Acid08 said:
Acid08 said:
Then break out the extra $50, for the AIAIAI TMA-1.
Some reviewers preferred it to the M50, and it's far less bulky. It's also beautifully made.
I love mine.
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$500 cans on, this is how you dream right - Official Headphone Thread
- Thread starter HiResDes
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Then break out the extra $50, for the AIAIAI TMA-1.
Some reviewers preferred it to the M50, and it's far less bulky. It's also beautifully made.
I love mine.
Dreams-Visions
Member
Echoes said:
HD
K.Jack said:
Someone on head-fi is selling their pair for $140+shipping
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/541756/price-drops-beyer-dt480-aiaiai-tma-1
gray_fox224
Junior Member
I just bought a pair of Beats Tour and they're wonderful!
Dreams-Visions
Member
oh lawdgray_fox224 said:
Echoes said:
It adds a preamp. That means it has several sources that you can select from. This is a great option if you plan to use your headphones with multiple devices without having to switch cables. Just simply turn the knob on the front and presto. Personally I found using the coaxial input running from my mobo better than the USB.
So I've been looking into headphones and right now I'm stuck between the aiaiai tma-1's and the Sennheiser HD25-1's... They're both really similar, I don't know which one to choose...
Edit: haha, it seems that you guys are discussing the aiaiai tma1's >_>. Think I might go that route, I really like the simple look of them.
Edit: haha, it seems that you guys are discussing the aiaiai tma1's >_>. Think I might go that route, I really like the simple look of them.
Yeah, that sounds great for alternating between the iMac and PS3. I wonder if I can find long optical cables, as I'm only seeing 6ft in Amazon. (iMac and PS3 aren't aligned on the same wall, so I need a long cable to connect from the HDP (which will be sitting near the iMac) to te PS3.)Alucrid said:
Thanks for all the clarifications. I'm ordering them as we speak. I know you guys diffrentiate between all the headphones even if it's subtle, but for a non-technical guy like me, will I notice noteable improvements using an amp, or is it exclusively for those who distinguish between the layers of sound so well?
Edit: DONE. One-day shipping; can't fricken wait. Though I'm living in Kuwait, so it's a one-day shipping to New York, and maybe an extra 5 till I get them. (I use Aramex to deliver my stuff.)
PflargBlarg
Member
Echoes said:
I got a 12 ft optical cable from monoprice for less than 2 dollars. Amazon really isn't the best place to go for cable selection.
As for the amp question. I'm somewhat of a newb to this sort of thing as well and I heard a difference in everything I listen to after I got the little dot dac and amp. Hip hop and soul type music didn't change all that much, but rock, folk, electronic, other trebley stuff like that sounded flippin' amazing.
Dreams-Visions
Member
just as an FYI, the optical cables sold at monoprice are NOT made of glass. they a high-quality plastic. They produce very similar quality, but not exactly the same as glass. Real glass is more expensive (maybe $20 for a 6' cable).Wormdundee said:
gray_fox224
Junior Member
Should I return them? I like ear buds over cans. Any recommendations?Dreams-Visions said:
gray_fox224 said:
If you enjoy the sound quality, keep them. You may spend hundreds on 'audiophile' headphones and find you don't particularly care for the sound. I bought a pair of $300 Sennheisers (HD600), but ended up listening to my Zune earbuds and the Grado SR80s ($80) more. Finding headphones with the sort of balance and prat (pace, rhythm, and timing) are far more important than tons of detail, soundstage, or other audiophile qualities.
kevm3 said:
PRaT is just as much an audiophile "quality" as any of the other stuff you're mentioning; it's much more about getting the right mixture for yourself. In suggesting that others pay more attention to their own ears, you are in fact suggesting that your particular subjective picks for "most important feature" is correct and others aren't.
I mean, I agree with you here on taste: I like the SR80 more than the HD600 unless you've got one hell of a solid state amp running through it. I just don't really appreciate the distaste you're showing the rest of us.
Mercutio said:
Distaste for who? I'm just telling him to keep those headphones despite the reactions he's likely to get when the word 'beats' come up, just like the reaction that pops up when 'bose' comes up, especially since he's admitted he's already enjoyed the sound he's getting so much.
kevm3 said:
It's simply the way in which you use the term "audiophile." Strikingly similar to a four letter word. But, I do understand that you've probably been looked down on by those who didn't understand your enjoyment or dislike of specific headphones, and that definitely sucks.
