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$500 cans on, this is how you dream right - Official Headphone Thread

Eterna has best bass, but M2 isn't far behind and has a slightly better soundstage (it's airier if you will), both have great midrange (though I'd give the edge to Eterna as well), and recessed highs (though M2 isn't as recessed).


Thanks for the recommendations, now Im just looking at reviews for the Eterna and M2. Gonna make my decision by Monday.
 

Sagitario

Member
I've never seen anything positive in the thread when Bose comes up, but at that price, I dont know. The concensus has been that Bose are overpriced. Hopefully someone with more experience can add.
 
They generally get a bad rep with audiophiles for their undeserved mainstream status and silly prices. See also: Beats by Dre.

Bose sound quality is not great at the best of times, even less so with "noise cancelling" which distorts the sound, generally making it muddier. Even with that price drop there are infinitely better choices in the price range and cheaper, which should isolate just as well if not more so.

If you need a rec, let us know what you'll be listening to, your budget, if you'll be using an amp and if you want portable.

As for the IEMs, I'll leave those for someone more savvy.
 

Kukuk

Banned
+1 for the "Bose are bad" camp.

While I haven't personally heard the QC3's, Headroom has a frequency response graph for them that is... Less than impressive.

The Bose headphones I have heard have been incredibly underwhelming, with the Bose On-Ears being among the worst headphones I've ever heard. The Around-Ears are decent, but even then, there are better options for the price.
 

HiResDes

Member
I will say that Bose headphones are quite comfortable, though I hate active noise canceling with a passion...Would be much better off going with a pair of Beyerdynamic DT150s if isolation is really such a huge concern.




Anyway, I have great Meelectronic news!
A161P-Concert.jpg




Introducing The MEElectronics A161P said:
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350x263px-LL-ac961b8b_350x263px-LL-723e572c_Design1.jpeg


Headfi Review By Keanex



A161P-Chart.jpg


Notable Information (Stolen From Inks of Headfi)
These use an ED series driver from Knowles, one with better bandwidth and performance than the BK-series used in the Westone 1 or Rockit R-30.

Fischer's SBA03 uses the same driver and housing design but with lesser accessories, a higher price and a much inferior cable. Not to mention, the lack of the amazing warranty service from Meelec.

Given it's price range, it competes with the likes of the Etymotic HF series and Sony XBA-1 for absolute performance in this price range. I will define my criteria for performance and explain it's strengths and weaknesses given time.


Impressions by Tinyman392 said:
OK, it's been around 3 days since I got the A161s, and after around 50 hours of burn in, I do want to give some impressions to give you guys an idea of how they sound instead of leaving you in the blue :p:

Bass:


What wows me the most is what is quantifully (is that a word? It is now) the least. The texture... beautifully delicate in every way possible. Subtle, but when present really creates a euphoric effect. However, the sub-bass bass does have a tendency to get lost behind the powerful mids which can take away from this experience. The impact is quite nice with these IEMs, however, it does lack punch (my definition of punch and impact may differ from yours; read on). Essentially, this means that you can feel all the impacts, but you can't hear them... You just feel the bass.


Mids:

Energetic, revealing, transparent. These describe the mids in a cinch. The mids are powerful and filled with energy. However, at times, unlike the ASG-1, they can have too much power to them (I hope this drops a bit with burn in). The midrange is vocal-focused however, so it will bring out all the energy in just about every single vocalist, male or female. Midrange detail is really great overall, and clarity is beautiful. Although the mids can be a bit too much at times, they technically are sound.


Highs:

Somewhat recessed in nature in comparison to the lows and mids. There is good sparkle and separation to them. They do carry energy of their own, but is overshadowed by the mids a bit. Detailing is good on them, but not quite as great as the detailing in the low end, or midrange. The clarity is good if you don't mind listening through the mids to get to them. Although the weakest link on the A161, the highs do carry great quality to them overall.



