# headphones + amp for $400



## Easy Rhino (Sep 19, 2012)

I don't know much about headphones and amps. I am an audiophile that spends money on speakers,receivers,etc but have never bothered with headphones. I would like to spend up to $400 on a set of nice cans and a portable amp but I have no idea what is out there other than Sennheiser. Is $400 too low for a mid-range audiophile set?


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## Fourstaff (Sep 19, 2012)

Sennheiser HD650, Denon AHD2000, AKG 701, Grado 325, Sony XB1000, some Beyerdynamics and I don't know what to drive them. 

$400 is deep into "I like this style" territory, what kind of music do you listen to?

Personally I will start looking at the $200 + $200 amp range, its the current sweet spot for me, YMMV


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## brandonwh64 (Sep 19, 2012)

What happened to the days of using old walkman headphones...


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## Easy Rhino (Sep 19, 2012)

Fourstaff said:


> what kind of music do you listen to?



i listen to mostly classical,rock,and alternative. so the cans will have to be dynamic enough to handle from Rachmaninoff to AC/DC and everything in between.


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## AphexDreamer (Sep 19, 2012)

I'm loving these and I got them used like new and you might as well call them new. 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042A8CW2/?tag=tec06d-20
Couple them with a http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0070UFMOW/?tag=tec06d-20

And you should be set but at 30ohms they don't really need an amp.

This is just my opinion and fits under your budget so you can probably do better at 400 I suppose.

FYI great for gaming and music.


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## Robert-The-Rambler (Sep 19, 2012)

*This should fit your budget*



Easy Rhino said:


> i listen to mostly classical,rock,and alternative. so the cans will have to be dynamic enough to handle from Rachmaninoff to AC/DC and everything in between.



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0011UB9CQ/?tag=tec06d-20

Check out the reviews. The Beyerdynamic DT 990 series should be great for rock. They are selling for a huge discount. I added them to my wishlist. They are open back headphones so others will be able to hear what you are listening to. I don't have that set of headphones. I currently use the Sennheiser HD595 which is lacking a bit on the bottom end.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004M172FY/?tag=tec06d-20

The FiiO E9 is a great amp for a decent cost and sounds great with all my headphones except for the ones that stink like the Koss Pro4AAT. I think for under $300 total you should be all set.


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## redeye (Sep 19, 2012)

goto www.headphone.com or ( headroom.com)and the world of headphones and amplifers ... 

no, seriously, probably the best site for info on headphones... and they have a store in their hometown exclusively for headphones and stuff...

they have measurements on the "worthy" headphones... and yes I have purchased hedphones from them... 

i learned alot from that site. ( my favourite part of the site s the reviews, and what they thnk of the 400 dollar and up headphones.)

i can't think of any shortcomings of the site except for the fact that they are in the USA, and some of the prducts are usa shipped only (not all of them just the. shure's and sennihesers).. but then the info on the site makes up for that minor drawback.


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## CJCerny (Sep 19, 2012)

Easy Rhino said:


> i listen to mostly classical,rock,and alternative. so the cans will have to be dynamic enough to handle from Rachmaninoff to AC/DC and everything in between.



That has Grado SR80i written all over it.


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## helloWorld (Sep 19, 2012)

I think Bumblebee is an audiophile as well. She (I think it's a she) can also provide good insight.


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## n-ster (Sep 19, 2012)

Head-fi.org for your own research, never rely on just a couple of opinions

That said what's your source ? (Ipod, pc ?) You want open cans (sound leaks out and in) or closed (less leak, makes ears more sweaty, SQ not as good for the $$). Anything specific you want? Are you a basshead or do you prefer incredible highs ?

Do the cans have to be portable or stylish? How important is comfort?

350-400$ is exactly mid range. If you can test a few headphones at a store somewhere, do that and write the pros n cons of each you try


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## BumbleBee (Sep 19, 2012)

is this for a portable media player or a desktop?


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## Easy Rhino (Sep 19, 2012)

BumbleBee said:


> is this for a portable media player or a desktop?



portable media player. need over ear phones that have a large sound stage. i am looking at the AKG K 701


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## cdawall (Sep 19, 2012)

I still want to grab a set of these.

http://www.head-fi.org/products/fischer-audio-fa-003#description

or 

http://www.gd-audiobase.com/index.p...&category_id=5&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2

Damn good set of headphones


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## BumbleBee (Sep 19, 2012)

I can't say I like AKG headphones. I find them too cold and thin for rock, hard rock, alternative, metal.

