there).

As for the AD700s, why do you consider them sub-par? Is it the whole anemic bass thing? Is it because you find them TOO open and spacious for generic HRTF filters to work their best? I didn't buy them with any pretense of considering them audiophile headphones by a long shot; I just wanted something more competent for gaming with CMSS-3D Headphone, and the AD700s did that far better than the other cheap or old headphones I had lying around at the time, so I felt they were worth it.

Ultimately, though, we're just proving again that sound is highly subjective. Not everyone is going to like a given headphone's sound signature, and that's all right because this is an open market and we can get what we want without imposing our choices on everyone else.

Offline sam113101

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #713 on: Sat, 03 September 2011, 14:46:51 »
Srh750dj:
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Hoping to hear from you again, your dearest friend, sam113101.

Offline arplod

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #714 on: Sat, 03 September 2011, 15:15:53 »
No, what I find amusing about the A700/AD700 from the fauxphile gamer aspect is that these phones are pretty much at the same level of performance as the headsets that these guys look down on. It's kind of become the must have, and I just don't understand why. It's probably that most people can't afford to buy a decent headset along with the A/AD and compare - and let's face it, most people want to be right about their choices, yet not every one can - like e.g. me - just go out and buy everything simultaneously to compare even if he's curious.

Offline Chobopants

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #715 on: Sat, 03 September 2011, 16:22:34 »
Sennheiser makes an HD280 headphone that also has a headset:
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HMD-280-XQ-Headset-ear-cup/dp/B000Z76JBM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1315084027&sr=8-3

A great option for "gamer" headphones. :) I'd pick some up if I didn't just use HD555's with a clip on mic, I LOVE my HD280s for work/traveling.
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Offline Keymonger

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #716 on: Sat, 03 September 2011, 21:16:44 »
Quote from: Chobopants;407656
Anyone try the 598s yet? How do they compare to the 555s? I've been eyeing them for a while but don't know if it's worth it.
I upgraded from a 555 (with that foam remove mod) to a 598. IMO, it's a big enough difference for me that I was happy with my purchase. I was actually quite surprised at the difference, the sound is wider (think this is called headstage? the difference between the most quiet and most loud sound). I'm not much of an audiophile so I can't say more than that.

Offline arplod

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #717 on: Sun, 04 September 2011, 05:42:59 »
Quote from: Chobopants;410099
Sennheiser makes an HD280 headphone that also has a headset:
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HMD-280-XQ-Headset-ear-cup/dp/B000Z76JBM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1315084027&sr=8-3

A great option for "gamer" headphones. :) I'd pick some up if I didn't just use HD555's with a clip on mic, I LOVE my HD280s for work/traveling.

A comparatively poor option compared to the MMX 300 IMO, and not the best comparison in terms of price/capability next to the G35.

Offline kpeezy

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #718 on: Sun, 04 September 2011, 11:42:44 »
I would be looking for an HMD-25 of some sort for an integrated microphone.

Offline Chobopants

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #719 on: Sun, 04 September 2011, 14:15:34 »
Quote from: arpod;410377
A comparatively poor option compared to the MMX 300 IMO, and not the best comparison in terms of price/capability next to the G35.


Um, if you say so. If it has the same headphone base as the HD280s I'd say it's likely a great headset, I LOVE my 280s. BDs are great headphones as well but the price of those MMXs is wild. I agree that the price on the 280-XQ is a bit silly (adding over $100 to the price just for a microphone????).

I actually think 280s are greatly underrated headphones, probably because of their <$100 price. I've used all sorts of ridiculous multi-thousand dollar reference headphones with all sorts of amps and blah blah electrodynamo jerk off stuff in recording situations and always go back to my 280s pleasantly surprised.
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Offline arplod

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #720 on: Sun, 04 September 2011, 16:09:56 »
Quote from: Chobopants;410541
Um, if you say so. If it has the same headphone base as the HD280s I'd say it's likely a great headset, I LOVE my 280s. BDs are great headphones as well but the price of those MMXs is wild. I agree that the price on the 280-XQ is a bit silly (adding over $100 to the price just for a microphone????).

