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Midorka
Jun 10, 2011

I have a pretty fucking good palate, passed BJCP and level 2 cicerone which is more than half of you dudes can say, so I don't give a hoot anymore about this toxic community.

planetarial posted:

I'm looking for a pair of sturdier, slightly more expensive ones where the wires will not tangle and break so easily since my most recent pair broke. I'm willing to sacrifice some quality over durability.

Budget: ~$100

Source: Ipod Classic, 3DS, sometimes my laptop but not often.

Isolation: No. I mostly use them at home.

Preferred Type of Headphones: Over-ear only. IEM and earbuds are uncomfortable for me. Something that will completely fill over my ears too.

Preferred Tonal Balance: Balanced

Past Headphones: Sennheiser HD 201, the default iPod earbuds that I absolutely hated. The Sennheiser one had sounded good to me for the price, but the wires got tangled up no matter what I tried and eventually caused the pair to break.

Preferred Music: Pop, nature sounds, LPs, video game music for when I'm gaming.

The Brainwavz HM5 will suit you well. Cables are replaceable. You can get the NVX XPT100 (same thing) for cheaper if you want to go that route.

AlphaOne posted:

Is it reasonable to buy a pair of Audio Technicas with the 3d wing system without trying them on first?

Massdrop has the ATH-W1000X for a reasonable price and is promising warranty support. The most common cons: 1/4" plug only and non-neutral sound are fine for what I want. A lot of reviews mention the support system as being poor or loose for some users. I can't find the woodies in stores and their cheaper headphones use a different support method. Is it a mistake to buy these without being able to demo?

Do you have a large head? If so then you will be fine. If not then go to a Best Buy and see if yours has a Magnolia. You can demo the A900x there which will have a similar fit.

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Hippie Hedgehog
Feb 19, 2007

Ever cuddled a hedgehog?

Tactical Lesbian posted:

for that price dude you can't go wrong with the Audio Technica ath-m50s -- they're like the quintessential entry level cans; everyone's got a pair

But they aren't circumaural, are they? I think that's the kind they were asking for. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the post.
I tried the m50s and found them a little uncomfortable due to them putting pressure on my ears.

Tactical Lesbian
Mar 31, 2012

Hippie Hedgehog posted:

But they aren't circumaural, are they? I think that's the kind they were asking for. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the post.
I tried the m50s and found them a little uncomfortable due to them putting pressure on my ears.

Maybe if you have huge ears they're not?

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

Tactical Lesbian posted:

Maybe if you have huge ears they're not?

Yeah, they're pretty much circumaural for me.

midge
Mar 15, 2004

World's finest snatch.
Hopefully this is the right spot.

I need a pair of gaming headphones that will allow me to both talk in the console voice chat AND split the channel to the mic input of my PC. With Xbox this is pretty simple, since the voice chat goes through a cable into the bottom of the controller.

With the PS3 however, it's typically via USB, so I can't take that audio and split it.

Does anyone have an idea? I guess I'd need a wireless pair that talks to a base unit that will allow me to throw the mic out of 2 outputs.

Edit : For example if these were capable of outputing the mic audio to both the USB and the 3.5mm output jack the same time they would be perfect. I've been trying to get a response from Turtle Beach, nothing.

midge fucked around with this message at 23:27 on Nov 18, 2013

Hippie Hedgehog
Feb 19, 2007

Ever cuddled a hedgehog?

Tactical Lesbian posted:

Maybe if you have huge ears they're not?

Well, at least I'm not alone in not thinking the m50s are circumaural:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/600080/need-details-on-audio-technica-ath-m50s
http://www.head-fi.org/t/552552/ath-m50-ear-pad-discomfort-srh-840-and-940-replacements-ath-m50-velour-part-2

eddiewalker
Apr 28, 2004

Arrrr ye landlubber
I felt completely insane trying to order the re-released Grado mahogany box for $99. For some reason it as the $17 domestic shipping that finally stopped me.

