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Dr. Fishopolis posted:actually yknow what people need to own KPH30i and I'm gonna post about it I was looking for something to replace my headphones I use for my work laptop, and this would fit the bill except I hate in-line volume control and poo poo. I see they make a KPH8 without it, but it has less hertz and less ohms. I know what the hertz are, but I don't know what ohms mean. Anyway, my needs are: Budget - Less than $100, preferably less than $50. Source - Laptop Preferred Type of Headphone - Over or on the ear Use: Work stuff. Meetings, and watching YouTube videos to pretend I know how to do my job. Want: No in-line volume controls or fancy crap like this. Wired connection (1/8th inch or whatever a normal jack is called). Comfortable enough to wear for hours. Portability might be nice if I continue to use this whenever I eventually go back to the office. Very broad needs, I know, but I figured asking goons was better than a complete shot in the dark, since Target is selling $50 headphones I know I used to see at FYE for $20 ten years ago right next to $350 stuff.
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Apr 12, 2021 22:23
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Magnetic North posted:I was looking for something to replace my headphones I use for my work laptop, and this would fit the bill except I hate in-line volume control and poo poo. I see they make a KPH8 without it, but it has less hertz and less ohms. I know what the hertz are, but I don't know what ohms mean. In that case get the Porta Pro classic version, which sound incredibly similar to the KPH30i, but don't have an inline mic. I personally prefer them with the Yaxi Pad replacement earpads (another $12), but that might just be due to the fact that I've got a massive head and Yaxis are bigger and plusher than the stock pads.
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Apr 12, 2021 23:09
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the inline mic on the KPH30i is completely unnoticeable in practice, in that I've had a pair for about seven months that i use 4-5 times a week and until your post didn't realize it had one i've got the yaxis and they're fantastic replacements but getting them on the KPH30is is reaaaaally tricky; I ended up snapping a couple of the plastic tabs on one ear piece which has resulted in some tape repairs. can't complain too much for like $20 though, these things sound amazing and honestly I don't know why I still read this thread when every time someone posts about their new amazing headphones my first thought is "yeah but are they really gonna sound that much better than these $20 headphones that sound better than anything I've ever owned before" abraham linksys fucked around with this message at 23:17 on Apr 12, 2021 |
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Apr 12, 2021 23:14
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I can also vouch for a set of Portapros. I got 2 pairs for $20 each last Black Friday, but even at $50 they're a great buy.
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Apr 12, 2021 23:39
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Portapros are great, KSC75s are great, but the kph are the most comfy by far imho Why no inline mic? It's pretty unobtrusive.
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Apr 13, 2021 00:12
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hmm, I think I'll pick up some PortaPros since I'm gonna finally be traveling a bit again in a few months and while I love the KPHs I would be terrified to take them out of the house because they absolutely seem like they'd snap at the smallest force
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Apr 13, 2021 00:13
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DancingShade posted:Give this a go: Don't plug your USB DAC direct into your computer. Wait bear with me here. Plug it into an AC powered USB hub (not a USB powered one). Then connect that hub to your PC. No luck.  I took the opportunity to reroute all my cables too to try and get everything that I could feasibly reroute out of the way and it has not improved the issue. The usb cable for the amp's DAC is shielded too, so I don't know how much more I could do to get EMI out of the picture.The USB hub's AC plug isn't grounded - but a grounded AC plug isn't a feature I could find on any of the hubs I was able to find. Edit: Gotta say, the effect this has on the Discord notification sound especially is wretched. Horrible distortion in the right channel, exactly the same way every time. Really want to say this is a defective product from Schiit. Saturnine Aberrance fucked around with this message at 01:56 on Apr 13, 2021 |
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Apr 13, 2021 01:46
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Needed a pair of inexpensive IEMs for exercising and decided to go with the Moondrop Starfields. Pretty excited to try them out. Anyone else ever had a listen to these?
