Headphone users MUST read

[Bonehelm]

Okay, here's the deal on these from someone who's used 'em (extensively).

1) The cord is an annoying length. Too short for home use (for me, anyway), too long for portable ... you don't want 2.5m swinging about your hips (people, keep it clean!)

2) Very well built. You won't be breaking these babies anytime soon.

3) Incredible pressure on the head when first worn. You'll definitely have to bend the steel headband ... but not too far, or you'll lose ...

4) ... the amazing passive ambient noise attenuation I spoke of earlier. They cut out A LOT of sound from around you, and keep in a lot, too.

5) The bass is deep. Nightclub deep. But, the mids are fairly clear, and the highs go almost to the top, then roll off a little. So you won't get listening fatigue. You will, however, experience classical with a sub-woofer in your head.

6) Bass response seems to deepen (get cloudier?) with extensive use. If you like timpani to sound like rolling thunder, get these. If not, don't.

Thanks for the detailed response. Now I'm going to get them for sure, since Haydn's drumroll symphony alone will make those babies worthwhile 

Once again, thankx!

[Mark]

Thanks for the detailed response. Now I'm going to get them for sure, since Haydn's drumroll symphony alone will make those babies worthwhile 

Once again, thankx!

Happy to help.

[m_gigena]

Shit, I have all the symptoms of hearing damage.

I'm not sure if I have that. But I now know I have attention disorders. I couldn't concentrate to read the whole thing and jumped to the next post. 

[Bunny]

When you say "run in," do you mean break-in?

Actually, the term I usually hear is "burn in." They use the same term for speakers too, afaik.

[tjguitar]

I have these.




Sounds pretty good to me.


http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V600-Monitor-Headphones-Circum-Aural/dp/B00001W0DI

[Bogey]

I have these.




Sounds pretty good to me.


http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V600-Monitor-Headphones-Circum-Aural/dp/B00001W0DI

And that is the point. 

[tjguitar]

And that is the point. 

Well to be fair I haven't really used them yet, I've been at home and mostly only need headphones for when I'm at dorms and don't want to hear roommates crap music. It was a gift, but if headphones cost upwards of $70, then they better be pretty damn good.

[M forever]

Those headphones sound like what it must be like when you are 95 and have lost most of your hearing. Not that I think I will live that long.

[PerfectWagnerite]

I have these.




Sounds pretty good to me.


http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V600-Monitor-Headphones-Circum-Aural/dp/B00001W0DI

Listen, I am not going to tell you what you should or shouldn't buy since everyone has his or her budget and acoustic preferences. But those SONYs are a no-no. I bought them a year ago, used them for 30 minutes and immediately return them. Forget the fact that they are easily the most uncomfortable headphones I have ever used, they sound MUCH MUCH worse in every single way than the $10 SONY earbuds. It's almost like you are listening to music in another room. So unless you are a masochist get the $10 eyebuds instead (which incidentally have a much higher dynamic range than the ones in the picture).

[Mark]

I have these.




Sounds pretty good to me.


http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-V600-Monitor-Headphones-Circum-Aural/dp/B00001W0DI

Some Sony cans are quite good at that price point, but be aware that they tend to have an aggressive, forward, 'let's-make-everything-pin-sharp-and-proud' kinda sound. If you're going from headphones with rolled-off highs, slightly recessed mids and bass that doesn't loosen teeth, you might find such Sony monitor cans a bit of a shock. I know. I tried.

[M forever]

These Sony don't even sound like that. They sound like underwater.

[tjguitar]

Forget the fact that they are easily the most uncomfortable headphones I have ever used, they sound MUCH MUCH worse in every single way than the $10 SONY earbuds. It's almost like you are listening to music in another room. So unless you are a masochist get the $10 eyebuds instead (which incidentally have a much higher dynamic range than the ones in the picture).

I loathe the feel of earbuds in every way. I just don't liek that feeling in my ears.  At all. I'd rather use headphones.  These felt pretty comfortable to me, but I haven't used them enough to know if they how well they sound.

I wonder why these phones get such good reviews at amazon (I assume thats why my dad picked it out?) if they are as bad as you indicate.