Josh Lyman
May 24, 2009


DT990 Pro's came in today. I got them from Amazon so I have what basically amounts to a 21-day or so in-home trial.

Initial impressions: fit isn't as comfortable as my HD 580's but that's probably because the band is still a bit stiff. Sound wise, there's definitely more bass punch, which was my motivation for ordering them in the first place, but there's a distinct difference in how the two headphones treat higher frequencies. While listening to Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Summer concerto, Presto movement, the violins have a more muted sound with the DT990's whereas they're, for lack of a better term, screechier with the HD 580's, though not in a bad way. In fact, it practically makes the DT990's sound muddy.

This difference is probably better characterized when talking about female vocals. When listening to Norah Jones' Don't Know Why with the DT990's, it sounds like I'm listening to headphones, whereas with the HD 580's, it sounds like I'm listening to her sing in person. Same thing with Adele's Someone Like You from Live at Royal Albert Hall.

Whether or not you thinking burning in is real, I guess we'll see over the next few weeks. But so far, I'm not entirely sold on the DT990's. I may just be used to the Sennheiser sound, in which case I guess I'll have to hope I can get HD 650's for a decent price at some point.

edit: v Yeah, it's like $6 or 7, which IMO is more than fair for in-home testing.

Josh Lyman fucked around with this message at 00:00 on Nov 20, 2013

eddiewalker
Apr 28, 2004

Arrrr ye landlubber
Amazon charges return shipping if your dissatisfaction isn't their fault, correct?

I think I got charged when I changed my mind on some DT770s, in fact.

brettster55
Aug 7, 2013

I bought 3M noise canceling headphones once and I could still hear a full conversation. I suppose BOSE and others use technology to make it better? I'm not a believer till I hear it.

eddiewalker
Apr 28, 2004

Arrrr ye landlubber
I see a picture of some Sonys with mediocre isolation and some industrial ear muffs.

Active noise cancellation works best on constant noises like a jet engine just because of how active cancellation works. Passive isolation is never going to put you in complete silence if there's enough going on around you --some sound is still transmitted through your head bones.

...What's the question?

Tindahbawx
Oct 14, 2011

Hey guys, I was thinking of picking up a pair of relatively cheap Superlux HD668B's, my old over-ears for PC use have bit the dust....or to be more accurate a certain dog of mine bit them. Repeatedly.

All they'll be used for is gaming or listening to background music when I'm working and my partner is listening to the TV or something in the other room, if its a documentary or something, I have this inability to shut it out mentally, and I end up paying half attention to what I'm playing/working on and half attention to something about the mating habits of baboons or whatever. Its frustrating.

I do have a pair of in-ears that I could be using, but I find them tiresome to wear for any extended period of time, no matter how many different types of foam/wax/other obscure material plugs I use on the ends of them. Hell...I even tried blu-tack molded to the shape of my ears, applied to the ends. didn't work. Also ear hair + blu-tack just straight up sucks. Never again.

Why the HD668B's specifically? Well, I'm pretty broke this month, they're cheap and seemingly well reviewed, and you'll laugh, but that detachable cable plug is tempting me, given that a lot of my old headphones wires tend to fray in that area first, every time. I was hoping that the detachable plug up there might mitigate that if the jack is able to rotate a little while in use? Headphone jacks are more or less rotating electrical connectors, right?

Tindahbawx fucked around with this message at 01:59 on Nov 20, 2013

Hippie Hedgehog
Feb 19, 2007

Ever cuddled a hedgehog?

Tindahbawx posted:

Why the HD668B's specifically? Well, I'm pretty broke this month, they're cheap and seemingly well reviewed, and you'll laugh, but that detachable cable plug is tempting me, given that a lot of my old headphones wires tend to fray in that area first, every time. I was hoping that the detachable plug up there might mitigate that if the jack is able to rotate a little while in use? Headphone jacks are more or less rotating electrical connectors, right?

