[oneframe]

This is the thing, I've seen a few of these "from an audiophiles perspective" one guy from last week and this guy today. The guy from last week was clearly not an audiophile, just a guy who reviews a ton of phones and a few other tech gadgets and earns his money from his phone reviews. Now this guy Snazzy Labs I encountered him when I checked out his review of the APP, he conceded that there were other in-ears that did a better job with SQ but that all the features and degree and ease of integration into the apple ecosystem trumped SQ so it was a no brainer to just buy the APP. Looking at his channel today, he is totally not an audiophile, he is a content creator with over 90% of his videos promoting apple products.

I do like his methods of argument that he uses in the videos I have seen, I appreciate his tactics and techniques of persuasion. I could probably learn alot from copying his style and his experience (if I ever wanted to become a youtuber to promote certain brands). I wonder if he comes from a lawyer or a salesman background.

But the real title of this video should be. Airpods Max Review: An apple promoting youtuber's perspective.

Though he is too smart to be truthful

Just because he's a Youtuber creating videos mostly about Apple products, doesn't make him disingenuous in his reviews. He is smart, which is why he's making a sideline this way. What is your basis of declaring whether people are audiophiles or not? Are you the final judge in this category? Educate everyone. Please.

 

[KPzypher]

Problem is - what is a Hi-fi headphone and who decides this?

I've heard supposed Hi-fi/specialist gear at high prices which sound terrible. Why is a general consumer headphone not Hi-fi? My headphone/earphones all have different sound presentations so where do they stand in terms of Hi-fi etc. Not having a go at you as such just not sure if as a community we get a bit wrapped up in these assumptions about products and where they stand in terms of customer base.

The term "HIFI" as it's generally used is just as meaningless as the term "AUDIOPHILE."

Audiophile appear mostly to apply to not so bright people (including myself) willing to shell out an obscene amount of money for marginal gain or placebo, have no issues paying for overpriced gear, and constantly argue over things that are subjective or considered personal preference, and in most cases, cannot even be quantified.

People falsely equate hifi or audiophile with expensive gear all the time. Hence, the market is flooded with overpriced junk.

 

[pnoble]

I have read several earlier posts re contouring output via iOS Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual with the suggestion to set to Headphone Accommodations (On) > Balanced Tone (Slight) which is the default. It is a significant improvement for me, because I have slightly better than average 70 year old hearing (loss)! However, you can go further with the APM.

On the same screen 'Headphone Audio' > Custom Audio Setup. A pop-up screen appears > Continue. It takes you to the Apple Health App where you can download a (free) Audiogram App. I downloaded Mimi Hearing Test. I took the test (6 minutes) which was automatically imported into and graphed by the Apple Health App. (It recommends using earphones that have been calibrated to the app. APs and APPs have, the Max not yet. I used APPs.)

You now go back to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual and select Audiogram. It will prompt you to select the exam you have just taken. It will then correct for your hearing. You can easily switch back and forth between Headphone Accommodation Off, Balanced Tone and Audiogram. I personally prefer the slightly more pronounced bass in Balanced tone, though Audiogram presumably corrects for the difference in high frequency sensitivity between my left and right ears.

Yes, manual equalization could achieve much the same were it available!

 

[amoeba1126]

The term "HIFI" as it's generally used is just as meaningless as the term "AUDIOPHILE."

Audiophile appear mostly to apply to not so bright people (including myself) willing to shell out an obscene amount of money for marginal gain or placebo, have no issues paying for overpriced gear, and constantly argue over things that are subjective or considered personal preference, and in most cases, cannot even be quantified.

People falsely equate hifi or audiophile with expensive gear all the time. Hence, the market is flooded with overpriced junk.

Hi-fi or rather high fidelity is an actual term with the definition "The reproduction of sound with little distortion, giving a result very similar to the original." The original intent is to separate devices capable of reproducing sound with minimal distortion from things like Logitech speakers, alarm clocks with radio functions, and poor recordings. Nowadays, most headphones beyond the $100 mark can legitimately be considered high fidelity and anything beyond that becomes user preference. That said, I have found the higher you go, the more headphones have deviated from the true definition of hi-fi as headphone companies specifically distort the neutral sound to provide something users prefer more, such as inflation of bass or rolled off trebles. The HD-650 and LCD-2 are great examples of this, compared with something like say the K701 which was much more faithful to original sound reproduction. This is not even considering things like tube rolling or EQ manipulation. IMO the HD800 is probably one of the pinnacle hi-fi headphones out there, but I would pick a TH-X00 over it 10 out of 10 times.

