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The Official Headphone Thread 2.5: We're Making WAVs and Catching FLAC

T

Tommy DJ

Member
ichigo kurosaki said:
Well I assumed the "they must sound good" was a given, though it's true I'm no audiophile. I've checked some of the models recommended in the OP but they seem on the bulky side to me? Not something I would really use on the streets.
Click to expand...

Ever gave thought to IEMs? Zero Audio Carbo Tenore (ZH-DX200-CT) is pretty solid for well less than a Benjamin. I'm also partial towards the Koss KSC75, which is dirt cheap and I think sounds good so long you have nothing to directly compare it to. Lots of mods out there to adjust the sound quality and comfort. I use the Koss KSC75 when I'm away from home because they cost me $20, sound better than the majority of stuff on the market, probably close to being indestructible, and can be easily used during exercise.

Most closed headphones probably won't leak a whole lot in my experience. Sound leakage in the way you're describing (dude next to you hearing whatever you're listening to) is really dependent on how loud you play your music. Now noise isolating (i.e. blocking outside ambient sound) headphones are a different story and some do this job much better than others but this doesn't seem to the priority from what you've provided.
 
Bloodember

Bloodember

Member
chaosaeon said:
Actually while looking at this I saw some related items and came across this one. http://www.amazon.com/Sentey%C2%AE-Universal-Headset-headphones-Carrying-Compartments/dp/B00I4XZ0S2/ref=pd_sim_23_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=0RFF1DWR7F43KF1HHHDB
It's a bigger case, higher review rating, and half the cost. Is there something wrong with this one I'm missing or would this do nicely ? Either way, thanks for the link because I'll pick up one of these two cases for sure.
Click to expand...

Nope, looks ok. If that's the one you want, get it.
 
O

opticalmace

Member
What do y'all think of the Momentum 2? I tested one briefly and I was actually quite impressed. I have a Denon D2000 pair right now so I didn't think it would impress me, but it seemed to.

Anything comparable I should check out? I listen to electronic music and rap/hip-hop mostly. I only tried the Momentums for a few minutes but they seemed more comfortable than the D2000.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
opticalmace said:
What do y'all think of the Momentum 2? I tested one briefly and I was actually quite impressed. I have a Denon D2000 pair right now so I didn't think it would impress me, but it seemed to.

Anything comparable I should check out? I listen to electronic music and rap/hip-hop mostly. I only tried the Momentums for a few minutes but they seemed more comfortable than the D2000.
Click to expand...
I like the ADL H118 if you're looking for something with a similar sound signature. And now the H128s are out and are supposed to be even better.
 
A

Alpende

Member
Headphone GAF, I've got a question about the Shure SE215 headphones/earbuds/IEM's.

Is it possible to use a normal cable with those headphones? I don't like cables that go around my ear but I don't want them to fall out of my ear if I use normal ones (if that's even possible).

Any advice?
 
J

jesalr

Member
What would you recommend to someone who loves their Carbo Basso's.

I love the sound, but this is my second set to start falling apart.
 
Dice

Dice

Pokémon Parentage Conspiracy Theorist
Best Buy has V-MODA Crossfade M-80's on sale for $80.

Edit: And it looks like Amazon has price matched them.
 
B

burn this down

Banned
HeadphonesGAF, help me out. I'm going off to college this year and I'm looking for some nice over-ear headphones (on ear works too, but I'd prefer over) for listening to music in the dorm w/o disturbing my roommate. I'm looking for something in the $150-175 range (unless I can get something of good quality for cheaper). I listen mostly to some hip-hop, but also listen to some rock, jazz, and orchestral/band music. Recommendations? Would those M-80's above me be good for what I need? What about these?
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Looks there's a new budget IEM giant killer to be excited about in the Soundmagic E80.

