New to the World of Audiophilia
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Topic: New to the World of Audiophilia
Posted By: Magoo
Subject: New to the World of Audiophilia
Date Posted: 06 February 2011 at 10:22pm
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I've always appreciated good music. Recently, I've learned that what I know about music is like a snowflake on the tip of an iceberg. My friend just gave me a lot of good music, ranging everything from indie to metal to classical to electronica and even a little country and rap. Many, many, many good bands that a lot of people have never heard of. Shame really... Anyway, now that I've got all that good music to listen to, I need better way to listen to it. I've got some Klipsch speakers on my computer, and a few good songs in FLAC format, so that's an improvement over stock. Now I need more! With that, I've got a few questions: Firstly, I'm looking into a good set of headphones. Over the ear, passive noise cancellation, and affordable (up to $300, preferably). I don't need active, as I like to listen to music in my room or while traveling, and there's usually not a lot of noise to cancel out. However, I don't know what makes a set of headphones "good," per se, but I'd like to learn. My friend can get me a good deal on http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Headphones - Bowers and Wilkins P5's , but I'm hearing a lot of reviews saying they don't sound as good as they cost. However, they seem to be really comfortable and well-built, but it's the sound that matters to me. Comfort would be nice, though... Secondly, I'm wondering about iPods and other portable players. Say I've got a good set of 'phones. Would the player itself limit the quality of music? I know it's MP3, so at least it's a level playing field in that regard. I guess I'm wondering, will one brand of portable player sound better than the other? I've got an old iPod Video, and I'd like to not replace it if I don't have to. Lastly (at the moment, anyway), what musical files should I look out for, and what makes them good? My friend told me about FLAC, and how it's superior to MP3 as it's a lossless audio file. However, I don't understand all this nonsense about compression and whatnot. |
Replies:
Posted By: carl_the_sniper
Date Posted: 06 February 2011 at 10:51pm
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Don't spend more than $200 on the headphones. After about $200, you really won't notice a sound quality increase till you hit the $500 range. I had a pair of these: great for the money, sounded really amazing. Not very durable... http://usa.denon.com/US/Product/Pages/Product-Detail.aspx?Catid=f28e56fc-7d35-4cf7-88d8-f6ce5abeb128&SubId=175b9aad-12a5-4ba1-9bc0-de397b66258a&ProductId=c19083f5-57b8-4203-9fc6-ae7aec2db243 - http://usa.denon.com/US/Product/Pages/Product-Detail.aspx?Catid=f28e56fc-7d35-4cf7-88d8-f6ce5abeb128&SubId=175b9aad-12a5-4ba1-9bc0-de397b66258a&ProductId=c19083f5-57b8-4203-9fc6-ae7aec2db243 Hint on file type: you can't tell the difference. Most audiophile beliefs are really a load of crap. ------------- <just say no to unnecessarily sexualized sigs> |
Posted By: Magoo
Date Posted: 06 February 2011 at 10:56pm
| Think so on the files? I listened to some of the FLAC files, and thought they had a bit more clarity, but I didn't have the band's MP3 files to compare them to. That said, it could have been psychological. My friend told me that FLAC sounded better, so maybe I imagined it did... |
Posted By: carl_the_sniper
Date Posted: 06 February 2011 at 10:58pm
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Placebo effect plays huge into audophile BS. ------------- <just say no to unnecessarily sexualized sigs> |
Magoo wrote:Posted By: Magoo
Date Posted: 06 February 2011 at 11:11pm
| Hm. I'll bear that in mind. Does that apply to hardware as well? I know a good set of speakers/headphones can make a world of difference, but what about various players? Portable MP3 vs. Computer, etc. |
Posted By: Snipa69
Date Posted: 06 February 2011 at 11:46pm
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I have a pair of dre beats headphones I've been trying to get rid of, I don't use headphones much so I can't be much assistance on that but I've heard great things about these from co-workers. If I decide to break them out of the plastic wrap I'll let you know. ------------- http://imageshack.us - [IMG - http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/857/sig9ac6cs1mj.jpg - |
Posted By: Magoo
Date Posted: 06 February 2011 at 11:47pm
| Yeah, I saw those Beats at Best Buy. Don't know much about 'em. The sound demo seemed nice, though. |
Posted By: Snipa69
Date Posted: 06 February 2011 at 11:57pm
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all of our employees who won them in a contest were told to wear them during shifts to get an idea and opinion and thus far everyone seems to love them. ------------- http://imageshack.us - [IMG - http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/857/sig9ac6cs1mj.jpg - |
Posted By: DaveEllis
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 12:32am
| Something about the fact that they are made by Monster and promoted by Dr Dre makes them seem gimmicky. |
Posted By: Darur
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 1:26am
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I use http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Headphones/dp/B000065BPB/ref=pd_sim_e_1 - Sennheiser HD 280s and I love em. I'm no audiophile but they sound amazing to me. They use passive noise cancellation that works really well. Even at low volumes its impossible to hear outside noises for me. Some people don't like them cause they are tight (people compare them to shooting ear protection) but I've never had a problem with them being uncomfortable. I wear them for 6 - 8 hours at a time with no problem. ------------- Real Men play Tuba [IMG]http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/1859/newsmall6xz.jpg"> PH33R TEH 1337 Dwarf! http://www.tippmann.com/forum/wwf77a/log_off_user.asp" rel="nofollow - DONT CLICK ME!!1 |
Posted By: evillepaintball
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 1:37am
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I like my Denons. The only thing I dislike is that they have a good bit of static at low volume. But how often do I listen to them at low volume? ------------- 
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Posted By: Kayback
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 4:19am
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Audiophiles always make me wonder. While I'm sure there is a difference between a $5 set of headphones and a $200 pair, some of the claims have always seemed a little far fetched to me.
