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Helter Skelter posted:If you're willing to go with IEMs you can get a ton of mileage out of $20. My current beaters are a set of Moondrop Chus, but there are a number of other options in the same price range. sound-wise i like the 7hz zeros better since it has better bass but i like the cables and the fit of the chu more IIRC also every recent double-blind study on IEMs found SQ versus price has a very weak correlation at best so just start with the dirt cheap ones
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Jul 28, 2023 14:24
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Palladium posted:sound-wise i like the 7hz zeros better since it has better bass but i like the cables and the fit of the chu more The Chu 2 just came out with better bass and a removable cable at the same price, I think they're much more competitive now. and yeah that SQ vs price thing is skewing even cheaper now that you can get really good tuning for practically no money
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Jul 28, 2023 17:55
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:The really great sounding stuff under $50 is all IEMs, but the good news is that price point is getting a lot of love these days. kiwi ears cadenza, moondrop chu 2, crinacle zero red, or even just the good ol 7hz zero are all excellent. Update: ended up just going with the 7hz Salnotes Zero, unironically because the Chu 2 costing slightly less than the Chu 1 on Amazon made me vaguely anxious that I was getting ripped off somewhere. Haven't exactly put them through a ton of testing yet, but they definitely feel like a real step up from the random pack-in earbuds I was using before. Thanks for the recommendations, people.
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Jul 29, 2023 00:06
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I randomly found a pair of DT 770 Pro 80ohm in a electronics recycling drop-off at work. They work find, but smell like the previous owners cologne so I'm thinking of replacing the ear pads. Amazon has a bunch, but is there anything special I should be looking for?
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Jul 29, 2023 00:18
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BeastOfExmoor posted:I randomly found a pair of DT 770 Pro 80ohm in a electronics recycling drop-off at work. They work find, but smell like the previous owners cologne so I'm thinking of replacing the ear pads. Amazon has a bunch, but is there anything special I should be looking for? The DT 770s are by far the most comfortable headphones I've ever owned and the stock velour earpads are a bit part of the reason why. I would try throwing them in the laundry before condemning them entirely. They can survive a few washes before the adhesives start to break down. If you do have to replace them, I would just get another set of stock ones. They're a bit steep at $35, but I think they also come with the foam discs, which can also disintegrate over time.
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Jul 29, 2023 02:13
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:The Chu 2 just came out with better bass and a removable cable at the same price, I think they're much more competitive now. not headphones but i have heard a pair of $2000 Neumann KH120 II (now objectively the flattest FR 5 inch speaker) in a room corrected pro audio showroom. all the difference i heard with that over my $250 JBL 305Ps was only slightly more mids and slightly less treble when played at my comfortable 70dB listening volumes. certainly nothing that made me felt infinite veils lifted Palladium fucked around with this message at 02:42 on Jul 29, 2023 |
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Jul 29, 2023 02:38
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Lurks With Wolves posted:Update: ended up just going with the 7hz Salnotes Zero, unironically because the Chu 2 costing slightly less than the Chu 1 on Amazon made me vaguely anxious that I was getting ripped off somewhere. Haven't exactly put them through a ton of testing yet, but they definitely feel like a real step up from the random pack-in earbuds I was using before. Thanks for the recommendations, people. Honestly that might just be because the Chu got incredible levels of hype as the start of that brief rush of great $20 IEMs so resellers probably jacked their prices. Also looking at the Chu 2 on Shenzhen Audio I noticed Tin have put out what I'm pretty sure is the 7th iteration of the P1, its just sad at this point. Also even though I really don't need more IEMs the Tangzu Wan'er looks loving sick so I might get them just to go on a shelf. njsykora fucked around with this message at 03:04 on Jul 29, 2023 |
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Jul 29, 2023 03:02
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Zorilla posted:The DT 770s are by far the most comfortable headphones I've ever owned and the stock velour earpads are a bit part of the reason why. I would try throwing them in the laundry before condemning them entirely. They can survive a few washes before the adhesives start to break down. If you do have to replace them, I would just get another set of stock ones. They're a bit steep at $35, but I think they also come with the foam discs, which can also disintegrate over time. Oh, duh. I don't know why I didn't consider that. They're in good shape, so I'm sure that should work fine. Thanks!
