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[K.Jack]

Oh baby The FiiO E10 DAC is a freaking winner, at only $80.

And my E7 just bit the dust a few days ago... so bought. Should pair nicely with my future HE-300s.

 

[Gila]

Just got my AiAiAi TMA-1's

First impressions:
Design: Looks as sexy as I thought it would be
Sound: Yup, crisp and awesome. Good mids
Bass: Lacking bass, but I hear you have to let a 3 hour or so burn in
Isolation: Lacking Definitely not as well as my previous solo beats
Leakage: Lacking Definitely not as well as my previous solo beats

I'm gonna let them run through the night and hopefully it'll be better

 

[joshlee]

Just got my AiAiAi TMA-1's

First impressions:
Design: Looks as sexy as I thought it would be
Sound: Yup, crisp and awesome. Good mids
Bass: Lacking bass, but I hear you have to let a 3 hour or so burn in
Isolation: Lacking Definitely not as well as my previous solo beats
Leakage: Lacking Definitely not as well as my previous solo beats

I'm gonna let them run through the night and hopefully it'll be better

I've had these for about 8 months, and the solo beats before. I love my TMA-1s so much more on every level possible. although i'd really like a control talk cable for them

 

[Gila]

I've had these for about 8 months, and the solo beats before. I love my TMA-1s so much more on every level possible. although i'd really like a control talk cable for them

Do they get better in isolation and keeping sound in? That was what I was mainly looking for, and from the reviews everyone said it was great...but I'm a bit disappointed tbh

 

[Syracuse022]

Just ordered a FiiO E7, can't wait for it to get here (Friday, hopefully). My Sennheiser HD595s are developing a tiny crack right at the top of the gray earphone piece (on the cord side, presumably due to the extra stress on that side). Any recommendations on how to do a little bit of preemptive rescue work before things go horribly awry? Just for reference, it's where the Sennheiser branding is in this image:

 

[FoxSpirit]

Why did you get an E7? The E10 will come out in weeks :-\

 

[Syracuse022]

I didn't know about the E10 until I came in to post my question about the Senns. I guess I'll rough it for a few days and wait for the E10 if Amazon manages to cancel my shipment in time (I got a warning that the items were shipping soon and might not be cancelled in time).

 

[Keylime]

Just got my AiAiAi TMA-1's

First impressions:
Design: Looks as sexy as I thought it would be
Sound: Yup, crisp and awesome. Good mids
Bass: Lacking bass, but I hear you have to let a 3 hour or so burn in
Isolation: Lacking Definitely not as well as my previous solo beats
Leakage: Lacking Definitely not as well as my previous solo beats

I'm gonna let them run through the night and hopefully it'll be better

If you're coming from Beats Solos like I did when I moved to my VModa M80s, the bass just has a very different feel on other headphones. Beats do something with bass where the cups literally rattle on your head. I came to love this feeling, so when I originally started using my M80s, I thought they were lacking in bass as well. The problem is that the Beats accentuate the bass so much that pretty much everything else is going to feel lacking bass wise.

Try and listen to some tracks to see if you think the bass clarity is improved even if the sensation is not. With my M80s, the bass doesn't create the same head shaking feeling as the Beats did, but they produce full sound that still feel dirty when it's supposed to and clean when it's supposed to. Just a different overall sensation for bass.

Isolation/Leakage on Beats are pretty great, though. Even my M80s don't quite match them but they are pretty darn close.

M80s and TMA-1s are probably in the same ballpark sound/isolation wise based on the reviews I've read considering people are comparing these sets to the HD-25 IIs from Sennheiser.

 

[Ashhong]

I didn't know about the E10 until I came in to post my question about the Senns. I guess I'll rough it for a few days and wait for the E10 if Amazon manages to cancel my shipment in time (I got a warning that the items were shipping soon and might not be cancelled in time).

Don't open the package that the E7 comes in and you can just return it to Amazon without paying for shipping or anything. Just take it to UPS and say return to sender.

But the E10 doesnt allow you to use it as an amp right? So maybe the E7 is what you want?

 

[Syracuse022]

Oh wow, you're right - I hadn't noticed that the E10 doesn't have a line in. I chose the E7 because I want to use it for double duty - DAC and portable amp. As if on cue, Amazon has e-mailed me and said they couldn't cancel my order, so that was lucky. Thanks!