I actually think 280s are greatly underrated headphones, probably because of their <$100 price. I've used all sorts of ridiculous multi-thousand dollar reference headphones with all sorts of amps and blah blah electrodynamo jerk off stuff in recording situations and always go back to my 280s pleasantly surprised.

They're great for the money (if a little antiseptic) but no giant-killers.

Offline Chobopants

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #721 on: Sun, 04 September 2011, 16:26:37 »
Hmm, odd. Antiseptic is the last thing I'd use to describe them. If anything they're a tad warm and the closed soundstage can feel a little claustrophobic for live classical and jazz performances.

There's a reason I have 555s and a nice amp at home. Right around the 555/595 range you start to see some pretty stark diminishing returns on your investment. I've used 650s and above (some fancy Beyers) and, yes they ARE better but for the price difference it's tough to justify the purchase.
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Offline arplod

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #722 on: Mon, 05 September 2011, 03:32:33 »
Quote from: Chobopants;410587
Hmm, odd. Antiseptic is the last thing I'd use to describe them. If anything they're a tad warm and the closed soundstage can feel a little claustrophobic for live classical and jazz performances.

Antiseptic meaning 'somewhat devoid of a dynamic character'. They do have a slight fall-off in the highs and a flat bass. Technically they're not miracle-workers either, although they're definitely better value than the Audio-Technicas.

Quote
There's a reason I have 555s and a nice amp at home. Right around the 555/595 range you start to see some pretty stark diminishing returns on your investment. I've used 650s and above (some fancy Beyers) and, yes they ARE better but for the price difference it's tough to justify the purchase.

Used and owned are different, since most people's assessment of audio above all is 100% subjective. Take the 'nice amp' for example, which in all likelihood could be bested by an onboard. But there is some truth to that. I don't think there's any point in any person who actually has to consider more than a second affording it having anything more than an HD650* headphone-wise (although I will say the Orpheus does coalesce into something 'uber'). All of which of course makes the fauxphile-nose-look-down of gaming headsets all the more ridiculous.

*Which is why if you're looking to have a really nice pair, it makes sense just to get one and be done with it

Offline dorkvader

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #723 on: Tue, 06 September 2011, 07:30:28 »
I use:
Fostex T50 RP for portable and general use.
Audio Technica ATH AD900 for gaming, movies, progressive music, etc.
Grado SR225i is almost never used.

Gamma2 DAC and CKK-iii amp are still (unfortunately) in the woks.
---
I'm really loving the ortho sound of the Fostex cans. Everyone should get them.
The AD900 is like the AD700 (apparently) but better all 'round (and black).

Offline NamelessPFG

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #724 on: Tue, 06 September 2011, 12:41:42 »
Wait a minute...T50RP for portable use? Presumably without a portable amp? I've heard that they're rather insensitive and need an amp to get the most out of them.

In other news...damn, people will really pay up for the Sennheiser Orpheus systems! That's Stax SR-009 + Blue Hawaii SE money there...perhaps part of the appeal is the rarity of the Orpheus system, along with the aesthetic.

Offline arplod

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #725 on: Tue, 06 September 2011, 13:17:30 »
Quote from: NamelessPFG;411465
Wait a minute...T50RP for portable use? Presumably without a portable amp? I've heard that they're rather insensitive and need an amp to get the most out of them.

In other news...damn, people will really pay up for the Sennheiser Orpheus systems! That's Stax SR-009 + Blue Hawaii SE money there...perhaps part of the appeal is the rarity of the Orpheus system, along with the aesthetic.

The aesthetic can wear after a while. It certainly doesn't fit with my other gear in the living room.
The sound is a big part I have to say. I've still heard nothing that comes close as an all-round pleasurable entity.