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Jul 29, 2023 05:43
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I need some help. My pair of Etymotic Research HF3s that I every day carry are reaching their end (one of the wires poked a hole and the copper is fraying. I love these things, I got the first ones years ago on the recommendation of a previous thread and honestly can't stand any other IEM that doesn't really go in my freaking ear like these do. I have a malformed left ear so most of the "bud" style IEMs don't fit me. The HF3s are no longer in stock so I can't replace them, is there a good alternative that includes a microphone? Nothing on the Etymotic seems to indicate they make these anymore. Is there another brand doing the same in ear poo poo that Etymotic is? Edit: I see some brands that seem cheap like the isotunes that have a similar style. Any of these worth it? I'm okay going to Bluetooth (actually would probably prefer it) but not sure I want to spend more than $120ish. Mustache Ride fucked around with this message at 14:41 on Jul 29, 2023 |
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Jul 29, 2023 14:19
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Not really? I know some of Fiio's IEMs have come with triple flange tips but Etys are such a particular thing that I don't even know of any third party tips like them. I'd say try to find a third party cable for the ER2 that has a mic and get those if you find one. Else you might have to drop the mic requirement.
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Jul 29, 2023 14:47
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I have had a project ive been working on called 'Fat Earth' . I did a sound demo which the IEMs playing into the standard 711 coupler. Have a listen if you like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO8QFPPLGtU&t=90s
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Jul 29, 2023 15:15
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njsykora posted:Not really? I know some of Fiio's IEMs have come with triple flange tips but Etys are such a particular thing that I don't even know of any third party tips like them. I'd say try to find a third party cable for the ER2 that has a mic and get those if you find one. Else you might have to drop the mic requirement. This thing worth it? https://a.co/d/6ZNJCkI
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Jul 29, 2023 15:32
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I think Ety's first party cables are generally overpriced for how bad they can be, but if it's the only option I haven't heard anything specifically bad about their bluetooth kits so that plus an ER2 would do what you want. Also look around for deals on the ER2, Adorama specifically has deals on them pretty regularly.
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Jul 29, 2023 15:41
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Mustache Ride posted:Edit: I see some brands that seem cheap like the isotunes that have a similar style. Any of these worth it? I'm okay going to Bluetooth (actually would probably prefer it) but not sure I want to spend more than $120ish. Honestly I don't think so, Etymotic is really, really good at what they do. Except their cables, which are extreme rear end. I think your only real option is a set of ER2XR / SE and a cable from Lunashops https://www.lunashops.com/goods.php?id=8014, which despite the sketchy rear end website is real. they're on aliexpress as well. If you drop the mic requirement, the ER2 is just a straight upgrade and meets your budget, but i'd still consider a lunashops cable at some point because the stock one is microphonic as poo poo. Mustache Ride posted:This thing worth it? https://a.co/d/6ZNJCkI subjectively, that's up to you since i think it's your only option for neckband wireless etymotics. objectively, hell no lol that price is wild. you could just get a qudelix instead and it would work with everything. and sound much better and have eq and ldac. Dr. Fishopolis fucked around with this message at 20:02 on Jul 30, 2023 |
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Jul 30, 2023 19:53
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Just checking in to say yes etymotic stock cables are the worst but since Klipsch ditched its competitor to the ER4, I’ve learned to live with an ER4 and third party cable (null audio, cheapest one they do is similar in price to official Ety cable but not trash)
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Jul 30, 2023 22:52
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Decided to buy some variant of the chi fi flavor of the month to replace an old pair of TFZs that had been my video meeting daily drivers that finally died, and decided on the Simgot EW200 because Amazon had an instant coupon. They're really good for $35. Treble is just a little bit spicy and I could go for a little bit more sub bass, but they're fun and energetic, and vocals/instruments sound natural. Kinda wish I had just spent $70 instead and gotten the EW500 since I now see that those have gotten a ton of praise. Still, these will get the job done for what I need them to do, so no complaints.