 

[HiResDes]

Guy making Beats comparison...If you were merely looking for headphones with decent isolation and good bass then you should have just stuck with the Solo's or maybe copped some Sony XB500 or M-Audio Q40s.

 

[wenis]

My E11's battery died on my way back from downtown earlier today and I decided to see what my Yuin's sounded like without it and.......

Holy shit, completely night and day. So glad I invested in both the amp and headphones, a godly combo.

 

[Vanillalite]

Someone on the gaming side posted a coupon code for Astro stuff.

Gaming Side Thread

Basically it's $50 for $100 worth of stuff. That means the mixamp that's $100 can be had for half off. Good deal if you want a mixamp that's a jack of all trades for your computer, consoles, and media players.

 

[Gila]

Actually, listening to the TMA-1's more - I don't mind the difference in bass from the Solo Beats. I'm hearing new sounds in songs I always listen to, it's pretty awesome

Liking it so far

 

[vivin]

I'm looking to purchase some new headphones for use at work

Main concern for me is sound leakage. I keep hearing about closed/noise canceling head phones keeping external sounds from leaking in, but im more concerned about sound leaking out.

Nothing is worse than listening to some colleges music blaring out from the other side of the room, and I'd rather not be that guy

Also, comfort for long periods of time will be helpful, as I'll be wearing these things for 10+hours a day

Price isnt really an issue, but I wouldn't mind a few options in different price ranges if possible.

Sorry for just blindly walking into this thread demanding help, but 100pages would take awhile to read through ^^;

 

[electristan]

little help? im thinking of getting som new earpads for my Beyerdynamic DT770's and have been looking at jmoney lambskin pads and the Beyerdynamic Gel pads.

Problem is i cant find anywhere that doesnt have crazy shipping to norway ($35 earpads, $55 shipping), anyone know of a good place for headphone accessories?

 

[Lopson]

Guys, I have a Sennheiser HD600 and was looking for a portable USB DAC for my laptop. Do you guys think that the FiiO E10 is a good pick?

 

[LCfiner]

Guys, I have a Sennheiser HD600 and was looking for a portable USB DAC for my laptop. Do you guys think that the FiiO E10 is a good pick?

none of us have it yet but.. the headfonia review is very good and Fiio stuff is typically very good bang for your buck and solidly built. (i love my E9 desktop amp).

seems like a safe gamble to pick one up, honestly.

 

[Lopson]

none of us have it yet but.. the headfonia review is very good and Fiio stuff is typically very good bang for your buck and solidly built. (i love my E9 desktop amp).

seems like a safe gamble to pick one up, honestly.

Thanks for the reply. I read the review, and was pleased with what I read. I think I'll give it a try!

 

[thatbox]

Finally gave up and sent my SR-60s to Grado to be repaired; it's supposedly a flat $25 to fix anything. I've read that they can take months to get around to this stuff, so I'll probably be without them for a while.

 

[Dice]

I hope not. I'm sending in my SR325is soon.

 

[Robobandit]

I've got a Fiio E7 that I could let go.. I've only had it for about a month or so.. still have the box and everything.. if anyone is interested in one at less than full price.

I recently got a Fiio D3 and I like it a lot better with the E9 than the E7.

 

[FoxSpirit]

Got my Sansa Clip+ this evening with the 32GB microSD. Paired it with my BLOX M2C. Felt meh. Felt "upgrade when icrecreamsandwich gives me USB DAC with my phone".
Remembered that rockbox should improve things a little.
It improved things a LOT.
This little thing kicks some really serious butt now. Good space, really fullbodied sound, good prat and a solid EQ. Bass set to +2dB and this setup is awesome. Especially for the price.
Now I suddenly feel a lot more patient in my upgrading desires :-D

 

[dallow_bg]

My Alessandro/Grado headphones are buzzing in the left ear. And Alessandro isn't answering emails.

 

[thatbox]

My Alessandro/Grado headphones are buzzing in the left ear. And Alessandro isn't answering emails.

Call Grado during business hours. A very friendly and helpful woman picked up on the second ring when I called last week!

 

[dallow_bg]

Call Grado during business hours. A very friendly and helpful woman picked up on the second ring when I called last week!

Oh, I can call Grado about it too?

 

[thatbox]

Oh, I can call Grado about it too?

