Headphones

drogulus · October 11, 2023, 01:27:27 PM

I listened to some organ music last night on my MX3s, some Alain, Guilmant and L. Boulanger. It all sounded pretty damn good.

Spotted Horses · October 12, 2023, 10:00:46 AM

Another random question. I have never used earbuds except for the very cheap EarPods that used to come with iPhones. Do high end earbuds compare with good over-ear headphones? Do they have good tonal balance all the way down to profound bass? Just curious what people's experiences are.

DavidW · October 12, 2023, 10:11:23 AM

Quote from: Spotted Horses on October 12, 2023, 10:00:46 AMAnother random question. I have never used earbuds except for the very cheap EarPods that used to come with iPhones. Do high end earbuds compare with good over-ear headphones? Do they have good tonal balance all the way down to profound bass? Just curious what people's experiences are.

Hi end iems scale up just as much as headphones do. But the difference is that the SQ can be easily ruined with a poor fit. There is actually more r&d done with iems, so the tech is more rapidly evolving. I think planar magnetics are taking over. Hi end iems sometimes require dedicated amps just like certain headphones do. They are a different beast from el cheapo ear buds.

Spotted Horses · October 12, 2023, 10:20:42 AM

Quote from: DavidW on October 12, 2023, 10:11:23 AMHi end iems scale up just as much as headphones do. But the difference is that the SQ can be easily ruined with a poor fit. There is actually more r&d done with iems, so the tech is more rapidly evolving. I think planar magnetics are taking over. Hi end iems sometimes require dedicated amps just like certain headphones do. They are a different beast from el cheapo ear buds.

Thanks for the comments. Probably not a route I will take.

Holden · October 12, 2023, 12:50:30 PM

I own four pairs of iems and the three that I got from Flare (an English company) rate from very good to outstanding. If you get the correct seal every part of the frequency range is well served and bass in particular can be very tight and defined while still going deep.

The secret to a good seal is choosing a good set of tips. The ones I'd recommend are by Azla Sedna and are their Xelastic range. The seal is so good that you almost can't hear anything going on around you and that's when the music isn't playing. I use these for traveling.

Atriod · October 14, 2023, 07:12:31 AM

Quote from: Spotted Horses on October 11, 2023, 12:30:38 PMI wouldn't know why it wouldn't be enabled for VLC. Is that for VLC producing stereo output, or multichannel? I had the impression Apple Spacial audio works with stereo or Dolby Atmos encoded audio.

Most of the videos I'm watching in VLC have 5.1 encoding.

Spotted Horses · October 14, 2023, 07:18:36 AM

Quote from: Zauberschloss on October 14, 2023, 07:12:31 AMMost of the videos I'm watching in VLC have 5.1 encoding.

My guess is that it doesn't support that encoding. Video files almost always have multiple surround sound formats. Maybe see if the you can switch to another audio format that Apple recognizes. Maybe it has to be Dolby Atmos or 2-channel.

Atriod · October 14, 2023, 10:41:40 AM

Quote from: Spotted Horses on October 14, 2023, 07:18:36 AMMy guess is that it doesn't support that encoding. Video files almost always have multiple surround sound formats. Maybe see if the you can switch to another audio format that Apple recognizes. Maybe it has to be Dolby Atmos or 2-channel.

It appears to be a VLC issue, it apparently works with Infuse 7.

Holden · October 14, 2023, 02:44:55 PM

Is Infuse 7 only for video or does it do audio as well? I'd never heard of it before today. VLC has been my go to media player for videos/DVDs a long time now as it seems to be able to play just about anything.

Atriod · October 16, 2023, 06:24:56 PM

Quote from: Holden on October 14, 2023, 02:44:55 PMIs Infuse 7 only for video or does it do audio as well? I'd never heard of it before today. VLC has been my go to media player for videos/DVDs a long time now as it seems to be able to play just about anything.

It should be able to play audio. I don't think I care enough to try it out, in my experience VLC and MPC have the most universal file format compatibility.

Holden · October 16, 2023, 11:41:29 PM

Quote from: Zauberschloss on October 16, 2023, 06:24:56 PMIt should be able to play audio. I don't think I care enough to try it out, in my experience VLC and MPC have the most universal file format compatibility.

