Does your laptop have audio software/driver preinstalled in it? My asus laptop came with some audio software that was on by default (which i happily turned off), could be worth checking out.

i suggest checking this out since it's always being updated and made by a very active veteran in this forum.   http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame#QSlYdU2PRtLdOglG.97   I can vouch for the v moda xs as a pretty good all rounder. Much more comfy and balanced than my...

The oppo's are super good, but they have a balanced sound, meaning a lot less bass than the m-100's.   Considering op's music genre preferences, i'm hesitant to also recommend it.

I'll also suggest planars.   If you're thinking about bringing it outside, the oppo pm3 is super awesome. I got one myself, and can confirm string instruments and vocals sound spot on.   If it's gonna be strictly home use, then the hifimans and audeze's are also excellent. I don't have too...

I'm no expert on iems and small portable phones, so i can't make any recommendations, but check these out.   http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/innerfidelitys-wall-fame-ear-pad-sealed http://theheadphonelist.com/     tyll from innerfidelity seems to think the skullcandies are decent, and...

This is head-fi, most phones recommended here won't completely destroy/sacrifice most of its frequency range just to have one good trait. Bass heavy just means the bass is louder than the mids and highs. V shaped sound means the bass and treble is louder, while the mids sounds softer relatively...

hd558 -> dt880 = small upgrade hd558 -> hd 598 = barely an upgrade.   you can mod the hd558 to be exactly an hd598, just open it up and remove the tape, there's a whole thread about it.   imo both are a waste of money if youre looking to upgrade, all youre getting with the dt880 is a...

amplifier and dac sound improvements are greatly exaggerated in reviews, for they have to be, since their actual improvements are very small. So small that people new to the hobby will not notice or appreciate it. Especially so if you have a pair of low end headphones that isn't technically...

It just so happens that i listen to the same thing stuff a lot, and i can give the oppo pm3 a solid recommendation.   It has the right amount of everything, but especially those mids. It gets it really right and makes vocals heavenly. It's more expensive though.   I've never heard the audio...

yes.   Sibilance is when the ss, ch, tsss, sounds get overly emphasized. it's usually a flaw in vocal recording/mastering

never heard of any of those brands. i doubt anyone will be able to help you. Also theyre all really low end, so dont expect too much.   All i can suggest is pick an earphone that doesnt have a peak in 6-7khz in its frequency response graph if you hate sibilance and overly piercing treble...

My take on things is that, if your headphone gets loud enough, it's not worth it.   My reason being: it's noisy as hell outside (i'm assuming youre gonna be outside since you want a portable amp). All those minute details a good amp will bring you will be lost in the background noise since no...

if your source is crap for sure, or doesnt have a line out, you're gonna want a usb DAC. ( Something like this, this or this) anything that has a usb input and a line out.   You could also get a sound card, same thing, it just goes inside your computer.   As for the speakers, all of them...

honestly i can't give and input since ive never heard the kef's. I havent demoed many speakers. However, i can say for sure that the jbl lsr305 sounds pretty nice for the $240 i spent on a pair. They don't need a sub if you dont listen to bass heavy music or don't game. I got a sub anyways since...

if you haven't seen this old post yet, read it. It just might help.   If you never said that you wanted something bright, i would have recomended a planar headphone like audeze, hifiman or oppo.    Nothing beats planars on mids and bass, which is exactly what you want for pop and vocals.

Upgrading your headphones will always yield the most significant improvement until you hit the midrage tier (about 300 dollars ish).   Since youre new at this (correct me if im wrong) then you might not know that amps only improve a headphones sound slightly. Descriptions in reviews are...

are you sure you want it more sparkly than the hd800?   pop and kpop are mastered bright enough; pair it with the hd800 and its a disaster to my ears.   as for the headphones youre looking for: Bright + mid forward = any grado headphones ever

I would go the highest i can go. I even usually encourage people to save up a bit more. Getting the best headphone you can right away is cheaper and better in the long run. Plus it will kill off any desire or regret to get better headphones.    Also, m50 to he400i is a good leap in...

For music, you can get away with a cheaper sub unless all you listen to is hip-hop/rap/trap that has below 30hz content.(example(25-27hz ish) and another (about 33 hz, the lowest note in that drop))     Just about all the subwoofers that zeos recommended are solid (no clue about earthquake...

you wont go wrong with the jbl lsr 305, just dont expect earth shattering bass out of anything unless you have a sub.   if you really want to compare monitors, you really have to go out to a store that has them.   The next best way would be to watch this channel with a neutral pair of...

I have a pair of jbl lsr305's paired with an svs sb-1000. You definitely made a good choice on the speakers.   They do however, need subwoofers depending on what you listen to. I've done test tones on the lsr305's, 40 hz is as low as they effectively reach. Anything below is just too quiet...

The k7xx is a very good mid range headphone. You really need to get something in the low-high-end to high-end if you actually want a noticable/appreciable improvement, otherwise it's just a waste of effort.   And as you probably know already, the HD800 is the spiritual upgrade of the k700...

stagediver sd3   joker's review on it seems to fit the bill.

you wont find many iem's with detachable cables at this price range. THe best you can do is make sure the cables doesnt get stressed (pulled, pressured, bent sharply). I haven't had an any earphones break on me for years when i started to keep the cable in mind.   As for neutrality, I can...

The jbl's don't really need a subwoofer despite having only a 5 inch woofer. If you listen so some bass driven electronic music like drum and bass and dubstep and such, then yes you will need a subwoofer, even if you have speakers with 8 inch woofers. Same story for just about any speakers.  ...