Are expensive headphones worth it? - Page 3

Yes, that's because you went from M50 to w1000x Lol.

I find the following post interesting...

Quote: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/529145/differences-between-models-of-grado-headphones#post_7135157

Originally Posted by Bilavideo 

Grado says its drivers are different but it all comes down to how you define the term. To Grado, the driver must include the subtle differences in how it's all wired up. The specs are identical up and down the product line and as many times as I have taken different models apart, I have yet to see a substantial difference. The Mylar, baskets, magnets and such are all the same. The weight is the same. The diameter is the same. The impedance is the same. What is different is the wire, the damping, the cloth on the front grill, the rear grill and the air chambers.

I'm in the process of experimenting with my Grado SR-325is and well.. when there are some that claims modding gets one to about HF-2 and RS1i one might wonder the point of shelling out big bucks.

Anyways.. as for now I'm laughing.. all the way to the bank.

Dude take it easy. He is obviously new to the world of headfi and hes simply asking for advice. It's better to be ignorant and humbly ask questions to learn then to be arrogant and insulting people, does it make you feel better or any bigger?
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernmac 

 

Rubbish.  Would you jump onto wineconnisseurclub.com and open with-  "do you think that spending more than $10 on a bottle of wine is worth it?"

 

The OP knows the difference between a HD202 and HD800 price wise, so the question is either absurd, clearly not thought about, or is one of the lamest attempts at trolling I have witnessed.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albedo 

I find the following post interesting...

 

I'm in the process of experimenting with my Grado SR-325is and well.. when there are some that claims modding gets one to about HF-2 and RS1i one might wonder the point of shelling out big bucks.

 

Anyways.. as for now I'm laughing.. all the way to the bank.

That doesn't win much respect for Grado, does it ...........

Heya,

There's as much difference between headphones as you'll allow yourself to hear.

More expensive doesn't mean better sounding. It may mean better technology, more refinement, higher quality parts. But better sounding is relative. I have $50 and under headphones that sound great and astonish me when I put them on and compare them to a mid-tier $300ish set of headphones in how close things can get. Is it worth it? Only if that wee-bit-of-difference is the world to you. For some, it is. For others, it's not. I've let people listen to different headphones and they were just like, "EH, I'll stick to my $20 best buy headphones//earbuds." All you can say is, "Well, ok." People take in audio differently. I listen to their stuff and wonder how they can do it, it sounds awful to me, they can't even hear what's going on in the music its so congested and gritty and there's no sound stage and often it's just muddy bass. I won't even tell someone what a headphone costs, because they automatically think "Oh screw this thing, it's not that great" or "OMG OMG OMG" even though they have no idea. Money does play a huge influence on what someone is going to think of a headphone. And it's too bad, because there's a lot of good headphones that are inexpensive, and a lot of expensive ones that are not that great, etc.

Is it worth it to buy a $1,000 headphone? Yes.

Is it worth it to leave it on the stand and put on your $50 headphones? Yes.

Many people have headphones that are high-end and flagship as well as some old beaters that still just are fun and do certain musics so right that nothing else replaces them.

Very best,

Quite a vague post MalVeaux =p

Which $50 headphones can compare to your PRO 900 or SRH-940? I'm taking that with some salt.

With a good source and good headphones you can notice the difference, especially if the song is well-recorded. However, if you're buying your music off of iTunes and it's mostly the top-40 stuff, you might not get as much mileage for your money.

Then, there is the law of diminishing returns. Are $50 Skullcandy headphones as good as a $1,000 set of Sennheisers? Not by a long shot. Are they $950 better? Well.. Your mileage will vary. I have a set of Denon AH-D2000's which will run you around $240 if you look around. I could see myself maybe going one step further up the ladder but not much beyond that.

I do look at the guys with $5,000 headphones and $10,000 rigs and just shake my head, but it's the same reason I shake my head at someone with a Bugatti. Not because I don't think they have a better set of gear but because I sometimes wonder if they actually get to use it in a way that justifies how much it really costs.

Then, some people collect art. Who are we to judge?

Get a good, solid set of headphones like the ones I have, or Sennheiser HD-25-1 II's or another set of classically highly-praised mid-range audiophile headphones. See what you think. If you feel there's something missing then maybe you can invest in some new, better gear. If not? Congratulations, we all envy you. :D

I think the OP should just get a Denon D2000 and find out for himself how much it crushes a $50 headphone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiteki 

Quite a vague post MalVeaux =p

 

Which $50 headphones can compare to your PRO 900 or SRH-940? I'm taking that with some salt.

Heya,

I've had people listen to equalized XB500's and the PRO 900's and it was not a one sided vote. Not everyone wants the refinement of the PRO 900, and something like the XB500, especially when equalized to bring out mids/highs, delivers amazingly close performance for quite a lower price. It's why I have both. I had to compare to just know.

Very best,

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiteki 

I think the OP should just get a Denon D2000 and find out for himself how much it crushes a $50 headphone.

They are the ones that convinced me there was something to be gained for the money. I humbly suggest that there are very few headphones in that price range that sound as good, even some above it. But then, I'm biased because I own and love mine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalVeauX 

Heya,

 

I've had people listen to equalized XB500's and the PRO 900's and it was not a one sided vote. Not everyone wants the refinement of the PRO 900, and something like the XB500, especially when equalized to bring out mids/highs, delivers amazingly close performance for quite a lower price. It's why I have both. I had to compare to just know.

 

Very best,

 

Ok, I see where you're coming from now, I forgot about the ultra-low prices on Sony XB500 and ZX700.
 

Respect for authorities or manufacturers are often misplaced, as for Denon -> http://www.lawtonaudio.com/page20.html

The most bang for the buck are the fine line between Mid-Fi and High-Fi, once many get a glimpse of the elusive sound of fast transients and timbre/ decay.. they are IMHO just staring at an endless plain where one can see a few bumps of revered products, price vs. performance after going further becomes a desert.. listening to sounds more than music and one are lost. The few oases one stumbles upon are more like fata morganas, a few drops.. and voilà.. the onset of madness.

Welcome to Head-Fi... soon you'll step up to the Alter of Audiophile and look upon your fellow converts, today is your first sermon of audio blessing and you say: "As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs".

Quote:

Originally Posted by DougofTheAbaci 

With a good source and good headphones you can notice the difference, especially if the song is well-recorded. However, if you're buying your music off of iTunes and it's mostly the top-40 stuff, you might not get as much mileage for your money.

From personal experience, I'd have to disagree. I listen to top40 stuff all the time on my Stax, it sounds great.

A headphone will always put a certain spin on things whether you use the best of recordings or the worst, they certainly don't downgrade themselves to a lesser headphone just because it's being fed something "crap".

I agree with killer lover.