Headphone Connoisseurs do enter....Vol. big bucks on ear candy

[mr monday niight]

Already did.

What are you guys using @ home?

 

[mr monday niight]

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

Originally Posted by MR MONDAY NIIGHT

You're good with some decent iems and high quality music.

I think currently all my music is 128kbs....is their a higher streamrate then this? If so, how difficult would it be to convert about a few gigs? (7-

You cant convert to a higher bitrate. just try to get 320kb rips when u can.

 

[011010kash01011]

I am obsessed enough to @+#% wit the portable headphone amp but how much them joints run (hook ups out there

)...but damn that #++@ bein so fat FTL

 

[crazy ebw]

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

Originally Posted by MR MONDAY NIIGHT

You're good with some decent iems and high quality music.

I think currently all my music is 128kbs....is their a higher streamrate then this? If so, how difficult would it be to convert about a few gigs? (7-

Didn't see it, my bad. 320 is the "standard high quality" without using FLAC and breaking your hard drive.

320 is what I try to use consistently.

 

[axel f0ley]

i'm not gonna lie. higher end stuff does costs money.

headphone amps vary in cost from 100 to probably 500, maybe even more. some are better than others, of course. and they run on batteries. there are differentsizes too. some are freaking huge.

you also need a dock connector to hook-up the amp to your ipod. you have to order on-line because they aren't commercially available. it's veryessential like hdmi between a tv and blu-ray.

as for headphones, i really like iem's because they seal out noise. they can have multiple drivers for treble and bass for a much more accurate sound. theonly iem's i would buy are shure se530s or custom molded ultimate ears.

final note: you need high quality music or it's all pointless.

 

[miketysonthekiller]

posting to read later

 

[budahbro]

Let me set the record straight. I worked at Frys, then Circuit City, in the audio department for 3 years before working for my uncle at his tube store. We sellhigh end home theater equipment for audiophiles. I'm talking about dudes who set up a room in their house to solely listen to joints and jams. Who drop 10kto soundboard their room. And no we don't carry Bose, and yes Bose is not considered high end in fact bose is closer to the brands that you find pplselling out of their trunk. Circuit city /frys gets paid to showcase that crap. Beats by Dre are decent headphones for the casual hip hop head but paying morethan $100 for them is a rip off. Anyone in the audio business knows that any/all audio products are marked up solely for the marketing behind the product.Thats why you get 70% discounts off those Polk Audio's or Harmon's from your best buy employee discount. So your probably asking yourself what the hellshould i be buying if we all know Sonys headphones are wack, Bose is hot garbage, and Beats are overpriced/heavily marketed products?
Have no fear Sennheiser is here, this german brand makes affordable great quality headphones. If you got some moredope to drop might i interest you in some Grado SR60's or SR80's, you'll berewarded with a huge improvement in sound quality. These typically will run over $100, and if your a serious audiophile and know whats up with that good good,you already know for a measly $300 the Grado SR325i and the AKG K601 and K701 are wutscookin. But if you still wannawaste that mulah on Beats by dre not much i can do to convince you. Just remember half of what your paying is to have a little "b" on the side andknowing that the game and dre are endorsing your %+$#. Which for me is not enough, and if you really care about your music then for you it shouldnt beenough either.

 

[brrraptors]

^ good recommendations in the mid to higher end headphones. ive heard the grado sr325 and they were pretty awesome sounding. Grados have a signature sound,which i love but not all will, but theyre also open so not the greatest if you listen loudly while commuting in buses/trains.

for travelling and such i prefer closed headphones such as the denon 2000 (or 5000 for those that can afford). there are small cheap tweaks you can do to theD2000 to improve bass response, bass extension, remove vibration n clarity etc.

for those looking for amps, you can make your own for cheap. look into CMoy amps, theyre tiny pocket amps meant to be used with mp3 players. you'll learnand save a ton by making your own. its easy to follow instructions n use a soldering iron.

 

[ricerocket1]

anyone can help what's a good headphones for working out? i have tried 3 headphones so far the nike the one go behind your ear, apple headphones, and rightnow some samsung headphones that has different rubber for your ear and all of them either get in the way when i lift or falls off when i do cardio

 

[raptors29]

What are the best headphones for iPods then?

 

[ittakesalittlebitmore]

Originally Posted by Biggie62

Sennheiser or Shure. Sennheiser is more for the regular person as their stuff is great and moderately priced. Check amazon for some of their stuff. Shure is for the high end consumer. Beats are overrated IMO. So is Bose.

