[Sonic Defender]

Hey guys !
Coming back to say that I have the 1More H1707 for over a year now and I can say I'm quite satisfied. I've paired it with a Dragonfly Black plugged into my phone.
Bass is excellent and I really love my electronic tracks.
However, the metal genre is not sounding really great, voices and the guitar sound a bit scuffed. Isolation is not really great either, I wish I could concentrate more on the music without having to raise the volume so much (I listen to music in public transportations).
Not counting to buy another headphone for now.

I would like to buy a budget DAP (-$250) and after having done a bit of research, I might take the Shanling M2X or the Hiby R3 Pro Saber. What do you think about it?

You really should consider a good Bluetooth headphone if public transit use is a big part of your usage scenario. I have heard the 1More H1707, and it is indeed excellent without a doubt, if I used wired headphones for portable use I would easily have bought them. I had them on hand for several weeks and loved them. Saying that, in this category, Bluetooth is really the way to go and many great choices out there to allow your smartphone to become your DAP. My opinion only.

 

[Mhog55]

You really should consider a good Bluetooth headphone if public transit use is a big part of your usage scenario. I have heard the 1More H1707, and it is indeed excellent without a doubt, if I used wired headphones for portable use I would easily have bought them. I had them on hand for several weeks and loved them. Saying that, in this category, Bluetooth is really the way to go and many great choices out there to allow your smartphone to become your DAP. My opinion only.

What BT headphones would you recommend? I have yet to listen to one that I feel can hang or compete with my wired portables.

 

[Sonic Defender]

What BT headphones would you recommend? I have yet to listen to one that I feel can hang or compete with my wired portables.

I used to think that, but I have to say that a well implemented Bluetooth headphone can be extremely competent. Am I suggesting that someone who loves the Focal Utopia will find the Sony XM3 just as satisfying, no, but seriously, when you are talking about wired headphones that you typically find in the $500 dollar range, absolutely a good Bluetooth headphone can stand up to it. Based on what you were saying, I think that you would probably enjoy the KEF Space One Wireless. It has very well done bass that stays controlled while still having impact. It also is not droning one note bass at all, I find it rather detailed. I also listen to a fair amount of electronic music with some EDM, but likely in common with you I like a well done bass signature that doesn't overtake or obscure other frequencies in any significant way.

There are also two Bluetooth models from Dali, the IO4 and 5 I believe that sound interesting, but I have no direct experience with them. Even in the speaker world active speakers are starting to pick up popularity and getting good enough to pose very serious competition to passive speakers. In the headphone world a wireless headphone is the analogue of the active speaker. We have formed years of bias as when wireless audio technology was developing obviously it went through stages and growing pains, but that baby is all grown up now and what do you know, looking pretty darn good.

Anyway, just a thought for you to consider as anybody who needs their headphone for true portable use such as public transit absolutely should consider Bluetooth. I made the switch to Bluetooth for portable use about four years ago now I think. I had the Oppo PM3 with a custom cable that allowed me to use it balanced with an Onkyo DPX-1 DAP. I loved the combination, but I got so sick of the wire catching on bus seats and other passengers. The final straw was when in standing room only conditions as we were all exciting a train my PM3 cable was stuck on the backpack of somebody close to me. As they walked away it was forceful enough to literally yank the cables right out of both the ear connectors. No damage done, but that was enough and I went Bluetooth and have never looked back. I still have and use good passive headphones at home, although I do sometimes use wireless there.

My long and belaboured point is that wireless has come a long way, it sounds fantastic, and it is super convenient.

 

[Mhog55]

Not long and belabored... Completely reasonable. I just haven't discovered that sound in wireless form. I may eventually try the Panda though. I also tire of wires at moments in the gym, but I've managed a way to work with them. A lot honestly depends on the wire itself. But yes, if I had connections getting yanked loose as you've experienced, I would likely also dig much deeper into the BT world.

 

[silent-circuit]

Not long and belabored... Completely reasonable. I just haven't discovered that sound in wireless form. I may eventually try the Panda though. I also tire of wires at moments in the gym, but I've managed a way to work with them. A lot honestly depends on the wire itself. But yes, if I had connections getting yanked loose as you've experienced, I would likely also dig much deeper into the BT world.

Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless can be had around $350 used. Seriously considering a pair myself.

 

[Mhog55]

Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless can be had around $350 used. Seriously considering a pair myself.

Pretty heavy can for being portable. That's the one thing that kinda turns me off with the Panda as well.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Pretty heavy can for being portable. That's the one thing that kinda turns me off with the Panda as well.

Typically, but clearly not always, dynamics weigh less than planar headphones. That is one aspect of the KEF besides the sound that I really like, the overall comfort is quite good. Not plush comfortable, but speaking as someone who does not do well with uncomfortable headphones certainly comfortable. The other thing that you can consider is that most Bluetooth headphones can also be used passively. The ANC on the KEF is not very good, nowhere near what my Sony XM3 has, but it doesn't matter as I don't need it and I like that the KEF sounds fantastic wired. I used it with my phone and the FiiO Q5s with the THX AAA amp module and it is very nice to my ears.

 

[descloud]

However, the metal genre is not sounding really great, voices and the guitar sound a bit scuffed. Isolation is not really great either, I wish I could concentrate more on the music without having to raise the volume so much (I listen to music in public transportations).
Not counting to buy another headphone for now.

What you describe sounds like a headphone problem rather than a source problem. You sure you don't want to consider a headphone instead with the $250 budget you're setting up for a DAP?

 

[Zayl]

What you describe sounds like a headphone problem rather than a source problem. You sure you don't want to consider a headphone instead with the $250 budget you're setting up for a DAP?

Right now I need a DAP because I'm tired of transporting my DragonFly Black with my phone, it's too bulky, I have to hold the DAC and Phone together to avoid disconnection and can't fit it in my pocket correctly....

When I'll have the budget to buy another headphones, I might buy another one. However, how will I know what headphone would be better than my current one for the same price range. I did ask you guys advice for a $250 headphone couple years ago and you did recommend me the H1707.

You really should consider a good Bluetooth headphone if public transit use is a big part of your usage scenario. I have heard the 1More H1707, and it is indeed excellent without a doubt, if I used wired headphones for portable use I would easily have bought them. I had them on hand for several weeks and loved them. Saying that, in this category, Bluetooth is really the way to go and many great choices out there to allow your smartphone to become your DAP. My opinion only.

Hasn't it been established that Bluetooth compresses music ? I don't trust BT headphones, I'm quite sure you have to add more money to get the same quality of sound than wired headphones.

 

[Sonic Defender]

...
Hasn't it been established that Bluetooth compresses music ? I don't trust BT headphones, I'm quite sure you have to add more money to get the same quality of sound than wired headphones.

Yes the music is compressed, but how this compression is done is rather sophisticated and now so mature that for practical purposes such as simply listening to music it can be audibly transparent. I use Bluetooth extensively and I do not feel that anything is missing. You should test your assumptions although based on what you have described it sounds like you already expect to hear sound degradation which strongly suggests that you will hear and confirm your biased assumptions. Anyway, Bluetooth headphones were a suggestion, nothing more and I get that for some people Bluetooth will never instill confidence in them. Good luck in your search.