PRE-ORDER HERE
 

Sagitario

Member
Thanks for the opinions, guys :)

I guess I will pass.
I was considering buying them because of their price, but if they aren't that good, I can live with what I have: Sony MDR NC7 Headphones (they were a gift).

As you can see, I am not an audiophile but I wanted to try/get/have something good (I think I might be losing a bit of my hearing sense).
 

HiResDes

Member
Thanks for the opinions, guys :)

I guess I will pass.
I was considering buying them because of their price, but if they aren't that good, I can live with what I have: Sony MDR NC7 Headphones (they were a gift).

As you can see, I am not an audiophile but I wanted to try/get/have something good (I think I might be losing a bit of my hearing sense).

These are a better value if you absolutely are set on active noise-canceling headphones


As far as IEMs, check out the GR06 or any budget IEM listed in the OP.
 

TheExodu5

Banned
(sorry bout the dp)

i saw that article too, what's their pedigree like? they look sexy as fuck

B&W's pedigree is great, but the P5s are god awful. Honestly some of the worst headphones I have heard, at any price. Such an unpleasant sound signature. Even my cheapo KSC-75's are far more pleasing. Bloated bass, unimpressive midrange, complete lack of top end detail, and no soundstage to speak of.

If you want something similar, yet with far greater results, check out the Phiaton MS400. Not my favorite sound signature as they are a little warm for my tastes, but they work great as portable cans. The warm sound signature actually helps the lower end come through a lot nicer in public places, where the bass would normally be drowned out by vehicles. They're definitely more comfortable than the P5s too. Not quite as classy, but still very nice looking and fairly low profile for full sized cans.

EDIT: So, now that I'm drooling at the T1s and some amp to go with it, does anyone have any recommendations? Woo audio for tube amps? What's a good value DAC? Do I really have to go over 300-350$ here? I don't want to limit 1200$ headphones and a 700$ amp if 350$ isn't enough for a DAC, but fuck, I'm not made out of money. I'd also like a nice solid state headphone amp. Probably around the same price range as the tube amp. Any recommendations?

The Schiit DAC might fit the bill here.
 

LCfiner

Member
I am thinking about getting some D5ks. Anyone have any experience with these?

I’ve owned them. the bass is kinda overwhelming and will drown out mids a bit too much for my taste.

they have a good, wide soundstage but they still sound a little bit closed or stuffy compared to open headphones of similar price.

They are very comfortable, though, which is a plus. and the bass on them is pretty great for any hip hop/ rap.

If you wanted them for classical or live jazz recordings, I say stay clear and consider a hifiman HE-500.
 

Dosia

Member
I’ve owned them. the bass is kinda overwhelming and will drown out mids a bit too much for my taste.

they have a good, wide soundstage but they still sound a little bit closed or stuffy compared to open headphones of similar price.

They are very comfortable, though, which is a plus. and the bass on them is pretty great for any hip hop/ rap.

If you wanted them for classical or live jazz recordings, I say stay clear and consider a hifiman HE-500.

Thanks. I am actually quite the bass head so that is a strong selling point. I was looking into the d2ks but I have read the midrange is a lot better on the 5ks. I might even do that Mark mod in the future if I end up getting them.
 
ES5s are finally getting here tomorrow. Fisher messed up my shipping options, I was supposed to have them overnighted, but they shipped them 2nd day air instead. Sigh, to think I could have been listening right this very second :l

Aurisonics upcoming ASG-2 sounds amazing as well. Shotgunshane got to visit Dale at Aurisonics and listen to a prototype and he said they are very, very good, and there appears to be seemingly limitless treble extension on hand, and he was a vocal critic of some of the shortcomings of the ASG-1. Gonna be an expensive year for me man lol
 

LCfiner

Member
Thanks. I am actually quite the bass head so that is a strong selling point. I was looking into the d2ks but I have read the midrange is a lot better on the 5ks. I might even do that Mark mod in the future if I end up getting them.