Totally agree with this man, every word...

 

[tml09]

Originally Posted by Crazy EBW

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

Originally Posted by MR MONDAY NIIGHT

You're good with some decent iems and high quality music.

I think currently all my music is 128kbs....is their a higher streamrate then this? If so, how difficult would it be to convert about a few gigs? (7-

Didn't see it, my bad. 320 is the "standard high quality" without using FLAC and breaking your hard drive.

320 is what I try to use consistently.

You can burn your CDs with Apple Lossless on itunes and delete them after you put them on your ipod. There isn't a huge difference b/w regular mp3s andApple Lossless/FLAC, but it is much more noticeable with better quality headphones. A lot of my music is around 1000 kbps, but I'm not sure if it can goeven higher.

As a general rule, don't buy headphones made by: BOSE (No highs, no lows, must be Bose), Nike, Samsung, Sony (unless they are higher end ie $300+), SkullCandy (

), Coby, Phillips (stuff that you can find in Target, Best Buy,etc.). If you want the best for your money, these usually aren't it.

Try and buy quality ones like Sennheiser, Shure, Yuin, Denon, Grado, AKG, Audio-Technica. If you want reviews, go to http://www.head-fi.org/forums/

I have a pair of HD-555's and I like them (for home use). I have them becasue I basically can't afford anything more expensive (I got them refurb'dfor $55). I'm currently trying to buy some SoundMagic earphones for portable use, but I need the money for more important things

 

[rell.hiphopupdate]

Go to HeadFi.org, and ask, they experts over there

 

[draydray87]

curious. whats the word on WESC headphones?

 

[jay kickz till i die]

Originally Posted by axel f0ley

i'm not gonna lie. higher end stuff does costs money.

headphone amps vary in cost from 100 to probably 500, maybe even more. some are better than others, of course. and they run on batteries. there are different sizes too. some are freaking huge.

you also need a dock connector to hook-up the amp to your ipod. you have to order on-line because they aren't commercially available. it's very essential like hdmi between a tv and blu-ray.

as for headphones, i really like iem's because they seal out noise. they can have multiple drivers for treble and bass for a much more accurate sound. the only iem's i would buy are shure se530s or custom molded ultimate ears.

final note: you need high quality music or it's all pointless.

any recommendations on headphone amps (brand/model)? or what you're working with? also where can i cop that ipod connector? links? thanks in advanced.trying to silence out anyone else on campus this yr...

blah!

 

[crazy ebw]

Originally Posted by budahbro

Let me set the record straight. I worked at Frys, then Circuit City, in the audio department for 3 years before working for my uncle at his tube store. We sell high end home theater equipment for audiophiles. I'm talking about dudes who set up a room in their house to solely listen to joints and jams. Who drop 10k to soundboard their room. And no we don't carry Bose, and yes Bose is not considered high end in fact bose is closer to the brands that you find ppl selling out of their trunk. Circuit city /frys gets paid to showcase that crap. Beats by Dre are decent headphones for the casual hip hop head but paying more than $100 for them is a rip off. Anyone in the audio business knows that any/all audio products are marked up solely for the marketing behind the product. Thats why you get 70% discounts off those Polk Audio's or Harmon's from your best buy employee discount. So your probably asking yourself what the hell should i be buying if we all know Sonys headphones are wack, Bose is hot garbage, and Beats are overpriced/heavily marketed products?
Have no fear Sennheiser is here, this german brand makes affordable great quality headphones. If you got some more dope to drop might i interest you in some Grado SR60's or SR80's, you'll be rewarded with a huge improvement in sound quality. These typically will run over $100, and if your a serious audiophile and know whats up with that good good, you already know for a measly $300 the Grado SR325i and the AKG K601 and K701 are wuts cookin. But if you still wanna waste that mulah on Beats by dre not much i can do to convince you. Just remember half of what your paying is to have a little "b" on the side and knowing that the game and dre are endorsing your %+$#. Which for me is not enough, and if you really care about your music then for you it shouldnt be enough either.

Stopped reading after that. Just because you worked at "Fry's" doesn't mean you know anything.

Sony's make awesome headphones in their higher end tier.

 

[shabooyah1124]

Anyone have the Pioneer HDJ 2000?

 

[yuras718]

Appreciate the info. Never knew about all this stuff. Just checked most of my music and seems like a lot of it is at 320, but than have some stuff in the128-160 range.