I'm just suggesting that you turn the other cheek on it, and be the bigger person.
gray_fox224 said:
Keep em if you like them. If you want the same huge amount of bass but with a way more revealing and less fatiguing sound check out the Futuresonic Atrio's:
http://www.futuresonics.com/FSatrios.html
Those were my thoughts on the Beats, and keep in mind the original poster was getting them for half the price. There are headphones that are just as "fun" as the Beats that can be had for half the price. It's not that the Beats are particularly bad, but it is true that they are a horrible value.HiResDes said:
Edit: Oh he was talking about the IEMs, nevermind.
Edit 2: In addition to the Atrio recommendation, I'd recommend checking out the Phiaton PS 200's if you're really looking for alternatives
Mercutio said:
Nah, no one has really looked down on any of the equipment I own. I'm about as 'audiophile' as they come.
I'm just telling him from my personal experience after spending a lot of money in audio not to be swayed by people telling him his headphones are trash because they are made by monster or made by bose or whatever other company. If you like the sound signature, enjoy them, even if they aren't the most accurate headphones around or if they don't get the most respect from others. If you got them and you enjoy them, enjoy them.
I've spent the 300 to get the Sennheisers after hearing on forums how awesome they are. I've had them recabled with the Equinox. I bought a 300 amp for it and what's sad is that I enjoyed the 80 dollars grado more, and the zune earbuds the best out of them all. He admitted he loved the sound that are coming out of the beats. If that's the case, he should stick with them because there is no guarantee he'd get that sound signature out of another pair of headphones. Many of the 'values' in high-end audio go for a more realistic sound. That may not be what he is seeking. Sound signature, and especially tonal balance and prat are VERY important. If the headphone is too slow for his tastes, then he'll be bored, no matter how much detail they throw out. If it's too lean and bright, he'll take them off of his head after 30 minutes with a headache. If the headphone is missing something like the bass he wants, he'll be mentally impressed with how 'real' things sound, but he'll wonder why he isn't engaged with the sound.
Finding a sound signature you enjoy is THE most important thing in audio and can make cheap equipment be much more enjoyable than very expensive equipment if the cheap equipment has the sound balance one enjoys and the expensive pieces don't. He said he loved the beats. No need to sell them for headphones that are more respected on forums because his beats don't get the respect as other phones from the 'high end' crowd. After all, it is his ears.
Dude you don't get it....It's not about whether they are audiophile, it's about whether or not they present a truly good value. It'd be quite ignorant to think that Dr. Dre has some sort of monopoly on bassy DJ-style headphones. The problem is not the brand, as the Monster Turbine line is rather fantastic, but rather the price. Sony XB500 cost a quarter as much and present a similar sound signature. I haven't seen many headphone elitists in here, nor are only cold, analytical headphones recommended here. Now if he's satisfied with them that's great, I agree. However, don't get offended when I neglect to recommend them to others. It's not about being audiophile, it's about value. Brainwavz M2 cost 1/3 of the price as the Tours and also have a similar sound signature.
Dreams-Visions
Member
fuck all this bad advice telling you to keep them because you like them. you know what I've found in my audio experiences? even shit can sound good when you have no better reference point to compair them to.gray_fox224 said:
When I bought my Bose On-Ear cans back in '07, I thought they were fucking fantastic. They were expensive ($180) and were much better than anything I had before it. I didn't know any better. Based on that, some people in this thread would have apparently said, "if you like them, keep them." Sommabitches.
How I wish I had someone to pull me to the side and say, "actually no, you'd be amazed at what you can get in terms of sound quality for around the same price or even less." The fact of the matter is that most of the Monster Beats, Bose and Skull Candy stuff is overpriced by about 50% on average. It's not that the stuff is bad; it's just overpriced relative to the sound quality they provide. The only Beats that I've heard that were priced right were the Monster Turbines.
Now here's the part of this that sucks: most headphone/IEM's you will want to try aren't sold in local stores. You'll have to take people's word for it at times. You'll have to buy blindly sometimes. As such, I'd recommend buying from someplace like JR.com or Amazon, as they have very liberal return policies. Go with highly recommended cans within your price range and experiment until you're satisfied. There's no reason to spend more than you intended t in the first place, but the uptick in quality of sound will be shocking.
But by all means DON'T keep those buds without experimenting with others in the same price range. I'd strongly recommend reviewing the opening post of this thread and paying a visit to HeadFi.org for advice. If someone had told me this when I bought those Bose cans, I probably wouldn't have kept them. I remember the first time I played my Denon D2000's (which were around the same price) for about 30 minutes then tried to go back to the Bose cans. I had to do a double-take and make sure that the cans I had been listening to for 3 years were indeed the cans sounding so soulless, shallow, and tiny on my ears. It was offensive and I actually felt like I had been had suckered. You don't miss what you've never had...but damn, once you hear better, you've heard it and you can't take backward steps. In
Good luck.