Zococity.es-SoungMAGIC-E80.jpg
221459nsstxwn3x7o2x25f.jpg.thumb.jpg



HiSoundFi of Headfi said:
Sound Signature

This quickly became a personal favorite in terms of sound. It is one of the most impressive midrange presentations I’ve heard in any earphone, whether it be full size cans or in-ear monitors. The sound is organic and lush, and you won’t feel like anything is missing. There are no outrageous spikes or dips. They play every genre or music well. They are easy to listen to for extended periods of time. It is truly a complete package in terms of sonic presentation.



Note: The E80 will work with a device like a cell phone and sound great, but they do call for more power than the average in-ear monitor. Its power requirements are somewhere along the lines of the Havi B3 Pro 1, maybe a touch less. I found a portable amplifier helped to get the best sound quality out of them. They sounded especially great with my Soundmagic A10 amplifier. However, most amplifiers should suffice.



Note: Tip selection plays a considerable part in how they sound. Narrow bore tips brings the bass and treble a little more forward as compared to the wider bore tips. Comply foam tips seemed to render the most balanced sound from bass to midrange, and smoothed out the treble a bit. Wide bore tips rendered a very lush midrange with plenty of bass response and treble presence and was my preferred tip, with Comply foam coming in a close second. I will report my impressions based on using the wide bore silicone tips in my sound review.



Bass

The bass on the E80 has no limit in terms of extension. It goes as low as you can hear and then some. It isn’t necessarily the tightest bass, but it has very nice presence and hits every note with ease. It does take a very small step back from the midrange, but not in a bad way by any means. It has punch that could be tighter, but it works really well and supports an astonishingly good midrange. I think the best way to describe it would be powerful, smooth, and not overbearing in any way. It works well with every genre of music.



Midrange

I absolutely adore the midrange of the E80. It is lush with plenty of timbre and fabulous resolution. It is relatively balanced with a warm tilt. Vocals sound BEAUTIFUL with these! Male and female vocals sounded warm and natural. Midrange instruments could be felt as well as heard. I think the thing about them that is so special is their organic and sound that was able to also have an incredible amount of timbre at the same time. Separation of sounds is top notch. These sound very high end to my ears, and I don’t know if there will be anyone who can find any fault in the midrange of the E80.



Treble

Treble is universally well done so that anyone can enjoy it. It is as crisp as it can be without being harsh. There is great separation and detail. It is one of the better treble earphones I’ve heard at any price range. While many high end earphones have a spike to give listeners a sense of top end extension, the E80 takes a different approach. I think it is perfectly positioned so those who are sensitive to harsh treble can appreciate it, and those who are not will not find it lacking whatsoever.



Sound Stage and Imaging

The low end extension is awesome, giving it great sound stage depth. forward mid range and plenty of timbre and resolution, giving the listener a great sense of space. Treble is very natural and engaging, but doesn’t spike. Because of this a select few might find the top end to not be as extended as other earphones. Imaging is far better than average for a single dynamic driver earphone, but not as good as some other much higher priced IEMs I’ve heard. For its price point it is definitely one of, if not the best I’ve heard.



Comparisons

Dunu Titan ($100 to $130 USD on Many Sites)

“How does it compare to the Titan?” seems to be the big question these days. There’s no denying the Titan is great.



Both earphones have bass responses that could be a bit tighter. I personally prefer the bass tuning of the E80 because it is more extended into sub bass regions, and its extension is limitless. Doing an A-B comparison, the Titan mid bass really seems to jump out in front and make them seem a hair more unnatural to my ears. Midrange on the E80 has a more natural and organic presentation with more timbre. I prefer the midrange on the E80 over the Titan by a considerable margin. Let that be a testament to how good the E80 midrange is, because anyone who has heard the midrange of the Titan knows it is excellent. I give a slight edge to the Titan in terms of treble response thanks to its top end shimmer and detail, but it can also be sibilant and fatiguing with some genres of music. On a whole, I prefer the sound of the E80.



Build quality goes to the Titan. Their cloth covered cable is more flexible and has less spring and memory. Under the ear fit goes to the Titan, but over the ear fit goes to the E80, as swapping channels to accomplish this isn’t necessary. I consider the Accessories to be a tie. Both offer a very nice carrying case and great selections of tips.