Beyerdynamic DT880 is probably what I would go with.

amplifier.. a JDS Labs cMoy

http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=cMoyBB203

JDS Labs also sells the interconnect cables.


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## NinkobEi (Sep 19, 2012)

DT880s are great but they need a pretty decent amp. $200 could probably cover it. Audiotechnica AD900sor AD700s have a huge soundstage and are fit for all types of music.


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## BumbleBee (Sep 19, 2012)

the cMoyBB will drive them.


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## Easy Rhino (Sep 19, 2012)

is there something similiar to the cMoyBB because I hate the altoids case.


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## BumbleBee (Sep 19, 2012)

Electric Avenues PA2v2

http://www.electric-avenues.com/amplifiers.html

there is also the JDS Labs C421 but it will cost you more

http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=c421


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## Frederik S (Sep 21, 2012)

Get an O2 built by JDS or another company they sound great and will power pretty much anything you throw at it. For headphones I would try a couple from the different big brands before getting anything. If I were you I would have a look at Head-Fi F/S forum, there are are lot of $200-300 headphones changing hands there!

Cheers,
Fred


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## UbErN00b (Sep 21, 2012)

Spent roughly that on my AKG 701's and Audinst HUD-MX1 headphone amp/DAC setup, audiophile quality for fraction of the price. One note, the 701's are renowned for having excellent soundstage and reproduction though they can be lacking in the bass department so defo not for the bass junkies out there. And they need a good 300 (some even say 500-600) hours burn in to sound their best.


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## THRiLL KiLL (Sep 21, 2012)

welcome to the land of headphones and amps.

fiios amps are good  but they "color" the sound a bit (some audiofiles hate that)

if you want to get into the world of headphones check out head-fi.org  

I was able to get in there and some how make it out for less then 400$   if i kept reading and learning it would have been bad for me, and i would have kept spending more money


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## Frederik S (Sep 21, 2012)

FiiO amps are horrible and outdated designs when compared to the O2. Not even the most expensive FiiO amplifier comes anywhere close to the performance offered by the O2. 

Some of the Matrix amps are also good for the price, but I would highly recommend the O2.


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## Easy Rhino (Sep 21, 2012)

Frederik S said:


> Get an O2 built by JDS or another company they sound great and will power pretty much anything you throw at it. For headphones I would try a couple from the different big brands before getting anything. If I were you I would have a look at Head-Fi F/S forum, there are are lot of $200-300 headphones changing hands there!
> 
> Cheers,
> Fred



have any suggestions for a portable amp?


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## Frederik S (Sep 21, 2012)

The O2 is portable! 

Depending on gain you will get around 10-12 hours out of two 9 V batteries which is alright. I use mine on the move (or used as one of the components on my DIY O2 just crapped out).


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## Easy Rhino (Sep 21, 2012)

Frederik S said:


> The O2 is portable!



this one   

http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=O2Full


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## Frederik S (Sep 21, 2012)

Easy Rhino said:


> this one
> 
> http://www.jdslabs.com/item.php?fetchitem=O2Full



Yes it is only 108.50 x 80.00 x 29.50 mm. It is a bit big but fully portable.


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## BumbleBee (Sep 21, 2012)

too big











you don't want to carry that around with a phone.


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## Frederik S (Sep 21, 2012)

If he is going to get high end full size headphones then the bulk of that amplifier is going to be marginal, compared to having to lug around a set of AKG K701 size headphones 

The smaller they get the pricier, RSA Protector / Tomahawk are good and very small as well. They pop up once in a while used at good prices, but then you are spending a lot of money on the form factor. Although they do not have the same power as the O2 which is needed for the AKG K701s. It plays alright out of the Protector, but not as good as with the O2.


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## BumbleBee (Sep 21, 2012)

the JDS C421 is $184-189 depending on the op-amp you choose. according to the JDS Labs blog it powers the AKG K701 "easily"






the O2 is designed like a portable amplifier but I still think it lacks the footprint. I would pay the extra $30.


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## NinkobEi (Sep 22, 2012)

Just buy the new iBasso DX100 and be done with it. Audiophile PMP + Amp in one package.


