Audiophilliacs?

[steve dave]

Ultimate Ears SuperFi 3

http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/ultimate-ears-super-fi/4505-7877_7-31491515.html?tag=txt%3bpage

CNet says they are the best phones in the $100 price range.  On sale here for $39.99.  Anyone have or has had these?  The cable is replaceable which kind of drew my attention because that is what I always wear out.

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/349/7085&ci=0

look into meelectronics phones, too.  Have a pretty good rep for durability.  that looks like a ridic. deal, though.

Christ, just found a coupon code (techbargains_6110) and they are down to $35.99 free shipping.  May have to do this.  

Ordered.  I checked google shopper and there was nowhere selling them online for less than $90 (and those were shady places). 

$120 at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Ears-SuperFi-Studio-ear/dp/B000K2PDNM

I've had $30 sennheiser's before but this will be my first set of elite phones.  Pretty pumped.  

[AzCat]

I have 2 pairs of sennheisers and I don't think they can be beat. It's amazing the difference in recording/producing from modern stuff (overdriven crap) to classical stuff where recording quality really truly matters. So be aware, the higher quality of stuff you get, the more pure the sound will get. In many cases of modern music, it will end up sounding worse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

Got to reiterate this, even entry-level audiophile systems will make lots of modern recordings sound like a dog's ass at anything above a whisper.  On the other hand older pressings and music that sound very dull on cheaper systems can be absolutely amazing.

[steve dave]

I have 2 pairs of sennheisers and I don't think they can be beat. It's amazing the difference in recording/producing from modern stuff (overdriven crap) to classical stuff where recording quality really truly matters. So be aware, the higher quality of stuff you get, the more pure the sound will get. In many cases of modern music, it will end up sounding worse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

Got to reiterate this, even entry-level audiophile systems will make lots of modern recordings sound like a dog's ass at anything above a whisper.  On the other hand older pressings and music that sound very dull on cheaper systems can be absolutely amazing.

Does that mean new stuff sounds good on garbage and old stuff sounds good on good equipment?

[yoga-like_abana]

The bad: The Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio earphones' cable is too short for tall users.

 

[pissclams]

I was frownin to yla, I was frownin to bro

[steve dave]

The bad: The Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio earphones' cable is too short for tall users.

 

I'm only 6' but was worried about that too.  Here's the thing though, the cable is replaceable and I bet you can get one as long as you want/need

[steve dave]

Just got my elite phones

[steve dave]

[ew2x4]

I have 2 pairs of sennheisers and I don't think they can be beat. It's amazing the difference in recording/producing from modern stuff (overdriven crap) to classical stuff where recording quality really truly matters. So be aware, the higher quality of stuff you get, the more pure the sound will get. In many cases of modern music, it will end up sounding worse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

Got to reiterate this, even entry-level audiophile systems will make lots of modern recordings sound like a dog's ass at anything above a whisper.  On the other hand older pressings and music that sound very dull on cheaper systems can be absolutely amazing.

Does that mean new stuff sounds good on garbage and old stuff sounds good on good equipment?

New stuff doesn't really sound good on anything. By new stuff, I mean poorly produced stuff, which almost all music now is. Good equipment is more faithful to the original recording- for better or worse. They don't have the "super duper bass" or anything. So if it was recorded/produced poorly, that comes through even moreso. If it was done really well, it will sound even more amazing and clear.

Here's an example of poorly produced music-

Death Magnetic is notoriously loud. The Guitar Hero tracks are pre production. Note how clear those are.

[AzCat]

I have 2 pairs of sennheisers and I don't think they can be beat. It's amazing the difference in recording/producing from modern stuff (overdriven crap) to classical stuff where recording quality really truly matters. So be aware, the higher quality of stuff you get, the more pure the sound will get. In many cases of modern music, it will end up sounding worse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

Got to reiterate this, even entry-level audiophile systems will make lots of modern recordings sound like a dog's ass at anything above a whisper.  On the other hand older pressings and music that sound very dull on cheaper systems can be absolutely amazing.

Does that mean new stuff sounds good on garbage and old stuff sounds good on good equipment?

New stuff doesn't really sound good on anything. By new stuff, I mean poorly produced stuff, which almost all music now is. Good equipment is more faithful to the original recording- for better or worse. They don't have the "super duper bass" or anything. So if it was recorded/produced poorly, that comes through even moreso. If it was done really well, it will sound even more amazing and clear.

Here's an example of poorly produced music-

Death Magnetic is notoriously loud. The Guitar Hero tracks are pre production. Note how clear those are.

Good systems are very revelatory of what's actually present in the recording but as ew said: that faithful reproduction may be a good thing or a bad thing. 

Good systems are a definitely double-edged sword, there are albums I love (e.g., much of The Doors and old Sabbath) that have very noticeable flaws that are annoying and really stick out now but which I'd never really noticed on cheap equipment.  On the other hand great recordings and great masters really stand out; check out e.g., Steve Hoffman's master of The Who's "Who's Next".  Simply amazing.

