[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
I have to agree with the other posters when it comes to Shure IEM's. I have the '_E500's_' (http://shure.com/PersonalAudio/Products/Earphones/ESeries/us_pa_E500_pth_content), and they sound awesome! Yes, they're expensive, but you get what you pay for. The sound is so rich and pure that you feel like you're sitting in the middle of the recording studio. And since they do such a good job of isolating you from the outside world, you don't have to play them as loud to enjoy your music. This actually makes them better on your hearing in the long run. Another great thing about the E500's is that they come with Shure's new '_PTH_(Push-To-Hear)_Control_' (http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/Products/Accessories/CasesAdapters/us_pa_PTH_push_to_hear). This nifty little gadget has a built in microphone which allows you to liten to the outside world with the simple flip of a switch. This can really come in handy in an office setting. If you're investing a lot of cash in a pair of headphones, you'll want to make sure that you're feeding them a quality signal. When listening from a PC, I highly recommend HeadRoom's excellent '_Total_BitHead_' (http://www.headphone.com/products/headphone-amps/the-mobile-line/headroom-total-bithead.php). It's basically a good quality headphone amp and an external DAC all rolled into one. You plug the BitHead into the USB port and it takes over from your PC's sound card. This results in much better sound since the D/A conversion is being done outside the PC. And while I'm at it, I can't say enough good things about '_Comply_canal_tips_' (http://www.earphonesolutions.com/cocatiforum2.html). They're compatible with most of the Shure models, and they're so much more comfortable than the OEM tips. -- gweempose gweempose's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=9579 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
Flat response is hard. You're not going to see straight horizontal lines. Here's the FR of my personal favorite headphones (keep in mind the MDR-7506 is the same thing as the MDR-V6): http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1363714&postcount=14 Yes, there are problems. But I like those problems better than the problems present in other headphones. That's where you have to take personal tastes into account. -- CatBus CatBus's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=7461 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
I am interested in this post as headphones are my next target purchase. www.headphone.com posts frequency response curves of some of their models, and I have been a bit taken aback by the significant suck-outs in the curves. Is this normal? Is there not a headphone set with a flat frequency resposnse curve? Is there any way to buy a equalizer to compensate for the suck outs? -- Eric Carroll Transporter-Bryston 3B SST-Paradigm Reference Studio 60 v.4 SB3-Rotel RB890-B&W Matrix 805 SB3-Pioneer VSX-49TXi-Mirage OM7+C2+R2 Eric Carroll's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=9293 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
When I tried them the thicker cord was pretty microphonic. Almost as bad as the cord on my ER-4s. Not totally sure what this means, but if it refers to the noise you get when the chord jiggles around I found a relatively easy way to neutralize it I use an aligator clip to attach the cord to my collar to keep the headphones from pulling at my ears and to keep the chord going down my back towards my pocket rather than dangling in front of me (the clip clamps on my clothes not on the chord). The benefits are twofold: 1) while walking the chord doesn't get caught up in subway turnstiles, doorstops and the like. 2) You don't get that weird noise from the headphone swishing around since it's completely controlled for few inches from your ear to your collar. (Of course if microphonic means something else I'm babbling pointlessly here.) PS One hundred dollars a year on headphones wouldn't have worked for me either. As a one time purchase to last a few years a hundred dollars is reasonable for me. Once you start talking annual purchase it's time to start rethinking priorities especially considering how much I've already invested in squeezeboxes, ipods, hard drives, etc. -- mrchrispy mrchrispy's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=4175 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
mrchrispy;175289 Wrote: > It happened again six months later after the warranty was over and I > decided that $120 a year in headphone costs weren't working. Well, you can find them at least $20 cheaper on-line. mrchrispy Wrote: > I replaced them with the Shure Er-2c's which have a much thicker chord > and a 2 year warranty. When I tried them the thicker cord was pretty microphonic. Almost as bad as the cord on my ER-4s. -- Meatwad650 Meatwad650's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=9725 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
I think closed headphones sound far better than noise-cancelling ones. As others have said, check out www.head-fi.org, the for sale forum always has headphones for sale, some just slightly older than "brand new." Closed phones I like are: Sennheiser HD280 (can buy from Headroom, an online headphone gear store), Sennheiser 25-1, and Beyerdynamic 250-80. Ultrasone, another German company, also makes lots of models of closed phones. If you want something very small and portable, look at the in-ear monitors (IEM's) like Shures and Etymotics as others have recommended. Very noise proof but you won't hear most anything else around you either, like your boss speaking to you or your phone ringing. -- sc53 sc53's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=8690 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