I also had a markl modded one. :)

it will decrease the bass bloat a bit, which brings out the midrange. technically a better frequency response but it loses some of the fun of the original since the bass notes don’t “hang” there for as long.

I preferred the markl version but I’m not a big bass head.
 

3N16MA

Banned
I will say that Bose headphones are quite comfortable, though I hate active noise canceling with a passion...Would be much better off going with a pair of Beyerdynamic DT150s if isolation is really such a huge concern.




Anyway, I have great Meelectronic news!
A161P-Concert.jpg










PRE-ORDER HERE


I never buy anything from Mee at full price. They eventually have a killer sale on everything they sell.
 
Can someone recommend a good set of high-end cans taking into consideration that my #1 requirement is no sound leakage (people around can't hear when the music is at high volume), and my #2 requirement being sound quality?

I'm using Sennheiser HD 380 pros right now and they are excellent when it comes to leakage, but I'd like to see if there's anything with the same or less leakage but better sound quality.

I got a pair of Denon AH-D5000 and the sound quality is almost certainly better if I break them in, but the leakage is quite bad.
 

FoxSpirit

Junior Member
Sorry I haven't been around in the last few weeks. I like those MEEs, Des.

Only news I have isn't necessarily news; but the ObjectiveDAC begins shipping on May 28th.
http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=39

Excited, not that I can afford it right now with the paired amp. :(
I am holding out for the ODA anyway.

Also guys, with the way Schiit and NuForce behaved when product flaws were pointed out, thanks but no thanks. Schoddy.
 

Mistle

Member
wow, the E11 gives my M50s that extra "punch" i needed from my iphone. definitely happy with it. obviously the m50s don't need to be amp'd but the change in SQ is enough for me. subtle, but just what i needed.
 
Beyerdynamic DT150s

Thanks for the suggestion. How much of a step up from the Sennheiser HD 380 pros are these, sound quality wise? They actually look like they're almost the same price.

I don't mind spending a little extra cash either to get something really top notch sound quality wise, but I really don't know much about headphones.
 

Dosia

Member
I also had a markl modded one. :)

it will decrease the bass bloat a bit, which brings out the midrange. technically a better frequency response but it loses some of the fun of the original since the bass notes don’t “hang” there for as long.

I preferred the markl version but I’m not a big bass head.

I ended up getting a new pair of these for $380 shipped. Pretty pricey for me, but I figure what the hell, they will last a long time as I will just be using them at the house. Would you recommend that I amp these or use a DAC or are they pretty good without one? I guess I will get one down the road if it ends up being necessary.
 

shira

Member
wow, the E11 gives my M50s that extra "punch" i needed from my iphone. definitely happy with it. obviously the m50s don't need to be amp'd but the change in SQ is enough for me. subtle, but just what i needed.
Did you get a good deal on the E11s? Semicurious now to pair with m50
 

npm0925

Member
Can someone recommend a good set of high-end cans taking into consideration that my #1 requirement is no sound leakage (people around can't hear when the music is at high volume), and my #2 requirement being sound quality?

I'm using Sennheiser HD 380 pros right now and they are excellent when it comes to leakage, but I'd like to see if there's anything with the same or less leakage but better sound quality.

I got a pair of Denon AH-D5000 and the sound quality is almost certainly better if I break them in, but the leakage is quite bad.

AKG K550 are supposed to have excellent isolation and sound quality. I am debating picking up a pair myself.
 

LCfiner

Member
I ended up getting a new pair of these for $380 shipped. Pretty pricey for me, but I figure what the hell, they will last a long time as I will just be using them at the house. Would you recommend that I amp these or use a DAC or are they pretty good without one? I guess I will get one down the road if it ends up being necessary.

I recommend an amp to help bring out the mids and control the bass a bit better. that also has an effect of improving soundstage. the denons need a lot of current to properly control the drivers. with, for example, a weak laptop headphone jack, they’ll sound extra boomy and kinda flabby.

