So for the sake of closure, and to keep a record for myself or others in the same situation, I ended up settling on the K371s, the very headphones I mentioned as a possibility in my first post. I also ended up reinvesting in a Schiit stack, the IEMagni and Modi 3+. In the end, I tried the...

Both a standard Apple brand iPhone dongle as well as a Schiit IEMagni/Modi 3+ stack. Couldn’t tell much difference between them. (The sound doesn’t seem accurate whenever I plug directly into either my personal or work laptop, so I don’t use those jacks.)

Just one amateur's experience: I simultaneously auditioned the K361 and K371, preferring the K371 but finding the sub bass actually painful depending on the seal. I read there might be some variance between units so I bought a second K371. I liked the second pair way better; both were purchased...

Thanks. The thought did cross my mind. But I’m a total amateur. I may go that route someday, but I’m trying to keep things simple for now. Sometimes I’m just watching tv/movies, playing physical media, or playing music off my iPhone. That’s why I was wondering if additional break-in on the K371...

So I've been auditioning the K371 and K361 for the past two weeks and I really need to pick one so I can move on with my life. The K361 is lighter and more comfortable, but less secure as a result. The K371 is built better and its clamping force makes it more secure, and therefore probably more...

Thanks! Why variable instead of fixed? I don't really know what the difference is, other than using variable would allow me to control volume with the TV's remote. The way I see it, I have the following three connection options, all of which must use the 3.5 mm analog out jack of the TV: -Set...

So I have a 2014 Sony TV that has a single multipurpose 3.5 mm analog out jack. In the menu settings for this output, you can set it for headphones, audio out, and wireless subwoofer transceiver. Does anyone know what the difference between the headphone and audio out setting would be? Is it...

I just wanted to back up what you said for anyone who reads this down the road. I tried the JSAUX connector and these headphones sounded a lot better with it than with the Apple model. I’d still say they’re a little more bassy than they should be, but not painfully so. I expected more from...

Thanks! Is this what you're talking about? https://www.amazon.com/JSAUX-Lightning-Headphone-Certified-Compatible/dp/B086D42KGP

Are people using these without amps and plugged directly into portable devices? I recently got a pair and started by playing music through the headphone dongle on my iPhone 12 mini. The bass was nuts -- throbbing and painful to the ears. Like someone was driving past my home in a car with an...

Update: I’ve moved into closed-backs and have been auditioning two more headphones, the Sony MDR-7506 and the AKG K361. (Skip to the end if you want to weigh in on the Meze 99 Classics.) I got noticeably different results when connected to my Sony AVR vs my laptops and the headphone dongle on...

Thank you for that thoughtful post. I haven’t included IEMs in my research because I thought they’d be too close to the AirPod Pros. That is, the AirPods sound pretty good and integrate well with most (but not all) of my setup. And that a likely modest increase in quality wouldn’t be worth...

I've been listening to the original 1969 mix from the 1987 CD mastering. I'm not comparing different tracks but playing the same dozen or so diverse tracks repeatedly across the new headphones to compare sound quality. I have been curious about that special ZenCan 6XX bass buttton -- whether or...

Well, as I mentioned The Beatles, I've been using "The End" from Abbey Road in my auditions. Right after Paul sings "Are you gonna be in my dreams tonight" near the beginning, there's a lot of drumming. When listening with the AirPods Pro, I can faintly feel the drum hits. Not as strong as when...

You could be right, but I also didn't see anything online that showed the AirPod Pros as being too above or below the curve in any area. The easiest chart I can find is from rtings (https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/apple/airpods-pro-truly-wireless), which shows a pretty neutral response.

Thanks! I listen to a broad variety of music. A lot of classic rock, though. Beatles, Doors, Queen. Some orchestral soundtracks as well, and some electronica. Plus there's movie and TV viewing. I'm not looking for artificially inflated bass, just bass as the artists intended.

Well, first I want to acknowledge that you are not wrong in your assessment. However, also consider the following: I never auditioned the AirPods, and purchased them because they were reviewed favorably. I don't even know where I could go to audition many of the headphones mentioned here. Do...

Thanks! Are those available in different Ohm ratings? Which should I be looking for?

Thanks. I think you picked up well on where I'm coming from. I did spend a lot of time with the two Sennheisers, though not as much with the Hifiman because I started to get disillusioned with the whole thing. I'll look into the others you mentioned above. What about the Audio Technica M50x's...

So I’ve really enjoyed my AirPod Pros and use them for music/movies/tv. Great all around sound. I’ve been interested in upgrading in the hopes of an even better experience, so after reading the forums and watching YouTube reviews I decided to start with a Schiit Magni 3+ and Modi 3+, and the...

Thank you. I had referenced those in my first post but have now confirmed that they will work with the 6XX's as well. (Sennheiser doesn't state that directly on their site, but other sources do.)

Thanks! Tough to know what usage pattern I'll settle into, but it's good to know that introducing an adapter and an extension into the chain would have a negligible effect. I can start with that for now and re-evaluate later. I'm just an amateur. But I did get this response from Grado when I...

Well, I should clarify that no matter which Sennheiser headphone cables I use, I still will need an extension cable because I need a run of about 14-15 feet to reach my receiver from my couch. Thanks!

Good question. It will be multiple devices in the short term at least. Smartphone, laptop, and A/V receiver to begin with. Probably dedicated headphone amp eventually but it will depend if I can tell a difference in the sound between a dedicated amp and a new receiver I plan to buy in the next...

Hello, I have two related questions: 1. So I just ordered a Sennheiser HD 6XX from Drop. In some instances, I’m going to need to use an extension cable with them, so I’m looking at the one from Grado. However, the Grado cable is meant for a 1/4” connector, meaning I’d have to use the 1/8” to...