Offline whiskerBox

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #726 on: Tue, 06 September 2011, 14:56:48 »
These are my latest



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Offline forTruce

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #727 on: Wed, 07 September 2011, 00:26:46 »
Been browsing thru the thread and thought I would ask for a quick tip.  I am looking into getting a good headset as I have never experienced good quality audio.  I was most likely going to get the Sennheiser 595's, but I'm still not sure what I need to get to accompany them (soundcard/amp/whatever).  If it makes a difference its about a 50/50 split between music and gaming as far as uses go.
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Offline Lanx

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #728 on: Wed, 07 September 2011, 02:15:50 »
gonna try audio technica athnc7(prolly got that wrong)
basically their top of the line noise cancelling, why this over a bose? i just hate bose? rather gonna let fiance and her trip to russia/germany test it out.

Offline Mitchellderp

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #729 on: Wed, 07 September 2011, 12:49:42 »
Geekhackers - I have finally perfected my setup in the way of keyboard, mouse and mousepad. Only problem is, my speakers are now kaput as the left speaker is half the volume of the right one. Can you recommend any good reasonably priced headsets that are available from Amazon.co.uk, as their returns policy is freaking awesome! Preferably with a mic attached as I've just started using skype a lot to talk to people I know.

Offline arplod

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #730 on: Thu, 08 September 2011, 05:44:05 »
Quote from: Mitchellderp;412103
Geekhackers - I have finally perfected my setup in the way of keyboard, mouse and mousepad. Only problem is, my speakers are now kaput as the left speaker is half the volume of the right one. Can you recommend any good reasonably priced headsets that are available from Amazon.co.uk, as their returns policy is freaking awesome! Preferably with a mic attached as I've just started using skype a lot to talk to people I know.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CA-HS1EU-HS1-Gaming-Headset/dp/B00439ZDZQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315478612&sr=8-1

Offline Mitchellderp

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #731 on: Thu, 08 September 2011, 12:08:26 »
Sweet, that'll go with the A70 in my system and the HX520 powering it all. One day, all of my components will be Corsair, they're just so freaking awesome.

EDIT: Whose referral link is that?

Offline nar

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #732 on: Thu, 08 September 2011, 13:54:20 »
I use an Alessandro MS-1i when I'm at home and a pair of Sunrise Audio AS-Feeling earbuds elsewhere.
Just can't stand the feeling of in-ears.

I've also wanted to make a mini3 amp but I've never gotten around to it.
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Offline arplod

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #733 on: Thu, 08 September 2011, 16:43:51 »
Quote from: Mitchellderp;412731
Sweet, that'll go with the A70 in my system and the HX520 powering it all. One day, all of my components will be Corsair, they're just so freaking awesome.

EDIT: Whose referral link is that?

None that I'm aware of. Just search for Corsair HS1.

Offline Lanx

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #734 on: Fri, 09 September 2011, 17:11:35 »
audio technica athnc7 is great, i couldn't hear my air cleaner no more (if anyone has a hepa air cleaner, you know what i mean) but am i supposed to be able to hear voices like the tv? I took these and walked the dog with them outside and i could only hear crickets, i took them off and heard all the ac's blowing.

Offline arplod

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #735 on: Fri, 09 September 2011, 18:55:01 »
Quote from: ripster;413595
My son uses the Sennheiser PC350.  Frankly, I think the sound sucks but the mike is excellent.[/QUOTE

I wouldn't say 'sucks' but it's a very uninvolving sound for a gaming headset.

Offline Muldoonite

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #736 on: Fri, 09 September 2011, 22:15:02 »

Offline Muldoonite

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #737 on: Fri, 09 September 2011, 22:17:56 »

Offline dorkvader

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #738 on: Sun, 11 September 2011, 18:50:40 »
Quote from: NamelessPFG;411465
Wait a minute...T50RP for portable use? Presumably without a portable amp? I've heard that they're rather insensitive and need an amp to get the most out of them.


They're fine out of my rockbox'd sansa fuze. My 'scope says it can do 1V+ peak to peak before clipping.

I do plan on building a portable buffer for the current capacity, though.

The biggest problem is that the stock cable is 1/4" and my diy adaptor bent :(

Don't buy the canare miniplugs.
---
no ,the vintage T50 (not RP) and most other ortho/isodynamic headphones you really need the current, as they're stupidly inefficient.