Would I take the E80 over the Titan? I guess it comes down to preference. The more natural presentation and timbre makes the E80 a more enjoyable listen to my ears. Although the under ear fit of the Titan is superior, the fit of the E80 is more universal (I can go over the ear without swapping channels). The case is not as solid, but it is also less prone to scratches. Your mileage may vary, but if I had to choose between the two,I would pick the E80. However, both are fantastic and you can’t go wrong with either.



Did I mention the E80 are fifty to eighty dollars cheaper?


Soundmagic E50 ($45 USD on Micca Store)

The E50 is the other model released in the reference series. It is more V-shaped. Both offer similar resolution. This one is a matter of preference. If forward midrange isn’t your cup of tea and you listen to mostly modern genres like Pop or Rock music, and you aren’t sensitive to treble, the E50 might be a better tuning for your preference.



Accessories are almost identical between them, with the only exception being the two extra pairs of Comply foam tips included with the E80. The housing shapes are slightly different, but fitment was pretty much identical for me.



For my music preference, and two extra pairs of comply foam tips, I would spring the extra cash and get the E80. Better yet, you could buy both and still be at a price lower than the Titan, just saying...



Conclusion

The E80 was an epic listening experience, and ranks extremely high on my list of IEMs, ahead of the likes of the VSONIC GR07BE and Dunu DN1000. Their price to performance ratio is legendary, and their timbre rich midrange presentation is world class. If you want to experience some of the best “bang for your buck” earphones on the planet, I would hope that these are on the top of that list.
Click to expand...


Soundperfection Review
HiSoundFi of Headfi review
Soundmagic E80 Video Review
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Trufflesguy Law said:
HeadphonesGAF, help me out. I'm going off to college this year and I'm looking for some nice over-ear headphones (on ear works too, but I'd prefer over) for listening to music in the dorm w/o disturbing my roommate. I'm looking for something in the $150-175 range (unless I can get something of good quality for cheaper). I listen mostly to some hip-hop, but also listen to some rock, jazz, and orchestral/band music. Recommendations? Would those M-80's above me be good for what I need? What about these?
Click to expand...

The M80s have the superior sound quality comparison to the LPs, but don't isolate all too well.

Within your price range I think you should check out the Soundmagic HP150, Audio Technica M50x, M-Audio Q40, or if you want to save some money I really think you'd love the JVC S680s especially after swapping their stock pads with some HM5 ones.
 
D

Dynamite Ringo Matsuri

Member
HiResDes said:
Looks there's a new budget IEM giant killer to be excited about in the Soundmagic E80.
Click to expand...

Don't wanna rain on anyone's parade or anything, but Ostewart (The sound perfection guy) was banned from HF for flipping review samples so I don't really take him seriously. HiSoundFi was also the dude hyping the HELL out of the DGS100 which had pretty severe treble/midbass issues (I PMed a guy who'd bought em). I haven't heard the E80, so it might be a good phone, (Soundmagic does churn out good stuff). I think Twister6's review on the E80 brings em more down to earth. (Great phone for price, but don't expect magic and unicorns like HisoundFi's histrionics promise)

That aside, Flare Audio has allegedly shipped thru all of the June rewards for their KS so I hope to get the R2A/Pro combo soon. Impressions for the A/Pro are leaning positive so far but there's not much out there of substance for my tastes. I've come across two guys who are lukewarm and have been in contact with one who's recently traded his. Very curious to hear em since I've been viewing this project with a mix of skepticism and curiosity.
 
B

burn this down

Banned
HiResDes said:
The M80s have the superior sound quality comparison to the LPs, but don't isolate all too well.

Within your price range I think you should check out the Soundmagic HP150, Audio Technica M50x, M-Audio Q40, or if you want to save some money I really think you'd love the JVC S680s especially after swapping their stock pads with some HM5 ones.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was checking these out online and like what I'm hearing. Would you recommend getting an amp as well? Amazon has this bundle for about $30 more.

