I emailed them to order a pair of AA monitors, thanks a bunch man I always love to hear your impressions because I think we share some of the same opinions in terms of preferred sound signature. I actually have around $400/$450 to spend on a pair, not sure if there's anything else I should consider before I jump on these...
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The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC
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I emailed them to order a pair of AA monitors, thanks a bunch man I always love to hear your impressions because I think we share some of the same opinions in terms of preferred sound signature. I actually have around $400/$450 to spend on a pair, not sure if there's anything else I should consider before I jump on these...
SolarMystic
Member
Been looking to grab a pair of his Affordable Accuracy Monitors myself soon.
Need to find a nice amp to pair with them though. Any recommendations on the cheaper but not cheap sounding side?
Need to find a nice amp to pair with them though. Any recommendations on the cheaper but not cheap sounding side?
That makes sense. I am learning as I go and appreciate the input.
opticalmace
Member
What amp are you going to use with the AA monitors?
I have a nad pre and either a crown xls 202 or an Onkyo Integra 8007 depending on what I feel like both capable of well over 100 WPC rms. Also gonna be using a powered subwoofer crossed over to alleviate some of the workload.
The Last Wizard
Member
So I'm looking for some over ear Bluetooth headphones, not trying to break the bank but something quality. Are the Sony MDRXB950BT/B my best bet?
Yes, except they break often. Best bang for the buck though if you're lucky and they don't get the hinge fatigue.
I've gone through three sets at this point and they're way better than anything else in the 100 or less price range. Trust me, I've tried all of the alternatives!
The Last Wizard
Member
Any suggestions around that?
If you don't mind them a bit steam punk you can reinforce them with some metal clamps after they break. I just broke down and bought new ones, but I'm hard on the things and wear them sometimes for over ten hours a day.
Sun Bather
Member
So I've been looking at videos and looking at headphone calculator websites, but I am still a bit confused. What amp/dac should I get for my AH-MM400?
Impedance: 32
Sensitivity: 96 dB
I would like to not spend more than 150 euros, at the very most 200.
Impedance: 32
Sensitivity: 96 dB
I would like to not spend more than 150 euros, at the very most 200.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Anyone have impressions of Oppo HA-2SE vs Chord Mojo? My AV guy hyped Mojo as the second coming of Jesus, on the other hand it's ugly af.
For context, the consideration is for portable use. Me and my mrs both have Oppo PM-3s as our travel headphones, and currently we have one one HA-2, so looking for another.
For context, the consideration is for portable use. Me and my mrs both have Oppo PM-3s as our travel headphones, and currently we have one one HA-2, so looking for another.
The Last Wizard
Member
I was talking about prices in that range for other headphones.
Low impedance, decent sensitivity, just about any entry combo should do, hell you could probably just cop a Schiit Fulla.
sankt-Antonio
:^)--?-<
So i got the RME Babyface Pro, and beside it being a really good audio recoding interface, it works terrific as a Headphone DAC/amp combo. Being able to use its software mixer is also very useful here. You can have eight presets, a (global!) EQ for example. Very handy to slightly boost the bass response of my HD800S.
There is a dim button that instantly reduces the output by a user definable amount, perfect for quick mute when someone walks by and asks me a question etc. and being back at the right level by pressing it again. Holding the dim button sets the output to a, pre defined, volume. the wheel does what it needs to, setting the output level.
Really handy features for daily use and next to my Objective O2 DAC/amp combo i could not hear much of a difference. All aluminium enclosure also feels very nice and sturdy.
I sound like a salesman here, but it's refreshing buying something and just being happy with it without finding some quirks or be annoyed with it - can't recall the last time that happened.
There is a dim button that instantly reduces the output by a user definable amount, perfect for quick mute when someone walks by and asks me a question etc. and being back at the right level by pressing it again. Holding the dim button sets the output to a, pre defined, volume. the wheel does what it needs to, setting the output level.
Really handy features for daily use and next to my Objective O2 DAC/amp combo i could not hear much of a difference. All aluminium enclosure also feels very nice and sturdy.