P.S. my old headphones which the earpads fell apart after 4-5 years of use was some sort of variation of this model:



http://www.amazon.com/Koss-154336-R-80-Home-Headphones/dp/B00005N9D2

[M forever]

I wonder why these phones get such good reviews at amazon (I assume thats why my dad picked it out?) if they are as bad as you indicate.

Because a lot of people haven't read this thread and have damaged hearing, and probably not very good aural perception to begin with.

[Soundproof]

Well, today I splurged.

I went to listen to these speakers. Everest D66000.



That was a huge mistake. Oh! My! Holy! Wondrous! Shait! (Egyptian goddess of hearing).
They were connected to a double serving of MC2KW 2000W monoblock amp's from McIntosh. Which were connected to Esoteric's best CD-transport.
This, twice over, each unit the size of a 21" display from Apple.



I think it's possible to work around the heavy amp hardware, and just lust for the speakers.
Bet let's not go there. Simply saying that Bruckner's 9th, 2nd mov has never sounded so good to me before, inside or outside of actual performance - and I love that movement. And Mercedes Sosa's Misa Criolla was awe inspiring to listen to. As was the rest of the music I enjoyed, including Gideon Kremer playing Schubert. (It's true, you can actually hear fingers touching strings and the wood of a violin working the sound ...)

However, I wasn't going to spend all that money. I've just sold my house, and could afford it - but would look ridiculous trying to hook it up in a park somewhere!
Just there to enjoy, as the speakers are completely new, and only available for a listen with that amp setup in two places. Had to go.

===

But while there I made the mistake of placing a pair of Grado RS-1s on top of my head, and listening to the same music. A pair is now resting on top of my headphone amp, waiting for my more than willing ears. (I have another amp than the one in the photo).


Certainly, listening through them was a climbdown from the pair of Everest speakers - but there's so much music in these! Whatever you do, make certain your headphones are really, really good. My children will starve!

[Mark]

Because a lot of people haven't read this thread and have damaged hearing, and probably not very good aural perception to begin with.

Well said.

[Mark]

Certainly, listening through them was a climbdown from the pair of Everest speakers - but there's so much music in these! Whatever you do, make certain your headphones are really, really good. My children will starve!

Nice pun on Everest. As for starving children, I'd starve myself for good kit ... except, I keep buying damned CDs instead.

[Soundproof]

Nice pun on Everest. As for starving children, I'd starve myself for good kit ... except, I keep buying damned CDs instead.

I have to confess - I'm of the "keep equipment spare and lean" school. You'll never find huge speakers and monobloc's in my listening room - but this was extraordinary sound, quite simply. Natural, powerful dynamics, true reproduction, incredible precision and depth to the soundstage. Ahhhhh ... !

[Mark]

I have to confess - I'm of the "keep equipment spare and lean" school. You'll never find huge speakers and monobloc's in my listening room - but this was extraordinary sound, quite simply. Natural, powerful dynamics, true reproduction, incredible precision and depth to the soundstage. Ahhhhh ... !

Brother of a neighbour of mine recently spent £7K on a (not-even-top-of-the-range) Naim CD player. Apparently, high-end hifi is his 'thing'. He spends thousands on it. But I'm told the sound from his kit is out of this world. Bloody well should be with price tags like that.

[m_gigena]

and mostly only need headphones for when I'm at dorms and don't want to hear roommates crap music.

Why don't you purchase huge speakers and Walküren-Ritt your neighbours?

[M forever]

Simply saying that Bruckner's 9th, 2nd mov has never sounded so good to me before, inside or outside of actual performance - and I love that movement.

Which recording did you use as test material?

But while there I made the mistake of placing a pair of Grado RS-1s on top of my head, and listening to the same music. A pair is now resting on top of my headphone amp, waiting for my more than willing ears. (I have another amp than the one in the photo).

I don't know if you noticed, but the headphone chambers are actually made *from wood*. I looked that up and found this amazing piece of nonsense:

The RS1s have even greater warmth and richness than other Grado 'phones, perhaps because of the mahogany earphone chambers. By the way, the "specially cured" mahogany (from mahogany trees specially grown in Brooklyn, New York - yes, a tree grows in Brooklyn) is surprisingly light.

That must be one of the funniest things I have heard from Audiophilidiotica (one of the outer provinces of Bullshitland) since the "CD demagnetizer".