Offline NamelessPFG

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #739 on: Mon, 12 September 2011, 06:06:19 »
Quote from: dorkvader;414624
They're fine out of my rockbox'd sansa fuze. My 'scope says it can do 1V+ peak to peak before clipping.

I do plan on building a portable buffer for the current capacity, though.

The biggest problem is that the stock cable is 1/4" and my diy adaptor bent :(

Don't buy the canare miniplugs.
---
no ,the vintage T50 (not RP) and most other ortho/isodynamic headphones you really need the current, as they're stupidly inefficient.
In that case, I might just consider picking up a T50RP as a portable set provided that it's comfortable and doesn't leak too much sound, though I would prefer a 1.8"/3.5mm TRS jack on the stock cable. It would also be a nice intro to orthodynamics to round out my dynamic and now electrostatic experiences.

As far as comfort goes, it's said that making better pads will go a long way there, and possibly even improve the sound quality.

Offline dorkvader

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #740 on: Mon, 12 September 2011, 07:33:27 »
If you're into modding, the cheaper T40 and T20 have (I believe) the same driver.

Also, you can use some 3.5 mm interconnects as the headphone cable. Note you may have to shave some plastic down to get it to fit in the locking inlet, or you can replace the jack completely (which I am very close to doing)

I find it pretty comfortable when walking around. I wear them for at least 90 minutes when I have to work Saturday (there's no bus). They don't really leak that much, especially for an "open" design.

new pads would be nice, but I do know the stax 02 pads that seem to be everyone's favourite replacement are something like 80% the cost of the headphone. That may be price per pad, as well.

Offline NamelessPFG

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #741 on: Mon, 12 September 2011, 17:27:22 »
Same driver, much less cost? Now I'm really interested, and no, I'm not averse to modding. (If anything, it's said that the weakest part of the Fostex orthos is NOT the driver, but the enclosure. Now, if you've got $500 to spend, you could get some Thunderpants, which use those very same drivers from the look of it...but the enclosure is said to be that much better as far as sound quality goes. Or maybe people just like the wood look. Who knows?)

And as for the Stax SR-007/Omega 2 pads, I do remember hearing about someone sticking those on a set of SR-X/MK3s and saying the sound quality improved noticeably in addition to comfort. Too bad they're so expensive...but I suppose it's expected when it's an accessory for what is usually a $2,500 headphone.

Offline suntorytime

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #742 on: Mon, 12 September 2011, 19:51:16 »
Recently I've had the chance to try out the Sony MDR-Z1000 and find that it's probably the best general sounding headphone I've heard. It sort of does everything well, unlike my Ultrasone and DT770. To cap it off, the z1k sounds great without amping. Downside is that the small cups really kill my ears after 2-3 hours. They have pretty much convinced me to try out the flagship IEMs from Sony :/

Offline arplod

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #743 on: Tue, 13 September 2011, 06:10:58 »
Quote from: suntorytime;415218
Recently I've had the chance to try out the Sony MDR-Z1000 and find that it's probably the best general sounding headphone I've heard. It sort of does everything well, unlike my Ultrasone and DT770. To cap it off, the z1k sounds great without amping. Downside is that the small cups really kill my ears after 2-3 hours. They have pretty much convinced me to try out the flagship IEMs from Sony :/

The problem with the Z1K for me was that I think they're a 'neither here nor there' halfway house in terms of utility. Somewhat large to be portable, somewhat small to be truly domestic headphones - so in a non-pro scenario (these are basically high-end studio monitors after all) I found it difficult to justify a home. The Ultrasone Edition 8 is more compact, yet I still found these too large to be usefully carryable as portable headphones when I tried commuting with them, and there are better headphones for purely home use, even around the same price.

The problem for me with the Sony IEM's is also what makes the higher-end variants sound really good - the dynamic drivers. If I'm investing in a pair of IEM's what I really want is isolation along with appropriate sound quality - and the Sony tech just does not hack it in that regard. The armature-based IEMs are (although unbelievably bad value for money comparatively speaking) where its at for me.