I sound like a salesman here, but it's refreshing buying something and just being happy with it without finding some quirks or be annoyed with it - can't recall the last time that happened.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Man that is some review, hadn't seen that before. Good strategy to get hyped about HA-2 enough not to desire the Mojo
sankt-Antonio
:^)--?-<
It really is, especially next to my iMac - they share the same brushed aluminum look.
Sun Bather
Member
Anyone can help with recommendation for a earphone? My girlfriend wants some good earphones for Xmas. By good she means:
- Earphones (not headphones, over the ear, etc)
- not bluetooth (she will power it with a Benjie S5)
- VERY GOOD noise isolation (specially the noise coming FROM the earphone, because she listens VERY loud and doesnt want to annoy people that are commuting with her). I have those famous VE Monk Plus that sound nice but omg, when you turn them on your room becomes a live concert, everybody can listen with you...
- Sound signature probably flat with a little bit stronger bass (she likes commercial edm, eminem, etc)
up to 100 euros
We can wait for Xmas discounts as well so luckly 120-130 euros might be in my budget after disconted, but better if it costs less
edit. forgot to mention, it would also be good if it could be used at the gym, but I dont want to sacrifice a lot of sound quality for that.
- Earphones (not headphones, over the ear, etc)
- not bluetooth (she will power it with a Benjie S5)
- VERY GOOD noise isolation (specially the noise coming FROM the earphone, because she listens VERY loud and doesnt want to annoy people that are commuting with her). I have those famous VE Monk Plus that sound nice but omg, when you turn them on your room becomes a live concert, everybody can listen with you...
- Sound signature probably flat with a little bit stronger bass (she likes commercial edm, eminem, etc)
up to 100 euros
We can wait for Xmas discounts as well so luckly 120-130 euros might be in my budget after disconted, but better if it costs less
edit. forgot to mention, it would also be good if it could be used at the gym, but I dont want to sacrifice a lot of sound quality for that.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Take a look at the final audio design heaven iv and the rha ma750.
final audio is way above my budget. Gonna check the second option, thanks
opticalmace
Member
I have the RHA MA750.
Overall I'd say I like them a fair bit, but a couple things annoy me a little:
- long, straight jack instead of an L jack. a minor annoyance.
- cord is a bit longer than most IEM/earbuds I own.
- just a preference, but I find the over-the-ear loop a bit finnicky.
They sound quite good, but they wouldn't be my first choice if I had to buy a new IEM.
Overall I'd say I like them a fair bit, but a couple things annoy me a little:
- long, straight jack instead of an L jack. a minor annoyance.
- cord is a bit longer than most IEM/earbuds I own.
- just a preference, but I find the over-the-ear loop a bit finnicky.
They sound quite good, but they wouldn't be my first choice if I had to buy a new IEM.
oh, that over the ear might be a problem =/ she will probably not like it
Is RE-400 the same as RE-400a? 116eur x 80eur in here.
RE-400, 400a, and 400i are the same core IEM, with the "a" or "i" standing for Android and iPhone, respectively.
yeah, i realized that after I posted. it's cheaper because it's sent form china though (buying through amazon)...
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Over the ear is so good though.
I get annoyed at earphones that don't allow it by design.
I get annoyed at earphones that don't allow it by design.
Agreed
Well, of course non shitty crossover comes first but I've built and heard properly designed Speakers with Dayton (my first DIY is a small Dayton BB and sounds great), SB Acoustics, Eton, Fountek, Visaton and Seas.
The standard SB acoustics sounds great but lacks overall tonal purity plus solidity in the lower Bass. Seriously, I put 35 hours into the speaker, awesome verneer job and all and yet I didn't become really happy. Take a Satori midwoofer, even a tiny one and my problems with the bass were gone. In fact, those things have exceptional bass control even as a passive, most likely due to their super low Qte, one of the lowest I have seen in midwoofers. That was always why I liked Eton Hexacone a lot, though their longstroker 8-inch of the old Symphony 1 line definitely profited from being driven in active mode. I did a lot of selective evalution because after all, how a tweeter sounds will affect your perception of the midwoofer (strong contender: my last 5 inch compact monitor).
