[Azure]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3lusiv3 I think amps are overrated. You'll hear the biggest difference with a headphone or source change. The A500's are great headphones and to hear a big improvement you would have to buy headphones that cost three times as much.

So upgrading to Senn HD600s wouldn't bring about as big of a change as from going from non-high quality phones to A500s?

 

[arspy87]

I've also found that it takes a bit of analytical listening to truly appreciate higher-end headphones. When I got my SR125s, I didn't truly love them until I started focusing on nuances in the music, listening for patterns in basslines, observing the detail and decay of cymbals, etc.... as I got more headphones, I started to look into frequency response details, distinguishing and qualifying bass, midrange, and treble response and where the peaks are (among other random observations). And well, that will probably lead you down the Head-Fi road of diminishing wallet volume. Yay!

EDIT: That makes me think of something else... I've noticed that it seems more logical (and rational) to think of headphone "upgrades" as "sidegrades" as well. When you start really listening analytically, you'll probably start noticing that each headphone has its own balance, tilt, and peaks in its frequency response, as well as differences in soundstage, decay, transients, etc.... yet another reason (or more like justification) for the purchase more (and more, and more) headphones.

 

[Azure]

How long does it tend to take to "train one's ears" and become accustomed and appreciate truly appreciate higher-end headphones?

 

[Vinny77]

HD600 is a no-no for you, you would a semi-decent amp to even come close to enjoying them like you expected the 500's and you still will need a good source of music. There is no getting around this.




Why is the warrenty already up. if you just got them then you have 1 year throgh audiocubes.

 

[sionghchan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure Man, all of this just sucks. I'm not getting any of that hearing new instruments and experiencing a soundstage that I've been looking forward to all this time and now I have a feeling that I might have just gotten crappy headphones and needed to start with higher quality ones.

Hmmm...I'm not sure if this has been said, but you do realise that headphones can never reproduce the soundstage as well as good floorstanding speakers from a stereo source. If you want soundstage, go get some binaural recordings. I don't think you should ever go to headphones looking for a huge soundstage. What you should get from REALLY good headphones are the details (e.g. I have just heard for the first time the conductor talking to his orchestra in one of Joni Mitchell's songs in her Both Sides Now CD although I have been listening to that CD for many years!), tone quality and its sound signature...

Anyways, good luck!

 

[Kazuya]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure How long does it tend to take to "train one's ears" and become accustomed and appreciate truly appreciate higher-end headphones?

How long is a piece of string?

 

[philodox]

I think I have said this before, but you need to attend a meet to try some stuff out and see what you like. Obviously you made a bad choice in getting the A500's, but if you could listen to a variety of gear you would be able to figure out exactly what you are looking for.

 

[3lusiv3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azure So upgrading to Senn HD600s wouldn't bring about as big of a change as from going from non-high quality phones to A500s?

That's right.

I still don't see what your problem is. You found these headphones way better than your previous headphones. If you want something that is very noticeably better you'll want a $600 headamp and $400 headphones. I don't think you'll be happy with anything else.

 

[Melchior]

And even then the increases will be subtle enough that you'll likely wonder why you just spent 1000 dollars on stuff that "sounds the same as it did before". Either accept that the A500's are really that much better than you old phones and you just didn't realize what you were hearing before was crap, or return them and quit moaning about it. In the future I reccomend you never buy headphones without trying them out first to make sure you really like them, otherwise you'll likely have many more experiences like this one.

 

[Ttvetjanu]

My first good phones were EX51's (or whatever the 3 year old version is called). The sound was better than my old headphones (my dad has a very good stereo system so I had heard better things). I used these for about 2 years (buying 2 more, the old ones broke). This was my first "wow" factor, and it started the vicious circle.

After 2 years I bought my first Audiphile headphones, MB Quart QP400's for about 150e (total ripoff). They sounded better than the old sony's, but I wasnt really sure how good they were. But I needed detailed phones for CS. I really started to understand how good they actually were (All the time before this I was under 16) when I started listning to more detailed and better recorded music (such as Pink Floyd, dark side of the moon) through a cabridge audio source.

