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[Ashhong]

No, it doesn't distort the sound at all, cranking headphone volume to max is like Line Out, since that's always outputting at max so the receiver can manage the sound. Your amp is still powering the headphones.

Seriously, I was listening to some hip hop today and the bass was thumping with my EQ flat, phone volume maxed, E11 volume at 3 and EQ 2 on.

Since we seem to have the same setup, I want to test the same hip hop song with you. Pick one that you listened to today that had a great amount of bass at EQ2

Turning the phone volume DEFINITELY distorts the sound for me. The bass is all fucked up. Maybe it's because I'm on a custom ROM and it handles volume differently than you. 1 or 2 notches down is good though.

I also noticed if you turn off "TONE" then the Bass dial to the right doesnt have any effect.

 

[DoomGyver]

I own both plus the PC 350. I've had to have the A40s replaced 3 times in 2 years due to one ear cutting out or the mic breaking. Astro customer service is great, I'll give them that.

In my experience, PC 360 by a mile. They are more comfortable, waaaaay more sturdy, and the sound isn't even comparable. Sound signature on the 360 is very reminiscent of the 595. And it pairs perfectly with the the mixamp as well. PC 350 is also very good if you're looking for a closed option since both the A40 and PC 360 are open.

With that said, I've heard the newer A40s are actually improved in the sound and build quality departments.

Amazon has the Sennheiser PC 360s on sale for $179.30 so I went ahead and ordered them, seems like a good deal. (they were around $220 just the other day)

Thanks for responding.

 

[Chorazin]

Since we seem to have the same setup, I want to test the same hip hop song with you. Pick one that you listened to today that had a great amount of bass at EQ2

Turning the phone volume DEFINITELY distorts the sound for me. The bass is all fucked up. Maybe it's because I'm on a custom ROM and it handles volume differently than you. 1 or 2 notches down is good though.

I also noticed if you turn off "TONE" then the Bass dial to the right doesnt have any effect.

Oh, custom ROM...PowerAMP sucks with custom ROMs. Or maybe it's just your phone, i have zero distortion with my settings.

I listened to Random's TeacherRapperHero Vol. 1 and 2 today, which are free mixtapes you can get at http://megaranmusic.com/

I had great bass response during every song!

 

[Ashhong]

Oh, custom ROM...PowerAMP sucks with custom ROMs. Or maybe it's just your phone, i have zero distortion with my settings.

I listened to Random's TeacherRapperHero Vol. 1 and 2 today, which are free mixtapes you can get at http://megaranmusic.com/

I had great bass response during every song!

Wait, what is wrong with PowerAMP and custom ROMs? I'm using the trial now and was about to buy it..

 

[Chorazin]

Wait, what is wrong with PowerAMP and custom ROMs? I'm using the trial now and was about to buy it..

Any time someone on his forum says they have a custom ROM, he pretty much says he can't test them, and thus can't support them. Custom ROMs can mean weird bugs. He especially says MIUI has issues with PA.

Maybe your bass distortion is from cranking the vol and the bass to max? I don't use the EQ at all.

 

[Sinthetic]

Sound leakage annoys me.

 

[omgkitty]

Amazon is doing two gold box deals on Sennheiser's. The HD 238's just expired, but the next one's are the PX 200 II W. I honestly don't know about these at all, just thought someone might care. It starts in 24 minutes.

 

[omgkitty]

Amazon is doing two gold box deals on Sennheiser's. The HD 238's just expired, but the next one's are the PX 200 II W. I honestly don't know about these at all, just thought someone might care. It starts in 24 minutes.

Ok those sold out really quickly so nevermind haha.

I do have a question about amps. Can someone explain to me in layman terms what exactly an amp does and why it's worth it? Also, I noticed on the main page that the amps are in order of price, but not necessarily quality. The one amp I always seem to hear really good things about is the NuForce Icon uDAC-2. Someone please enlighten me here.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

Ok those sold out really quickly so nevermind haha.

I do have a question about amps. Can someone explain to me in layman terms what exactly an amp does and why it's worth it? Also, I noticed on the main page that the amps are in order of price, but not necessarily quality. The one amp I always seem to hear really good things about is the NuForce Icon uDAC-2. Someone please enlighten me here.

Well, some phones have a low efficiency, and need a lot of current to drive to their maximum potential, and that's where amps come into play. You can still drive a pair of phones from just about any device, but you'll have to crank the volume all the way up, which introduces distortion. So your phones should ideally be driven by a clean, and level line out signal (bypassing internal headphone out circuitry), which is amplified by the amp. A properly driven set of phones should be more balanced than running unamped, you may notice improvements to bass extension/impact, more forward mids, crisper highs, and more spacious, uncluttered soundstage. An amp doesn't make the crazy difference that some people claim it does, your source is a lot more important (the quality of a song's recording, the bit rate, and what it's playing on)

Phones that have a high sensitivity and low impedance generally won't benefit from amping much. This includes most IEMs and smaller headsets. Planar magnetic phones and electrostats for example, need TONS of current as those are closer to like, ribbon driven speaker technology.