No-one will laugh - being able to replace the cable will save you a lot of money in the long run vs sending them in for repair when the cable breaks.

OneSizeFitsAll
Sep 13, 2010

Du bist mein Sofa
Hi guys. I’d really appreciate two bits of advice: on some IEMs, and on amping for the new cans I’ve got my sights on. I’ve been doing a fair bit of research, including reading the nice guide linked to in the OP, but as usual when I do this I find more questions popping up and my position on everything shifting.

Amping

I’m looking to buy the new Shure SRH1540. These are to be paired mainly with my PC, which has an M Audio 2496 card feeding Creative Gigaworks T20 speakers. I plug my current old phones directly into the headphone socket on the speakers. I understand that I could do the same with the SRH1540 as they are a fairly sensitive phone that will run fine without an amp, but that improvement will still be seen with one.

What I need to really understand here is whether to get an amp, amp+DAC or nothing at all.

1. How much is the DAC necessary with a decent sound card like the M Audio?
2. If I just use an amp, can I incorporate it with the speakers so it’s easy to switch between phones and speaker? As in Computer>Speakers>Amp>Phones? Or do the phones and speakers need to be connected separately? I don’t know what connectors headphone amps use.
3. Same as above but if there’s a DAC involved too? I assume the answer is different due to the DAC acting like a separate sound card.

I was looking at one of the Fiios, either the E17 or E12 depending on whether I get the DAC or not. Not certain I need a portable one, but it would be nice to occasionally use with my Cowon. I’m open to other suggestions if there are better options out there (up to about £100 ideally).

IEMs

Source: A Cowon J3 with music entirely in FLAC format.

Music: Pretty broad, but with an emphasis on prog and heavy blues rock (Floyd, Crimson, Mars Volta, Zappa, Zeppelin), musical theatre, and classical (orchestral and chamber works and a lots of piano music – both solo and concerto works). Piano definitely needs to sound good. I also listen to other forms of rock, jazz, folk and a bit of reggae. I rarely listen to hip hop, electronica or country, and never drum and bass.

Ideal sound is probably smooth but not unexciting and is detailed throughout, with tight, punchy bass and treble that sings and sparkles nicely, but I’m open to other signatures with the right gear.

I currently have a pair of Panasonic HJE900s, which are a lot fun for the rockier stuff, if a touch fatiguing at times, but not ideal for classical music. I guess I’m mainly looking to replace my other, broken pair (Ortofon E-Q7s). I loved the detail and transparency of the Ortofons, but found them just a touch too mellow. I was thinking a good upgrade on those - with some similarities but a bit more fun in the mix too - would be the Sony MDR-EX1000. I am slightly concerned about the apparent wind noise/isolation issues, though, as I use my IEMs daily while walking the dog. Maybe this can be alleviated with a different tip? I’m open to suggestions of phones with different sound signatures that might fit my needs, in any case. I’ve always been curious about the Earsonics SM3s. But there’s so much out there it’s kind of overwhelming.

So, guys – your thoughts are most welcome. I know very little about amping and would appreciate any advice on that front. Similarly, more comments on the Sonys would be great (particularly on the isolation side of things) along with any other suggestions.

buildmorefarms
Aug 13, 2004

любоваться
Doctor Rope
I'm looking for recommendations that satisfy the following (admittedly ridiculous) criteria, if such a thing exists!

- IEMs
- mobile-phone "call-answer" remote/microphone like this (for a nexus 5 if that makes a difference!)
- triflange/biflange tips (easily sourced replacements would be a bonus)
- decent enough when driven by a mobile device I guess!
- extra bonus rubbish: a 90-degree jack (so that the excess cable runs parallel to the top of the phone when it's jammed in my pocket as opposed to pointing straight out of the headphone socket and getting crushed over time)

I've been working my way through etymotics and vsonic R02s for the last couple of years, but I'd like to see if there's any way to get decent sound out of some IEMs that also have the call-answering capability.

buildmorefarms fucked around with this message at 16:44 on Nov 20, 2013

Josh Lyman
May 24, 2009


buildmorefarms posted:

I'm looking for recommendations that satisfy the following (admittedly ridiculous) criteria, if such a thing exists!

