Build Quality and Design   Beyerdynamic headphones are often touted as being built like tanks, and I have to agree that they are very solid indeed, but not without their flaws. The main body of the DT880 is a combination of plastic and what I assume is aluminium. The grille and forks are very solid aluminium, with the latter having a subtle brush effect which adds a nice feeling of quality. The premium version which I have has some aluminium wings (also brushed) on the headband which I really like, and the "DT880" badge on the grille is another...

Revenge Of The Ner- err, Audiophiles...   If I were to sum up what types of headphone demographics there are, in an overly simplified way, it would be that there is the average consumers and the audiophiles & professionals. Saying "Consumer headphone" around head-fi has become synonymous with things like Beats By Dre, headphones known for putting image and marketing before audio performance. This is because the audience these headphones are appealing to are not going to be particularly difficult to please in the performance department. As long as...

This will be a very brief comparison review with the PX100, my review of which can be found here: http://www.head-fi.org/products/sennheiser-px-100-collapsible-headphones/reviews/8181 Aesthetics   This is the most striking difference between the PX100 and PX100ii, with the latter being the far better off. The PX100 has aged noticeably, and the updated version really does look far nicer. Sennheiser have updated the aesthetics of a classic without resorting to gaudy, flashy design choices. The PX100ii is sleek, modern, dark and stylish. I think...

  A legendary value performer   The Creative Aurvana Live! (CAL! for short) has a strong reputation for being an excellent choice for beginning headphone hobbyists and an amazingly good sounding headphone for under $100. I found myself with some spare cash, and was after some new headphones after selling my Denon D2000, and thought it would be fun to try the CALs, since they are a reincarnation of the Denon D1000. People have described them as a little brother of the D2000, and I think they are to some extent. Certainly for the better in the sound...

Onkyo's entry into the headphone game   After selling my V-Moda M80s due to discomfort and trading my Shure se215s due to finding ergonomic issues with IEMs in general, my search for a portable headphone continued. As a subscriber to Innerfidelity, I opened youtube one day to see Tyll's new review of the ES-FC300 and ES-HF300 headphones from Onkyo. Portables! I knew Tyll typically only reviews things he likes, so I gave it a watch. He sure seemed impressed with them! And they looked like they were much closer to circumaural headphones, maybe they'd...

A sadly rare classic   The Denon D2/5/7000 line of headphones are quite legendary. Many considering them to be some of, if not the, best full sized sealed headphones to be produced. Their discontinuing was, understandably, much mourned with many feeling that there were few truly great sealed headphone options available. I was quite happy with my HFI-2400, but was after the next level in my desktop headphones. I was lucky enough to stumble across some D2000s in the trade forum for $300, and in good as new condition (and in my own country!). I...

As an upgrade to my portable setup, I decided that I would buy my first pair of proper IEMs. My only prior experience with IEMs were with freebies that came with phones and the like, which were needless to say, awful. I honestly wasn't quite shure (Sorry about that, had to get the obligatory Shure pun out the way) what to expect in terms of performance level, but I was very pleased indeed!   The SE215 Special Editions come well accessorised. Included is a small zip-up carry pouch with room for the IEMS and spare ear tips to fit nice and snug. 6...

After my disappointing experience with the HFI-580 that left me thinking I would never, ever buy another Ultrasone headphone ever again, I continued on my search for a similarly "full" sounding headphone. I really liked the way the HFI-580 did bass, and it's mids were fine (not amazing, but fine). But the incredibly fatiguing treble response and the bad comfort made it simply unacceptable overall. One day I was perusing some frequency response charts, and came across the HFI-2400s. I was actually quite intrigued by what I saw, and a little bit...

After become reacquainted with portable audio with the PX100, I decided that I wanted to invest more in my portable headphones in order to bridge the gap between my pleasurable, but humble, portable rig and my much more capable full sized desktop rig. The V-moda M80 looked like a pretty prime candidate, generating quite a bit of hype on Head-fi, and having a glowing recommendation from the well respected Tyl Hertsens of Innerfidelity. I happened to be browsing on Amazon, and they were priced down to $148, so I decided to pounce.   2 weeks later, my...

  The HD448 were my first headphones that I could call my own, and my first foray into high quality sound. I bought these in late 2010 for use with my iPod Classic. Like most people entering the headphone game, I was after "more bass, please"  (keep in mind that I was coming from the PX100, which little did I know at the time, was actually somewhat bassy). I was also after headphones that were portable, seeing as I wanted to use them primarily with my iPod.   When they arrived, I opened them up, plonked them on my head, and gave them a whirl. To...

  The PX100 is proof that something quite cheap and simple can provide as much enjoyment for the end user as something significantly more expensive. That's not to say that they're on the same level of quality as a higher end product, you do get what you pay for. It's a mental thing. There's so much satisfaction to be had in the idea that something so light on the wallet can sound so... pleasant!    The PX100 are a fantastic little portable that I was using back in 2010, before I got my own first pair of headphones, the HD448, and subsequently...

Say what you want about Grado headphones, they certainly have a die-hard cult following. So, being a Head-Fier, it's relatively impossible to not know about them. When I asked for advice on the forums for upgrade suggestions to my HD448 with "Metal performance" being one of the key things I was after, it was inevitably that the Grado sound would be recommended to me. They seem to be a polarising line up of headphones, with the 225i often referred to as the sweet spot. They fit my budget at the time perfectly and apparently had the sound I was after...

note- I actually have the Ultrasone DJ1 but since they're essentially the same as the HFI-580 (For those that don't know, the DJ1 is the same headphone with a different colour scheme / logo, and a coiled cable), I decided to post the review here for more exposure.   I bought these phones to compliment my Grado SR-225i as a sealed headphone for more bass-intensive music like electronic and hip hop. These phones are pretty hyped around here, many people quoting them to be a basshead's headphones. This might be true for you depending on what you...