 

[omgkitty]

Well, some phones have a low efficiency, and need a lot of current to drive to their maximum potential, and that's where amps come into play. You can still drive a pair of phones from just about any device, but you'll have to crank the volume all the way up, which introduces distortion. So your phones should ideally be driven by a clean, and level line out signal (bypassing internal headphone out circuitry), which is amplified by the amp. A properly driven set of phones should be more balanced than running unamped, you may notice improvements to bass extension/impact, more forward mids, crisper highs, and more spacious, uncluttered soundstage. An amp doesn't make the crazy difference that some people claim it does, your source is a lot more important (the quality of a song's recording, the bit rate, and what it's playing on)

Phones that have a high sensitivity and low impedance generally won't benefit from amping much. This includes most IEMs and smaller headsets. Planar magnetic phones and electrostats for example, need TONS of current as those are closer to like, ribbon driven speaker technology.

I have a pair of TMA-1's and I was reading a review of them before I bought them. The guy reviewing said they were amazing normally, but when he ran them through an amp and did an EQ, he said they were almost on a whole different level. I have never really noticed any distortion when turning up to full volume out of my iPod, and my music is at 320kb. Mostly I am just interested in the idea of an amp, and that initial review really piqued my interest, so do you think with what I have it would be worth spending the extra $100 to $150 for an amp?

 

[HiResDes]

Naw I don't think so...Although the FiiO E10 might be more reasonable at $76

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

I have a pair of TMA-1's and I was reading a review of them before I bought them. The guy reviewing said they were amazing normally, but when he ran them through an amp and did an EQ, he said they were almost on a whole different level. I have never really noticed any distortion when turning up to full volume out of my iPod, and my music is at 320kb. Mostly I am just interested in the idea of an amp, and that initial review really piqued my interest, so do you think with what I have it would be worth spending the extra $100 to $150 for an amp?

I guess, if all you have to go by is that anecdotal review, then I'm not sure as I don't have any experience with the TMA-1. However, I will say that I'm not at all a fan of EQing as you're not listening to the phones anymore but imposing the sound you want on them, but that's something else entirely. I will say that audio gear retains its resale value quite well over at Head-Fi, (some forum members actually buy and flip sets and gear in the span of a week even). There are others here with the TMA-1 so I'm sure someone can chime in soon.

 

[GamePnoy74]

The Sennheiser PMX80s that I've had for the past two years are getting nasty from all the sweat buildup and about to fall apart...want to get a new set of workout headphones (primarily running), considering the following:

- Sennheiser PMX680 - follow-up to the PMX80s - about $35
- Plantronics BackBeat 903+ - bluetooth headset - about $45
- MEElectronics M6 - cheaper option - about $24, but looking more into the other two above

Anyone has experience with any of them?

Edit: would also consider the Motorola SD-10 bluetooth headset...but would like to spend no more the $45 max, unless something's REALLY that good...

 

[omgkitty]

I guess, if all you have to go by is that anecdotal review, then I'm not sure as I don't have any experience with the TMA-1. However, I will say that I'm not at all a fan of EQing as you're not listening to the phones anymore but imposing the sound you want on them, but that's something else entirely. I will say that audio gear retains its resale value quite well over at Head-Fi, (some forum members actually buy and flip sets and gear in the span of a week even). There are others here with the TMA-1 so I'm sure someone can chime in soon.

Those guys on Head-Fi are insane. I can't imagine owning like 7 different pairs of headphones and then just buying something, realizing it doesn't have that "sound" I was looking for and then selling it. This and the fact that we're talking about $500 headphones sometimes. It's just crazy.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

Those guys on Head-Fi are insane. I can't imagine owning like 7 different pairs of headphones and then just buying something, realizing it doesn't have that "sound" I was looking for and then selling it. This and the fact that we're talking about $500 headphones sometimes. It's just crazy.

Lol, yeah, we call that FotM (flavor of the month). It's best to wait for the initial hype to settle down for critical opinions to roll in. As I said, the stuff has great resale value, so look at it like renting the phones to audition them. You might only take like a 15-20 dollar hit and in most cases, none at all outside of postage. It's pretty much the only way to audition 90 percent of the phones since most of the stuff isn't available in a big box store.

 

[LCfiner]

Those guys on Head-Fi are insane. I can't imagine owning like 7 different pairs of headphones and then just buying something, realizing it doesn't have that "sound" I was looking for and then selling it. This and the fact that we're talking about $500 headphones sometimes. It's just crazy.