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## Easy Rhino (Sep 22, 2012)

NinkobEi said:


> Just buy the new iBasso DX100 and be done with it. Audiophile PMP + Amp in one package.
> 
> http://cdn.head-fi.org/3/3d/3db23a0c_23_143222_acf4b3cbebd8ab0.jpeg
> http://www.lyra-media.com/ufiles/ibasso0221_size1.JPG



that is well above my $400 limit


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## n-ster (Sep 22, 2012)

I have the iBasso D10 Cobra, not bad, but to be honest the difference in sound quality is noticeable but nothing more. It does a good job as an amp though, def powers headphones and you can get very loud no problem, no distortion or anything. You can switch opamps easily which is nice. very portable too


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## m1dg3t (Sep 27, 2012)

None of that stuff looks portable, and by the time the bills come in you're going to be over $400 

I scored a pair of AKG 172hd for $58 BNIB & after some time with them I scored a Fiio e6 BNIB for $30! I plug that shit into my Galaxy s2E that also cost me $58 for a truly portable, decent music solution 

I lucked out with the phones, there was an in store special that day plus I was refunded the price difference on another item which further reduced my outlay. Would have liked the 272s but they are like $300 

When $$$ permits, a set of "Referrence" Grados will be relegated for home duty with whatever amp is best bang/$$$ at the time. Or whatever I can find 2nd hand 

I mean it's still only digital media lol. Tru fidelity comes from analogue, not 1s & 0s 

Unless you are willing to spend big coin of course, then everything will sound "good"....


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## Easy Rhino (Sep 27, 2012)

m1dg3t said:


> None of that stuff looks portable, and by the time the bills come in you're going to be over $400
> 
> I scored a pair of AKG 142hd for $58 BNIB & after some time with them I scored a Fiio e6 BNIB for $30! I plug that shit into my Galaxy s2E that also cost me $58 for a truly portable, decent music solution
> 
> ...



exactly, since the music source is still compact disc i don't see a point in spending more than $400 for a set of headphones and an amp. from my research, anything more than that is a waste unless you your music source is SACD or something better.


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## m1dg3t (Sep 27, 2012)

SACD = 

It's still digital, better then a normal CD but not worth the price premium IMO.

Vinyl Records.


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## Easy Rhino (Sep 27, 2012)

m1dg3t said:


> Vinyl Records.



yes, i have thought about going back to vinyl. but that would be a huge expense to find all my fav albums and PAY for them all. vinyl isn't portable though so...


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## n-ster (Sep 27, 2012)

meh, I'm fine with FLACs and 320 kbps mp3s if I can't find it in FLAC

but I guess my equipment is cheap  AD700s and SRH 750DJs with iBasso D10.


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## phanbuey (Sep 27, 2012)

Easy Rhino said:


> yes, i have thought about going back to vinyl. but that would be a huge expense to find all my fav albums and PAY for them all. vinyl isn't portable though so...



Honestly if you're looking "portable", I don't even know if you need to be looking at cans that need an amp... 

Get some fun-sounding $100 cans that don't need an amp for portability, and don't make you look like a friggin air traffic controller, (I like the WS55's, laugh at me now lol), and then spend the big bucks for a nice sounding setup at home.

Its a bit like saying "I need a computer that is super portable for work/school but is also a high end gaming rig" - at the end of the day, it might be better to get a decent portable laptop and build a decent gaming rig, instead of blowing $2,000+ on a gaming laptop.

Just my 2c - i don't really know your situation or what the intended use is, so i am assuming portable = im walking around outside.


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## m1dg3t (Sep 27, 2012)

You can buy/use portable TTs. Vinyl isn't that expensive, especially when compared to SACD/XRCD W/E.

I buy lots of vinyl 2nd hand, original pressings. I also buy fresh pressings. The fresh pressings range from $10 - $45 for anything from just basic repress to half speed mastered from the original tapes and pressed on 180/200 grm vinyl. Box sets/special editions cost more of course. I use a restored/modified Dual 505-3 for source and play it through my vintage, near mint Pioneer sx5590 (needs a refresh but still 100%) and my half restored Pioneer sx 1080  My speak selection isn't that good ATM as I just have 3 or 4 pairs of off brand "Nuance". They were decent back in the day but some shit went down and so did quality/the business 

After I'm done putting this PC build together I'll be looking into repairing/modifying ALL of the towers! Partsexpress.com & takefiveaudio.com are going to make my Christmas nice I think. I hope! 