Thanks for your help!
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Trufflesguy Law said:
Yeah, I was checking these out online and like what I'm hearing. Would you recommend getting an amp as well? Amazon has this bundle for about $30 more.

Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

Their honestly far from my favorite, but I have to concede that the new rendition are both comfortable and well isolating. I don't think you'll really need the amp and would recommend an amp more with the other recs which I think scale more dynamically.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri said:
Don't wanna rain on anyone's parade or anything, but Ostewart (The sound perfection guy) was banned from HF for flipping review samples so I don't really take him seriously. HiSoundFi was also the dude hyping the HELL out of the DGS100 which had pretty severe treble/midbass issues (I PMed a guy who'd bought em). I haven't heard the E80, so it might be a good phone, (Soundmagic does churn out good stuff). I think Twister6's review on the E80 brings em more down to earth. (Great phone for price, but don't expect magic and unicorns like HisoundFi's histrionics promise)

That aside, Flare Audio has allegedly shipped thru all of the June rewards for their KS so I hope to get the R2A/Pro combo soon. Impressions for the A/Pro are leaning positive so far but there's not much outy there of substance for my tastes. I've come across two guys who are lukewarm and have been in contact with one who's recently traded his. Very curious to hear em since I've been viewing this project with a mix of skepticism and curiosity.
Click to expand...
Have you heard anything positive about the FLC 8 which are supposed to have over 50 different sound configurations and be an excellent value at $350.



In any other news I found some Koss electrostatic headphones for the low on Ebay that I'm thinking jumping on if the price doesn't go to high by payday.
 
D

Dynamite Ringo Matsuri

Member
HiResDes said:
Have you heard anything positive about the FLC 8 which are supposed to have over 50 different sound configurations and be an excellent value at $350.



In any other news I found some Koss electrostatic headphones for the low on Ebay that I'm thinking jumping on if the price doesn't go to high by payday.
Click to expand...

I think Joker reviewed them and thought they were very good. I can't remember what he said about them in general but I'd check there first. The number of configs for that phone is just insane. Definitely would appeal to the hardcore IEM/gadget junkie. Are you referring to the KOSS ESP950 (?). Haven't heard those myself TBH. How much is the listing going for? I still think the STAX 2170 is the best pair of phones I've heard for the money hands down.
 
D

Dynamite Ringo Matsuri

Member
Yeah Joker's review is here:

http://theheadphonelist.com/headphone_review/flc-technology-flc8/

I think if you're looking to spend $300-ish the DN2000J would likely be a technically more proficient phone. James seems to think that the driver integration in the 2000J is seamless. (I know Tomscy feels the same way in regard to driver blending too) It just has some splashiness/aggression to the treble which can be tamed with his clever bluetack mod. That would actually be a pretty big achievement for Dunu if true, I think the stiffness of the titanium diaphragm driver on the bass driver is what's responsible since most dynamic driver IEMs I've heard (aside from the Ocharaku's) have a sort of softness and particular decay to their presentation which tends to separate them from your typical BA (and especially the crisp edges of the TWFK based phones... which is the BA of choice in most hybrids)

I'd imagine the price for the Koss will likely jump up by another $80-100 by listings end due to snipers. I'd say the Stax isn't out of the running if that's the case. Just checked the price and it's actually DROPPED slightly since I bought mine LOL

dfpnJRK.png
Click to expand...

Research the signatures between the two and make up your mind based on that I guess.
 
A

Armaly

Member
Hey guys my replacement e17 came in but i'm having issues with it. It won't output sound to my e09k for some reason. I can turn the e17 on by turning the e09k knob so I know that they recognize that they're connected. I even see the dock in message when I connected them. The e17 is set to usb which is what I use to connect my e09k to my comp and I tested connecting my headphones directly to the 17 while docked and it does output sound. Any ideas?
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Armaly said:
Hey guys my replacement e17 came in but i'm having issues with it. It won't output sound to my e09k for some reason. I can turn the e17 on by turning the e09k knob so I know that they recognize that they're connected. I even see the dock in message when I connected them. The e17 is set to usb which is what I use to connect my e09k to my comp and I tested connecting my headphones directly to the 17 while docked and it does output sound. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Are you sure you don't need an E17k to connect to it?
 
