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

H

HiResDes

Member
404Ender said:
You're right, they are in the OP. For some reason I was under the impression that the OP only covered on-ear headphones so I didn't even think to check. Might be worth splitting the sections up with headings for type, FWIW.

Thanks for the advice, I think I'm leaning towards the Momentums then. Anything about either the JVC HA-FXT90 or Alpha Delta AD01 that might push those ahead? Why are there always so many good options to choose from : P

If I order from Amazon, listen to them, and don't like the sound, is it possible to return headphones normally or do they give you a hard time about that?
Click to expand...
It's already pretty split into sections enough I think, but I don't really understand why someone would think or come to the impressino that only on-ear headphones are covered...

I think the JVC are the best sounding of the three and possibly the most well built as well, offering comparable bass, but a less recessed midrange, though I think they might feature the most finnicky fit and the shallow insertion means they don't isolate quite as well


The Alpha Delta AD01 is very similar sounding to the JVC, maybe just a tad darker meaning it has less treble. It features a modular design though, which is a huge pro considering you can just replace the cable if it were to ever fail quite easily. It features a more conventional and medium insertion so the fit is a bit easier to deal with than the JVC.

Basically just read both of these reviews on the JVC and Alpha:

http://theheadphonelist.com/headphone_review/alpha-delta-ad01-in-ear-earphone-review/
http://theheadphonelist.com/headphone_review/jvc-ha-fxt90/
 
D

Deleted member 12837

Unconfirmed Member
HiResDes said:
It's already pretty split into sections enough I think, but I don't really understand why someone would think or come to the impressino that only on-ear headphones are covered...
Click to expand...

Well, the only labels for headphone type that are present in the list in the OP are the little images, and they only exist for "Open" and "Closed". There's no IEM / earbud equivalent.

With a closer read, I now see the term "earphone" vs "headphone" used in the headings, but even those sections all have different language for the equivalent price ranges for those 2 categories, so it's not exactly clear (IMO). I assumed those were all just 4 tiers of headphones with overlapping price ranges, when really it's 2 sets of lists (over-ear vs IEM) with 2 price ranges for each.

Again, this is just minor nitpicking. Ultimately this thread and the OP are incredibly helpful, so I don't want to sound like I'm being ungrateful or criticizing for the sake of it.

Also, you've given me a lot to think about now with these other options for IEMs. I think I'll rule out the JVC based on the fit and shallow insertion just to narrow things down a bit, but I'll take a good look at the Alpha Delta AD01. I'll report back here with some impressions whenever I do ultimately purchase a pair!
 
P

phoenixyz

Member
Antiwhippy said:
Don't go lossless unless you can afford the space. I can, but I can barely tell the difference between lossless and good quality lossy compression. Compression technology is very good now, so don't be too worried about it.
Click to expand...

Wait, but you can tell (high-quality-)lossy from lossless? As in, consistently in a double blind setting? That would be pretty amazing.
 
O

opticalmace

Member
phoenixyz said:
Wait, but you can tell (high-quality-)lossy from lossless? As in, consistently in a double blind setting? That would be pretty amazing.
Click to expand...

Depends on what you mean by high quality. I did some testing and could tell at 192kbps MP3 vs FLAC, but could not tell at 256kbps MP3 (IIRC).
 
S

Sealed

Banned
HiResDes said:
r
Sennheiser Momentum are great sounding IEMs, thought they were in the OP. I think the JVC HA-FXT90 and Alpha Delta AD01 would also be good choices. But for cable down specifically the Momentum might be the most comfortable. They compare favorably to the others you listen specifically for the genres of music you seem to favor.


Exactly the answer I'd give. There is the middle ground of 256 kbps AAC, but it's not really necessary.


What kind of music do you favor?
Click to expand...