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Jul 30, 2023 22:56
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Hello thread! I have a pair of Sennheiser HD558s that have been treating me well for the better part of 12 years. Problem is the ear pads are loving disgusting (shoulda been washing them!) and are now cracking. Is the 560S a reasonable choice to replace-in-kind?
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Aug 2, 2023 08:02
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You could also just replace the pads if you're still happy with how they sound.
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Aug 2, 2023 11:42
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Yep you'll find loads of perfectly fine pads on Amazon or Ebay!
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Aug 2, 2023 13:05
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Looking for a couple of recommendations here. First and foremost is for my partner, who I just discovered has been using half-broken raycons for the past year (as in, one of them straight up doesn't work and the other crackles constantly). I cannot abide this, even though she does. I want to get her some replacement buds. She does not care about sound fidelity much at all - what's important to her is staying in when she's running, and being able to wear them comfortably to sleep. I think ANC would be a nice touch if that's possible. Hoping to spend less than $150. For me - I'm looking for a good noise cancelling headset to use in my home office. Preferably either wired or with a USB dongle, as my office setup entails using a USB switch to swap my headset, mouse and keyboard between my home computer and work docking station. I currently use Bose QC35 iis with an aftermarket boom mic; while the headset itself is great, the mic constantly swivels and needs a 2.5-3.5mm adapter and after 3 years I'm just sick of it. Tried a couple that "click" into the headset and they all had loose connections that would constantly generate static noise. I would like something of similar comfort, as I tend to wear the headphones all day. Noise canceling is also important because I get a lot of road noise by my office. Hoping to keep it under $300 but I'm willing to stretch.
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Aug 2, 2023 15:33
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Not a Children posted:Looking for a couple of recommendations here. Why is it that the partners of people who are way too into sound and headphones and whatever are always the total opposite. Like if one person is conscientious about good headphones, then its a certainty their partner is going to be rocking a gunked up pair of 2009 earpods where you need to be grasping the cable at right angles to the connector to reliably get sound out of maybe the left earbud. For the record my own partner is currently using a single wireless knockoff beats earbud (they lost the left-side bud a while ago).
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Aug 2, 2023 15:45
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Not a Children posted:For me - I'm looking for a good noise cancelling headset to use in my home office. Preferably either wired or with a USB dongle, as my office setup entails using a USB switch to swap my headset, mouse and keyboard between my home computer and work docking station. I currently use Bose QC35 iis with an aftermarket boom mic; while the headset itself is great, the mic constantly swivels and needs a 2.5-3.5mm adapter and after 3 years I'm just sick of it. Tried a couple that "click" into the headset and they all had loose connections that would constantly generate static noise. I would like something of similar comfort, as I tend to wear the headphones all day. Noise canceling is also important because I get a lot of road noise by my office. Hoping to keep it under $300 but I'm willing to stretch.
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Aug 2, 2023 16:00
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Helter Skelter posted:You could also just replace the pads if you're still happy with how they sound. The Grumbles posted:Yep you'll find loads of perfectly fine pads on Amazon or Ebay! Ok, I could go that route. Say I did want to replace them, would the HD560S be a decent choice for the sub $300 price range? I mostly use headphones for gaming and I've really gotten in to Hunt: Showdown which has an insane emphasis on sound. I drive my headphones with a Schiit Magni/Modi stack.
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Aug 2, 2023 17:04
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I really like my 560S. Some people say they're too tight, but I must have a small head... my SHP9500s just kind of hang there by comparison. Your amp is more than adequate. I use the built-in jack on my MacBook Air or iPad most of the time, and it's fine. Only my digital piano struggles to get them loud enough, and even then, it's primarily when I'm using offboard sounds.
