I am looking to upgrade my headphone setup. Look to my sig for details. I power my headphones directly from the Xonar Essence STX. Long story short the speakers are not really in use for real stereo listening as they are way off center. I've had the same headphone setup since 2009 because...

Head Fi, I have this optical drive in my computer. I have used it to play/rip/burn CDs and DVDs, as well as play games/create ISO images and I have had no problems - until now. I recently bought a CD from a seller on amazon. I tried to rip it, and EAC gave me a read/sync error. When I...

Hello head-fi, I was just reading a bit on Stereophile's website, and came across this review: ASUS Xonar Essence ST/STX soundcards It was just written in January, so I don't know if it has made it to the head-fi forums just yet. If it has, I apologize (I scanned the first few pages of...

A friend of mine is looking to buy his girlfriend headphones for christmas. She just lost her ibuds, and he doesn't want to buy her skullcandies - he asked me to help him out since I'm into hifi. His price cap is $50, and her musical tastes are "anything on the radio, and some vocally focused...

Before I start this thread, I would like to affirm that this thread is not an attempt to argue over whether or not there is a difference between lossy and lossles. So please, leave it behind. Anyway, I just did some ABX comparator tests with FLAC vs. V0 VBR MP3 files in foobar, and...

Alright so I'm bored, and thought of this picture and decided to make it a demotivational. Enjoy:

Hello all, I am about to make a speaker purchase, but before I do that I need some sort of amplification. I found an Onkyo TX-8222 used that I could probably get for <$100 shipped. Paired with Cambridge Audio S30s for $200 shipped, 12AWG speaker cable and 22AWG RCA cable from monoprice for $22...

Interesting thing happened, I went to the bathroom and came back to my room only to find my dog chomping away on my comply foam tips. I have 2 other pairs, so no big deal, but I put the stock turbine mushroom tips on out of curiosity, and I like the sound much better. The comply tips seem to...

Hey guys, after I got used to my current PC audio setup (shown in sig), I can't listen to my $40 logitech 2.1 system. I'll put it this way - The subwoofer is a 6" driver, and the mids and tweets are both 1.5" cones. Horrible design to start, bad sound to finish. So basically I feel like my...

Hello, I am off to college in about a week and I need something to do with my AD700s when I'm not in my dorm. Should I buy a lockbox dedicated to audio equipment? I cant think of any other ways to safely store these headphones away as headphones are a simple thing to unplug and steal. ...Or...

Hello head-fi, I need to make a purchase on a DAC/Amp combo for college next year. It needs to be USB (for use on a laptop) and small, so it doesn't take up a lot of room and so I can put it away when I'm not in the room. My budget is about $200. I like the D2 because I can also use it for my...

Hello head-fi, I'm about to ask a question I'm afraid I shouldn't. I have and love the monster turbines for my portables, but after hearing the AD700s I am starting to like more of that deep bass without being loud and big. The PFEs really have me curious as to what they sound like - they get...

Hello all, after a long self-debate over whether or not to get a laptop or a desktop + netbook for college, I am almost 100% sure I'm getting a laptop. This totally threw off the Asus Xonar Essence STX I had planned. In the same price range, I was looking at the iBasso D2 Boa to use as a...

Hello head-fi, as I just became comfortable with foobar (columns UI, DSPs, other basic functions etc...), I have come to wonder exactly what replaygain does. I know it has something to do with clipping or evening out volume, but what benefits does it offer? Does it actually modify the MP3...

Hi all, I was using stumbleupon and found this. I'm still researching specs and everything, but it seems to me that it may be possible to use a USB DAC with that thing and be able to play our music directly from a hard drive instead of using SPDIF passthrough or a USB DAC with a PC. Does this...

...well not quite all, but I found that it relates heavily to head-fi. I "stumbled upon" it just now. (for those who do not yet know the art of stumbleupon, LEARN IT) Once you get in, it's too late to turn back. EDIT: let's make this a bit more fun - I stuck my head in the can-noose...

My friend listened to the turbines a few weeks ago, and now wants to make a purchase. I told him I'd find the best current deal on 'em, so I figured I would turn to you guys. He is a total basshead, so I think the turbines would be good for him. (in his car he has 2 12' subwoofers and an...

I just received my ATH-AD700s and am listening to them out of my current PC setup (sig). I am really considering the Xonar Essence STX for a sound card, being that it has a built in amp. Are there any other good options in that price range? I was looking to spend slightly less than $200, but...

Hello all, I just ordered the ATH-AD700s, and would like an amp to go with it. My budget for the headphones was $200, and since the AD700s are about $90, I will have the rest of my budget (about $100) to spend on an amp. My biggest problem is that I do not want to overdo it - meaning that I...

I posted a thread in here about open/closed headphones for college a little while ago, and after seeing the AD700 being repeated as plain awesome for the past few weeks, I think I'm gonna go for that. My budget was $200 but since these are <100 I think I'll spend the rest on an amp. Before I...

Hello all, I recently posted a general thread in here about a college audio setup. My question now resides in the DAC part of the setup, regarding sound cards vs. external DACs. I know this is probably one of those never ending arguments, but I'm not looking for a war here. My question is...

Hello, I'm off to college in the fall and I would like a set of full-sized cans to use in the dorm when studying/working. I currently use and love the Monster Turbines, but for stationary use I'd like a nice full-sized set. They will be used on a PC audio setup that will double for gaming...

Hi all, I am mostly on head-fi to discuss portable phones, but I am going to college in the fall and I want to invest in a nice setup. Problem is I've never really understood PC audio beyond the speakers plugged into line-out setup. The latest sound card I currently own is an audigy 2 ZS...

No, not head-fi meaning the forum, head-fi meaning hi-fi headphone audio, although I'm sure most of your journeys started here. As for me, I was a bose IEM rocker for awhile, but upon reading the headphone FAQ on OCForums, I found this in the list-o-brands: Bose: While it hurts me to...

For those who don't know, it's the new Dream Theater album - came out on the 23rd. For all you DT fans out there, I would like to know what you thought. I personally think it's very good - I was scared that when Jordan Rudess said the band was going gothic that it would be totally...