Like vinters who claim to be able to discern where a grape was grown.... Whatever. KBK |
Posted By: ParielIsBack
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 7:08am
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Given that there's a huge difference between a pair of $5 headphones and a pair of $40 headphones, I certainly hope there's still a difference at $200. Granted I'd never pay $200, or $100 for headphones. ------------- BU Engineering 2012 |
Posted By: jerseypaint
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 9:10am
Sennheiser makes excellent headphones. Other companies are AKG, Audio Technica, and Sony. Dre's are good, but they definitely aren't worth the price tag. And Flac (900+kbps) vs 128kbps there is a huge difference in quality. More data means more music and more range. Though you would also need the speakers to hear all of it. Most times though 320kbps is good enough for what headphones can do. ------------- 
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Posted By: GI JOES SON
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 9:25am
This. The only time i would drop close to 100 on headphones is if i were traveling on a plane in the near future...the engines are pretty damn loud even in a 747 |
Posted By: agentwhale007
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 9:35am
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I allow only the finest set of $19 Sony "studio-style" headphones to grace my ears. Purchased at Walmart, they offer superb quality. When I close my eyes, I can picture that I'm in the studio with the folks making the given podcast that I happen to be listening to. It has warmth at richness, depth and clarity, like angels slowly and sensually licking the inside of my ears. Located on the headphone cord itself, is a small dial that I can lower and raise the headphone volume on without having to change the settings on my listening device. Only the pros have that. The ear pads are made of only the finest recycled old mattresses and shopping bags. The plastic, formed from the highest grade petroleum. I would not even think about anything less without vomiting.  Also, all of my podcasting equipment is made of solid diamonds and the bones of albino children. |
Posted By: FreeEnterprise
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 9:43am
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mp3's are a lossy method of audio compression. You lose the highs and lows associated as the recording is "flattened" with the software to allow more songs per mb.
Kind of like when you listen to XM radio. It just sounds lousy, the rich tones are all gone. Bust out a digital studio recording on Dat, and you can immediately hear the difference. Way more spectrum of audio present in the recording.
That said, it isn't worth spending $100 if you are listening with a mp3 player. Your MP3's don't have the data that the hundred dollar and up headsets will replicate...
------------- They tremble at my name... 
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Posted By: Boss_DJ
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 10:10am
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i use a pair of bose headphones that were about 130...sound amazing and just as good as the 300 pair...i was on the same page about to shell out a ton on headphones but listened to both and really didnt notice a dramatic change also im really big into vinyl...you're not going to reach the same high level of audio quality on any digital platform...its really a great experience and brings back a lot that we've lost as technology has progressed
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Posted By: carl_the_sniper
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 12:40pm
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I wouldn't know for sure, sorry. However, I feel that excluding bottom of the line products, any player made around the same time would sound about the same as any other similar one.
Agreed. Celebrity endorsed products like that are almost always crap. ------------- <just say no to unnecessarily sexualized sigs> |
Posted By: High Voltage
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 1:11pm
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For portable, on-the-go listening I use my Sennheiser HD 238 headphones. They offer amazing sound for only $50, or you can pick up some refurbs on Amazon for $30. They're small, lightweight and rest on your ear. At the house I rarely grab headphones unless I'm gaming and don't want feedback through my mic. ------------- 
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Posted By: Magoo
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 1:24pm
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Well, at my house (I still live with me folks), I don't really want to bother everyone else with my music. Let's just say our tastes don't really mingle... I appreciate y'alls recommendations! I also posted this topic on another forum, and I'm being told most portable MP3 players use an internal amplifier that is mediocre at best, so you won't get that high-end sound. As for what I'd be listening to at home, I've got most of my music on my computer, so I'm not just limited to a portable. |
Posted By: __sneaky__
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 2:02pm
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I use a pair of Senhiesser 280 pro's. They are quite cumbersome - more so than I was expecting; that said, I love them. I don't really take them out of my house very often just because there isn't really a good way to carry them around, but for the ~$80 I spent, I'm very pleased. ------------- "I AM a crossdresser." -Reb Cpl Forum Vice President RIP T&O Forum |
Posted By: carl_the_sniper
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 4:33pm
Posted on an audiophile forum? ------------- <just say no to unnecessarily sexualized sigs> |
Posted By: choopie911
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 5:18pm
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I use Sony MDR-V500's and I love them, and for the price they're very close to the higher priced alternatives.
If you truly want to be an audiophile, pick up a playstation 1 apparently: http://www.destructoid.com/playstation-1-the-audiophile-s-dream--32269.phtml - http://www.destructoid.com/playstation-1-the-audiophile-s-dream--32269.phtml |
Posted By: Magoo
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 10:36pm
No. M. Carter Brown, actually. Another paintball forum. As for the PS1 thing: HOLY FRIGGEN CRAP. If I had some high-end speakers, I'd be all over that. Might just go ahead and dust mine off. Does it have to be a PS1, or can it just be a Playstation? /me goes to check Edit: Nope, just PS1... |
Posted By: Mehs
Date Posted: 07 February 2011 at 10:43pm
 Bought these $70 dollar headphones for $20 in a Woot Off. "gaming headphones" lol. ------------- [IMG]http://i27.tinypic.com/1538fbc.jpg"> Squeeze Box ☣ |
Posted By: GI JOES SON
Date Posted: 08 February 2011 at 8:30am
could find one in a pawn shop or something like that for 20 bucks. |
Posted By: Glassjaw
Date Posted: 08 February 2011 at 10:00am
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I know not all that much in RE: to audiophilia, however everything I've read has told me that Bose is over priced and Sennheiser is a good starting point. ------------- |
Posted By: Shub
Date Posted: 08 February 2011 at 10:21am
Interesting! |