Headphones x Prog???
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Other music related lounges
Forum Name: Tech Talk
Forum Description: Discuss musical instruments, equipment, hi-fi, speakers, vinyl, gadgets,etc.
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37339
Printed Date: November 25 2024 at 07:55
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Topic: Headphones x Prog???
Posted By: CANterbury
Subject: Headphones x Prog???
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 13:15
| I want to buy a new pair of Headphones for hear my music(expecially my new purchase:A black box - ph!)I'm looking for the bose in-ear...who have this one?and what do you have???i'm looking for good ones for hear prog... |
Replies:
Posted By: Talon
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 13:18
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I'm interested in this too; does anyone have any good earbud suggestions? (hey, still in high school, they're handy for the "under-the-hair, who's gonna know?" trick :P)
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Talon6/?chartstyle=basicrt10"> 
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Posted By: proggy
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 13:20
| I have the Bose Over the Ears. Quiet Comfort 2. FANTASTIC!!!!!! |
Posted By: proggy
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 13:21
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The in the ear retail at Best Buy for $99.00 |
Posted By: CANterbury
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 13:24
I have very very very short hair!!!
The in - ear are 99$ yes!!!i want to buy it but i want to hear some reviews!!!
Maybe(maybe) is a silly thing but not all headphones/hi-fi/car audio system are good for certain music genre...like prog...i want something special at resonable price!
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Talon wrote:Posted By: progismylife
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 13:24
| Shouldn't this be in the Tech Talk section? |
Posted By: Talon
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 13:25
Well then what kind of prog fan are you?   ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Talon6/?chartstyle=basicrt10">
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Posted By: progismylife
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 13:29
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I don't need earbud headphones to do the "under-the-hair, who's gonna
know?" trick because my hair is so thick and long basically any over
the ear headphones are covered by my hair. But I will keep an eye on this thread. My headphones seem to have a loose connection and I am looking of good reasonable price that is under £50 - if that is possible - headphones, earbud preferred. |
Posted By: darkmatter
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 13:32
I've had two pairs of earbuds die this year.  But having them wouldn't do me too much good anyway because my iPod still isn't working!  I'd still like to get a cheap new pair though.... |
Posted By: cuncuna
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 13:36
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I use those tiny ones that kind of goes into the ears. My hair is really really short, but I don't care much for covering the earphones. ------------- ¡Beware of the Bee! |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 15:43
| Do be careful with the volume guys, especially the "in ear" variety. They can do much damage in short order. I believe the over ear kind are safer but one still needs to keep the volume at a casual level. Take it from someone who wrecked his hearing as a foolish youth! |
Posted By: JesusisLord
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 15:54
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Do the search on headphone review sites. i don't have much money so I searched about best phones under 100 dollars. The Koss Porta-pro, rated high in the eyes of more then one "expert". They are approx. $40, have a 4ft. cord (perfect since I work out them) and best yet, they have a lifetime, no questions asked warranty. So ask yourself, how much do i want to spend, what will I be using them for etc. Hope this helps... ------------- And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Phillipians 2:11 |
Posted By: Inks
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 16:26
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To those suggesting bose i feel sorry for you guy, i suggest doing some research to truly find good headphones (bose are like what like rap is to music). Visiting head-fi.org will certainly help. The porta-pro sure are good head phones thought koss ksc 75 and px100 senheissers are also good for a lower price range. |
Posted By: frippster
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 17:14
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I own a pair of Koss sportapro, which is the even more portable version of the portapro. They are ugly but the sound is quite good for about US$20. I use them for jogging only. For more serious listening I own a pair of Grado SR60, the sound is awesome, I compared them side by side with the Bose triport which made me even happier with my purchase since they sound MUCH better, and they cost less than half. The Grados are ugly too, though. they look like headphones you'd see a 1950's radar operator wearing in movies, but they sound so great I don't give a rat's rear end. I guess that if you're into prog you probably prioritize sound over style. If interested in Grado headphones, but stylish, they came out last year with a much nicer looking model, SR50 I think, for about US$50. I haven't tried them, but I am certain that they beat virtually anything in that price range. In-ear buds sound good but are dangerous, and you have to periodically clean the ear wax build up. No, thanks. All other ear buds I've tried just sound like garbage. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 17:43
What did you say? I can't hear you.
 Speak up sonny. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: shanocles
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 18:56
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i had a pair of sony in ear phones. they were great until the outer sheath split (i do a lot of cycling and the sweat across back of neck wore through the silicone sheath-black crap everywhere!) they lasted about a year of heavy duty use (at least 2-3hours a day) in fact they wore through within the warranty period first and a i got a new pair and then the second lot stuffed up too (does this make any sense??). oh and they were expensive $80 Australian. i looked around for ages and came across creative in ear phones. i've had them for about 2 yrs, no probs. they don't go around the back of the neck which is better and they seem louder than the sony ones. good for bumpy roads, they don't fall out the ears. and they were only about $30 australian. they're cool cos they're black and tiny little fellas. good luck with the purchase. you gotta have good listening product for prog huh!!!
------------- if left is wrong i don't wanna be right... 