A decent DAC is always a good idea assuming you’re dealing with anything better than 128 mp3. On good quality sources, you should be able to hear the difference between the internal motherboard DAC and something like a Music Streamer 2 or headroom micro dac or a Fiio E10 or E17.

my suggestion to keep costs reasonable since these are your first pair of good headphones is to get a combined amp/dac from Fiio called the Alpen, E17. it’s pretty new but people like it (note: I have not owned this but I did own and enjoy previous Fiio products of similar price and functionality). good quality DAC and decent headphone amp. battery powered, portable, powered via USB.
 
Yup yup. I'm a basshead so that was the biggest selling point. Even then, I could probably go with just a bit more =P

The E11 gives quite a tight and controlled sound, as do most of Fiio's amps. For a nice bassy/warm amp in the price range, you should try the Soundmagic A10.

Then again, if you're a basshead I'd recommend changing the M50s first.
 

Ashhong

Member
The E11 gives quite a tight and controlled sound, as do most of Fiio's amps. For a nice bassy/warm amp in the price range, you should try the Soundmagic A10.

Then again, if you're a basshead I'd recommend changing the M50s first.

Yea, it's too late to change headphones and I'm too poor/lazy to switch up the amp. Satisfied with the bump I get from the E11 :)
 

Mistle

Member
Yup yup. I'm a basshead so that was the biggest selling point. Even then, I could probably go with just a bit more =P But the bass on level 2 does the job.

Haha you must really like full-on bass if 2 isn't enough for you. I generally keep it on 1, but put it on 2 if a song benefits from that extra thump.
 

pax217

Member
Yea, it's too late to change headphones and I'm too poor/lazy to switch up the amp. Satisfied with the bump I get from the E11 :)

Haha you must really like full-on bass if 2 isn't enough for you. I generally keep it on 1, but put it on 2 if a song benefits from that extra thump.

I once asked Ashhong his opinion on the upcoming Presidential elections and he asked if the candidates had released the info on who had what subs in their vehicles yet...
 

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
Shit now you guys have me wanting to buy the D5000's. I don't have enough money for this stuff and I barely use my headphones as it is.
 

HiResDes

Member
Thanks for the suggestion. How much of a step up from the Sennheiser HD 380 pros are these, sound quality wise? They actually look like they're almost the same price.

I don't mind spending a little extra cash either to get something really top notch sound quality wise, but I really don't know much about headphones.

Are you kidding me, DT150s are THE most under appreciated headphones under $300. Those AKGs are excellent too. Both would be a step up.
 
hMX0rl.jpg


Got my Westone ES5s back from Fisher. Unfortunately, I will almost assuredly have to go back to see my audiologist to get new impressions made cause the right ear is causing me some real discomfort, left ear seems to fit perfectly... which is fucking terrible cause I've waited a month to get these things back :l Though I understand that Fisher prioritizes refits above new orders, which is good for me cause these things sound STUPID good. Listening to Beach House's Bloom on the ES5 was a definite WOW moment for me, I could scarcely believe how transparent and detailed the sound was. I tried using the SM3 right after and it literally sounded like I was listening to the music through a towel, they sounded slow, viscous, blurry and congested; the difference between the two is insane... In fact, they make all of my other phones sound recessed throughout the frequency range, dull and veiled. This is no doubt due to their utterly enchanting mids which is incredibly pristine, vibrant and full bodied. Anyone harboring doubts as to whether top shelf customs sound that much better than top tier universals can lay those worries to rest. Had I known what I was missing out on all these years, I would have just saved up my money and went straight for the top rather than dabbling in all these sidegrades and building a full sized rig...
 

Salaadin

Member
Does anyone have any recommendations on a good pair of running/jogging headphones? I do a lot of roadside jogging so I need something a little more open so I can hear traffic, etc.
 
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