Head-fi skews a bit older and the folks talking about selling those headphones left and right tend to have more disposable income.

the younger members in the forum don’t pick up new flagships every month. and, truthfully, from someone who has gone way up the ladder in components, it’s easy to be incredibly happy with sound from much less expensive sets. (but I still love my pricier cans)

 

[omgkitty]

Head-fi skews a bit older and the folks talking about selling those headphones left and right tend to have more disposable income.

the younger members in the forum don’t pick up new flagships every month. and, truthfully, from someone who has gone way up the ladder in components, it’s easy to be incredibly happy with sound from much less expensive sets. (but I still love my pricier cans)

I just don't see how paying exponentially more money in some cases is going to net you that much better performance. From learning more about sound and music equipment in general, it seems like it's more of a feeling to the sound. Like warm or cold, things like that. I can understand having 2 or 3 pairs for different sound signatures for different kinds of music, but some shit is just overboard. I would never pay 1 or 2 grand for headphones, or even speakers.

 

[LCfiner]

I just don't see how paying exponentially more money in some cases is going to net you that much better performance. From learning more about sound and music equipment in general, it seems like it's more of a feeling to the sound. Like warm or cold, things like that. I can understand having 2 or 3 pairs for different sound signatures for different kinds of music, but some shit is just overboard. I would never pay 1 or 2 grand for headphones, or even speakers.

it doesn’t, really. it can get you better sound but you don’t get a simple 2X performance for 2X cost. it’s one of the most obvious examples of diminishing returns in a hobby.

and most people who do spend the crazy money know this and are totally OK with it. it’s just the way it goes. you’ll read about chasing that last “10%” and how that’s where the money goes.

those super expensive headphones only sell in the thousands of units worldwide. they’re meant to be niche products.

 

[outunderthestars]

I have a friend who wants to buy the SkullCandy Heavy Metal earbuds:

http://www.skullcandy.com/shop/heavy-medal-chrome.html

I don't wear ear buds but was wondering what others thought about these or $80 or less alternatives....

 

[Gvaz]

Skullcandies make me want to gouge my eyes out.

 

[outunderthestars]

Skullcandies make me want to gouge my eyes out.

An alternative suggestion would be helpful.

 

[Alucrid]

I just don't see how paying exponentially more money in some cases is going to net you that much better performance. From learning more about sound and music equipment in general, it seems like it's more of a feeling to the sound. Like warm or cold, things like that. I can understand having 2 or 3 pairs for different sound signatures for different kinds of music, but some shit is just overboard. I would never pay 1 or 2 grand for headphones, or even speakers.

Cool, and I'm sure you spend money on stuff people would consider absurd. Different strokes for different folks, who knew.

 

[Dice]

I want to try some AH-D7000s so bad.

 

[HiResDes]

An alternative suggestion would be helpful.

Phiaton PS210

 

[outunderthestars]

Phiaton PS210

Thank you!

 

[Gvaz]

Yeah sorry I don't really know much about ear buds, that's why I didn't give one.

 

[The Big Rig]

Am I right thinking the SR80i's have the best natural sound for $100 or less? I listen to mostly rock, acoustic, occasionally pop, classical and jazz.

Also, I have a large head, so I don't want a set of open headphones that will cut off circulation to my temples.

 

[LCfiner]

I don’t know how the SR80 compare to specific cans in that price range (I haven’t owned many cheap cans) but I do think the Grado are great for the genres you listed (well, maybe not perfect for classical as the soundstage is gone).

grados are uncomfortable out of the box but you can easily bend the metal in the headband to make them comfy. also, you can wash the ear pads in soapy water to soften them up.

edit: I can compare the grado SR60 to the Audio Technica AD700 and I much prefer the grado. the AD700 sound mushy in comparison, but they have a huge soundstage.

 

[The Big Rig]

Thanks. Head fi gives the SR80's a higher ranking than the AD700's. I just don't know how much of a difference there is between the SR80s and the SR60s. $20 is a weird price difference.

 

[LCfiner]

I am one of those people that thinks Grado’s lineup is needlessly complicated. I think it should just be SR60, SR325, RS1 and that’s it.

the difference between the SR60 and SR80 will be very minor. if you’ve never heard a Grado before, I’d advise just getting the cheaper SR60 to see if you like the sound.

 

[PflargBlarg]

Those guys on Head-Fi are insane. I can't imagine owning like 7 different pairs of headphones and then just buying something, realizing it doesn't have that "sound" I was looking for and then selling it. This and the fact that we're talking about $500 headphones sometimes. It's just crazy.

Uh oh...I own 8 pairs of headphones.

In fairness, I use almost all of them except the 595s and the Shure SRH540s. Those Shures are dang uncomfortable, even with the nicer earpads. Maybe I have a weird shaped head.