Speaking of towers I think my tweets arrived from Polk! Yay! I can get my soundstage back. Ever blow the tweets in your full frontstage? Lol He tried to tell me it happened because I was underpowering them, then I reminded him of my setup. Never heard back from him and there was a UPS sticker on my door this morning lol


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## Easy Rhino (Sep 27, 2012)

phanbuey said:


> Honestly if you're looking "portable", I don't even know if you need to be looking at cans that need an amp...
> 
> Get some fun-sounding $100 cans that don't need an amp for portability, and don't make you look like a friggin air traffic controller, (I like the WS55's, laugh at me now lol), and then spend the big bucks for a nice sounding setup at home.
> 
> ...



i actually do think i am going to go with some nice $150 IEMs and a nice portable amp instead of giant CANS.

i already have a really nice home theater system so i won't be spending any more money there... well i always could but it sounds absolutely perfect to me and everyone who has listened agrees not to change a thing.


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## m1dg3t (Sep 27, 2012)

I find these AKG 172s to be a very comfortable size/fit and paired with the Fiio e6 amp they sound quite good! I went on an extended commute last week which saw me spend over 7Hrs on bus/metro, all without any discomfort. Also, I have an "industrial" piercing in my ear if that says anything 

IEMs get in the way, always tangled up in something or someone lol


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## n-ster (Sep 27, 2012)

IEMs never fit my ears


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## Frederik S (Sep 27, 2012)

You can always find in-ears that fit it is just a matter of looking long enough or buying custom in-ears, which are also available for $400. The op state he wanted full size so in-ear suggestions is probably not what he is looking for!


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## n-ster (Sep 27, 2012)

Easy Rhino said:


> i actually do think i am going to go with some nice $150 IEMs and a nice portable amp instead of giant CANS.
> 
> i already have a really nice home theater system so i won't be spending any more money there... well i always could but it sounds absolutely perfect to me and everyone who has listened agrees not to change a thing.



Actually he is interested in IEMs too


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## Easy Rhino (Sep 27, 2012)

Frederik S said:


> You can always find in-ears that fit it is just a matter of looking long enough or buying custom in-ears, which are also available for $400. The op state he wanted full size so in-ear suggestions is probably not what he is looking for!



i changed my mind!


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## MT Alex (Sep 27, 2012)

Easy Rhino said:


> i actually do think i am going to go with some nice $150 IEMs and a nice portable amp instead of giant CANS.



http://head-direct.com/Products/?act=detail&id=38

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Head-Direct/RE0/

I bought a pair of these after using RE2s exclusively for almost three years, I use them for 6+ hours a day.  I don't see how you could find better IEMs, even for more $.  They used to sell for $200, but the price was dropped after the RE-Zeros were released.


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## Mindweaver (Sep 27, 2012)

This is out of your budget, but I just wanted to share.. 

HiFiMan - HE-500 Headphones

HiFiMan - Ef5 Tube Headphone Amplifier

Anything HiFiMan.. :d 

Honestly for portability I would get something with the amp built into the head phone. I do like the JDS Altoids amp and you could build it yourself, but for $60 bucks you can't beat there price by much...


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## BumbleBee (Sep 27, 2012)

Rhino needs to clear his inbox


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## Mindweaver (Sep 27, 2012)

Oh and just to clear things up I was joking about the HiFiMan stuff man.. hehehe You would need a really long drop cord to make that amp portable buddy!.. hehehe

*EDIT: Just wanted to say that Frederik S turned me on to the HiFiMan stuff with his kickass reviews! *


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## BumbleBee (Sep 27, 2012)

he asked me a question 4 days ago and probably thinks i'm mean because I haven't replied


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## Frederik S (Sep 27, 2012)

For $400 I would not bother with an amplifier for a set of in-ears just get a good PMP and spend as much as you can on the in-ears. $400 is Westone 4 or Phonak 232 territory and those are seriously great bang for buck even though they are expensive. 

I am glad you liked the reviews!


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## BumbleBee (Sep 27, 2012)

I think you guys are crazy talking about dead formats. even my dad has moved onto digital. 

there are some high impedance IEM on the market that need an amplifier. the headphone jack on Apple products is only 32 ohms. even IEM that are efficient can really benefit from an amplifier.


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## m1dg3t (Sep 27, 2012)

$400 for IEMs  Thats crazy me finks...