- IEMs
- mobile-phone "call-answer" remote/microphone like this (for a nexus 5 if that makes a difference!)
- triflange/biflange tips (easily sourced replacements would be a bonus)
- decent enough when driven by a mobile device I guess!
- extra bonus rubbish: a 90-degree jack (so that the excess cable runs parallel to the top of the phone when it's jammed in my pocket as opposed to pointing straight out of the headphone socket and getting crushed over time)

I've been working my way through etymotics and vsonic R02s for the last couple of years, but I'd like to see if there's any way to get decent sound out of some IEMs that also have the call-answering capability.
Easy peasy. Etymotic mc2, designed for used with Android: http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/mc2.html

buildmorefarms
Aug 13, 2004

любоваться
Doctor Rope

Josh Lyman posted:

Easy peasy. Etymotic mc2, designed for used with Android: http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/mc2.html

Perfect! Ordered - Thanks a tonne.

kremlins
May 9, 2009

anyone have anything to say about these?

http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/e447e8b9e20fd636/index.html

Retarted Pimple
Jun 2, 2002

I used to have the A900 and they were the most comfortable closed phones I've ever used, but they're CD diameter huge. I never forgot they were on, but didn't mind. They're some of the best gaming phones made IMO, just about anything can drive them, a Revo 7.1 or Creative Zen had no problem getting them to LOUD. The soundstage is gigantic and makes pointing out the bad guys easy.
The cons were the pleather pads tend to get hot after a while and deteriorate after a few years, they tend to fit a bit loose on my head and the mid has a bit of a honky sound on certain recordings. I don't know if that has been addressed on the new X model.

poopkitty
Oct 16, 2013

WE ARE ALL ONE
I'm looking for some custom molded earbuds. Can anyone recommend a brand or share some experiences? I'm in Japan and so I've been looking at 'canal works' since they carry them at e-earphone in Akihabara. But I've also been looking at Earsound Customs. You can't exactly "try" out custom IEMs, so I'm wary.

Ultimate Mango
Jan 18, 2005

poopkitty posted:

I'm looking for some custom molded earbuds. Can anyone recommend a brand or share some experiences? I'm in Japan and so I've been looking at 'canal works' since they carry them at e-earphone in Akihabara. But I've also been looking at Earsound Customs. You can't exactly "try" out custom IEMs, so I'm wary.

Get thee to head fi, there is a good thread on custom comparison. I just got my first pair of custom iems myself, made by the Wizard (Google him) at Noble Audio (okay maybe his own hands didn't do all the fabrication but his design and team).

I will say this: you need to get impressions done by someone who knows how to take impressions for IEMs. I know Noble has someone in Japan, and there are a number of makers based there as well (wizard is in Thailand and has a lab in China). Even with a good impression I had to have them redone because of a minor, minor issue with the way the acrylic dried on one part of the canal. At least Noble also does silicone instead of acrylic for some models, and that is supposed to be more comfortable as it is a flexible instead of rigid material.

But for the love of whatever deity you prefer, get impressions done by someone who knows how to do it specially for an IEM. And use a bite block.

Lastly, there are some custom iem makers who give dealers a "universal" build of their iem products so you can get an idea of the sound. They will be a little different from full customs but it may be an option depending on the brand and dealer. I still haven't managed to go see my local Noble guy to compare their demo K10 against my custom, but I know they have a demo unit.

powderific
May 13, 2004

Grimey Drawer
Are there any more affordable custom iem's? $700 for those nobles is well beyond anything I'd ever spend, but I may need to replace my Etymotic HF3's soon as the cables have started fraying. The custom molds I got through Etymotic are fabulous though and I can't see myself using iem's without a set. At the moment I'm leaning towards either just getting another set of HF3's or Er4's so I can use my existing inserts. I like the idea of something that's one integrated piece though. And it'd be cool to try something new.