 

[aparisi2274]

I am in the market for a new set of in-ear heaphones and I was looking at the beats by dre headphones and was hoping someone could give me some insight into how good they are. I mean for $150 they better be damn good...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EL4RI4/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[Gvaz]

All I know is you can get better quality headphones than skullcandies or beats for the same asking price. They're Low Tier.

 

[HiResDes]

 

[LCfiner]

I am in the market for a new set of in-ear heaphones and I was looking at the beats by dre headphones and was hoping someone could give me some insight into how good they are. I mean for $150 they better be damn good...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EL4RI4/?tag=neogaf0e-20

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51iskC2PXHL._AA1000_.jpg/IMG][/QUOTE]

congratulations on giving Hiresdes an aneurism.

Beats are overpriced and under performers. don’t waste your money on them. you can get really good in ears from westone, ultimate ears, shure and sennheiser.

 

[Ashhong]

http://theuniblog.evilspacerobot.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/tumblr_lpgvffrFYr1qllr7ao1_500.gif[IMG][/QUOTE]

[IMG]http://f.cl.ly/items/3B3M3o0R461Q3G461f0T/lol.gif

Check out refurbished Monster Turbines. It's only 50$ at the Monster Outlet store that I do not have a link to.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

lulz, perfect.

 

[PflargBlarg]

It's amazing how every couple days someone comes in asking about beats and/or skullcandies. They must be on a timer.

 

[omgkitty]

It's amazing how every couple days someone comes in asking about beats and/or skullcandies. They must be on a timer.

I think we should just start a new thread with "Beats and Skullcandy are shit. Read the fucking OP"

 

[chrisisawesome]

I am in the market for a new set of in-ear heaphones and I was looking at the beats by dre headphones and was hoping someone could give me some insight into how good they are. I mean for $150 they better be damn good...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EL4RI4/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Get the monster turbines instead of the beats. I had a set f beats studio hd for about a week (just to see what they were all about) and they definitely don't sound great

 

[K.Jack]

Official Headphone [OT] Listening to decent cans. not fucking Beats By Dre

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

Official Headphone [OT] Listening to decent cans. not fucking Beats By Dre

It'd save a ton of time. Either that or rename it Headphone |OT| of BOSE and Beats for the comedic value

 

[whitehawk]

Alright so I have $28 left on a giftcard. I used to have a pair of sennheiser headphones that I loved to death, so I'm going with them again.

What headphones from this page would you guys recommend?

http://www.futureshop.ca/Search/Sea...84549534552&viewall=true&targetCategory=23933

 

[Celery&Lager]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a pair of IEMs for work at around the £100 mark. Having read the OP, I'm leaning towards the Panasonic HJE900s. The reviews are quite positive and they don't lack bass (I listen to a lot of dance music). The removable cables are also a plus.

Before I plunge, would you have any other recommendations or any reason I shouldn't buy them?

Thanks!

 

[Max]

I'm loving my HD558's so much. Bass heavy music and Battlefield 3 just sound incredible.

Now I need a soundcard...

 

[FoxSpirit]

Thanks. Head fi gives the SR80's a higher ranking than the AD700's. I just don't know how much of a difference there is between the SR80s and the SR60s. $20 is a weird price difference.

Well, the rating says little. The SR80 are nice, I'd say.
But lets say you want positional audio or anything rsembling soundstage, they are bad. Honestly.
Which makes me really sad since otherwise those phones already have about everything I'd want. Prolly need to check out the one specialist store and see from which price-point there is something like air in the Grado sound.

 

[AstroLad]

Looking for earphones based on the following conditions:
-Price irrelevant.
-Prefer the Apple design or even the in-ear as long as it's not literally raping my ear.
-Good if it has the Apple controls. Is there an equivalent type of control for Android phones? Where you can pause and play and stuff right from the headphones? Because that would be even better.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

Looking for earphones based on the following conditions:
-Price irrelevant.
-Prefer the Apple design or even the in-ear as long as it's not literally raping my ear.
-Good if it has the Apple controls. Is there an equivalent type of control for Android phones? Where you can pause and play and stuff right from the headphones? Because that would be even better.

Nice try AstroLad...

 

[Trojita]

Looking for earphones based on the following conditions:
-Price irrelevant.
-Prefer the Apple design or even the in-ear as long as it's not literally raping my ear.
-Good if it has the Apple controls. Is there an equivalent type of control for Android phones? Where you can pause and play and stuff right from the headphones? Because that would be even better.

I can't speak about sound quality. But if apple controls are the most important, Incase just came out with headphones. They have an integrated microphone and remote control for MacBook, iPod, iPhone and iPad.

http://goincase.com/collections/audio

 

[DoomGyver]

Received my Sennheiser PC 360s today and wow at the sound stage. I had a pair of AT AD700s and the size of the sound stage just doesn't compare. After playing a few matches of Gears and listening to some music I'm very happy with my purchase.