Edit: Oh yeah, Fiio e6! lol


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## n-ster (Sep 27, 2012)

BumbleBee said:


> I think you guys are crazy talking about dead formats. even my dad has moved onto digital.
> 
> there are some high impedance IEM on the market that need an amplifier. the headphone jack on Apple products is only 32 ohms. even IEM that are efficient can really benefit from an amplifier.



idk, I think for IEMs a 120$ Fiio one should be plenty


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## m1dg3t (Sep 27, 2012)

The format is only dead to those who no longer listen to it. Vinyl is thriving


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## BumbleBee (Sep 27, 2012)

I don't think Sony is supporting SACD in any shape or form. most SACD is classical. I don't listen to that genre. time to move on...


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## m1dg3t (Oct 2, 2012)

Heres an inside look at the highly touted iBASSO dx100....

http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69134


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## Millennium (Oct 2, 2012)

Happy with my Phonak Audeo 012, but under your budget. Perhaps a few models up?


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## ZenZimZaliben (Oct 2, 2012)

Didn't see anyone mention these. Maybe because they are rather expensive.

http://www.astrogaming.com/a40-audio-system-astro-edition

http://gaming-headsets-review.toptenreviews.com/

[url}http://gaming-headsets-review.toptenreviews.com/astro-a40-review.html[/url] 

I use the a40 with Mixamp. Uses spdif connection for sound and a seperate mic cable for voice. Very, very good audio and an awesome comfortable headset.

Mix Amp is nice as it supports external mixing, so you can plug an external audio source in and mix it. Great for replacing game audio tracks without having to have another program running in the back ground and worry about conflicts.


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## NinkobEi (Oct 2, 2012)

m1dg3t said:


> Heres an inside look at the highly touted iBASSO dx100....
> 
> http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69134



Admittedly the thing is quite expensive. But there's nothing in that link that shows "hey, this thing is a rip off that sounds like crap." It's just the opinion of a guy who looked at some pictures. abi is renowned for its hatred of expensive media players. heck, anything that isn't the clip get bashed 10 ways from sunday on that site. I would definitely call them biased over there. Personally I'd look for a second opinion.


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## m1dg3t (Oct 2, 2012)

I personally don't care either way for the iBASSO. Do you know anywhere else that showed pix with it open?

Personally I think anyone who spends that much on a digital PMP is crazy. It's still digital! Lol

People don't like hearing how they overpaid for something, more expensive means better quality. Right?


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## BumbleBee (Oct 2, 2012)

your getting a portable media player, DA converter and headphone amplifier all in one unit.

a stack like this isn't cheap and it's a lot to carry around.


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## NinkobEi (Oct 2, 2012)

m1dg3t said:


> Personally I think anyone who spends that much on a digital PMP is crazy. It's still digital! Lol
> 
> People don't like hearing how they overpaid for something, more expensive means better quality. Right?



When it comes to pc components, I'd say the answer is a resounding yes. More expensive IS typically better. Especially considering a $40 component vs an $800 one. I do agree with you that $800 for a pmp is pretty high. I guess you'd be better off buying an ipad or a somewhat high end tablet. Then again maybe you value audio higher than casual gaming. And yeah, the ibasso is more than just a pmp.


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## m1dg3t (Oct 2, 2012)

First I never said it was crap, if thats what you got from the article/pix; well then...

I can tell you what I am getting; Not anywhere near it's damn asking price is what!

That iBASSO isn't worth more than $200/$300 at the most. Even then I still wouldn't buy it. But there are loads of people who can't wait for it!

I value good sound, but I value not being a sucker even more  If you guys are happy to spend a week or two's paycheque on something like it go right ahead! You wont be selling me one anytime soon lol

Digital is still digital. Doesn't matter what it's played through or what format it's in, it's all 0s & 1s 

You can polish a turd, but it's still a turd!


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## m1dg3t (Oct 2, 2012)

BumbleBee said:


> your getting a portable media player, DA converter and headphone amplifier all in one unit.
> 
> a stack like this isn't cheap and it's a lot to carry around.
> 
> http://cdn.head-fi.org/7/7f/7f15b603_toxiccables3.jpeg



What, no HDMI?


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## BumbleBee (Oct 2, 2012)

now your being silly.

the iBasso DX100 is worth more than a iPod. the DA converter is based on a ESS Sabre32 9018 chip. it's reference level. do you know what the iPod uses? an entry level Wolfson chip designed for portable media players.