Ultimate Mango
Jan 18, 2005

powderific posted:

Are there any more affordable custom iem's? $700 for those nobles is well beyond anything I'd ever spend, but I may need to replace my Etymotic HF3's soon as the cables have started fraying. The custom molds I got through Etymotic are fabulous though and I can't see myself using iem's without a set. At the moment I'm leaning towards either just getting another set of HF3's or Er4's so I can use my existing inserts. I like the idea of something that's one integrated piece though. And it'd be cool to try something new.

The custom iem comparison thread on head fi has lots of options. I wouldn't expect much under $300, but I could be mistaken. Getting custom tips for a universal iem is also an option, but then you basically have to buy both a custom tip and the whole iem.

If you like the feel of a custom try a Shure iem in your price range with their black olive tip. Isolated better than my custom and the pinnacle of comfort. I actually fit them just as deep if not deeper than my custom.

Replacing your existing ones may really be your best bet.

powderific
May 13, 2004

Grimey Drawer
Checked out the giant comparison thread on Head-Fi and got some ideas, but just discovered that Etymotic will sell you replacement sets at a pretty good discount if you send them your broken set. Upgrading to the ER4S would be $180 that way. Not too bad since my HF3 custom sleeves are in perfect shape and fit the ER4. I'm a bit worried that wearing the cords over the ear won't work with the ER4S since they stick out so far though.

I've tried those Shure tips and they just don't work well for me :( Until the ACS custom sleeves on the HF3 I'd never been able to wear any IEM more than 15 minutes at a time.

Ultimate Mango
Jan 18, 2005

powderific posted:

Checked out the giant comparison thread on Head-Fi and got some ideas, but just discovered that Etymotic will sell you replacement sets at a pretty good discount if you send them your broken set. Upgrading to the ER4S would be $180 that way. Not too bad since my HF3 custom sleeves are in perfect shape and fit the ER4. I'm a bit worried that wearing the cords over the ear won't work with the ER4S since they stick out so far though.

I've tried those Shure tips and they just don't work well for me :( Until the ACS custom sleeves on the HF3 I'd never been able to wear any IEM more than 15 minutes at a time.

Well there you go, sounds like a great solution. If you like the Ety sound, jump all over this.

Incredulous Dylan
Oct 22, 2004

Fun Shoe
I went on a vacation to the USVI for two weeks, so I set my buddy up with my Xonar Essence in his PC and lent him the HD 800s. When I came back he was unshaven and had dark circles around his eyes and talked for two hours about all of the music he stayed up to listen to, hah. I don't have any amps besides my media center stuff to compare these on but the Xonar Essence easily drives them and excels at a faithful reproduction of the sound. Combined with the HD 800s, you just get a really excellent representation of the mix. It would be interesting to go to a Head FI meet up and see how the amp Sennheiser made for the HD 800s stacks up, though...

eddiewalker
Apr 28, 2004

Arrrr ye landlubber
I spent $300 on "Alien Ears" dual driver model plus $30 on professional impressions and they've held up great flying with them weekly for 4 years.

Their website is completely stupid, and the IEMs don't look quite as polished some of the big guns, but the cheap options are pretty limited and I had a hard time spending big bucks on something with zero resale value.

Josh Lyman
May 24, 2009


Josh Lyman posted:

DT990 Pro's came in today. I got them from Amazon so I have what basically amounts to a 21-day or so in-home trial.

Initial impressions: fit isn't as comfortable as my HD 580's but that's probably because the band is still a bit stiff. Sound wise, there's definitely more bass punch, which was my motivation for ordering them in the first place, but there's a distinct difference in how the two headphones treat higher frequencies. While listening to Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Summer concerto, Presto movement, the violins have a more muted sound with the DT990's whereas they're, for lack of a better term, screechier with the HD 580's, though not in a bad way. In fact, it practically makes the DT990's sound muddy.