Sealed said:
not really sure about genre for every single song, but I listen to a lot of hip hop and rock/(pop)punk ish music (think Blink 182, Breaking Benjamin, All Time Low, etc.) and Ska music. If I can link spotify playlists I wouldn't mind doing that.

they would be pretty general purpose I guess, I would listen to music while walking to/from class, studying in public places, coffee shops, but I would also use them at home. Anywhere and everywhere is fair game.

those headphones do look nice, but I would prefer something in ear

edit: according to the OP, IEM headphones are what I prefer, as opposed to earbuds

edit2: i changed my other post to say earphones, I think that's more correct than headphones for what I want but idk lol
Click to expand...

.
 
S

SolarMystic

Member
I can usually tell a difference between lossy and lossless when critical listening. The convenience of having my music collection in FLAC, is that I always have a high quality backup that can be converted to any other lossless format without degradation in the sound. I can also compress into a lossy format if need be. FLAC has some pretty decent compression levels now though.
 
LQX

LQX

Member
Oh well, hopefully someone wants a deal. Will probably be sell it faster if I bundle it with a Asgard 2 I have been thinking to get rid of. Either-way, will knock another $15 off for dudes from this thread.
 
S

SolarMystic

Member
LQX said:
Oh well, hopefully someone wants a deal. Will probably be sell it faster if I bundle it with a Asgard 2 I have been thinking to get rid of. Either-way, will knock another $15 off for dudes from this thread.
Click to expand...

Oh damn, well an HD600 bundled with Asgard 2 around that price is a fantastic deal!
 
P

phoenixyz

Member
opticalmace said:
I used the ABX comparator in Foobar and a bunch of FLAC rips that I encoded at lower bitrates.

Used a Headroom Micro DAC and Amp to Denon D2000.
Click to expand...

Would you be interested in trying that again with something a little bit more modern than MP3 like Vorbis and see if you are still able to tell the difference?
 
K

Karish

Member
Not an audiophile. Looking for comfort over all else. Possibly Bluetooth if an option. Bose on ear sound link or around ear are probably the most comfortable I've tried but expensive. Any recommendations for me $100 or less?
 
W

woo and indeed hoo

Banned
It is far too early for any mature reflection but my immediate impressions are very favourable and that it is £30 well spent. I love everything about them so far and can happily retire my MEE IEMs to the bedroom; no more memory wire irritations for me!

EDIT: these are genuine Xiamoi IEMs of the model you seek, Sealed, if previous posts here are any indication:

http://www.tinydeal.com/upgrade-genuine-xiaomi-piston-3rd-generation-earphone-p-147414.html
 
P

paskowitz

Member
Just finished figuring out the best setup for my new Sennheiser 598s, motherboard, sound card or receiver. I am not an expert on sound so my experience may not be articulated perfectly. All my tests were done with FLAC files.

Mobo (Asus Maximus VII Formula): As suspected, the motherboard audio on my computer is ass. I didn't buy it for its "superior audio quality" but it comes as no surprise that that is total BS. There is a little bit of interference or static, but nothing terrible. However, the biggest difference is the lack of overall volume. 100% sounds like what I would expect 50% volume to be. While I don't know the term, I would also say there is a coldness to the sound.

Sound Card (Asus Essence STX): Right away there is a massive difference in volume. Anything above 70% volume for all but the quietest of songs is almost painfully loud. 80-100% sees distortion, which I would expect. I think the biggest contributor to this is that the sound card can use the 6.3mm jack. Anyways, overall sound is far more natural sounding. I seem to pick up base a little better but high pitch sounds can be a little piercing. Probably something I can reduce through an EQ. Static is completely gone.

Receiver (Yamaha HTR-5840): My receiver is quite old so I wasn't expecting it to do well. It also wasn't a "high end" receiver all those years ago. I have it connected to my computer via an optical cable as well. I was surprised to find the sound is almost identical to my sound card. There is a little bit of static and I have to turn the volume dial a little higher to achieve the same noise level as the sound card but overall quality is the same to my ears.

I guess the question at the end of all of that, is what are HeadphoneGAF's experiences with headphones and receivers vs sound cards vs purpose built DAC/AMPs?
 