Yes, which is why I use them especially for playing DVDs. Foobar 2000 is my go to for audio files.

ghmath · November 27, 2023, 01:25:27 PM

Quote from: Spotted Horses on October 12, 2023, 10:00:46 AMAnother random question. I have never used earbuds except for the very cheap EarPods that used to come with iPhones. Do high end earbuds compare with good over-ear headphones? Do they have good tonal balance all the way down to profound bass? Just curious what people's experiences are.

Hi. I use headphones AND earbuds from long ago. I own several Sony earbuds, at present MDR-EX85, MDR-EX90 and MDR-EX500LP. I am very satisfied with them. As said, seal is essential, but once reached bass are very good, on a par with many over-ear headphones. I can hear the 20Hz signal of a test CD. For me they are far better than Sennheisers in the same price range, although I am a Sennheiser fan. I use them with an Astell&Kern AK70MkII.

Mookalafalas · December 08, 2023, 02:41:39 AM

For fans of Amir over at Audio Science Review, these look amazing. "High End" doesn't have to equal big bucks, at least with IEMs. These are $22, and the specs are amazing.
I've been using a similar $50 pair he recommended a few months ago, and they've become my go-to headphones on my mini rig in my home-corner.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/7hz-salnotes-zero-iem-review.50226/

71 dB · December 08, 2023, 04:33:33 AM

Quote from: Mookalafalas on December 08, 2023, 02:41:39 AMFor fans of Amir over at Audio Science Review, these look amazing. "High End" doesn't have to equal big bucks, at least with IEMs. These are $22, and the specs are amazing.
I've been using a similar $50 pair he recommended a few months ago, and they've become my go-to headphones on my mini rig in my home-corner.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/7hz-salnotes-zero-iem-review.50226/

I don't use/own proper IEMs, but these certainly got me interested!

Mookalafalas · December 08, 2023, 04:51:34 AM

Quote from: 71 dB on December 08, 2023, 04:33:33 AMI don't use/own proper IEMs, but these certainly got me interested!

I've seen IEMs going for close to $2000 before and wondered about them. At this price, I'm just going to grab a pair

DavidW · December 21, 2023, 06:57:04 PM

I bought the FiiO BTR5. It is a bluetooth dac/headphone amp. It is allowing me to use wired headphones to stream music from my phone with good SQ and volume. It is pretty great! I'm using it with my Shure 1540s which are not that hard to drive but definitely not iem sensitive either.

Anyone else anything like that?

Holden · December 21, 2023, 10:12:39 PM

I listen to a lot of music via my PC and with both desk top speakers and also headphones. To get the best sound the initial digital sound from the PC goes into my Schiit Modi 3+ which then sends the analog conversion into my Schiit Asgard 3. This combo of separate DAC and Amp sounds awesome and drives my HD650 and HD580 with ease. I deliberately decided to separate DAC and Amp but a lot of the companies that produce a single DAC/Amp box (Topping, Fiio, iFi. etc achieve the same quality.

Mookalafalas · December 22, 2023, 01:50:37 AM

Quote from: DavidW on December 21, 2023, 06:57:04 PMI bought the FiiO BTR5. It is a bluetooth dac/headphone amp. It is allowing me to use wired headphones to stream music from my phone with good SQ and volume. It is pretty great! I'm using it with my Shure 1540s which are not that hard to drive but definitely not iem sensitive either.

Anyone else anything like that?

If I understand you correctly, this is similar.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/tanchjim-space-portable-headphone-adapter-review.46231/

I actually had my school buy me one with my "research funds" but have yet to use it.

DavidW · December 22, 2023, 06:28:20 AM

Quote from: Mookalafalas on December 22, 2023, 01:50:37 AMIf I understand you correctly, this is similar.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/tanchjim-space-portable-headphone-adapter-review.46231/

I actually had my school buy me one with my "research funds" but have yet to use it.

Yeah it is like that. It is a bluetooth receiver, though it can also act as a usb dac/amp and is small and portable in nature. I mean the one you have though looks way more powerful!

Mookalafalas · December 23, 2023, 04:29:25 AM

Quote from: DavidW on December 22, 2023, 06:28:20 AMYeah it is like that. It is a bluetooth receiver, though it can also act as a usb dac/amp and is small and portable in nature. I mean the one you have though looks way more powerful!

It's very tiny. About the size of a cracker. About the same time I got it, I also got the new Sony Noise-cancelling earbuds. They're wireless, so I don't particularly need this mini Dac