D

Dmax3901

Member
So I've just bought a pair of Sennheiser 598s for PC gaming.

Having trouble with them in the couple of games I've tried. Seems the sounds to my left and right are working, but everything else is either completely muted or really quiet.

Have I made a huge mistake? Do I need a sound card or something? I'm using realtek audio manager atm.

Complete headphone noob in case it wasn't obvious.

EDIT: So I managed to get it working briefly by ticking a box called Virtual Surround, but now that's not showing up at all :/
 
T

Turbowaffles

Member
Asked this a few pages back but never got a response. I'll ask once more and then just let it die I guess...

Can someone please recommend me some wireless headphones that perform like/better and can do all the same things the PlayStation Gold Wireless Headset can do, but with a non-shitty build quality? I'm literally holding these things together with duct tape.

I don't know much about headsets, just that I love the PlayStation Golds and everything they can do, but I'm definitely NOT in love with the terrible build quality.

I can go no more then $200 for these.

Thanks. Hoping I get a response.
 
W

woo and indeed hoo

Banned
Dear HeadphoneGAF, thank you.

One of my cats did me a favour recently by chewing completely through the cable of my old and ordinary pair of headphones. I could have bought a new cable for it but the ear cushion coverings had been flaking off for years so I decided to treat myself to an upgrade using this thread as guidance.

After many hours of reading and re-reading the OP, the thread itself and product details for all of the headphones listed in the OP I decided on these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00ENMK1DW/

After several days good use I am still thoroughly delighted with them. They may be at the lower end of the audiophile scale but they are comfortably the best pair of 'phones I have ever had the pleasure of owning. I was so impressed with them when I first received them that I encouraged my partner to try them too. He was similarly impressed so I bought a second pair just for him. Given that he is mostly deaf in one ear that was a lovely surprise.
The fact that I got them for £45 and £46 using Flubit made it even sweeter.

The only drawback to all this is that I am having to hold myself back from diving deep into the A/V rabbit hole. I am currently resisting the temptation to buy/upgrade the following:


  • a pair of closed headphones
  • a higher end pair of open headphones e.g. Philips X2 Fidelio
  • I.E.Ms with replaceable cables
  • D.A.P. e.g. FiiO
  • tv speakers
  • pc soundcard
  • 'phone cables
:/

must.....resist....

tl;dr: thank you =)
 
Liquid_015

Liquid_015

Gold Member
Hey GAF!

Just bought a pair of B&O H6, and I think they're faulty right out of the box.

When I plug in the audio cable into the left headphone jack, there's audio on both side of the headphone. However, when I plug the audio cable into the right side of the headphone, 3 situations may occur:

1. No audio
2. Audio on the left ear cup (audio quality is horrendous); no audio output on the right ear cup (the side where the cable is plugged into)
3. Audio on both end, but the bass is only existent on the right ear cup.

I've tried un-plugging and re-plugging the headphone cable on both end and the issue remains, I'm assuming the origin of the problem is with the headphone and not the audio cable?

I bought them off B&O's Online Store via Amazon. Should I visit a B&O store or contact Amazon directly?

Update: contacted amazon, and got replacement unit. I hope it's not another defect.
 
Bloodember

Bloodember

Member
woo and indeed hoo said:
Dear HeadphoneGAF, thank you. .........
Click to expand...


I know how you feel, its very hard not to fall to far, I first got my first audiophile grade headphones about 2.5 years ago. Today I have 7 pairs, ranging from $150 to $500. $500 is my limit, for now. Of course my newest pair I got last Friday, a pair of AIAIAi TMA-2, configured the way I wanted.

I've been a member of head-fi now for 10 days, that makes me an expert, right, right? Guys?
 
P

PreyingShark

Member
Is there a headphone in the low $100 range that sounds kind of like the V6, but with a better sound stage and doesn't destroy your ears whenever somebody says the 's' sound? I can do open-back BTW since these days I just use my HA-S400's on the go so these would be for home.