Offline suntorytime

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #744 on: Tue, 13 September 2011, 19:07:05 »
Quote from: arpod;415392
The problem with the Z1K for me was that I think they're a 'neither here nor there' halfway house in terms of utility. Somewhat large to be portable, somewhat small to be truly domestic headphones - so in a non-pro scenario (these are basically high-end studio monitors after all) I found it difficult to justify a home. The Ultrasone Edition 8 is more compact, yet I still found these too large to be usefully carryable as portable headphones when I tried commuting with them, and there are better headphones for purely home use, even around the same price...

I definitely agree with you there, I only wish Sony would build on the z1k and make a full size out of it, but this seems unlikely as Sony is inept at capitalising on the good aspects of older products... As for the sound compared to other home use headphones, I would also agree to an extent, but I enjoy the fact the z1k doesn't do anything particularly bad for a mid-high end headphone, and has really nice build quality to boot. It really grates me to find some of the more popular cans really lacking in one of the three (bass, mids, and treble). I'm willing to give the Sony IEM's a shot by selling the z1k, isolation is not an issue for me, I'm just after some good no fuss (with amps or dacs) sound while I work.

Offline ascii

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #745 on: Wed, 14 September 2011, 10:13:09 »
Well, here's my current portable setup.

From the ears out:  JH13 custom IEM's -> Whiplash audio twisted silver wire IEM cable -> Ray Samuels The Shadow amp -> Whiplash twisted silver Line out dock cable -> iPod touch.  Kept together by the power of Velcro.  This is my current "daily rig."  Fits in a pocket and is great for using at home, the office, and everywhere in between.






Offline phillip

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #746 on: Wed, 14 September 2011, 15:39:07 »
lol cables

Offline ascii

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #747 on: Wed, 14 September 2011, 15:59:43 »
Quote from: phillip;416159
lol cables
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a proponent of snake oil cables.  I went with aftermarket cables because I kept killing the OEM cables every 3-6 months.  If anything, this cable is longer, beefier, and theoretically better built than stock.

Is there a sound difference?  It sure sounds better when neither channel cut out.  Other than that, I haven't done an A/B in a while.  Most of the time people won't notice a much of a sound difference.

The amp inline IS a noticeable improvement over using the regular headphone jack though.

Offline ironman31

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Headphone Thread.
« Reply #748 on: Wed, 14 September 2011, 16:03:12 »
I've always been sketchy on cables sounding different. Hell, I doubt I could tell the difference between my 1500 USD W4S DAC-2 and the DAC on my ibasso d10. I never had a chance to go back and forth between the two, but I wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't tell the difference.
Keyboards:
IBM Model M Space Saving Keyboard (Used), HHKB Pro 2 (White, Lettered), Realforce 87U all-45g in White, Filco Majestouch 2 TKL with Cherry MX Browns, Model F PC/ATNoppoo Choc Mini (MX Browns), Model F XT, IBM Model M 1397735 (bought NIB), (2) Siig Minitouch (GHSS) one with XM, one with complicated ALPs (modded),2 Dell AT101W, Cherry G80-11900HRMUS (modded with MX browns)



Pointing Devices:
Logitech G500, Evoluent VerticalMouse 3, Logitech G5, CST 2545W, Microsoft IntelliMouse Trackball, Logitech M570, Logitech MX revolution


Offline ascii

  • Posts: 38
Headphone Thread.
« Reply #749 on: Wed, 14 September 2011, 16:19:42 »
Quote from: ironman31;416171
I've always been sketchy on cables sounding different. Hell, I doubt I could tell the difference between my 1500 USD W4S DAC-2 and the DAC on my ibasso d10. I never had a chance to go back and forth between the two, but I wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't tell the difference.
Probably not.  If I use my RSA Predator in amp only mode, it sounds just about identical to the Shadow amp pictured (probably uses the same nail polished TI chips).  The DAC feature though... makes using headphones with a computer doable w/o noise.  I doubt I'd be able to tell a difference between the Predator DAC and MOTU Traveler I've got at home

While different cables don't sound very (if any) different from each other, the feel of the cable itself can make a difference when you're using it all day every day.

Cables = personal preference.  As long as they let the electrons pass freely and you like the results, they're going to work well.

DAC = the fact that it's there is the important part.