 

[yticolev]

You can easily switch back and forth between Headphone Accommodation Off, Balanced Tone and Audiogram.

I did the custom audio setup, but don't have the option for Audiogram afterwards. It did change the default setting to vocal/slight and the test said I preferred a slight midrange boost. I changed it back, as I have zero faith that the test really reflects my preferences accurately.

 

[Double C]

I'd love to find out more info regarding the Apple H1 chips. I can't find much on the internet but what if these chips are doing some type of upscaling/filling to the music which gives them the edge over other wireless phones. Kind of like what Sony does with 'DSEE HX'. I really enjoy the DSEE HX effect on a set of XM3's.

 

[torifile]

I ordered the blue colour... Sadly it seems I have to wait for 2 months before I get them.

Good choice. The blue is what I got and looks spectacular.

 

[murphythecat]

I'm well aware of what Hi-fi is my point being is that on various sites including this one there is a certain amount of snobbery around what perceive to be hi-fi or non hi-fi.

Overpriced in what in what way? Could say the same about any amount of supposed 'hi-fi' products.

sony w1000 or momentum 3 cost much less and from what ive read sound just as good if not better (the momentum)

 

[McCol]

sony w1000 or momentum 3 cost much less and from what ive read sound just as good if not better (the momentum)

Again all opinions

I own the Sony’s and I find the Apples are a clear step up from them, same with the Senns which I used for a little while, but just my opinion

 

[tkddans]

IMO the HD800 is probably one of the pinnacle hi-fi headphones out there, but I would pick a TH-X00 over it 10 out of 10 times.

How dare you find more enjoyment in the sound of $450 headphones over a $1700 pair. You must not be educated enough.

 

[Bigtime Audiophile]

How dare you find more enjoyment in the sound of $450 headphones over a $1700 pair. You must not be educated enough.

Dude, it's not that he's not educated enough, don't be so ignorant. It's that he's not a true audiophile. If he was a true audiophile he would prefer anything more expensive and anything wired into an even more more expensive preamp. If that's not your preference then you might as well just buy 5 dollar ear buds since you can't tell the difference smh.

 

[tkddans]

Dude, it's not that he's not educated enough, don't be so ignorant. It's that he's not a true audiophile. If he was a true audiophile he would prefer anything more expensive and anything wired into an even more more expensive preamp. If that's not your preference then you might as well just buy 5 dollar ear buds since you can't tell the difference smh.

Sorry, I think I need to edit that post to be clear that I was being sarcastic. Internet sarcasm is hard to read sometimes!

 

[Bigtime Audiophile]

Sorry, I think I need to edit that post to be clear that I was being sarcastic. Internet sarcasm is hard to read sometimes!

No you don't...I was being sarcastic too

 

[tkddans]

No you don't...I was being sarcastic too

Hah! Silly me.

 

[pnoble]

I did the custom audio setup, but don't have the option for Audiogram afterwards. It did change the default setting to vocal/slight and the test said I preferred a slight midrange boost. I changed it back, as I have zero faith that the test really reflects my preferences accurately.

iOS 14.3? When you click Continue on the Headphone Audio Customization popup screen where does it take you? for me now it says 'Would you like to use your latest audiogram'? But I think prior to creating an audiogram it took me to the Health app. Anyhow, if you go to the Health app and click on Browse option at the bottom of the screen > Hearing > you have the option to download a third party hearing test app. Do that and after the test the app will ask if you want to download into the Heath app. It will then display a graph of your hearing under Audiogram and that test will be accessible in Accessibility > Audio/Video > Custom Audio Setup. The other recommendation on the site (and mine) is Balanced Tone (slight), not Vocal Range.

PS: this option is only available for Apple and Beats ear/headphones according the notation.