EDIT: Yeah that headphone sounds defective. But I don't own it so I don't know for sure. Dunno who you would call, was it B&O or Amazon that fulfilled it?
 
H

HiResDes

Member
PreyingShark said:
Is there a headphone in the low $100 range that sounds kind of like the V6, but with a better sound stage and doesn't destroy your ears whenever somebody says the 's' sound? I can do open-back BTW since these days I just use my HA-S400's on the go so these would be for home.

EDIT: Yeah that headphone sounds defective. But I don't own it so I don't know for sure. Dunno who you would call, was it B&O or Amazon that fulfilled it?
Click to expand...
Takstar Pro 80/Gemini HSR-1000, Brainwavz Hm5/NVX XPT100's, or if you want to try open back try those Philips mentioned a little bit ago.


The Philips are probably the closest to sounding like the the Sony.
 
L

LProtag

Member
Amazon has the Audio Technica M40x coming up on their prime day sale. What's the comparison between it and the M50x? Normally I'd spring the extra 30 bucks, but I'm not sure how much more they're going to be on sale.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
LeadProtagonist said:
Amazon has the Audio Technica M40x coming up on their prime day sale. What's the comparison between it and the M50x? Normally I'd spring the extra 30 bucks, but I'm not sure how much more they're going to be on sale.
Click to expand...
M40x are more tuned towards studio balance than the M50s, they have less bass quantity and less treble peakiness, the soundstage also seems to be less wide
Armaly said:
Can I get some impressions on the Fidelio X2/27s? They're currently in the goldbox on amazon.
Click to expand...
https://youtu.be/Z_RJ3M_v8is
 
L

LProtag

Member
Well, I just picked them up. I figure I can't go wrong with 80 dollars. My Grado SR60's are kinda falling apart on me, so it'll be interesting to hear something different.
 
A

Amzin

Member
Are Audio Technica ATH M40x a pretty noticeable jump up in quality from Superlux HD668Bs? The Superlux's are nice and all but I'm always craving something really great. I mostly game but do listen to music either in the background or while working.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Amzin said:
Are Audio Technica ATH M40x a pretty noticeable jump up in quality from Superlux HD668Bs? The Superlux's are nice and all but I'm always craving something really great. I mostly game but do listen to music either in the background or while working.
Click to expand...
No not even a jump up...
 
A

Amzin

Member
HiResDes said:
No not even a jump up...
Click to expand...

Ah darn. Considering the normal price difference I would have expected it to be. I'll have to keep an eye out for other deals or just be willing to spend real money some time :p

Edit: Amazon is going to have Beyerdynamic DT-1350-80 on Lightning sale in 25 minutes. I see them listed in the OP and they have rave reviews so in case anyone is interested.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
Amzin said:
Ah darn. Considering the normal price difference I would have expected it to be. I'll have to keep an eye out for other deals or just be willing to spend real money some time :p

Edit: Amazon is going to have Beyerdynamic DT-1350-80 on Lightning sale in 25 minutes. I see them listed in the OP and they have rave reviews so in case anyone is interested.
Click to expand...
Great balanced headphones with a shit ton of detail, portability, and surprisingly well isolating for an on ear, just a bit uncomfortable over long periods of time.
 
W

woo and indeed hoo

Banned
Does anyone recommend a particular "Beginners guide to being an audiophile" article online [other than this thread]?

I have a whole bunch of questions and would rather not spam up the thread.

Bloodember said:
I know how you feel, its very hard not to fall to far, I first got my first audiophile grade headphones about 2.5 years ago. Today I have 7 pairs, ranging from $150 to $500. $500 is my limit, for now. Of course my newest pair I got last Friday, a pair of AIAIAi TMA-2, configured the way I wanted.

I've been a member of head-fi now for 10 days, that makes me an expert, right, right? Guys?
Click to expand...

7 pairs over 2.5 years is pretty restrained I would say :).

Yes.

Compared to me anyway.

[I got the joke :) ]
 
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