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Apr 13, 2021 04:19
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Lil Swamp Booger Baby posted:Needed a pair of inexpensive IEMs for exercising and decided to go with the Moondrop Starfields. Pretty excited to try them out. Anyone else ever had a listen to these? I have the KXXS which are a more or less identical precursor and aside from subjective sound impressions I have issues with how heavy they are and how insecurely they fit given their very short nozzles; fit is very much YMMV but for me they'd slowly work loose over time just sitting in the office, with more walking around just making it happen faster. If you have a collection of tips that work well for you this may also never be an issue. The OG Galaxy Buds sound about the same and in my experience fit much better and more securely, if you end up still in need of workout IEMs. That said, the chunky metal shells do feel good, they're much nicer than most comparably priced plastic IEMs, and the two pin connector makes finding cheap nicer cables easy so if the fit works you'll probably be quite happy for what you paid. Yuns posted:Thanks for all the information. I was also interested on the Arya and the Focal Clear especially since reviewers like Crinacle like them but the Amir reviews on ASR made me pretty wary of Clear and the most recent review of the Ananda on ASR was not good. Looks like you've since jumped on an Arya opportunity, but since I've posted a bunch of links to ASR in this thread figure I should point out that while ASR has been a tremendously useful resource for source gear--they've changed the little industry over the last several years--Amir is basically deaf from listening at over 100dB and doesn't really know poo poo about headphones and measuring them. Amir's headphone reviews have turned into a recurring circus of drama because his headphone reviews and measurements are basically a meme. For what it's worth since you also mentioned missing Tyll, he loved the Clears and considered them the safest $1k+ recommendation. When he retired to the van life the headphones he took with him were a pair of Clears. They good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOSXKhciz6Y Wheeee fucked around with this message at 06:43 on Apr 13, 2021 |
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Apr 13, 2021 06:33
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Wheeee posted:I have the KXXS which are a more or less identical precursor and aside from subjective sound impressions I have issues with how heavy they are and how insecurely they fit given their very short nozzles; fit is very much YMMV but for me they'd slowly work loose over time just sitting in the office, with more walking around just making it happen faster. If you have a collection of tips that work well for you this may also never be an issue. The OG Galaxy Buds sound about the same and in my experience fit much better and more securely, if you end up still in need of workout IEMs. I'm lucky in that my ears have always taken to holding in IEMs well. Have some foam and silicone tips from other pairs that run the gamut and I think with some foams I'll hopefully be okay despite the weight while exercising. Also I have to reiterate for people in this thread that are looking for endgame options that the Clears can easily be found for close to just $1k now because the MGs are out. That's virtually a third of the MSRP slashed off. It's an incredibly good deal for some of the best headphones you can get. If you don't care about not having the updated MG version then it's an absolute steal.
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Apr 13, 2021 06:54
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Wheeee posted:Looks like you've since jumped on an Arya opportunity, but since I've posted a bunch of links to ASR in this thread figure I should point out that while ASR has been a tremendously useful resource for source gear--they've changed the little industry over the last several years--Amir is basically deaf from listening at over 100dB and doesn't really know poo poo about headphones and measuring them. Amir's headphone reviews have turned into a recurring circus of drama because his headphone reviews and measurements are basically a meme.
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Apr 13, 2021 07:20
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Yuns posted:Thanks for that info. I had suspected that Amir had testing equipment/sealing issues since some of his graphs looked to me like test rig issues compared to data from other testers so I was taking his reviews with a grain of salt. His eq of the Clears seemed overly aggressive. I'm dismayed that he can't take constructive criticism in this area. Crinacle is my favorite active reviewer although he has his own strong biases. I can at least figure out whether I might like a headphone/IEM from Crinacle's data and descriptions. My Hidition Viento B's are still my favorite and sound absolutely wonderful even without eq. How do high end IEMs compare to headphones? I know there are some signifigant differences in sound staging but I'm wondering if there are distinct benefits to them (besides great isolation and noise cancelation). The Moondrop Starfields will be the first IEMs I've bought that are over $50 and for the express purpose of music versus audiobooks and YouTube as before. Wondering if I should consider getting some high end IEMs as a contrast to my current collection. The Campfire Andromedas have been on my mind for awhile.
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Apr 13, 2021 07:35
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My poor AKG headphones have fallen apart and I'm in desperate need of new ones. I want something a bit nicer this time as I never had anything better than Tinhifi T2. Budget: 150 - 300 euro. Source: right now I only have Apple Dongle and old Steelseries USB sound card Preferred Type of Headphone: Over the ear Use: Youtube, digital streaming services (music/video), nothing too fancy Want: Wired, open-back, durable, comfortable for at least a movie duration. They wont leave the house so don't have to be portable. I went through some reviews in that price range but there are quite a lot to choose from. My ideas are Sennheiser 560S on the lower end and Hifiman Sundara on the higher end, but I'm open for any suggestions in that price range. I just don't know enough about headphones to be able to tell if those can be used with the dongles I have? I plan to buy a small headphone amp down the road but would I be able to use the headphones in the meantime?
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Apr 13, 2021 07:53
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Lil Swamp Booger Baby posted:How do high end IEMs compare to headphones? I know there are some signifigant differences in sound staging but I'm wondering if there are distinct benefits to them (besides great isolation and noise cancelation). Unrelated side note but this is a fun track to test soundstage and imaging for headphones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CuJqtNdcJU Yuns fucked around with this message at 13:29 on Apr 13, 2021 |
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Apr 13, 2021 13:25
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Budget - $150-300 Source - iPhone Isolation Requirements - Closed for subway listening Preferred Type of Headphone - circumaural Preferred Tonal Balance - I think I like crisper, cleaner tones Past Headphones - Audio technica MX50 Preferred Music - Radiohead, Vampire Weekend, St. Vincent, hip hop, that sorta thing So I'm like, basically completely done with buying converters to the current gen iphone jacks and having them burn out a month later. Like I've probably spent close to a good pair of headphones on the things. So I think bluetooth is probably the best solution? Unless there's something I don't know about, which is extremely believable. Thanks!