That is when it all started...

Now I have ER-6i's, which In my opinion are detail & clarity wise better than the MB Quarts, but the Quarts are better for metal or 'warmer' music.

After getting the ER-6i's I was suprised by the clarity, so I joined this forum and started asking about music, reading threads etc. etc.

Now I have bought about 50 CD's (after joining) and still have the same heaphones. I'm really starting to understand the whole audiophile issue.


I think that because you took the "shortcut" by straight going to the good heaphones you were not yet "prepared" for the experience. You hadn't tried any better 'phones (what I know of) and you were expecting something truly fantastic. Your A500 reproduce an accurate representation of the music, not a new experience.

 

[Jmmmmm]

azure, I recommend that you not spend any more money on this hobby, it is Not for you.

The more money you spend, the more disappointed you will be.

 

[Vinny77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmmmmm azure, I recommend that you not spend any more money on this hobby, it is Not for you. The more money you spend, the more disappointed you will be.

agreed.


You have to relize that its a hobby and not just listening to music azure. Its supposed to be fun and enjoyable.

 

[kschul2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmmmmm azure, I recommend that you not spend any more money on this hobby, it is Not for you. The more money you spend, the more disappointed you will be.

I'd have to agree. Getting different headphones might be an OK idea...getting an amp for the A500s...I think you would be extremely disappointed. Unless your Karma or other sources or having problems driving them (which I doubt) then an amp is going to make such a small difference you'll probly be more pissed off and distraught about purchasing it than you were with the headphones. I know it's already been said but I'd like to emphasize that the amps in general make a very small difference (relatively in comparison to say, new headphones). That difference of course greatly depends on "how trained your ears are." But if you can't tell much of a difference between stock headphones and $100 headphones then I can't imagine you being able to hear any differences with the addition of the amp.

 

[Silfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmmmmm azure, I recommend that you not spend any more money on this hobby, it is Not for you. The more money you spend, the more disappointed you will be.

This has to be said some more for emphasise!
So here goes:

Azure, I recommend that you not spend any more money on this hobby, it is Not for you.
The more money you spend, the more disappointed you will be.

Azure, I recommend that you not spend any more money on this hobby, it is Not for you.
The more money you spend, the more disappointed you will be.

Azure, I recommend that you not spend any more money on this hobby, it is Not for you.
The more money you spend, the more disappointed you will be.

One more thing to ad. If you keep feeling dissapointed sell them. Otherwise you'll always be reminded by the dissapointment. And if you can't go back to the crap phones get some koss clip-ons.

 

[disneyland]

Quote:

Before the A500s my music sounded like "X." When I got the A500s my music still sounded like "X" but now my music with my crappy headphones sounded like "Y." As I listen to songs that I listened for hours on end when my crappy headphoens, I realize that they sound exactly like how I remembered them to. The only difference is that when I go to play them with my crappy headphones they sound like crap. So, in the end I paid $110 to have my old headphones sound like crap and have my new ones sound like how my old ones used to sound. Is this right? I just tricked my mind into thinking that my old headphones sound like crap. What the heck is going on here? It can't be burn-in since the A500s aren't supposed to require that much burn-in. Plus, I used them for 6 hours yesterday, I burned them in for 9 hours as I slept, and I used them for another 3 hours this morning. 18 hours and they still sound like how my old headphones used to sound. I don't hear any of this "soundstage" or "instrument separation" stuff that you guys always use to describe headphones.

No disrespect, but that's all just...very bizarre. That would be like me going on a video game forum and saying:

"I don't get it. I just upgraded from Gran Turismo 3 to Gran Turismo 4, and all that happened is now GT 3 looks like crap. I was perfectly happy with my Gran Turismo 3 before. So you're telling me I spent 49.99 on a new Gran Turismo just to have my old Gran Turismo look like crap?"

You're saying your new headphones make your old ones sound like crap. I don't think there's a more raw, definitive statement to describe improvement between headphones than what you've said. It's quite odd that it upsets you to hear a very literal linear improvement.

"I loved my car, then I traded in for the next year's model and it made my old car look like crap! Damn my new car for being superior!"