I could make an forever post about listening and experimenting with drivers and getting a ton of first hand comparisons of properly designed speakers. Speaker evaluation was my biggest hobby the past 5 years and I will undersign that most commercial speakers are crap and often bad crossovers are only part of the worries. Like the B&W 683 I heard recently definitely had some untamed resonances in the treble region which could be attributed to bad crossover but nothing can save that bass resolution. And the worst part was that when you look at the driver in photos it looks amazing!!!
So yeah, proper design first of course. Still, just listen to an AA Monitor and the Philharmonitor side to side. The difference will be obvious. If you care enough for it is another thing ;-) If I was in the US, I'd totally have gotten that for my surveilance workplace
panthapanda
Member
So I know for the most part, beats aren't all that great but they're the only headphones with the w1 chip right now. Amazon has them for 219.99.
Should I wait for other devices? Will the beats get cheaper than that?
Should I wait for other devices? Will the beats get cheaper than that?
Wandering Robot
Member
HeadphoneGAF, I need some advice if anyone is willing to give it.
To provide some context, I'm coming off buying cheap headphones where the wire near the jack goes bad after a few months; I'm in the $50-$60 price range. I'd rather spend more on something more durable/workable for me, as I use headphones at least six hours a day (I've never actually kept track).
Anyway, I've settled on a pair of used Sennheiser Momentums. I'm not super selective about soundstage, isolation, or any of those sorts of specifications; I just want a durable pair of cans that sound great with decent bass. (I'd be lying if looks didn't figure into my choice, though, and I really like the look of these.)
So as you all probably know, Momentums (like many other headphones) use a detachable cord with a locking mechanism on a 2.5 mm jack. This is generally fine for me, given my usual problem with headphones, but it's been a bit of a pain in the ass having to pare down my search to 2.5/3.5 mm cords. It's especially tricky because I want something reinforced so as to postpone any further wire damage. I'm looking at wires like this and this.
I'm leery of buying offbrand products from China, but I haven't found many alternatives that aren't the same price as the headphones themselves...I guess I'm just asking whether anyone has experience with these, or whether I should steer clear.
I wouldn't be against better recommendations, either.
To provide some context, I'm coming off buying cheap headphones where the wire near the jack goes bad after a few months; I'm in the $50-$60 price range. I'd rather spend more on something more durable/workable for me, as I use headphones at least six hours a day (I've never actually kept track).
Anyway, I've settled on a pair of used Sennheiser Momentums. I'm not super selective about soundstage, isolation, or any of those sorts of specifications; I just want a durable pair of cans that sound great with decent bass. (I'd be lying if looks didn't figure into my choice, though, and I really like the look of these.)
So as you all probably know, Momentums (like many other headphones) use a detachable cord with a locking mechanism on a 2.5 mm jack. This is generally fine for me, given my usual problem with headphones, but it's been a bit of a pain in the ass having to pare down my search to 2.5/3.5 mm cords. It's especially tricky because I want something reinforced so as to postpone any further wire damage. I'm looking at wires like this and this.
I'm leery of buying offbrand products from China, but I haven't found many alternatives that aren't the same price as the headphones themselves...I guess I'm just asking whether anyone has experience with these, or whether I should steer clear.
I wouldn't be against better recommendations, either.
Is Apple actually going to licence out the W1 tech?
Apple owns Beats. Getting cheaper is not their modus operandi.
HeadphoneGAF, I need some advice if anyone is willing to give it.
To provide some context, I'm coming off buying cheap headphones where the wire near the jack goes bad after a few months; I'm in the $50-$60 price range. I'd rather spend more on something more durable/workable for me, as I use headphones at least six hours a day (I've never actually kept track).
Anyway, I've settled on a pair of used Sennheiser Momentums. I'm not super selective about soundstage, isolation, or any of those sorts of specifications; I just want a durable pair of cans that sound great with decent bass. (I'd be lying if looks didn't figure into my choice, though, and I really like the look of these.)