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Apr 13, 2021 17:59
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If you like the AT M50xs they do a bluetooth version of those.
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Apr 13, 2021 18:10
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Luegene Cards posted:Budget - $150-300 Youre within range of the beloved Sony WH-1000XM4 when they go on discount, they should hit all of your checkboxes. Theyre $350 full price.
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Apr 13, 2021 18:18
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they're currently $200 refurb and I've been eyeing them; dunno how trustworthy the seller is though but hey it says "certified" right there https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_od...d=10001&mkevt=1
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Apr 13, 2021 18:53
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Just got the Arya. They are very comfortable. The ear cup shape is perfect for me whereas the round shape of the Audio Technica hits the top and bottom of my ear. I have't had a chance to do a sighted A/B of the headphones but while the bass of the R70x looks stronger on paper it definitely sounds cleaner and more detailed on the Arya. My only complaint so far about the Arya is that they leak sound like crazy. The R70x is an open back but don't leak sound nearly as bad as the Arya do. This isn't really a factor for my home office but it is notable.
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Apr 13, 2021 20:51
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Yuns posted:Soundstage is smaller; there is less of that wide open feel BUT the detail and tuning are really beautiful and the isolation is great. I absolutely love the Hiditions. I find them much more clear than my B&W P7 and ATH-R70x headphones (though they should be at more than 3 times as much) I've heard that the Andromeda's need a good amp. They apparently are really sensitive and will hiss with a lot of headphone amps. You might try something like the well regarded Blessing 2 first before committing to a higher end IEM to see if you like decent IEMs at all. I have a THX 789 which specifically has an extra low gain especially for IEMs, so thankfully I'm somewhat future proofed in that case.
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Apr 14, 2021 02:12
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Lil Swamp Booger Baby posted:I have a THX 789 which specifically has an extra low gain especially for IEMs, so thankfully I'm somewhat future proofed in that case. I'm really really happy with my current set up now. This is my unnecessarily complicated desktop system in diagram form. I don't foresee upgrading anything other than maybe demoing some additional headphones.  My portable set up is just a Astell & Kern SR25 and the Hidition Viento B. (Samsung Galaxy Pro for the gym) Yuns fucked around with this message at 02:41 on Apr 14, 2021 |
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Apr 14, 2021 02:38
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Thank you so much for the info! I'm definitely going to get either the sony's or the audio technicas, just a matter of how much I decide I should treat myself!
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Apr 14, 2021 02:41
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Given that I haven't been able to solve this distortion problem with my Asgard 3, any thoughts on which of these options to replace it? - Monolith DAC/Amp (Dual AKM 4993s and AAA-788s) - Modius / Magnius - Keep the Asgard and add a Modius - Something else entirely The distortion in the right channel is just too much. My Hel 1 gets me universally better audio as things stand - but I'm wanting to use it in a different place given the option.
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Apr 14, 2021 14:20
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Have you tried to get Schiit to fix the Asgard 3? That'd be my first move.
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Apr 14, 2021 15:17
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Zorak of Michigan posted:Have you tried to get Schiit to fix the Asgard 3? That'd be my first move. Working on that too. I sent them a support message a couple days ago but they are being very slow with responding, and I'm getting antsy as I get close to the 15 day refund deadline. The thing I'm worried about with a repair is that they'll dismiss it as a ground loop. Definitely on my list though.
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Apr 14, 2021 15:48
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I'd go with the monolith dac/amp, but if you don't need balanced I'd get that One amp from drop and a decent separate dac like a topping D10s or whatever, save yourself like $200. e: also return that schiit! don't bother with repairs inside the return window!
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Apr 14, 2021 15:54
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Shame the Grace Design Balanced DAC is out of stock on Drop because that is straight up one of, if not THE, most inexpensive Balanced DACs you can get. It is extraordinarily low key as far as features and design goes but it measures well and comes in a metal enclosure instead of plastic so it was good enough for me. Combine that with the THX 789 and you've got the 788 for slightly cheaper basically, lol.