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Aug 2, 2023 17:14
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The Grumbles posted:Why is it that the partners of people who are way too into sound and headphones and whatever are always the total opposite. Like if one person is conscientious about good headphones, then its a certainty their partner is going to be rocking a gunked up pair of 2009 earpods where you need to be grasping the cable at right angles to the connector to reliably get sound out of maybe the left earbud. For the record my own partner is currently using a single wireless knockoff beats earbud (they lost the left-side bud a while ago). Opposites attract
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Aug 2, 2023 17:22
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Are there any decent Bluetooth/wireless in ear options for under $100? I’ve been using a cheap pair of QCY for a long time but the cord that connects the headphones to one another is completely frayed at this point. I don’t expect anything amazing for the price but hopefully something that will last for a while and not sound too terrible. The main use will be while commuting via public transit / the occasional flight and probably a split between music and watching movies on an iPhone. I got gifted a pair of JBL Tune 230NC TWS a while back which I liked but had to return since they were constantly cutting in and out when connected to my phone.
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Aug 2, 2023 17:28
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Anti-Hero posted:Ok, I could go that route. Say I did want to replace them, would the HD560S be a decent choice for the sub $300 price range? I mostly use headphones for gaming and I've really gotten in to Hunt: Showdown which has an insane emphasis on sound. I drive my headphones with a Schiit Magni/Modi stack. Sub $300? HD6xx would be a nice upgrade
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Aug 2, 2023 18:26
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Agreed on the HD 6XX, those are special headphones that may not last long given Drop was bought out by Corsair! Or maybe they will, who knows. Either way, it's a steal at about $200
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Aug 2, 2023 19:04
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560S are also extremely good, it depends what you're looking for. 6xx have the magical HD6 series midrange that i still haven't heard any other headphone replicate, 560S have better bass and treble extension, and are far more "jack of all trades". a different vibe.
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Aug 2, 2023 19:33
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I think (emphasis on *think*) I'm looking for a pretty neutral sound profile with really fantastic imaging. Googling around it appears like my 558s are pretty well regarded in this aspect, with a bit more bass than you would hear on really neutral studio monitors. I've read mixed opinions on whether the 560S is really an upgrade over them. I've got official OEM earpads ordered to replace the gunked up ones on the 558. The headpad is proving to be more difficult to deal with as the OEMs are impossible to find, and 3rd party versions have middling reviews for fit and finish. edit: RTINGS seems to like the HIFIMAN Sundara's.
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Aug 2, 2023 22:36
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I was looking for something similar as a upgrade from my old HD595s that were literally falling apart and ended up with the ATH-R70x. I'm very happy with them, but they're bit out of your price range unless you can find them discounted.
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Aug 2, 2023 22:48
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Anti-Hero posted:I think (emphasis on *think*) I'm looking for a pretty neutral sound profile with really fantastic imaging. Googling around it appears like my 558s are pretty well regarded in this aspect, with a bit more bass than you would hear on really neutral studio monitors. I've read mixed opinions on whether the 560S is really an upgrade over them. I think the 560s are a significant upgrade, personally. 6xx are possibly a bigger upgrade depending on what you're looking for. sundaras are better, but more expensive and the fit can be divisive.
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Aug 2, 2023 23:21
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Dr. Fishopolis posted:I think the 560s are a significant upgrade, personally. 6xx are possibly a bigger upgrade depending on what you're looking for. sundaras are better, but more expensive and the fit can be divisive. Cheers, I ended up ordering the HD560S and I'll give those a whirl!
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Aug 3, 2023 02:43
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You'll probably love them, they're quite good It's really tough to go wrong with those kinds of options
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Aug 3, 2023 02:46
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youd for i posted:Are there any decent Bluetooth/wireless in ear options for under $100? I’ve been using a cheap pair of QCY for a long time but the cord that connects the headphones to one another is completely frayed at this point. You missed out on the amazon sale where they had these for sale but getting good earbuds for around 100 is easy, you get the ones that get pushed out the door with phones and there's a massive openbox/like new market. Ebay search 'Google Pixel Buds Pro' or 'Sony LinkBuds S' and filter for open box. Then cross reference it with sold items of the same type if you want to bid to save money. The Linkbud S is the cheaper of the two iirc.