I should think so, yeah. Either way, Grado (/Alessandro) doesn't seem very internet savvy, so the best way to get in touch is probably via phone.

 

[hockeypuck]

Thank you, UPS deliveryman!

In typical Grado fashion, no frills box with foam everywhere. Does a good enough job. An extension cord is included, just in case you wanted to listen to your sound system from the kitchen.

Comparison with the SR80i and SR325is. Look at that extension cord. Look at it.

Dat soundstage.

First impressions: You do hear the music "a few rows back" compared to my other two Grados. The lovely mids are still there though. Biggest difference to my ears is the improved bass. Very, very comfortable sitting on my noggin, didn't even have to tweak the metal band (yet). The headband thickness is the same as the 325is', I had thought it would have more luxurious padding from looking at images online. Burn in should be interesting as the bowls soften up, hopefully as interesting as my experience with the 325is was (initially hated the L-cush pads).

 

[LCfiner]

I’ve always loved the look of the GS1000.

The G cush pads are incredibly comfortable. very nice. I currently have some installed on my Grado HF2 to widen the soundstage (the HF2 can handle the change with only a minor decrease in bass and no noticeable added sibilance to my ears).

nice Grado collection, there. enjoy your new monsters!


edit:

and regarding an older conversation about apple ear buds not being shit.

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/lauding-jobs-least-loved-product-basic-apple-ear-bud

scientific testing proves us right (Innerfidelity is one of the good sites out there for enthusiasts, backing up reviews with lots of testing)

they measure very well and sound good compared to other options of similar or slightly higher priced options.

 

[K.Jack]

Just an fyi uodate, the FiiO E10 should start shipping Monday the 10th. There's at least one wave of preorders lined up already.

 

[Malleymal]

got a pair of Beats Studios for my bday the other day. I haven't opened them yet. What do you guys think about these?? are there any new ones coming out before I open these? and how would these compare to the bose QC15? these are the two I played with in store and wanted to get an idea of what you guys think

I already have the beats solo's but they got messed up a couple weeks ago... this is my first jump into the around the ear type head phones... thanks

also wtf at all the fake Beats.. I just learned about this by looking up reviews on youtube.

 

[robox]

i'm in shanghai right now and the (fake) monster beats are sold EVERYWHERE.
they're a commodity alike to iphone cases. even dinky little street carts stock several of 'em.

 

[shira]

got a pair of Beats Studios for my bday the other day. I haven't opened them yet. What do you guys think about these?? are there any new ones coming out before I open these? and how would these compare to the bose QC15?

Everyone in here loves Grado, Denon,and Sennheiser.

If you come with Monster and Bose you are going to be laughed at.

Honestly, its all up to what you think they sound like. But if you have the Studio Beats I would get the extended warranty. Those are going to break within 6 months guaranteed. The construction is terrible despite all that metal.

 

[sharkmuncher]

Thank you, UPS deliveryman!

In typical Grado fashion, no frills box with foam everywhere. Does a good enough job. An extension cord is included, just in case you wanted to listen to your sound system from the kitchen.

Comparison with the SR80i and SR325is. Look at that extension cord. Look at it.

Dat soundstage.

First impressions: You do hear the music "a few rows back" compared to my other two Grados. The lovely mids are still there though. Biggest difference to my ears is the improved bass. Very, very comfortable sitting on my noggin, didn't even have to tweak the metal band (yet). The headband thickness is the same as the 325is', I had thought it would have more luxurious padding from looking at images online. Burn in should be interesting as the bowls soften up, hopefully as interesting as my experience with the 325is was (initially hated the L-cush pads).

That is one sexy Grado lineup you have there. I am going to go curl up in the corner with my SR-80s, listen to Blood on the Tracks, and lament the fact that I cannot afford so many lovely things haha.

How is the jump from the 80s to the 325is by the way? What was your main source for them? I am interested in upgrading the 80s I use at work, but something tells me it wouldn't be worth the upgrade if they are plugged into my iPod while I'm walking around all day.

 

[hockeypuck]

How is the jump from the 80s to the 325is by the way? What was your main source for them? I am interested in upgrading the 80s I use at work, but something tells me it wouldn't be worth the upgrade if they are plugged into my iPod while I'm walking around all day.

