_azoth_
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2009
- Posts
- 18
- Likes
- 1
Hello knowledgeable head-fiers,
I was in the Apple store yesterday and got a chance to test some full sized headphones, some based on reading mostly positive reviews on Head-Fi, Inner Fidelity and the like. I'm looking for full size closed phones that I can use on my train commute and at the office.
I had time to sample :
- Sennheiser Amperior
- Sennheiser Momentum
- Logitech UE 6000
- Logitech UE 9000
- Bose OE2i (these weren't really on my list but my friend thought I'd like them so I indulged him).
They were of course hooked up to iPod Touches rather than my setup, and playing MP3s rather than AccurateRipped FLACs, but what struck me was the sheer boominess thanks to the ridiculous low end on pretty much all of them. I don't mind well rendered bass, but this was akin to standing near a subwoofer - the resulting music on all phones sounded rather 'polished' and fake rather than raw and real. I checked if the EQ was on and it wasn't on any of the Touches, so that rules out presets ruining the sound. In fact, the least boomy were the Bose which I have never seen mentioned anywhere and which didn't sound great, just less bassy. All the other phones were mostly Beats and we all know they're style over substance.
I've always been a fan of a neutral, analytical signature. The one part of the spectrum I tend to modify to be less "accurate" is the high end, as I like my music to be just a tweak away from sibilance (though of course not exhibiting any signs of it). I listen to mostly Prog Metal, Post Rock, various avant garde electronica and some ethnic eastern european stuff. I play all of this through a Sandisk Sansa Clip+ that has been Rockboxed and that is hooked up to a Minibox E+. I'm currently listening to Phonak Audeo PFE 122s from which I've removed the filter (so there's no taming of either the high or the low end by the filters that Phonak includes) and very much enjoy the resulting sound signature. I've also enjoyed Yuin PK1s / Hifiman RE-0s in the past. I also have a pair of Grado SR60s but those are mostly for the PC nowadays and don't represent the sound I'm looking for.
I've read that the Beyer DT660s are sort of up my alley. Is that true ? Is there anything else worth considering ? AKG K550s perhaps ?
Also, for those of you in the UK, where other than the Apple store can one go to sample headphones before buying them ? Somewhere on the backstreets of Tottenham Court Road ? Right now its looking like a 'buy from Amazon, test, return, buy another, test' palaver
Many thanks in advance.
Azoth.
I was in the Apple store yesterday and got a chance to test some full sized headphones, some based on reading mostly positive reviews on Head-Fi, Inner Fidelity and the like. I'm looking for full size closed phones that I can use on my train commute and at the office.
I had time to sample :
- Sennheiser Amperior
- Sennheiser Momentum
- Logitech UE 6000
- Logitech UE 9000
- Bose OE2i (these weren't really on my list but my friend thought I'd like them so I indulged him).
They were of course hooked up to iPod Touches rather than my setup, and playing MP3s rather than AccurateRipped FLACs, but what struck me was the sheer boominess thanks to the ridiculous low end on pretty much all of them. I don't mind well rendered bass, but this was akin to standing near a subwoofer - the resulting music on all phones sounded rather 'polished' and fake rather than raw and real. I checked if the EQ was on and it wasn't on any of the Touches, so that rules out presets ruining the sound. In fact, the least boomy were the Bose which I have never seen mentioned anywhere and which didn't sound great, just less bassy. All the other phones were mostly Beats and we all know they're style over substance.
I've always been a fan of a neutral, analytical signature. The one part of the spectrum I tend to modify to be less "accurate" is the high end, as I like my music to be just a tweak away from sibilance (though of course not exhibiting any signs of it). I listen to mostly Prog Metal, Post Rock, various avant garde electronica and some ethnic eastern european stuff. I play all of this through a Sandisk Sansa Clip+ that has been Rockboxed and that is hooked up to a Minibox E+. I'm currently listening to Phonak Audeo PFE 122s from which I've removed the filter (so there's no taming of either the high or the low end by the filters that Phonak includes) and very much enjoy the resulting sound signature. I've also enjoyed Yuin PK1s / Hifiman RE-0s in the past. I also have a pair of Grado SR60s but those are mostly for the PC nowadays and don't represent the sound I'm looking for.
I've read that the Beyer DT660s are sort of up my alley. Is that true ? Is there anything else worth considering ? AKG K550s perhaps ?
Also, for those of you in the UK, where other than the Apple store can one go to sample headphones before buying them ? Somewhere on the backstreets of Tottenham Court Road ? Right now its looking like a 'buy from Amazon, test, return, buy another, test' palaver
Many thanks in advance.
Azoth.