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## m1dg3t (Oct 3, 2012)

Now YOU are being silly.

 I don't care what they put into an iPOD or any other PMP. It's still digital. Compressed 1s & 0s. If you want to go broke chasing the analogue sound more power to ya 

Also, points of diminishing returns. They exist. Believe it or not. Does your $800 iBASSO sound $600 better than my fone/Fiio e6/AKG 172 combo? I'll even let you use your $800 headphones 



Elitists :shadedshu


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## NinkobEi (Oct 3, 2012)

m1dg3t said:


> First I never said it was crap, if thats what you got from the article/pix; well then...
> 
> I can tell you what I am getting; Not anywhere near it's damn asking price is what!
> 
> ...



I still don't think you understand how expensive good Amps are.. Take a $250 amp and pack a DAC with android, a touch screen and a 64gb memory card on it a viola, you've got a pretty high price point. True it's probably $200 higher than it should be, but that's the price you pay for an all-in-one non-mainstream package like that. Do you realize the iphone 5 costs $650?


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## m1dg3t (Oct 3, 2012)

NinkobEi said:


> I still don't think you understand how expensive good Amps are.. Take a $250 amp and pack a DAC with android, a touch screen and a 64gb memory card on it a viola, you've got a pretty high price point. True it's probably $200 higher than it should be, but that's the price you pay for an all-in-one non-mainstream package like that. Do you realize the iphone 5 costs $650?



Yes! Thats right. Because I am not an audiofool I know nothing. 

I don't care about iPhone/iPod why the fock are people mentioning it for? Really, are the trolls that bored? Or just forgot how to read?

Focking elitists lol You still aint any better then the rest of us, but keep spending! 

In closing: Digital is digital, and isn't worth more then a couple hundred bucks on the go maximum. Total. Digital at home is slightly different situation so spending more there is almost required, but it's also doing more so ya. I'm referring to a digital AVR as spending money on something like an Oppo or similar is a waste IMO. 

Good day thread


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## BumbleBee (Oct 3, 2012)

m1dg3t said:


> Now YOU are being silly.
> 
> * I don't care what they put into an iPOD or any other PMP. It's still digital. Compressed 1s & 0s. If you want to go broke chasing the analogue sound more power to ya *
> 
> ...



CD, SACD and DVD-A is all digital. inside your CD player is a DA converter that turns the binary into analog waves. i'm sure Lil Wayne will be putting his next album out on Vinyl..

Yes. the most important component in the chain is the speaker or headphone it self. the AKG K172 and Audeze LCD-2 are so far apart in quality you probably can't even find a talked about comparison. 

second is the source. your phone does not have a desktop or reference level DA converter. even a poorly implemented ESS Sabre32 chip sounds better than a phone.


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## BUCK NASTY (Oct 3, 2012)

BumbleBee said:


> i'm sure *Lil Wayne *will be putting his next album out on Vinyl.



Oh no you did'nt! I was quietly watching from the sidelines until this. Not even Lil' Wayne is safe from this thread  Shame!:shadedshu


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## BumbleBee (Oct 3, 2012)

headphones like the Sennheiser HD800, Beyerdynamic T1, Audeze LCD-2, Audeze LCD-3, Fostex TH-900, Stax SR-007, Stax SR-009 are in a _completely_ different league. people line up at trade shows and meets to demo these headphones. they stand there with these ridiculous looking headphones on their heads smiling or in tears listening to a Pink Floyd track they have heard a 1000 times. it's incredible.

it drives me crazy when people go around saying it's all snake oil or $300 speakers sound better than $2000 speakers. these people act like they have it all figured out and audiophiles who spend time in pursuit of pure audiophile frequency response don't have a clue. people who endorse Monster headphones take a lot of heat but at least their passion is genuine.....


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## m1dg3t (Oct 3, 2012)

Lil Wayne sux ballz! wTf you mention his pathetic self for? Lol

You shouldn't have edited your post BB  Nice gear! You just paid for my power conditioning setup  Tru story.

Why silver cables? Top end not so clear?

Also you included a footnote about a DAC, that is the answer to why there is no argument lol

ninkobei your post was so hard for me not to laugh at because while I was reading/replying to it I was staring @ $3500 of amplifiers lol. Tru story.