I think the jump between the 80 to 325 is heavily sound system-dependent. I only truly appreciate the improvement in sound separation, clarity, mids and bass when I'm listening to lossless computer files through a DAC and amp. The SR60 and SR80 are the best bang-for-buck Grados, no question. Higher end Hi-Fi is all about diminishing returns. Only irrational fanatics should go beyond the SR80, IMO. The 325 costs more than a PS3 in America. I don't think the 325 is going to improve that much through an iPod; plus you have to buy a separate 1/8" adapter.

 

[pj]

Just bought some Orotofon e-q5's to replace the second pair Meelec M9's that have died on me. It will be interesting to see how they compare to the UE700's which are my current "high end" IEMs

 

[Alucrid]

Everyone in here loves Grado, Denon,and Sennheiser.

If you come with Monster and Bose you are going to be laughed at.

Honestly, its all up to what you think they sound like. But if you have the Studio Beats I would get the extended warranty. Those are going to break within 6 months guaranteed. The construction is terrible despite all that metal.

We like more brands than that.

 

[Malleymal]

Everyone in here loves Grado, Denon,and Sennheiser.

If you come with Monster and Bose you are going to be laughed at.

Honestly, its all up to what you think they sound like. But if you have the Studio Beats I would get the extended warranty. Those are going to break within 6 months guaranteed. The construction is terrible despite all that metal.

I am at the apple store now and thinking if I want to swap them for the white ones. There are two different boxes for the studios... One with studio in One font and then the other box has studio in a more bold font with an outline.. I just want to make sure I have the newest version before I open them

 

[Dreams-Visions]

I am at the apple store now and thinking if I want to swap them for the white ones. There are two different boxes for the studios... One with studio in One font and then the other box has studio in a more bold font with an outline.. I just want to make sure I have the newest version before I open them

I'd go with something different.

Does Apple have a return policy? And can you afford to buy a couple cans and return the ones you like the least? If so, do that.

 

[Irulan]

I'm looking to purchase some new headphones for use at work

Main concern for me is sound leakage. I keep hearing about closed/noise canceling head phones keeping external sounds from leaking in, but im more concerned about sound leaking out.

Nothing is worse than listening to some colleges music blaring out from the other side of the room, and I'd rather not be that guy

Also, comfort for long periods of time will be helpful, as I'll be wearing these things for 10+hours a day

Price isnt really an issue, but I wouldn't mind a few options in different price ranges if possible.

Sorry for just blindly walking into this thread demanding help, but 100pages would take awhile to read through ^^;

I recently bought a pair of Sennheiser HD25-1 II for office and travel use, they don't leak any sound. I can really recommend them. Some people complain about them being too tight and getting uncomfortable, but I haven't had any problems with it.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Everyone in here loves Grado, Denon,and Sennheiser.

As well they should. Those 3 companies make some of the finest headphones money can buy across a variety of price points.

If you come with Monster and Bose you are going to be laughed at.

Depends on the product and how much the price tag is. Monster makes excellent IEM's that are recommended often. Bose doesn't make anything worthy of recommendation considering the price they come with.

Monster Beats aren't going to get recommended for what they do to the rest of the range of sound in order to over-emphasize bass. They won't get recommended because they offer no mids (see post above about a guy hearing sounds he'd never heard in his more balanced TMA1 cans). They won't get recommended because of muddy highs. At least, not for $180. You can do much better for that same money.

So yea, we like to recommend the best that people can get with the money they're looking to spend and the sound they want to hear out of their music. It just so happens that the best they can do with the money they're looking to spend is usually NOT made by Monster or Bose. But there are probably a dozen other brands we'll happily push for at any given moment:

Audio-Technica
AIAIAI
Shure
Denon
Eytomic Research
Grado
Sennheiser
Sony
Beats [Turbines]
AKG
Thunderpants
Beyerdynamic
Audeze
Woodies
MEelectronics
Ultimate Ears

and probably some others I can't think of off the top of my head. All in prices ranging from $20 - $1500 depending on your price range.

$0.02

I'm looking to purchase some new headphones for use at work

Main concern for me is sound leakage. I keep hearing about closed/noise canceling head phones keeping external sounds from leaking in, but im more concerned about sound leaking out.

Nothing is worse than listening to some colleges music blaring out from the other side of the room, and I'd rather not be that guy

Also, comfort for long periods of time will be helpful, as I'll be wearing these things for 10+hours a day

Price isnt really an issue, but I wouldn't mind a few options in different price ranges if possible.

