[nullstring]

I am not really a fanboy for most things.

I like Antec computer cases, Zalman CPU coolers, and.. samsung makes good laptops, LCDs, and memory.


Other than that.. I think that each brand specializes in certain things, and they are really good at those things. So, you get whatever brand is best for the situation. This is also true in headphones.

 

[bozebuttons]

Grado has always been my go to brand,I own a lot of differant brands,& still own a pair of sr60s & Rs1s I bought in 1995 besides other Grados I currently own.

 

[GuyDebord]

I love the sound of Stax but that doesnt mean I am a fan of Stax. Following a company for the sake of the brand (imo) is stupid and degrading. I currently own Ultrasone's, JH's and EarSonics and if something better comes I will get it.

 

[catscratch]

I've got Stax, Sennheiser, Westone, Shure, Audio-Technica, Koss, Beyerdynamic, AKG. I drove a Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Nissan, Acura, Infiniti, and BMW. I shoot Canon, Sony, and Panasonic. I had CD players from Cambridge Audio, Rega, Sony, Resolution Audio, laptops from Dell, HP, IBM... do I really need to go on?

Brand loyalty is stupid unless there's some sort of financial incentive involved. The very nature of competition is that different brands, at different times, will put out superior products. Fanboyism is absurd and more often than not ends up being utterly disruptive to both the industry and the hobby. Sure, you say, I'm a big fan of the Omega 2, but that's because at the moment it's the best that I've come across while still being competitively priced (I like the HE90/HEV90 combo quite a bit but I'd rather pay for grad school, thanks). If something better comes along I'll use that instead.

There are certain brands that I actively dislike, but that's mostly since they have yet to put out products to persuade me otherwise - Ultrasone, Bose, etc. If I hear something good from them, I'll change my mind.

 

[nickchen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif It is more like brand disloyalty to me. I've discovered that I'm not crazy about Denon or Ultrasone.

Same here, no Ultrasone and (almost) no AT. I can understand that an AT can be great for many though.

 

[tomb]

I love Antec cases, but Samsung laptops? No - not very robust. On the other hand, I agree that their LCD stuff is among the best. I can't say about memory - I buy the cheapest, fastest, and biggest on hand when purchasing - don't care who makes it.

As for headphones, I agree with catscratch. Each quality mfr tends to produce a quality headphone that's worthy of investment for particular traits of some sort or another. There are exceptions - SkullCandy, perhaps. I'd say Bose, but honestly, their stuff is not absolutely horrible - just over-priced. However, to try to pick a specific preferred brand for all types of headphones is a bit silly - Sennheiser, AKG, Grado, Beyer - they make great top-of-the-line headphones. At the same time, Sony, Denon, Audio Technica, Philips, Koss, etc. - all make great phones at some niche or another, it just depends on the niche in which you're interested.

 

[bada bing]

Admiring a company doesn't have to signify liking all of their offerings or excluding other manufacturers. I admire Sennheiser for bringing out the HD800, an expensive radical departure to their dynamic line, in the middle of a severe economic downturn. So right now, I think Senn kicks butt as a business model. Currently the rest of the manufacturers are pretty meh right now, playing it safe with conservative evolutions of their existing stuff.

 

[unl3a5h3d]

Right now I only have the MS1i's and I love the "Grado" sound. But I really, really want to hear the HD600. I am afraid if I do I could end up having to get them .

 

[GaryJW]

Headphones:
No brand identified. Spent more than I should have on expensive phones from Sennheiser, Denon, Shure and Sony. All have their comparative strengths.

Headphone amps.
To some extent Little Dot. Their quality and service are superb, and I appreciate the gains that I make from buying direct from very clever and hardworking people in a growing economy.

HiFi
Electronics, I have owned Arcam, Creek, Denon, Rotel, Cambridge Audio, Marantz and as such cannot claim a particular loyalty. Perhaps some loyalty to B&W speakers.

Computers
None - build them myself.

Cameras.
Now this is when the pain starts. I switched from a long owned (25 years) Olympus film setup which I loved to Nikon digital (which I am also growing to like). The difference here is the 'lock in'. You buy into an SLR system. Buy one component and then all others must be compatible (lens mount).
Guess it shows that I am not completely dumb, I reckoned Olympus had one of the cleverest film cameras ever (OM4), but when a complete switch was mandated looked afresh. There is no guilt, maybe just a little regret,

 

[mypasswordis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif It is more like brand disloyalty to me. I've discovered that I'm not crazy about Denon or Ultrasone. Bose and Skullcandy go without saying. I've found headphones I love from every other manufacturer, though.

Agreed as well. I've got headphones from at least 10 different manufacturers right now.