My portable solution cost me less than $150 total, all brand new in box with warranties, you can't match that. Not for the money. Ya I got lucky with prices but still, a Fiio 6 is $30 & 172s usually $130 - $150 add your portapoti media sauce and bingo!

I'd spend money on headphones/amp for home listening. But it isn't that important right now, vinyls do sound pretty damn good on these budget 172s 

Maybe I try the open backs? Should sound better... $300 though... 

Who's buying me Grados for Christmas?

Love you guys


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## BumbleBee (Oct 3, 2012)

just ignore him..


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## m1dg3t (Oct 3, 2012)

Lol Did I hurted some feelings? I prolly spent more on cables than your headphones! It's all a waste mostly. Diminishing returns... Diminishing returns


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## freaksavior (Oct 3, 2012)

Fourstaff said:


> Grado 325




This

edit: did not read the last pages. Im sure i failed and you decided already.


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## NinkobEi (Oct 3, 2012)

m1dg3t said:


> Lol Did I hurted some feelings? I prolly spent more on cables than your headphones! It's all a waste mostly. Diminishing returns... Diminishing returns



my point about the iphone was, if people spend $650 on one, why not spend $800 on a pmp. i wouldn't mind hearing your comparison on the dx100 vs your $150 setup


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## Easy Rhino (Oct 3, 2012)

ZenZimZaliben said:


> Didn't see anyone mention these. Maybe because they are rather expensive.
> 
> http://www.astrogaming.com/a40-audio-system-astro-edition
> 
> ...



I actually have a set of those with the mixamp and a case. Great for gaming but too bulky to carry around.

i have not decided yet and probably won't until next month. it seems i have a good amount of option for $400. I would love to justify spending the cash on something like an iBasso but i just cannot at this point. i think im going to start with a decent set of IEMs and a mid range amp. i will need to start ripping my CD collection to FLAC. (yes i do own CDs. I have hundreds and hundreds of them!)


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## m1dg3t (Oct 3, 2012)

I have hundreds of CDs too! Welcome to the new milenium!


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## Easy Rhino (Oct 3, 2012)

m1dg3t said:


> I have hundreds of CDs too! Welcome to the new milenium!



you misspelled millennium.

speaking of CDs, do retailers like AMAZON and ITUNES sell FLAC audio files?


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## m1dg3t (Oct 3, 2012)

So did you  I'm posting from my fone, be glad I even made it that far lol

Pretty sure they both do. I don't waste $$$ on that stuff


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## Easy Rhino (Oct 3, 2012)

m1dg3t said:


> So did you



apparently you spell millennium differently in canada?


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## m1dg3t (Oct 3, 2012)

Easy Rhino said:


> apparently you spell millennium differently in canada?



Really? You want to troll me on spelling? 

What is this place coming to 

Thanks for another post! 

I was supposed to be out of this thread 3 posts ago! 

Bye! Bye!


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## Easy Rhino (Oct 3, 2012)

m1dg3t said:


> Really? You want to troll me on spelling?
> 
> What is this place coming to
> 
> ...



huh? not trolling. you said i spelled the word wrong and then i corrected you. it doesn't matter either way. but judging by your other posts in this thread it is you that is trolling.

anyway, back on topic!


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## NinkobEi (Oct 3, 2012)

Easy Rhino said:


> huh? not trolling. you said i spelled the word wrong and then i corrected you. it doesn't matter either way. but judging by your other posts in this thread it is you that is trolling.
> 
> anyway, back on topic!



I think he's trying to see how blatantly he can troll before people start to pick up on it... at first it was kind of subtle but the last few posts, you can tell he's upped his game


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## erocker (Oct 3, 2012)

Easy Rhino said:


> apparently you spell millennium differently in canada?



Well, your grammar sucks. 

Get back on topic everyone.

Thanks.


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## Fourstaff (Oct 3, 2012)

iTunes sells ALAC, which is loseless. You will be able to convert it to another loseless like FLAC.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/595777/alac-to-flac-conversion-no-loss-of-quality

Amazon still uses shitty lossy


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## Easy Rhino (Oct 5, 2012)

ok, what about mp3 rippers? apparently the droid phone I have only supports mp3,wma,eacc+, and wav. should I rip to a high bit rate mp3 or just copy the wav files over?


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## Frederik S (Oct 5, 2012)

The highest quality MP3 is probably enough only minor artifacts from the compression. You can rip/convert to WMA lossless if you have FLAC/ALAC/WAV source.