So as you all probably know, Momentums (like many other headphones) use a detachable cord with a locking mechanism on a 2.5 mm jack. This is generally fine for me, given my usual problem with headphones, but it's been a bit of a pain in the ass having to pare down my search to 2.5/3.5 mm cords. It's especially tricky because I want something reinforced so as to postpone any further wire damage. I'm looking at wires like this and this.
I'm leery of buying offbrand products from China, but I haven't found many alternatives that aren't the same price as the headphones themselves...I guess I'm just asking whether anyone has experience with these, or whether I should steer clear.
I wouldn't be against better recommendations, either.
Don't let the smooth taste fool you. My "offbrand product from China" Momentum cable has lasted at least 2x as long as the official one bundled in from Sennehiser did.
opticalmace
Member
This is basically how I feel about my Denon D2000. Like putting on a favourite pair of runners.
panthapanda
Member
Shoot. I completely forgot about that. I was thinking they would let a couple of people use the chip but forgot about that. Crap.
Xander51
Member
Yeah, Apple's never gonna let go of W1. It'll be Beats exclusive from now till forever.
I've always wanted to hear a pair of Denons. Aren't the Denons made by Fostex? Just branded with the Denon name?
Can someone help my dumbass figure out the best way to hook up all this shit up, especially which out to use for the subwoofer:
Okay here's the back of my receiver:
Here's the back of the preamp:
Here's the back of the subwoofer I'm making:
And the speakers have exactly what's you'd expect:
...My first guess is that I should hook the speakers up to the subwoofer inputs and those straight to the receiver to allow for greater control? Then hook the subwoofer to the hi-level output and the receiver to the regular pre-out?
Okay here's the back of my receiver:
Here's the back of the preamp:
Here's the back of the subwoofer I'm making:
And the speakers have exactly what's you'd expect:
...My first guess is that I should hook the speakers up to the subwoofer inputs and those straight to the receiver to allow for greater control? Then hook the subwoofer to the hi-level output and the receiver to the regular pre-out?
It'd at least take a manufacturer who could cut a check with A LOT of zeros, if Apple is even taking phone calls on the licencing fees.
So basically, it's down to Sennheiser, or no one.
I assume you control everything from the 1020 and use the receiver as a mere poweramp? If so:Can someone help my dumbass figure out the best way to hook up all this shit up, especially which out to use for the subwoofer:
Okay here's the back of my receiver:
Here's the back of the preamp:
Here's the back of the subwoofer I'm making:
And the speakers have exactly what's you'd expect:
...My first guess is that I should hook the speakers up to the subwoofer inputs and those straight to the receiver to allow for greater control? Then hook the subwoofer to the hi-level output and the receiver to the regular pre-out?
1020 preout->sub line in->sub line out->receiver input->receiver power out into speakers
Employs internal crossover of the sub to split bass between speakers and bass
Remembrance
Member
I want to get some light wireless earphones for outdoor use. Sony looks to have a new line out that's so new that there are basically no serious reviews.
The top of this line is the XB80BS "Extra Bass". Any ideas about whether these might be good?
My alternative would be the Plantronics Backbeat Fit, which do have some recommendations going for them. Forget about the $150-200 brands like Bose, Beats, and Jaybird.
The top of this line is the XB80BS "Extra Bass". Any ideas about whether these might be good?
My alternative would be the Plantronics Backbeat Fit, which do have some recommendations going for them. Forget about the $150-200 brands like Bose, Beats, and Jaybird.
Good looks man thanks
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Or china.
Nerdkiller
Membeur
Hi. Uhhh...my Sennheiser in ear headphones that I bought at the end of July are starting to break down, with the audio in the left channel starting to go, so I'm in the need for some new ones. Is there any make of headphone available with a reputation for reliability? 100 is the limit that I'm willing to pay.
Very Berry Sunday
Member
Schiit Fulla 2 is now available! How is this with headphones that require 300 nominal impedence?