Are there certain things I can do on my computer to get the best output?

I have this speaker system and for my noobie !%# i love it. I just hate that i can't play it as loud and bass heavy as I would normally like. (I liveupstairs and my landlords apartment RUMBLES when I do)
Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System
Amazon product ASIN B0002SQ2P2
Would a sound card make a big improvement? I think I'm just using the onboard card that came with my mobo.

And is there any way I can isolate the base from thumping into my landlords house? Or is there a specific way to arrange everything or is there a way I shouldarrange the stuff around my sub or speakers to get the best sound?

 

[tml09]

YuraS718 wrote:

---

Appreciate the info. Never knew about all this stuff. Just checked most of my music and seems like a lot of it is at 320, but than have some stuff in the 128-160 range.

Are there certain things I can do on my computer to get the best output?

I have this speaker system and for my noobie !%# i love it. I just hate that i can't play it as loud and bass heavy as I would normally like. (I live upstairs and my landlords apartment RUMBLES when I do)
Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System
Amazon product ASIN B0002SQ2P2
Would a sound card make a big improvement? I think I'm just using the onboard card that came with my mobo.

And is there any way I can isolate the base from thumping into my landlords house? Or is there a specific way to arrange everything or is there a way I should arrange the stuff around my sub or speakers to get the best sound?

Generally speaking, anything "dedicated" (seperate), not "integrated" (built-in), is a always worth it. A dedicated sound card will make anoticeable improvement over integrated sound, but how much of an improvement depends on how much you want to spend.

For example, you can go with this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...271003&cm_re=Soundcard-_-29-271-003-_-Product

or you can go with that -------------> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...102006&cm_re=Soundcard-_-29-102-006-_-Product

Is the first worth $100 more? Ask your wallet

And there really isn't an effective way to isolate bass. I had the same situation as you, but I was downstairs. The only way I could stop the complainingwas to get bass-heavy headphones (Beyerdynamic DT770). Sure, it's not a speaker system, but you won't get kicked out of your apartment

There are soundproofing techniques, but they really aren't worth the time(unless you plan on living in that apartment forever)

 

[yuras718]

I appreciate the info alot, Thank you. Right now I can't afford the upgrades, but will def keep everything in mind. Once I determine to do it, I'llmake sure I don't do it half !#@ as well. Need to upgrade from my Sony V300s that I'm listing to right now. Is that 2.1 system sufficient enough thoughto hear the upgrade of a sound card? Cause I'll def be pissed if I drop another $100-$200 on a card and barley notice the difference

Do you alsonotice the difference when the headphones are pluged in? Like say a mid range pair of Sennheiser, shures, or grados in the $100 range, Or do you have to have ahigh end $300+ pair to hear the difference in the sound card?

I just wish i knew when my landlord was out of the house so I could just blast it haha. I don't plan on staying here much longer so I won't invest in ahuge project.. I'm hoping I'm out of here within 2 years and living on my own.

 

[ireminisce]

i've had my sony v6's for about FIVE years now . . joints are still in pristine condition.

 

[il prescelto]

Originally Posted by Crazy EBW

Originally Posted by budahbro

Let me set the record straight. I worked at Frys, then Circuit City, in the audio department for 3 years before working for my uncle at his tube store. We sell high end home theater equipment for audiophiles. I'm talking about dudes who set up a room in their house to solely listen to joints and jams. Who drop 10k to soundboard their room. And no we don't carry Bose, and yes Bose is not considered high end in fact bose is closer to the brands that you find ppl selling out of their trunk. Circuit city /frys gets paid to showcase that crap. Beats by Dre are decent headphones for the casual hip hop head but paying more than $100 for them is a rip off. Anyone in the audio business knows that any/all audio products are marked up solely for the marketing behind the product. Thats why you get 70% discounts off those Polk Audio's or Harmon's from your best buy employee discount. So your probably asking yourself what the hell should i be buying if we all know Sonys headphones are wack, Bose is hot garbage, and Beats are overpriced/heavily marketed products?
Have no fear Sennheiser is here, this german brand makes affordable great quality headphones. If you got some more dope to drop might i interest you in some Grado SR60's or SR80's, you'll be rewarded with a huge improvement in sound quality. These typically will run over $100, and if your a serious audiophile and know whats up with that good good, you already know for a measly $300 the Grado SR325i and the AKG K601 and K701 are wuts cookin. But if you still wanna waste that mulah on Beats by dre not much i can do to convince you. Just remember half of what your paying is to have a little "b" on the side and knowing that the game and dre are endorsing your %+$#. Which for me is not enough, and if you really care about your music then for you it shouldnt be enough either.