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Apr 14, 2021 17:06
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Gunder posted:Edit: Should I be controlling the volume levels via the headphone amp itself, or is it okay to make changes with the media keys on my keyboard? It's slightly more comfortable to do it via the keyboard. For reference, I have the volume set to about 80% in windows, and the amp at around 45%. In theory for the best quality you want your volume control happening in the analog realm. Doing it digitally (with the PC volume control) means that you're giving up dynamic range the more you turn it down. You may have noticed some devices actually disable their built in volume controls when outputting a digital audio stream over S/PDIF or HDMI, that's partially for exactly this reason (also because digital volume control on Dolby/DTS signals would require decoding and re-encoding). That said, if you can't tell the difference I wouldn't worry about it. I 100% agree on the convenience/comfort aspect and do the same for the most part.
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Apr 14, 2021 17:21
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Lil Swamp Booger Baby posted:Shame the Grace Design Balanced DAC is out of stock on Drop because that is straight up one of, if not THE, most inexpensive Balanced DACs you can get. It is extraordinarily low key as far as features and design goes but it measures well and comes in a metal enclosure instead of plastic so it was good enough for me. I'm actually considering getting that as soon as it is back in stock. I just bought the xduoo TA20 amp from Drop and would like a balanced DAC.
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Apr 14, 2021 17:34
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wolrah posted:In theory for the best quality you want your volume control happening in the analog realm. Doing it digitally (with the PC volume control) means that you're giving up dynamic range the more you turn it down. You may have noticed some devices actually disable their built in volume controls when outputting a digital audio stream over S/PDIF or HDMI, that's partially for exactly this reason (also because digital volume control on Dolby/DTS signals would require decoding and re-encoding). Good digital attenuation beats an analog pot all day long. No tracking issues, no oxidation, no channel imbalances. "rme" posted:Analog volume control has a (theoretical) advantage in only one point, namely the maximum signal to noise ratio at a higher level reduction. In reality, current circuitry overturns the theory, and the SNR at the output of such a device is no better than that of a digitally controlled one. This is even more true the better the DA converter works and the less noise it has. The best approach is a balance of both. Keep your digital level low enough that you can do most of your listening with the analog knob in the top 75% of its range. eddiewalker fucked around with this message at 18:10 on Apr 14, 2021 |
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Apr 14, 2021 18:00
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:e: also return that schiit! don't bother with repairs inside the return window! I tried to give them the time to answer the support request, but it seems like they're content waiting out the return window; so return submitted.
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Apr 14, 2021 18:27
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Lil Swamp Booger Baby posted:Combine that with the THX 789 and you've got the 788 for slightly cheaper basically, lol. you could go even cheaper since the 789 isn't actually balanced, you'd get no benefit from a balanced dac anyway.
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Apr 14, 2021 18:35
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If you want to test the Monolith, mine is gathering dust so can I ship it out for a long term test if you cover shipping back to me when you're done.
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Apr 14, 2021 19:00
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BLON released a new headphone called the BLON mini. They're $30.
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Apr 14, 2021 19:07
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I gotta say thus far the Moondrop Starfields are ridiculously good for the price. I like how "internal" IEM bass seems to feel, it's a totally different vibe than over ear.
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Apr 14, 2021 19:53
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That's great that you are enjoying them. IEMs are a deep rabbit hole and there are a lot of good ones with all different kinds of tuning and drivers etc.
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Apr 14, 2021 20:52
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Yuns posted:If you want to test the Monolith, mine is gathering dust so can I ship it out for a long term test if you cover shipping back to me when you're done. That's an excellent offer that I may just take you up on. Schiit's offered an exchange so we'll see if a different unit doesn't have the same issue. If I have no luck though I'll probably reach back out to you about that.
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Apr 14, 2021 21:51
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DancingShade posted:I always have my windows volume at 100% and moderate the volume down to an actual listeniable level using my amps. Depending on your source that can be a little too hot for a lot of line ins, so a lot of my devices are happiest at like ~80-90% and then volume attenuated with the amp. Dr. Fishopolis posted:actually yknow what people need to own KPH30i and I'm gonna post about it Yes. I love my beige/blue/red cheap headphones, theyre super rugged (cable aside) and easy to deal with in a way that the Portapros just arent. trilobite terror fucked around with this message at 22:14 on Apr 14, 2021 |
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Apr 14, 2021 22:11
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Does anyone have any experience with the Drop Panda Bluetooth headphones? I'm considering getting a pair for commuting. That or the AirPods Max.
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Apr 14, 2021 23:31
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I recently got some DT 770s. The combination of my hair and also my enormous head, they just barely fit, but also not at all. The best analogy I can think of for how they fit is when someone is wearing a button up shirt that is too small, but technically they have the buttons together. If I try to wear both cups, my earlobe falls out of them but I can also position it so the lobe can uncomfortably fold up inside. Is there any sorta quick hack to fix this somewhat? If I sorta of pinch the headphones downward, it fits perfectly, but on its own, nada. Should I just get different headphones altogether?
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Apr 15, 2021 19:49
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