T

Tommy DJ

Member
paskowitz said:
I guess the question at the end of all of that, is what are HeadphoneGAF's experiences with headphones and receivers vs sound cards vs purpose built DAC/AMPs?
Click to expand...

One thing you can try to listen for: the amount of perceivable bass/midrange clarity between the receiver and the sound card. The difference should be relatively clear with the HD598, due to its impedance curve, unless the receiver has low output impedance for whatever reason.
 
S

SolarMystic

Member
LQX said:
Oh well, hopefully someone wants a deal. Will probably be sell it faster if I bundle it with a Asgard 2 I have been thinking to get rid of. Either-way, will knock another $15 off for dudes from this thread.
Click to expand...

If you don't sell as a bundle, how much would you be looking for just the Asgard 2?

Would be a nice upgrade from my Magni 2 Uber. Plus I hear it pairs well as a SS with the hd650.
 
P

paskowitz

Member
Tommy DJ said:
One thing you can try to listen for: the amount of perceivable bass/midrange clarity between the receiver and the sound card. The difference should be relatively clear with the HD598, due to its impedance curve, unless the receiver has low output impedance for whatever reason.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll give it a try.
 
R

RandomExpletive

Member
OK guys, so my dad's asking for some new headphones for the gym to replace his old Bose NC headphones. Only this time he wants bluetooth, and I have no experience with bluetooth headphones

This'll be a Christmas gift, but not a huge one, as he already turned down the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless, which makes me sad but my wallet happy. Oh and he doesn't like Beats either.

So he's asking for over-ear / bluetooth / noise-cancelling headphones, and he'd prefer not to look like a dork, but I'm not sure that can be helped so much :p

Price range $200 to $300. I've been looking around for a few days and found both the Plantronics BackBeat PRO & Sony MDRZX770. I'm leaning towards the BBP, but I know theres probably some better sounding stuff out there.


This gift won't be so much a surprise, so in the event he's not to keen on the pick, he's said he'd be OK with a back-up plan that doesn't involve noise-cancelling, just over-ear and bluetooth. Aside from the Bose Soundlink, I'm not sure what else would be a good idea.
 
T

TheRancor

Member
henhowc said:
anyone with the X2s have an issue with the metallic paint peeling off? :\
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, mine were coming off on the right ear cup ring after only a month. I returned them and got new ones but I'm starting to feel they might be getting the same problem soon. I wonder if humidity has anything to do with it since it's fairly humid where I live.
 
RedAssedApe

RedAssedApe

Banned
TheRancor said:
Oh yeah, mine were coming off on the right ear cup ring after only a month. I returned them and got new ones but I'm starting to feel they might be getting the same problem soon. I wonder if humidity has anything to do with it since it's fairly humid where I live.
Click to expand...


bummer.

i live in los angeles and i wouldn't call it super humid here.
gotta just ignore and enjoy the sound i guess as mine are outside of the return window now.
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
woo and indeed hoo said:
It is far too early for any mature reflection but my immediate impressions are very favourable and that it is £30 well spent. I love everything about them so far and can happily retire my MEE IEMs to the bedroom; no more memory wire irritations for me!
Click to expand...

Good to hear. Still my daily driver while waiting for the aurisonic bravos to actually have stock in Australia.

The size and sq just makes it a really nice, convenient little package for me.

Still waiting for the new revision to come out because it seems like it'll solve my minor complaints of minor treble peaks and better strain relief. Better mids and an even smaller size are bonuses as well.
 
R

RoninChaos

Member
HiResDes said:
1. I highly doubt you're getting the most out of your 650 with the E9.
2. If you only care about soundstage you could have saved your money and got some AD700
3. What's with the unabashed Sennheiser brand loyalty, they're not the end all be all to good headphones...
4. The headband on the 598 is a real weak point and will crack on you at any moment despite the 650 feeling weaker. They both kinda have weak headbands though.
Click to expand...


Hella late to the party but what amp should he be using with a 650?
 