BTW, Shure's warranty is 2 years *from the date of product manufacture* I take this to mean you can keep sending them back so long as no one set gets older than 2 years - and I'm on my fourth replacement pair already. Of course this doesn't reflect very well on the headphones - I get almost exactly 6 months of daily use from a pair of E3Cs before they start getting faulty. But this is mysteriously double the amount of time (3 months) that each pair of Sony MDR-EX71s lasted me... James NOTICE: If received in error, please destroy and notify sender. Sender does not intend to waive confidentiality or privilege. Use of this email is prohibited when received in error. ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
I'm a big fan of the noise isolating variety of headphones. I ride the subway to work every morning and they're a great way to block out (most of) the noise of the train and people around me without extra battery attachements or ridiculous head enlarging earmuffs. One word of warning about the Etymotic ER-6i's though. While their sound quality is fantastic they are extremely delicate. I had to replace them once during their one year warranty period since the extremely thin chord on one ear began to cut out. It happened again six months later after the warranty was over and I decided that $120 a year in headphone costs weren't working. I replaced them with the Shure Er-2c's which have a much thicker chord and a 2 year warranty. Sound quality is comparable and I haven't looked back since. -- mrchrispy mrchrispy's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=4175 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
My experience is hat the isolating ones are better bang-for-the-buck than the noise-cancelling, but YMMV. Koss have the best low-end, though many people have problems fitting "The Plug" well in their ears. And if they're not fitted well, they sound becomes very boomy (or instead without bass). Their "Spark Plug" fits a bit easier. For the middle end Shure e2c & e3c are really good, as well as Etymotic's model (forgotten model name/number). At higher end Etymotic also has good models, don't know if the Shure e4c are worth their money. There's another manufacturer also making very good high-end - have forgotten the name - but maybe it's not interesting if the headphones start to cost the same as the computer...? -- tommypeters SB3-->Meridian G68-->NuForce Ref8-->Bc Acoustique ACT A3 tommypeters's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=6528 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
Everything suggested so far is available in the UK. -- Fifer Fifer's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=639 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
Thanks for the suggestions guys, I will definitely look into the noise cancelling ones. My buying decision will also be based on what is available here in the UK, which is probably a smaller section than in the USA. -- PhilD PhilD's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=7808 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
I will second the Shure E2c "ear-buds" I've also had the Bose and the Shure sound quality is much better, IMHO. -- randybrand randybrand's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3645 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
try Koss. lifetime guarantee. -- MrSinatra www.LION-Radio.org Using: Squeezebox2 w/SS 6.5.1 (beta!?) - Win XP Pro SP2 - 3.2ghz / 2gig ram MrSinatra's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2336 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
Look at Shure E-series headphones, http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/Products/Earphones/ESeries/index.htm They are sound isolating, meaning they seal off your ear to outside noises. They also seal in the sound so don't leak very much either. They are superb sounding (way better than Bose IMO). Lanier -- lanierb lanierb's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=5566 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
Sony MDR-V6. Under $65 on Amazon, can be driven by pretty much anything (MP3 players work fine), and will last a lifetime (although you may need to replace the pads once a decade if you're hardcore). They are the exact same thing as the more expensive Sony MDR-7506, without the gold stereo plug. -- CatBus CatBus's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=7461 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
[slim] Re: Can anyone recommend headphones?
For high-end gear check out: http://www.head-fi.org/ But for listening at work, you might consider noise cancelling headphones. I recently got several kinds of them to find out which is best, and the Bose QC3 work astonishingly well. Way better than the QC2 and surprisingly more comfortable despite being "on the ear" as opposed to "around". The Sony ones barely work at all, and the Sennheisers actually _add_ a considerable amount of white noise, while subtracting absolutely nothing. If think like me, that Bose stuff generally sounds like crap, you're in for a big surprise! -- seanadams seanadams's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32191 ___ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
