This is an observation and discussion, not a complaint. First headphones I heard were Koss 4aaa in 1975. First purchased were an original 1978 AKG 240 silver ring not Sextett. $189. Then 10 years later Beyerdynamic DT 880. S219. Both sets lasted a decade of heavy DJ booth use in clubs. 1000s...

I highly recommend getting a large UPS backup with surge protection. Mine 650 VA 360 watts. Surge Protection is just an isolation transformer plugged to the mains. Backup is a Lithium battery that lasts a few hours for laptop etc. The main improvement seems to be the isolation transformer...

I know. This seems incongruous. I want biggest soundstage regardless of other qualities. I have several of the "giant killer" cans from back around 2012. KSC 75, Presonus HD7, Superlux 681, Takstar Pro 80. I very much prefer the open back and soundstage of the Presonus/SL. They have that...

Exhibiting tremendous restraint and not just leaping to a pair of 800's, I have slowly moved up the value / SQ chain with 20 pairs of cans. What would be the next good step up from the Pro80's? Closed or Open is fine. I listen to rock, jazz, current Asian pop, classical, prog, kraut, very...

1) I won't be responsible if you destroy your $2,000 headphones. That said: One way that I have found to increase the detail of cheaper drivers is to spray them with a clear-coat, clear acrylic, spray paint. By 'cheaper drivers' I refer to $2 midrange drivers in cheap-o bookshelf boxes, or the...

FOTM - Flavour of the Month, a headphone that is making the rounds and is overly popular here and elsewhere. I am new to the site so I don't know which cans were all the rage and very popular in the past. One I read of that I did not know about until this week: KEF 500 Which other IEM's and...

Looking for a DAC recommendation up to $300 USD for use with a PC USB input. TIA!

I live in China and shop on TaoBao. Yesterday I sent a personal message to every single seller of the Superlux 681, 30+ vendors in total. The original Red Ring 681 (null) has been discontinued since at least early 2013, perhaps longer. There are no sellers of this hp on TaoBao. I can purchase...

The measurement guys will love this. Last night whilst listening on my tube amp with the 681f's I noticed that London Calling sounded cleaner. Less sibilance which the Superlux line is well known for. Listened to the FLAC again today, noon. Sibilance returns. I have noticed this for decades...

I really do not understand this and it has begun to bother me more the past few years. I live outside of my native country and people all over the world sing English language songs with more or less a non-accent. Abba, Psy, Tata, Celine Dion, Aqua, Right Said Fred - all have another language...

I am enjoying the Pro80's sound very much. Which cans would be the next level up step up from the Pro80's, that sound similar? I am looking for 'I like this, and I want more of what this hp has'. Many cans on my buy list: Steel Series 51100 Siberia Noontec Zoro MF3114 JVC HA-S680 Sony MDR-V6...

I am going to move up in price and like the SL sound. Which cans at that price have a similar signature? Possible candidates: Alessandro MS1i Pioneer SE A1000 Aiaiai TMA-1 Sennheiser HD439 AKG K280 Used Goldring DR150 Shure SRH440 AKG K240 MKII Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 Skullcandy Roc Nation...

I have an old mobile phone, Edifier HA11 SS amp, a Mercator valve amp and a full size NobSound MS-10d valve amp for listening to music on my various hps. My next hp purchase may be something like the 80i, MS1i, V6, etc. Recommendations for an appropriate amp for that next level of hp? TIA!

I am looking for input from those who hear a difference, no wish to discuss this with empiricists who will tell me there is none. Which encoding/file format do you all find sounds best when the source is the same in bitrate and sample? DSD is off the list as my ODAC is not DSD at this time...

Hi. I am new to re-cabling and looking for a thread or two or three that have many different cables in them. What I have, now, are some SuperLux products that I want to mod/upgrade with cables as the first step. Since those cans are $25, my budget for the cable is no more and hopefully much...

Some detailed explanation. I am buying headphones working up the price and performance chain, beginning with the very cheapest Chi-fi at $8 - $30. I have 8 Chinese cans that I purchased last month. I use the CAL! ($60), 668b ($27) and UE 500 buds ($50) as my current 'reference' to compare...

A repost of another thread that has my intro: http://www.head-fi.org/t/645983/starting-somewhere#post_9331842 I was an audiophile decades ago, set it aside, sold the equipment and music, and moved around a great deal. Electronics geek in High School and College. Now that I appear to be in one...

I only have 5 but the stable is growing (and will exceed 20 easily) and management of these things is already an issue. What's a good solution for keeping 20+ pairs organized and stored neatly? Ideas/suggestions?

I am not able to get deliveries of physical discs in my out of the way Asian location and prefer to d/l high quality WAV, AFLAC, FLAC and DSD. I know of HD tracks, Opus3 and Chesky, but what of other smaller labels to download high quality music to listen to on my rapidly expanding collection...

I see a disturbing cheerleader mentality in all the reviews which are almost all 3.5 stars or greater out of 5.0 stars. A recent review stated that a pair of NoiseHush i7 were 'sonically lacking but otherwise good'. Sonically lacking but good?!? Then they ARE NOT GOOD. I suspect this site is...

I am buying phones on TaoBao and some products have multiple price points and what is most confusing is that the ones with the lower price, the one that is not comparable to the UK/EU/USA price, is often the one with the most positive reviews and best seller feedback. This makes it impossible...

I want to write a review, who writes good reviews and where can I find a good example of a thorough template to follow?

A few beginning points. I am in my mid-50's and have never used any device with IEM or ear buds. Never owned an iPhone or all that. Always listened to music with 'on' or 'over' the ear full size phones. I had a portable rig with an original Sony Walkman in 1980 but I only used it on the bus with...

I do not care for them. They make the entire film an oval that is in the centre of the screen as everything needs to come at the audience. Not only are the sides of the frame not used, but everything outside what is directly in front of the viewer, narrower even than 4:3 aspect ratio on old...