Let's Talk Headphones IV: Should I get Beats? Do I need Noise Cancelling?

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Let's Talk Headphones IV: Should I get Beats? Do I need Noise Cancelling?

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

Has anyone listened to both the Westone 4r's and the Earsonics SM64's?

Which one did you like the sound of more?

# ¿ Aug 7, 2013 13:38

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# ¿ Apr 24, 2024 12:21

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

The Westone 4rs were recently on sale so I picked a pair up for $325.

I'm mostly very happy with them but it's taking some time to get used to them compared to the Sennheiser IE8s I had before.

The IE8s were very bassy and tended to colour the whatever you listened to. I've always tended use a V shape on my EQ so they sounded really good to me, although not very accurate.

Coming from that to the Westone 4rs is a huge shock. They're the first headphones I've used that really don't seem to benefit from EQing at all. Whacking up the bass and treble like I used to makes them sound very unusual and harsh. They don't lack anything at all but my brain keeps saying, 'WHERE'S THE OOMPH?!'

They're not nearly as fun as the IE8s but I'm finding they really reward close listening. Sometimes you'll hear an instrument and turn round, thinking it's in the same room as you. Guitars and vocals sound so drat good. Much much sweeter than the Sennheisers.

It's so strange though, having programmed yourself to listen to music in a certain way for years, having to change those habits can be really tough. My basic problem right now is that I don't even know what midrange sounds like... but these headphones are teaching me!

The other thing I've noticed is that some albums sound like poo poo when they used to sound ok on the 'fun' headphones. Jose Gonzalez's album, In Our Nature sounds like it was recorded in his carpeted living room.

Spermanent Record fucked around with this message at 10:08 on Sep 3, 2013

# ¿ Sep 3, 2013 10:05

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

Yeah I find balanced armatures a little bit...I don't know, clinical? They seem to do everything really well but they don't give things that extra wow that dynamic drivers do.

Then you find a track where the vocals and instrumentation just kicks you square in the face with their incredible clarity and sweetness and you wonder what you were missing in the first place.

I paired them with a Fiio E17 and I have to say it's made an incredible difference coming from the standard Realtek audio output. My Ath-A900's sounded incredibly wimpy coming out of the PC before - I actually prefer the sound of the E17 to my unamped Cowon-D2.

Spermanent Record fucked around with this message at 15:44 on Sep 3, 2013

# ¿ Sep 3, 2013 15:39

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

Skim Milk posted:

I just ordered a pair of Shure SE215s, I'll let you all know how that goes. I had a pair of Etymotic ER-6is years ago and loved them but I'm looking for something a little more casual. I'm curious to see how the Shure's compare to my HD650s, AKG K702s and Denon D2000s. From what I've read, the Shures have a sound in the same vein of those headphones.

I don't want to be rude but I demoed the Shure 215s the other week and thought they sounded like warmed up balls.

I put them side by side with the Yamaha EPH-100 which cost about the same and they just blew them away in terms of clarity and separation. Even my wife's $60 UE600 sound better.

Edit, they get good reviews though, so who knows, maybe the pair I tested were worn out.

Spermanent Record fucked around with this message at 07:34 on Sep 5, 2013

# ¿ Sep 4, 2013 08:36

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

Hi, apologies if this has come up before.

I'm looking for a pair of bluetooth headphones and have settled on either the AKG Y50BT or the Audio Technica ATH-SR5BTBK.

I currently have a pair of 10 year old ATH-A900s, which are approaching the end of their life, and my beloved Westone 4Rs, which I hope will last forever.

My question is, coming from Westone IEMs, will I be disappointed by the sound quality of a pair of bluetooth headphones? I'm planning on using them more for use around the house and watching movies with my wife when my son is asleep but if I'm better off sticking with wires and going for a headphone splitter then I'd be open to that.

# ¿ Aug 21, 2016 01:49

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

grack posted:

Yes, and it will probably take a few years before bluetooth is on par with wired alternatives.

I owe my wife a nice present and I was a on a time limit so I bought 2 pairs of Audio Technica ATH-SR5BTs. I'll report back.

# ¿ Aug 22, 2016 19:30

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

Trip report on the ATH-BT07.

Listening to V0 and FLAC over Bluetooth.

I'll just get it out the way now. They don't compare at all to the full immersion that good IEMs or over the ear cans provide. But they are extremely pleasant and sound very different to anything else I've heard before.

Vocals are very sweet, the highs are very crisp indeed. The bass isn't low, as some reviews have said; in fact it's really great, but it's not bloated or extended beyond what the song demands. I listen to a lot of electronic music and the bass is as punchy as I could ask for.

I've only just started on these headphones but I'm happy with my purchase. I've got a pair of a900s and Westone 4rs at home and I think these complement them perfectly. The 900s are big, loud and fun. The Westones are incomparable, for me at least; better than any full size headphone I've used. They have a very different sound to the ATH-BT07s. I'm not good with audio descriptions but I'd say the if Westones sound like real life then the ATs sound very precise, computerized reproduction. They have a clarity that I don't get on my other cans which makes them a nice alternative.

Sorry for the wine/audio tasting descriptions, just tying to get the differences across.

# ¿ Aug 24, 2016 00:09

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

I like the ATHSR5BTs a lot, not sure how they compare to other BT headphones but they sound good to me.

# ¿ Sep 5, 2016 11:23

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

Endless Mike posted:

I honestly didn't know people ever listened to their TV on headphones except for people playing video games online.

I didn't until I had a child who sleeps within hearing range of the living room.

# ¿ Sep 6, 2016 14:19

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

Edit : Let's try this again.

