[Eagle_Driver]

Okay, so I've tried closed headphones (HD280's, 7506's, HD212's and V700's) on the bus and train, and I have had to turn up the volume loud just to get any impact at all. Same thing happens when I use Etymotic ER-4S.

In fact, I had to turn up the volume in noisy situations just as high as I would with open-air headphones just to get any musical impact at all whatsoever!

Bottom line: You may hear the music better in noisy environments with closed/sealed headphones than you would with open-air headphones - but the soul/impact of the music only kicks in at a certain loudness (decibel) level or higher regardless of the headphone type or construction.

Do y'all Head-Fiers agree with this?

Randy

 

[Joe Bloggs]

no

 

[Eagle_Driver]

It's okay to disagree with me, Joe. Perhaps it's just me who has experienced this.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Do you mean that even in a quiet environment you need to turn up closed phones more than open ones?

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Bloggs Do you mean that even in a quiet environment you need to turn up closed phones more than open ones?

Not exactly. What I'm really saying is that I needed to turn up closed headphones to a loudness level (in dB) that's roughly equal to whatever is coming out of open-air headphones, just to get any of the 'soul' of the music. In other words, I needed to turn up closed headphones just as much as open ones.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

You mean

1. At home
Volumes for closed and open are equal

2. Outside
Volumes for closed and open are equal
Open: you hear the noise so you turn it up
Closed: you don't hear the noise but you have the feeling that something that's missing and a mysterious urge to turn up the volume?

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Bloggs You mean 1. At home Volumes for closed and open are equal 2. Outside Volumes for closed and open are equal Open: you hear the noise so you turn it up Closed: you don't hear the noise but you have the feeling that something that's missing and a mysterious urge to turn up the volume?

Yep. That's EXACTLY what I was trying to point out.

 

[Flasken]

I'd try the PX200. It has a very punchy sound to me.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

That's weird indeed. I sure don't get that feeling

Maybe it's a problem with your portable source and amp? Or does this problem also go away when you take your portable rig home?

ause:

Looks like your portable rig IS your home rig though

 

[Eagle_Driver]

The problem diminishes when I bring my portable rig home.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Bloggs *pause* Looks like your portable rig IS your home rig though

That's because I have no headphone jacks at all on my full-sized home component system other than the headphone jack built into my receiver, which is just plain CRAP.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Well, I suppose it's impossible to overwhelm the outside noise completely and feel like you're listening at home. When I listen outside with the Etys, the feeling I get is often that of watching MTV at midnight, with a guy being filmed strolling around in tunnels, subways, etc. doing nothing (as is the case in many old MTVs here?

) to the sound of soft music and even softer background noise

Of course it's a different matter when you're listening to rock

The message here is that I play music at the same volume indoors or outdoors, but when outdoors I sometimes treat it as background music

with level of impact corresponding to background music.

What CDP do you use at home?

 

[lan]

Maybe you need the midrange hump outside? Outside, I think those frequencies get drowned out more so than the extreme frequencies.

Why don't you do this. Do an EQ on some music to boost the midrange and record it to a CD. See if it sounds better outside.

 

[DLP]

I agree with you with the headphones on the train. My V300s and HD212s (and to a greater extent my open headphones which I just turn off on the train) lose impact unless I turn the volume up very high, at which point my ears start to hurt. Don't know about the home thing though.

 

[grinch]

my etys work awesome on planes, tranes and automobiles. i have no idea what you're talking about. your etys must not be planted deep enough.