For an entire genre the most striking difference, for me at least, was late 60s & 70s classic rock much of which I thought was a bit dull-sounding.  Listening to some of that on good equipment for the first time some of those tracks have just amazing depth and detail that I'd never noticed before. 

[ew2x4]

I have 2 pairs of sennheisers and I don't think they can be beat. It's amazing the difference in recording/producing from modern stuff (overdriven crap) to classical stuff where recording quality really truly matters. So be aware, the higher quality of stuff you get, the more pure the sound will get. In many cases of modern music, it will end up sounding worse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war

Got to reiterate this, even entry-level audiophile systems will make lots of modern recordings sound like a dog's ass at anything above a whisper.  On the other hand older pressings and music that sound very dull on cheaper systems can be absolutely amazing.

Does that mean new stuff sounds good on garbage and old stuff sounds good on good equipment?

New stuff doesn't really sound good on anything. By new stuff, I mean poorly produced stuff, which almost all music now is. Good equipment is more faithful to the original recording- for better or worse. They don't have the "super duper bass" or anything. So if it was recorded/produced poorly, that comes through even moreso. If it was done really well, it will sound even more amazing and clear.

Here's an example of poorly produced music-

Death Magnetic is notoriously loud. The Guitar Hero tracks are pre production. Note how clear those are.

For an entire genre the most striking difference, for me at least, was late 60s & 70s classic rock much of which I thought was a bit dull-sounding.  Listening to some of that on good equipment for the first time some of those tracks have just amazing depth and detail that I'd never noticed before. 

Absolutely. They were awesome at getting the thickest, in-depth sounds out of great, yet limited equipment.

[Skipper44]

Sugg's for a good center channel speaker?

What do you have for Fronts?  Some mfgs will have a center that is "tone matched" but some reviews say that is not always the case. 

The cheapest solution is if you can sit directly in front of the screen and not use a center.  Instead the receiver will send the center channel signal to the L and R equally, some times called a phantom mode or some such on older equipment.

[steve dave]

Seems like a good deal for some mid range home phones

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826621002&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=361116&SID=FW94hudt

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826106455

[ew2x4]

Seems like a good deal for some mid range home phones

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826621002&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=361116&SID=FW94hudt

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826106455

I had a pair of the 201's. Not bad for just whatever. Pretty comfy. These are low-range, btw. Midrange will be in the $40-$80 range.

[steve dave]

Got these Sennheiser's:



to replace these Sony's:



as my gym headphones.  they stay in better and are more comfortable but the sony's sounded better for the short times after I stuck them back in my ears after falling out.  overall a good trade off so far.

[pissclams]

i use these for jogging or if i'm at the rock house moving boulders, which i do basically 24/6. 

[puniraptor]

The sennheisers are ultimate comfortable and sound good but I have problems with them funneling sweat into my earhole until it overflows then i have to go to the hand dryer and blow off the earbuds. I am sweatier than avg though.

[steve dave]

The sennheisers are ultimate comfortable and sound good but I have problems with them funneling sweat into my earhole until it overflows then i have to go to the hand dryer and blow off the earbuds. I am sweatier than avg though.

mine have passed the sweat test so far and I'm super sweaty too.  maybe your ear is shaped funny?

[pissclams]

http://gizmodo.com/5904875/the-best-headphones-for-running

[steve dave]

http://gizmodo.com/5904875/the-best-headphones-for-running

yep, that's where I saw them. 

[pissclams]

ya i read it last week and put those headphones you got on the "list of crap i need to get so i can start working out again"

very short list but it's taken me a while to mark things off of  it.

[AbeFroman]

I found this to be really helpful when buying a set up

[slimz]

I know I've talked about these before, but it's tough to get more bang for your buck. A lot of audiophiles use these for listening on the go:

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336144081&sr=8-1

[michigancat]

I know I've talked about these before, but it's tough to get more bang for your buck. A lot of audiophiles use these for listening on the go:

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-PortaPro-Headphones-with-Case/dp/B00001P4ZH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336144081&sr=8-1

yeah, koss is great. I've had a few pairs of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K/ref=pd_cp_e_0


I've found that you can get more for your money with audio equipment if you buy something marketed as studio equipment rather than home audio.

At home I have these:

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Powered-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B0051WAM64/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1336144436&sr=1-1

And at work I have these:

http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SRH440-Professional-Studio-Headphones/dp/B002DP1FTU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1336144392&sr=1-1

Both GREAT values IMO.

[slimz]

yeah, koss is great. I've had a few pairs of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Koss-KSC75-Portable-Stereophone-Headphones/dp/B0006B486K/ref=pd_cp_e_0


I've found that you can get more for your money with audio equipment if you buy something marketed as studio equipment rather than home audio.

At home I have these:

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Studiophile-Powered-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B0051WAM64/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1336144436&sr=1-1

And at work I have these:

http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SRH440-Professional-Studio-Headphones/dp/B002DP1FTU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1336144392&sr=1-1

Both GREAT values IMO.

Oh, good tip. I may have to check both of those out. I've been thinking about getting some over the ears.