This difference is probably better characterized when talking about female vocals. When listening to Norah Jones' Don't Know Why with the DT990's, it sounds like I'm listening to headphones, whereas with the HD 580's, it sounds like I'm listening to her sing in person. Same thing with Adele's Someone Like You from Live at Royal Albert Hall.

Whether or not you thinking burning in is real, I guess we'll see over the next few weeks. But so far, I'm not entirely sold on the DT990's. I may just be used to the Sennheiser sound, in which case I guess I'll have to hope I can get HD 650's for a decent price at some point.

edit: v Yeah, it's like $6 or 7, which IMO is more than fair for in-home testing.
As a follow-up, I found a guy on Head-Fi who was selling barely used HD 650's for $300, except he wanted check or money order. Ok buddy. :rolleyes:

Lo and behold, the HD 650 was available on Sennheiser's website for $272 shipped this morning but the deal was killed after less than an hour. Got order receipt and confirmation emails. Let's hope it ships! :ohdear:

Tactical Lesbian
Mar 31, 2012

Josh Lyman posted:

As a follow-up, I found a guy on Head-Fi who was selling barely used HD 650's for $300, except he wanted check or money order. Ok buddy. :rolleyes:

Lo and behold, the HD 650 was available on Sennheiser's website for $272 shipped this morning but the deal was killed after less than an hour. Got order receipt and confirmation emails. Let's hope it ships! :ohdear:

I saw that deal! If I hadn't just bought my Beyerdynamics and a new amp I'd have jumped on it. Also I'm really thinking about getting that Sony SmartWatch 2 in conjuction with my helmet bluetooth intercom for ultimate motorcycle swagger.

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

Tactical Lesbian posted:

I saw that deal! If I hadn't just bought my Beyerdynamics and a new amp I'd have jumped on it. Also I'm really thinking about getting that Sony SmartWatch 2 in conjuction with my helmet bluetooth intercom for ultimate motorcycle swagger.

Don't. It's pretty much a given at this point that Apple and Google are both working on their own versions of a smartwatch for release at some point in the near future. You can bet money that either of them is gonna be a way better product than the Sony.

Tactical Lesbian
Mar 31, 2012

Electric Bugaloo posted:

Don't. It's pretty much a given at this point that Apple and Google are both working on their own versions of a smartwatch for release at some point in the near future. You can bet money that either of them is gonna be a way better product than the Sony.

Well Samsung released theirs and it's pretty feature-packed, but it's also HUGE! I have small wrists so it's even worse. Also you can bet your rear end those versions are going to be much more expensive, especially the Apple. Though I bet they'd have the best design. I really only need something small/sleek that I can wear when I'm on my bike to see who is calling me, or to be able to read a text at a stoplight etc.

guppy
Sep 21, 2004

sting like a byob
My parents are going to be spending something like 36 hours on airplanes and asked me if I knew of any good noise-cancelling IEMs. I don't know if that's even a thing outside of Bose and they don't want to pay the $300 or whatever that Bose is asking. I'm guessing it's not possible to satisfy all of these criteria but are there any acceptable noise-cancelling IEMs at or below an $80 price point?

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

Tactical Lesbian posted:

Well Samsung released theirs and it's pretty feature-packed, but it's also HUGE! I have small wrists so it's even worse. Also you can bet your rear end those versions are going to be much more expensive, especially the Apple. Though I bet they'd have the best design. I really only need something small/sleek that I can wear when I'm on my bike to see who is calling me, or to be able to read a text at a stoplight etc.

Yeah, but Samsung's was half-baked garbage that was rushed out, so I wouldn't use that as an indication for what the future holds. And unless it were 2007, I don't think Apple's would be "way more expensive." I mean, within the world of tablets/phones, Apple's prices are pretty much competitive with everyone else's.

Anyway, have you looked at the Pebble smartwatch? That one seems to do everything you want, while being sleek/small, and it costs $150.