Sorry for just blindly walking into this thread demanding help, but 100pages would take awhile to read through ^^;

Not sure how much you're looking to spend, but:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ULAP4U/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I'm sure they can be had for less elsewhere, but just so that these are on your short list. They didn't earn 5 stars after 300 reviews because they're pretty. I'd feel comfortable listening to Kanye blaring on them with my grandmother sitting 5' away in the M50's. They don't leak much at all.

But for the ultimate in sound isolation, you might need to think about a nice pair of IEM's. We can make lots of recommendations depending on how much you're looking to spend.

 

[ElyrionX]

Just bought some Orotofon e-q5's to replace the second pair Meelec M9's that have died on me. It will be interesting to see how they compare to the UE700's which are my current "high end" IEMs

Those things look terribly designed. When you use them, don't the wires fall at a right angle? Wouldn't that cause unnecessary stres at the cable joint and eventually cause it to loosen?

 

[Somnid]

So can someone give me a quick primer on amps? I'm trying to upgrade my audio setup a little, I've tried researching a little bit and I sorta understand what they are used for but I don't really know what I'm getting with them or exactly how to position it.

So right now I'm looking at something like a FiiO E9 because it seems well-reviewed and somewhere I can budget for. My current desktop setup is an x-fi that I run via 3 3.5" cables into my Z-5500 amp and I plug my headphones (HD280s) into this for quick switching. My questions is how would go about incorporating an amp in this process (or is this even necessary?). Would it be between the soundcard and the Z5500 amp and would I switch between speakers and headphones at this level? Would it essentially pre-amp the Z5500s or is this a bad idea? Also, would this give me any appreciable boost in sound quality with what I have now or do I need a better set of headphones to really make a difference (since I'm more concerned with headphones in this case)?

 

[pj]

Those things look terribly designed. When you use them, don't the wires fall at a right angle? Wouldn't that cause unnecessary stres at the cable joint and eventually cause it to loosen?

They have been out for a while and I haven't read anything about them failing. I have read that they have some sort of internal strain relief, though.

For me, even though IEMs can get pretty expensive, I treat them as somewhat disposable. They are so small and I use them so much that they are bound to die sooner rather than later.

I once bought a pair of HJE900s, partly because of their "indestructible" enclosure and detachable cord. "These things will last forever!", I thought. Within 24 hours of receiving them, one of the drivers went from noticeably quieter to completely dead.

 

[unpurposed]

Need some quick help. I'm looking at getting the Monster Turbines from Amazon here (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001LNO722/?tag=neogaf0e-20. They're sold by OneCall, who is an authorized Monster reseller.

Is there anything else I should be looking at in this price range? I'm looking for something that'll last me a long time, and I do like bass a lot, while still maintaining very good highs and mids.

 

[Vinterbird]

My Klipsch Image S4 headphones has died on me, so I'm looking to replace them either with a new set or with something better in the similiar price range.

Any recommendations?

Useage includes: podcasts, running with them and music genres being rock, pop and hip hop, also a bit of live recordings if that has anything to say in terms of headphone choices)

 

[Extollere]

Ugh, I didn't realize the V-DAC II was finally made available for North American customers. I think it had been out in Europe for a while now. I want it! D:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005K8CSZ2/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[vivin]

Thanks for the suggestions guys

Im a bit torn on what to get. Ive had headphones before which have clamped quiet hard, which bugged me to no end, but I guess if I want zero sound leak, thats kinda a given.


I heard listening to music with IEM's for a long period of time was considered bad for your ears, is that not the case?

I also see prices vary a lot on IEM's, are the higher cost ones worth their price?

 

[Chip N Chance]

Im looking to get some Astro A40's for gaming and what not. But the part were i need some insight is how well they would work without the mix amp. I just wanna plug it into my audio receiver via a 1/4" jack. Will this work as well as using the Astro Mix Amp. I dont care about the microphone, as i will be doing mostly single player gaming.

I dont see why it wouldn't as both act as receivers encoding 5.1. But again im not a huge audio guy.

 

[K.Jack]

I heard listening to music with IEM's for a long period of time was considered bad for your ears, is that not the case?

I also see prices vary a lot on IEM's, are the higher cost ones worth their price?

1. I'd say that's more of a volume issue.

2. Case by case basis.