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Aug 3, 2023 03:07
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youd for i posted:Are there any decent Bluetooth/wireless in ear options for under $100? I’ve been using a cheap pair of QCY for a long time but the cord that connects the headphones to one another is completely frayed at this point. I got lucky and found a set of Sony Linkbuds S for $50 on eBay a month ago when I needed something to watch cat videos while waiting for food. These are their midrange IEMs and they're somehow better than the previous flagship WF-1000XM3 I tried 18 months ago in just about every way. Most notably, they actually stay in my ear and I don't look like a douche while wearing them. They aren't going to win any audiophile awards, but they still sound better than the over-ear WH-1000XM3s in my opinion (not that this is a particularly high bar). If I have one complaint about the Linkbuds S, it's that they very subtly drop out or stutter once every 5 minutes or so when connected to either of my desktop PCs, usually when there is sufficient WiFi network activity. I also have problems using low latency AAC with my ATH-M50xBT2s on the same computers, so I would sooner blame the WiFi adapters in them, not the headphones. My iPhone and MacBook Pro seem to perform fine. I also see the WF-1000XM4 selling for around $70-100 in various states of completion (I would at least make sure they come with all the original eartips if you can't get one complete in box). Zorilla fucked around with this message at 05:39 on Aug 3, 2023 |
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Aug 3, 2023 05:29
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Wireless/bt on a comp can be a pain in the rear end, the solution ive taken to is using the usb expansion card i had in there for ages and having small usb cord extensions to physically seperate and raise up the dongles a bit to reduce the interference/provide clearer LOS. One per port. Having it go off pci power stops weird dongle boot problems i had with the maxwell. Probably partly motherboard/windows bullshit+ having like a billion usb connections taking up bandwith/power. Also with the sony bluetooth headsets you have to go download the sony app, turn off dsee, turn on prioritize stable connection to reduce that stutter on pc bluetooth. If that doesnt work you can turn on dual connections which forces it to to lower quality but more consistent codecs iirc Homeless Friend fucked around with this message at 06:44 on Aug 3, 2023 |
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Aug 3, 2023 06:37
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youd for i posted:Are there any decent Bluetooth/wireless in ear options for under $100? I’ve been using a cheap pair of QCY for a long time but the cord that connects the headphones to one another is completely frayed at this point. Samsung sometimes do a rebate on their old bean buds, which you can combine with whatever discounts Amazon etc are offering. I loved my beans (up until I lost them), because I'm a sicko
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Aug 3, 2023 11:45
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Homeless Friend posted:Wireless/bt on a comp can be a pain in the rear end, the solution ive taken to is using the usb expansion card i had in there for ages and having small usb cord extensions to physically seperate and raise up the dongles a bit to reduce the interference/provide clearer LOS. One per port. Having it go off pci power stops weird dongle boot problems i had with the maxwell. Probably partly motherboard/windows bullshit+ having like a billion usb connections taking up bandwith/power. Prioritize stable connection is already on. I disabled DSEE pretty early on because it seemed like a current iteration of that SB Audigy meme (I can't find it now. You know which one I'm talking about--the one with the bar graph) I thought dual connections was for connecting to two devices at once, unless you mean that using that feature has the side effect of dropping the codec quality to both devices and potentially improving reliability. I'm already doing that with my phone as my second device. I've thought about experimenting with that turned off to see what happens. None of this is a huge deal. If I actually used my Linkbuds S with my PCs extensively or this bothered me more than it did, I'd probably try experimenting with a remote desk-mounted antenna instead of the rubber ducks the adapters came with. The way my desk is set up now, the MacBook Pro I have is a big 16" slab of aluminum that sits in the direct path between my headphones and the PC's wireless antennas, so it couldn't hurt to mess with that. Both affected computers use ITX motherboards with semi-integrated Intel WiFi/BT cards and not USB dongles, if that matters. Zorilla fucked around with this message at 20:13 on Aug 3, 2023 |
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Aug 3, 2023 20:09
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Zorilla posted:Prioritize stable connection is already on. I disabled DSEE pretty early on because it seemed like a current iteration of that SB Audigy meme (I can't find it now. You know which one I'm talking about--the one with the bar graph) Ah well, was just making sure, I decided to set up a PC/TV for gaming and went through the rigamarole with the LinkbudS specifically before I said gently caress it all w/r/t bluetooth sound.
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Aug 3, 2023 22:15
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