Budget - $200-$300
Source - PC/DAC/Phone
Isolation Requirements - Enough to use on the bus.
Preferred Type of Headphone - IEM. I'd consider a pair of closed cans if they really isolated well.
Preferred Tonal Balance - Not sure but I've used and loved the Sennheiser IE8 and Westone 4, ATH-A900
Past Headphones - I've used and loved the Sennheiser IE8 and Westone 4, ATH-A900
Preferred Music - Techno, Classical, Indie, Jazz, Folk, Choral, Musicals - anything really. I need bass though.

I just lost my Westone 4s and I'm super sad that I can't just buy them again for about 300bux like I did last time.

I've been thinking about the Sony Mdr-ex800st, Sennheiser IE80s now they're cheaper, or maybe some crazy Chinese thing.

Has anyone had any experience with these?

TONEKING MusicMaker SHOCKWAVE III 5 driver IEM

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/201...c9-be77ec120f5f

Head-Fi seems to like them but I'm still wary of spending loads on Aliexpress.

Spermanent Record fucked around with this message at 14:41 on May 10, 2017

# ¿ May 10, 2017 14:33

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

grack posted:

I've had a chance to demo the Shockwave IIIs, they are fantastic headphones and if you liked the IE8s you'll probably like them. Of course, if you get a dud or you can't get a good fit it's going to be a massive PITA to get them replaced. You could also try and find a used set of Westone 4s off of Head-Fi.

If i can buy the ie8s for the same price, should i just do that? Are they actually better?

# ¿ May 11, 2017 01:26

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

grack posted:

The Shockwaves are better.

Thanks! I guess I'll try them!

# ¿ May 11, 2017 01:42

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

I've been reading a bit more about Chi-Fi Headphones and the three that are standing out for me right now are

Shockwave III ($230)

LZ-A4 ($195)

Magaosi K3 Pro ($110)

Does anyone have any thoughts on those three? The Head-fi threads can be a bit hypey.

# ¿ May 18, 2017 06:27

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

Does anyone have any thoughts about the Sony XBA-N3APs?

# ¿ May 29, 2017 10:35

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

I've not spent a lot of time with them yet but my Sony XBA-N3APs arrived today and I'm very impressed. They're much clearer than my old Sennheiser IE8s, with a deeper, richer bass, and better mids. They're much more satisfying and musical than the Westone 4Rs that I've spent the last 5 years listening to. Gorgeous IEMS. I recommend them.

# ¿ Jun 7, 2017 16:55

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

How stupid would I be if I bought the Samsung Gear Icon X 2018?

I know they're dumb and expensive but they look really cool and I'd like something ultralight for my long bike path commute.

# ¿ Nov 28, 2017 02:59

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

priznat posted:

Hey all, I’ve been a happy BeatsX owner for the past year up until one of the buds stopped working intermittently this weekend and it is really frigging annoying. Of course it has been just over a year (bought on feb 10, 2017) so no more warranty.

Is it reasonable to expect earbuds in this price range to just crap out from a year of pretty much daily office use? Can’t decide if I should look for something new, get a new pair or send these in for “repair” for about 2/3 the cost of new (which is really just like getting a new pair, but delayed, plus ship hassle).

They’ve been great otherwise and I have had no complaints over the past year. Surprised that there are not any new compelling options in the time since I got them, maybe the Sennheiser HD1 Free but those are a lot more money.

Don't buy expensive headphones that don't have replaceable cables.

# ¿ Feb 12, 2018 08:24

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

Has anyone ever listened to the Sony N3AP in-ear headphones? Because I think people should do that more often.

# ¿ Apr 10, 2018 13:55

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

redeyes posted:

Any recommendations on a pair of IEMs with really good bass response, flatish mids, non-piercing highs? Ive got 4 pairs of Velodyne Vpulse and they rock but are made like poo poo and die eventually. I've tried a bunch of other good-rated IEMs and their bass response is sad compared to the vpulse. I don't mean BASSHEAD OMG nothing but bass type tuning, more just something that can dip down to subwoofer lows with no effort.

https://www.amazon.com/SONY-XBA-N3AP-Stereo-In-ear-Headphones/dp/B01MF4HU0Z

# ¿ Apr 16, 2018 13:17

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

redeyes posted:

Well jesus, I believe you. Very affordable IEMs.

These are end game for me. Best sound I've had at any size or price range. There may be better elsewhere but my ears are probably too old to tell now anyway. If these break I'll just get another pair. They loving sing.

The bass is like having a proper sub in your head. They don't drown out the rest of the range AT ALL but it's super powerful. Makes my old Westone 4rs sound like dogshit, although they did have a slightly better stage and mid-range.

Spermanent Record fucked around with this message at 03:38 on Apr 17, 2018

# ¿ Apr 17, 2018 03:35

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# ¿ Apr 24, 2024 12:21

Spermanent Record: Mar 28, 2007; I interviewed a NK escapee who came to my school and made a thread. Then life got in the way and the translation had to be postponed. I did finish it in the end, but nobody is going to pay 10 bux to update my.avatar

emanresu tnuocca posted:

Are there any True Wireless headphones other than the AirPods which aren't complete garbage?

Facebook keeps targetting me with the EOZ Air KickStarter campaign and the specs do look good but I just don't know, never heard of this company, is there any good AirPod alternative here? Is it even worth paying 5 times the price just to get rid of one additional cable?

The Jabra ones, elite active and 65t seem to be the only ones worth a drat.

Jabra were/are selling refurbished Elite Sports directly on eBay for $99. Mine are arriving tomorrow or Mon so I'll give you a trip report soon.

Edit : Holy poo poo they're 80bux now!

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Jabra-Elite-...d=1689851674006

Spermanent Record fucked around with this message at 14:17 on Apr 20, 2018

# ¿ Apr 20, 2018 14:13

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > Let's Talk Headphones IV: Should I get Beats? Do I need Noise Cancelling?