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Posted By: weaverinhisweb
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 19:05
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I also use Grado headphones, and highly recommend them to anyone interestred in amazing quality at a decent price. I bought the Grado SR125 for 150 American dollars. If you enjoy good sound quality, then it is worth every bit of what you spend. The sound is crystal clear, and the tone is perfect. I fell in love with my headphones the second I put them on my head. They are pretty comfortable, and very sturdy so they wont break easily. I would not go with Bose. They are incredibly overpriced if you ask me. I would swear by Grado.
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 19:19
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I haven't used home stereo headphones in a long time, but I do have a little experience with portable device headphones.
Talk about dangerous sounding headphones, for the longest time I was using Koss "shoots sound into your ears", I kept losing the earpieces.
I was interested in noice cancelling models. I go to the gym regularly and the gym music is just atrocious. Even worse on DJ night. I got a set of Sony and paid way too much money for them. They didn't sound that great and let in more noise than the Koss. I think they're more intended to cancel out jet noise when you're on a plane. Haven't had the opportunity to test that yet.
The set that came with my current digital music player, a Toshiba Gigabeat 40 gig, were crappy. I'm really happy with the player though. It's wonderful to have my whole collection on it. I'm approaching 1300 titles, egads!
I'm currently using a cheap set of Philips ($20 I think). I'm not really happy with them, but they're decent. Looking forward to what everyone has to share about portable device headphones. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: shanocles
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 19:19
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here's the link if you want. http://www.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=437&subcategory=441&product=11397 ------------- if left is wrong i don't wanna be right...
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 19:23
I just visited their site. Those look to be some serious headphones and I see they also have a portable device model. Might need to go internet shopping now. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 20:53
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Hey guys I think I may have the definitve word on this subject, from Consumer Reports 12/06 (I missed this article when the magazine came or I would have brought it up earlier):
The Quick Picks
Best for music, especially at home:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/headphones-12-06/ratings/1206_head_rat.htm#grad60 - Grado SR-60 $70 CR Best Buy
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/headphones-12-06/ratings/1206_head_rat.htm#grad80 - Grado SR-80 $95 Best for airplanes:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/headphones-12-06/ratings/1206_head_rat.htm#sennpxc - Sennheiser PXC 250 $150
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/headphones-12-06/ratings/1206_head_rat.htm#bose - Bose QuietComfort 2 $300 Best for use with portable audio players:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/headphones-12-06/ratings/1206_head_rat.htm#sony - Sony MDR-ED21LP $20 CR Best Buy
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/headphones-12-06/ratings/1206_head_rat.htm#senncx - Sennheiser CX 300 $50 BTW the prices they list are retail, you can often do better, but they're great for relative comparison. Get this, one site has the Sonys for $8 pre shipping.
You can subscribe to the magazine and/or the web site, consumerreports.org (The links above will bring you to the site). The web site has the latest articles on whatever they've been reviewing. You can read an overview article and get the complete list ratings.
I highly recommend Consumer Reports, they are very independent, they buy all the stuff they test (no freebies), and don't allow advertisers of the products they review to use their endorsements.
------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: eitandaniel
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 21:45
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I think its a matter of budget really,
if you want to be blown away there is a pair of audio technica for a grand, (Aus) but i think you have to have a proper headphone amp as well. musical fidelity x3 for example. there is nothing like having an elevated musical experience of a true 3 d nature! eitan  ------------- eitan |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 23:20
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Update, I've ordered a Grado and two Sonys for me and my wife, it will be a few days but I'll review them and compare to my other ones. By the way, I can't imagine paying a grand for headphones. Were they diamond encrusted or something? ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: Gamemako
Date Posted: April 27 2007 at 23:44
I disagree wholeheartedly. First off, don't get me wrong. Bose aren't awful, per se. They're just insanely overpriced, and there are products at half and less the price of Bose equipment which sound far better. Now, as for your rankings... You've found yourself a Grado-hater. But here's the lowdown for those who need to know: Grado headphones are incredibly bright. Blindingly bright. Their sound is laser-cut. They can make Karajan and his Berlin Phil sound like Berstein and an army of French violins. For those who like a bright sound, the Grado RS1 or SR325i are about as good as it gets. That is, unless the GS1000 are better, as I have not heard them. But I digress. I personally don't like the bright sound. I'm more of a Sennheiser fan myself. Sennheisers have a much darker soundstage with slightly rolled-off highs (intentionally). They sound amazing, especially for large orchestral pieces and higher-intensity rock music (specifically metal). If you're on a budget, the HD280s (about 75 bucks) are a great set of closed cans for the price. If you can afford it, though, grab some HD580s (175 or so). For audio on airplanes, you're basically stuck with two options: active noise-cancelling headphones (which sound terrible, Bose QC2 included) or IEMs (which sound great, block more sound than anything, and are portable -- but they can be uncomfortable for some people). Because active noise-cancelling headphones basically suck by design, I'll use this as a segue into portable! The only great option for portable high-quality audio are IEMs. The Senn CX300s mentioned above are actually IEMs. IEMs (In-ear monitors) are tiny little mites that deliver audio fidelity rather than volume. But you'd never notice. That is, they are essentially music-playing earplugs. They dramatically reduce ambient noise in the same way regular earplugs do. And so, you hear nothing but your music. But for the same reason, they can be uncomfortable for some people. I personally don't have a problem, but others have had issues. Anyway, I personally use Altec Lansing iM716s, which I got for 60 bucks. They sound excellent, especially though the line-out of my ZVM. Etymotic ER4P or S (S sound better but really need an amp) are also great options. For those who like a bassier sound, the Ultimate Ear UE-5 (super.fi) sound great. UE line aren't quite as well-defined as Ety's, but they are bassier, which makes them more accessible for some people. Shure E4c are good as well, and down the line as price goes (E2c go for 60 bucks or so). If you can't do IEMs, I recommend going with the Koss KSC75 clips. They sound pretty good for portable phones and have an excellent price point (15 bucks or so). I don't recommend bothering trying to find better earbuds than the standard iBuds or whatever your player comes with. Earbuds aren't exactly known for their quality. So for my picks: For home music: Sennheiser HD280 ($80) Sennheiser HD580 ($170) For airplanes: Etymotic ER6i ($70) Etymotic ER4s ($170) or Ultimate Ear super.fi 5 ($170) For portable audio: See Airplane, or Koss KSC75 ($15) And as a final note, for all those searching for headphones, I ask you, I implore you, ask the guys over at http://www.head-fi.org/ first. They know what's best for what you're looking for. //EDIT: And to respond to slartibartifast, it's all about sound quality and enjoying the music at its finest. Strads don't fetch 1.5 mil to be looked at. I've actually heard these phones hooked up to a pretty nice (see: huge) amp system: http://www.headphone.com/products/headphones/full-size/akg-k-1000.php Fellow paid only 500 or something for them, the lucky dog. T'was at at Head-Fi meet. They sounded absolutely incredible. MAN did they sound great. Don't know if I'll ever go so far as to spend that, but jeez. Incredible. //EDIT 2: A note about the CX300s -- they're not true IEMs like the Etymotic ER4s but sort of shallow canal phones. They drive a greater volume of sound to make up for the lack of reverberation and true seal, but they consequently don't sound as good. //EDIT 3: And one more not to slartibartfast: for doing strength training, IEMs are great. They will leave you in a world of you, your music, and the bar in your hands. But for running, you'll hear a tremendous "THUD" every time your foot touches the ground. As such, I don't recommend them for that particular activity. For running, the KSC75s are about as good as it gets, especially since they're more disposable (sweat and humidity will not be nice to your phones). |
Posted By: Inks
Date Posted: April 28 2007 at 02:54
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i definitely agree, the bose (buy other sound equipment) are way overpriced. That list made my slar is mostly inaccurate, consumer reports aren't a realiable source, i would love to get into specifics, but i can't at the moment. gamemako seems to be knowledgeable with headphones, take his suggestion and visit head-fi.rog |
Posted By: Philéas
Date Posted: April 28 2007 at 05:25
| This is a thread for Oliver. He knows a lot about audio. |
Posted By: CANterbury
Date Posted: April 28 2007 at 06:04
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Thanx for all the answer!!!I don't know what kind of earphones i will buy but i surely looking something at www.head-fi.org!!!
PS:i have very very very little hair because...i don't have hair
!!!! |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: April 28 2007 at 08:47
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Man, I knew someone would come along and move it, it's just a complicated game. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: April 29 2007 at 22:45
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DON'T BUY BOSE! Their stuff is SO low quality. They feed off of consumer ignorance. They even refuse to publish the specs of their equipment, because then you'll see that it's sh*t. Personally, I use Etymotic Research 6i's. They're incredible, blocking 30 dB or so of outside noise and providing unbeatable sound quality. I got em for $80 brand-new off of Amazon. -------------   |
Posted By: oliverstoned
Date Posted: April 30 2007 at 03:44
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You're right.
For portable use: Etymotic research ER4P. |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: May 02 2007 at 20:07
A lot of great info. I still trust Consumer Reports for reasons I'd be more than happy to go into. For instance "With any headphones, sound quality can vary greatly, so it’s recommended that you try them before buying." Anyone got a problem with that? I checked out the head fi site and it's really more of a forum than a testing lab. Still there's much to be said for the opinionions (sic sick sick) of those who've tried a lot.
The 20 buck Sonys just arrived and as much as I was disappointed by the noise cancelling Sonys I have, these are probably the best portable device phones I have ever heard. The bass response is about as good as gets for a device without a subwoofer, where you can feel the bass a little as well hear the frequency. The ear plug design is one I haven't seen before, which may explain the improved bass. I find it comfortable, too.
I'll do some more testing, this is just my preliminary evaluation.
BTW they were $8 a pair when I ordered, but I checked back in and the price is rising. I apologize if I am somehow personally responsible for that. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: May 02 2007 at 22:20
Order from their site and you're looking to be set back $300 a pair pre shipping. I love the blurb and hope they are all that they purport to be. Would love to try them, but holy crap!
The Etymotic Research 6i's are more economical, but $150. They were tested and did not rank well. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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