Also, this is kinda turning into a derail, so all I'm gonna say about it is that it's apparently pretty good.

eddiewalker
Apr 28, 2004

Arrrr ye landlubber

guppy posted:

My parents are going to be spending something like 36 hours on airplanes and asked me if I knew of any good noise-cancelling IEMs. I don't know if that's even a thing outside of Bose and they don't want to pay the $300 or whatever that Bose is asking. I'm guessing it's not possible to satisfy all of these criteria but are there any acceptable noise-cancelling IEMs at or below an $80 price point?

Pretty much all IEMs that fit well are as noise "blocking" as earplugs and that's really what you want on a plane. Even at the lowest volume my phone can output, if there's anything playing, I can't hear anything. Even the flight attendant talking right in my face.

guppy
Sep 21, 2004

sting like a byob

eddiewalker posted:

Pretty much all IEMs that fit well are as noise "blocking" as earplugs and that's really what you want on a plane. Even at the lowest volume my phone can output, if there's anything playing, I can't hear anything. Even the flight attendant talking right in my face.

The goal is specifically engine noise.

Ultimate Mango
Jan 18, 2005

guppy posted:

The goal is specifically engine noise.

Well fitting iems with the right tips (which specifically vary by person) will block out pretty much everything, including engine noise. Bone conduction will still happen if you rest your head against something like the wall of the plane but it is true that with good tips and even a little. USC or something you basically can't hear anything.

trilobite terror
Oct 20, 2007
BUT MY LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FORUMS!

It depends on how cheap you wanna go, but sealing is probably the easiest part of the affair with IEMs. Hell, a $15 pair of Meelectronic M6 will seal fantastically well if you use the right tips. I have a set of M6Ps (M6 with an inline mic/remote- $25 on Amazon) that I used last week while I was helping my dad with yardwork. I used the triple-flange tips they came with and I was able to comfortably keep my iPhone at ~50% volume while using a leaf blower.

The sound quality on the M6 is only ok (I'd rank it a little lower than the Apple Earpods that debuted with the iPhone 5), but that might be fine if you're looking for some cheap "travel only" 'phones.

And if IEMs are too uncomfortable, there are plenty of over-ear options too that don't require any gimmicky active noise-cancelling biz. The Audio Technica M-50 (~$140 on Amazon) sound fantastic for the price (way better than any of the overpriced crap Bose makes), fold up, are built like tanks, and provide more than enough passive isolation for a plane/car/bus ride.

grack
Jan 10, 2012

COACH TOTORO SAY REFEREE CAN BANISH WHISTLE TO LAND OF WIND AND GHOSTS!

guppy posted:

The goal is specifically engine noise.

This doesn't change anything at all. There's a reason why there are so few noise cancelling IEMs on the market, they really don't provide much of a benefit.

Paradox Personified
Mar 15, 2010

:sun: SoroScrew :sun:
So my Yamaha EPH-100s came in today, the left audio channel was totally out and the right audio sounded like a loving pair of those iPhone pieces of poo poo... look, do they sound tinny and bass-less even when working properly, and even with the equalizer jacked up like crazy? I'm just tired of the constant pain from over-ear sets, and the last over-ear I had was a Nady brand, QH560, and its online presence was nothing compared to the glowing four and five-star reviews these Yamahas get- and the sound from the Nady set was still better, the bass I could reach with those was amazing. For further comparison, last IEM I had which caused me to fall in love with the design was a Sennheiser brand (a couple of CX500s) and it didn't even sound this bad.
When I get the replacement from Amazon, should I expect iPhone-headphone quality again from those Yamaha EPH-100s?

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Yuns
Aug 19, 2000

There is an idea of a Yuns, some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me, only an entity, something illusory, and though I can hide my cold gaze and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable: I simply am not there.
I don't have any experience with the EPH-100s but I am very curious about the condition you got them in. Was there any indication that they might be counterfeits? Were they purchased from Amazon or through another vendor on Amazon?

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