W

woo and indeed hoo

Banned
I used them for hours yesterday and that has only strengthened my initial favourable impressions. I pretty much adore everything about them: the colour coded earpieces so I can see at a glance which one goes to which ear, the 90 degree thing that lets me plug it in at a more convenient angle, the cable which looks and feels so much nicer than plastic and can be wound small without memory wire hell, the clothing clip which is meaty enough to actually do the job, etc. I'm hesitant to say it but they really could be my favourite IEMs that I've ever owned. I've owned a fair few over the years and been fond of many of them but that's really how I feel about them. Yes, they're not perfect; the sound quality is fine but nothing a high end audiophile would swoon over. However, for a general purpose, everyday IEM they're pretty damn perfect for me. I'm keen to see how the new iteration turns out. I might struggle to resist the temptation to pick those up as well.

Antiwhippy said:
Good to hear. Still my daily driver while waiting for the aurisonic bravos to actually have stock in Australia.

The size and sq just makes it a really nice, convenient little package for me.

Still waiting for the new revision to come out because it seems like it'll solve my minor complaints of minor treble peaks and better strain relief. Better mids and an even smaller size are bonuses as well.
Click to expand...
 
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
Weirdly enough I think that they scale really well with the equipment you use. Out of the phone it's fine to pretty good for the price range, but out of my oppo ha2 the bass is tightened and more articulate, more articulation in the mid and highs, as well as widening the soundstage.

Like, I generally think that my oppo ha2 gives me somewhat modest improvements over my more expensive earphones (though I still value the improvement), but the Hyperion gave me the most improvement when paired with the ha2.

Of course, you then have to pair a $50 earphone with a $300 DAC/amp that also kinda negates the small form factor by pairing it with a bulky stack, but that's just how it is in this hobby I guess. :p Definitely one of my weirdest experiences when it comes to pairing equipment.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
RoninChaos said:
Hella late to the party but what amp should he be using with a 650?
Click to expand...

I prefer them with tube amps, but a tube amp is pretty much going to push out all of the little coloration in them which I find lovely. They're never going to speed or absurd detail monsters in some areas, but the midrange is spectacular out of the tubes. If you want to try and avoid adding any coloration I'd eventually upgrade to a higher end solid state. You have a good soundcard or DAC to go along with your amp right? If not you'll want to look into an amp with a decent integrated DAC.

The Schiit Vali/Modi combo would be a good starter solid state desktop setup for the HD650
The Geek Out 1000 would be great especially if you need it to be portable.
Aune T1 would be a pretty good starter tube, as it has a decent DAC, and is affordable
If you already have a DAC/Good Soundcard the Little Dot MKII or Project Horizon II would be great choices for a tube amp
 
S

SolarMystic

Member
HiResDes said:
I prefer them with tube amps, but a tube amp is pretty much going to push out all of the little coloration in them which I find lovely. They're never going to speed or absurd detail monsters in some areas, but the midrange is spectacular out of the tubes. If you want to try and avoid adding any coloration I'd eventually upgrade to a higher end solid state. You have a good soundcard or DAC to go along with your amp right? If not you'll want to look into an amp with a decent integrated DAC.

The Schiit Vali/Modi combo would be a good starter solid state desktop setup for the HD650
The Geek Out 1000 would be great especially if you need it to be portable.
Aune T1 would be a pretty good starter tube, as it has a decent DAC, and is affordable
If you already have a DAC/Good Soundcard the Little Dot MKII or Project Horizon II would be great choices for a tube amp
Click to expand...

The Vali is a subminiature tube hybrid though isn't it? Did you mean magni/modi?

Although I know a couple people with hd600s that use a Vali and like it.
 
H

HiResDes

Member
It's a hybrid. You might want to just check out the FiiO E07K, which pairs well if the E9 if you indeed aren't already using a decent DAC. It would improve the sound a bit.
 
R

robox

Member
A

Antiwhippy

the holder of the trombone
Why not? Just goes to show that the material cost of headphones aren't actually that much money, especially when you don't care about the tuning and also already have the manufacturing processes sorted out (stolen from) already.
 
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