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## Fourstaff (Oct 5, 2012)

Easy Rhino said:


> ok, what about mp3 rippers? apparently the droid phone I have only supports mp3,wma,eacc+, and wav. should I rip to a high bit rate mp3 or just copy the wav files over?



You will be extremely hard pressed to differentiate between a high bitrate MP3 and a lossless, so I wouldn't be bothered and just enjoy the music. Of course if you can hear the difference its time to get a lossless music player.


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## Easy Rhino (Oct 5, 2012)

Frederik S said:


> The highest quality MP3 is probably enough only minor artifacts from the compression. You can rip/convert to WMA lossless if you have FLAC/ALAC/WAV source.



yes, but what software do I need to do that?


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## m1dg3t (Oct 5, 2012)

All digital is lossy. Period. Sound is NOT digital, it is analogue. Hence your ADC/DAC. Lol

Windows media player & your favorite muzic app that supports your files is all you need. It is that easy!


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## Frederik S (Oct 5, 2012)

You can use EAC, dbpoweramp or windows media player for WMA rips from CD.


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## Easy Rhino (Oct 5, 2012)

Fourstaff said:


> You will be extremely hard pressed to differentiate between a high bitrate MP3 and a lossless, so I wouldn't be bothered and just enjoy the music. Of course if you can hear the difference its time to get a lossless music player.



Good to know. I doubt on a pair of $150 IEMs I will be able to hear the difference. The music needs to be clear and crisp and I think a high bit rate mp3 and a descent portable amp will provide for that.



Frederik S said:


> You can use EAC, dbpoweramp or windows media player for WMA rips from CD.



ah yes, eac. i will go with that. what blows is that i have hundreds of CDs ripped using itunes lossless audio codec on my wife's desktop. it is great for partys and also great because i can play music from anywhere in the house to other systems in the house. very neat tech that is easy to use. my phone though doesn't play M4A so now i have to rip a bunch of cds all over again


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## Frederik S (Oct 5, 2012)

You can just recode them to WMA lossless (or any other format) via dbpoweramp or other program. ALAC is open source now so I expect that there are other programs that can do it as well.


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## MT Alex (Oct 5, 2012)

I don't know about eac, but db is nice because it uses all your cores at once.


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## NinkobEi (Oct 5, 2012)

Foobar2k will rip/convert to FLAC if you have FLAC installed. Pretty painless..


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## Frederik S (Oct 5, 2012)

Foobar can also convert if you have the correct things installed.


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## Easy Rhino (Oct 5, 2012)

Frederik S said:


> Foobar can also convert if you have the correct things installed.



yea id rather not waste my time. the built in tools by dbpoweramp should be enough.


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## 3870x2 (Oct 11, 2012)

Has anyone tried tube amplifiers?

What can I expect when using a tube amplifier?


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## Frederik S (Oct 11, 2012)

Tube amplifiers color the sound and have bad characteristics when combined with with low impedance headphones. Generally do not buy them unless you have a combination where you think the sound quality is superior. Normal solid state amplifiers are much better in every aspect.


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## 3870x2 (Oct 11, 2012)

What would be the best desktop setup if I wanted to test the waters (IE lowest price).  Something that will motivate me into investing in a setup close to $1000 in the future.

I listen to all sorts of music.  I love bass, but it doesn't have to be loud base, just crisp and clear.  I also play games, mostly FPS and Eve Online, etc...

If there is a portable setup that could do the trick, that will work also, I just figured a desktop would perform better at a lower price.

There is a portable fiio amplifier, and while I read that their quality isn't really up to snuff, it is still an amp that has generally good reviews.  I just wonder what a $30 amp can really do.


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## 3870x2 (Oct 11, 2012)

I also enjoy the classic look of the tube.


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## Frederik S (Oct 11, 2012)

I think the O2 + oDAC is the way to go or possibly the new desktop version of the O2 which is due out shortly. With regards to headphones I think the cheapest way to get something really good is the Sennheiser HD580 they are very cheap used and you can get spare parts for them from Sennheiser. That is probably a $400 setup. I would not recommend FiiO they are obsolete designs.


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## 3870x2 (Oct 11, 2012)

There are some 595s for $110, though the used 580s are $200 minimum used.  There is not a whole lot of used stock either.


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## Frederik S (Oct 11, 2012)

Check head-fi.org they usually go for around $140ish.


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