Stopped reading after that. Just because you worked at "Fry's" doesn't mean you know anything.

Sony's make awesome headphones in their higher end tier.

Imma let you finish and all, but Sony makes the best headphone of all time! Of All Time!
no but seriously, Sony's cheaper things may be "wack"; but look up the Sony R10 and Sony Qualia010. They may not be the best ever, but they comeclose. And Sony v6's are still pretty accurate and are standard in a lot of places.

 

[tml09]

YuraS718 wrote:

---

I appreciate the info alot, Thank you. Right now I can't afford the upgrades, but will def keep everything in mind. Once I determine to do it, I'll make sure I don't do it half !#@ as well. Need to upgrade from my Sony V300s that I'm listing to right now. Is that 2.1 system sufficient enough though to hear the upgrade of a sound card? Cause I'll def be pissed if I drop another $100-$200 on a card and barley notice the difference

Do you also notice the difference when the headphones are pluged in? Like say a mid range pair of Sennheiser, shures, or grados in the $100 range, Or do you have to have a high end $300+ pair to hear the difference in the sound card?

I just wish i knew when my landlord was out of the house so I could just blast it haha. I don't plan on staying here much longer so I won't invest in a huge project.. I'm hoping I'm out of here within 2 years and living on my own.

No problem. You will notice a slight increase in sound quality with a 2.1 system. It will sound fuller, and the bass will be tighter, but you will notice aneven larger increase with headphones.

Also, the newer your computer is, the better quality onboard sound it will have.

The V300s aren't exactly super high quality, so any Sennheiser, Grado, Beyer, Denon, or Audio-Technica with low impedance will do the job (unless you wantto spend even more money on a headphone amp). What headphone you get will definitely be up to you. Do you like more stress on bass, or would you rather have amore balanced sound? Warmer, colored, or more analytical? Do you want closed or open? Lots of questions, even more answers.

Head-fi.org is a place (or the place) to go for info about headphones, audio related hoopla, and the above mentioned questions. Just read through http://www.head-fi.org/forums/ and try to find some headphone that fits what you like and is in your price range($100-$150 is hell, good luck trying to make up your mind about which to get because there are soooooo many)

Then there's the whole business about FLAC, bitstream, and highest quality music. Enough to make your head spin, I swear.

and a Word of advice: Buy from a store with a generous return policy.It's your money, and if the difference is not noticeable to you, then youshouldn't be stuck with something you don't want. This is one of the few times where I advise to buy from a store like Best Buy (if you don't wantto wait for shipping). Their return policy is great (I bought and returned at least 4 LCD monitors from them all in the span of 2 weeks). I think they let youreturn used gum as well

but I believe Amazon has a very good return policy. Newegg has changed there return policy a few times, so I'm not sure if they accept returns for audioequipment.

And always buy your speakers from a brick and mortar store, or somewhere online with prepaid return shipping. I once bought a 2.1 set from an online store, andone of the speakers was defective. They didn't pay for return shipping, so I was either stuck with the speakers or I had to pay $20 to ship themback.

have fun

 

[yuras718]

" Do you like more stress on bass, or would you rather have a more balanced sound? Warmer, colored, or more analytical?Do you want closed or open? Lots of questions, even more answers."

You lost me with that sentence

Best bet for me wouldprobably check out a lot in store and see which I would prefer. I mainly listen to hip hop(and also a fair share of house/trance/electronica etc) and lovebass, just not where the bass actually takes over the song itself if you know what I mean. I enjoy it, but I'm not one of those dudes where my mirrors arevibrating from the bass and can barley understand the song

My computer is about 13 months old or so all hand built parts from newegg. I just don't know how the on board sound card is. Its a DFI Blood Iron P35mobo.

I'm going to check out that site as well and just browse and try and absorb as much info as I can. But would the 1st focus is to find the highqualityfiles itself.. cause it would be pretty pointless to invest in all that equipment to just listen to a low quality bitrate file?

Thanks again.

 

[blackmagnus514]

I copped some Sony Studio Monitors the other day from Best Buy for like 20...them joints are mad official...mad clarity...only drawback is that the cord is abit long but it's good $