I'm well aware that the Beats are 'overpriced' when it comes to pure sound quality. He could find pairs that offer a similar sound for cheaper, but then again, what would be the point if he already owns the beats and he loves the sound signature? He'd take a loss after selling them unless he gets 100% refund for his return. And despite how often they are looked down upon in high-res circles, in the mainstream, they are a nice conversation piece. The average person will recognize beats much faster than a Sennheiser or a Grado for example.
He came in here and said he loved them and now he is questioning whether he should return them. I personally told him no.
He came in here and said he loved them and now he is questioning whether he should return them. I personally told him no.
The point is that he already owns the beats and he enjoys them immensely. He never solicited opinions for 'better' headphones until he was met with one of those reactions that typically come from bringing up Bose or Beats.
If he asked for an opinion on whether he should get beats or some other brand, sure, let him know. But he didn't. He just came in stating he bought the beats and that he loves them.
In regards to the ignorance is bliss in regards to headphones comment, Do all of your headphones sound like trash because you haven't been enlightened by the sound of a thousand dollar headphones powered by thousands upon thousands of dollars of electronics behind it?
If he asked for an opinion on whether he should get beats or some other brand, sure, let him know. But he didn't. He just came in stating he bought the beats and that he loves them.
In regards to the ignorance is bliss in regards to headphones comment, Do all of your headphones sound like trash because you haven't been enlightened by the sound of a thousand dollar headphones powered by thousands upon thousands of dollars of electronics behind it?
gray_fox224
Junior Member
Dreams-Visions said:
Thanks for the advice!
Yep, that's the thing with hi-end headphones. Some headphones absolutely NEED amps and solid quality source equipment behind them or they won't sound all that great. What headphones do you have, what equipment are you powering them with, and what is the quality of your source files?
Dreams-Visions
Member
*eats popcorn*
I'm not even reading posts (too tired), but I support whatever HiResDes is saying.
that is all.
I'm not even reading posts (too tired), but I support whatever HiResDes is saying.
that is all.
the senn hd555. i like the ear pads-super soft, but i'm not sure what i expected sound wise. they just sound like louder earbuds to me. and they are giving me a headache and my ear feel like it's been hit by a gust of wind. might have something to do with me always getting ear infections.HiResDes said:
Vox-Pop said:
- They have an impedance of 50 Ohms and therefore would probably benefit from being amped, and if you have a low-end soundcard maybe also with the addition of a DAC like the FiiO E9
- You could try modding them, as presented in the now infamous video.
- You could try EQing them to your liking if any particular spectrum is bothersome to you ears
- Try listening to different genres to really figure out if they do anything at all better than your earbuds
Vox-Pop said:
That's the thing with higher end headphones. A lot of them can sound flat-out unimpressive until you start putting better equipment behind them and listening to higher quality music files. High-end headphones are never just the price of the headphones, but rather all the associated equipment added on that you need to get them sounding up to their potential. The fact that they sound no better than ear buds tell me you may need an amp, but I've heard others say that the 555's don't really require an amp to sound nice.
Yeah DAC could definitely be an area. A decent DAC/Amp solution would be an EMU 0404. Doesn't have the absolute best headphone amp, but for the price, it's solid.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IXNE3E/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Used, it can probably be found for $150 or less.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IXNE3E/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Used, it can probably be found for $150 or less.
The reason I suggest a DAC/AMP is because he says it sounds exactly like his earbuds except with more bass, as opposed to something like 'the bass is overwhelming, or the mids are nonexistant and everything sounds hollow, or this headphone is too bright.' Sounds like his headphones aren't being fed properly as opposed to him not really enjoying the sound signature.
Most people don't really 'hear' a high end pair of headphones until they start putting the equipment behind them. I know the HD600s definitely require an amp behind them, but not so sure on the 555's as I've never owned then. I've read they don't need an amp, so it may be he needs to improve the source...
The easiest solution would be to recommend a pair of efficient headphones, because even with all the equipment behind them, he still may not like his headphones... but then again I don't know if he would enjoy the sound signature of something like a Grado.
Most people don't really 'hear' a high end pair of headphones until they start putting the equipment behind them. I know the HD600s definitely require an amp behind them, but not so sure on the 555's as I've never owned then. I've read they don't need an amp, so it may be he needs to improve the source...
The easiest solution would be to recommend a pair of efficient headphones, because even with all the equipment behind them, he still may not like his headphones... but then again I don't know if he would enjoy the sound signature of something like a Grado.
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