[dstyslpr]

I'm wondering if I should dare to buy some new headphones unseen and unheard simply on the basis of what I've seen posted and reviewed. I'm not telling you what I'm thinking of getting, simply to make you think about the process that I'm going to take

Ideally I'd like to audition them, but even if I were lucky enough to stumbe across a pair in a store somewhere - they would still be 20-100 hours away from the sound that I'd actually be buying. In this sense unless you have a friend with a well-used pair there is almost no point in auditioning headphones - even comfort changes as phones become broken in to your head: pads soften, headbands relax.


So should I do it? Have you ever taken the leap of faith and seen what the audio Santa choose to stuff in your stocking?

 

[pbirkett]

Well, I've done it, and I can tell you it has lead to much frustration, but if I had not done it, I would never have met with my favourite headphone.... but I have bought the following headphones without an audition:-

Beyer DT770
Beyer DT880
Beyer DT990
Grado SR-80
Sony MDR-CD3000

Thats one of the difficulties facing the headphone fanatic though unfortunately.

 

[jpelg]

I've done it (my first pair of HD580's), but don't generally recommend it, unless you have no other choice where you live. If a local B&M shop carries headphones, hopefully the floor samples are used somewhat and are burned in. Meets with fellow head-fiers are invaluable. Otherwise, stores (B&M or Internet) with liberal return policies (see most of our sponsors) are what you want.

 

[N@Z]

Well, you can't blame me as there's literally no where to get them locally. My list in no particular order:

1. MX400
2. ER6
3. PX200
4. ER-4S
5. DT250
6. KSC35
7. DT770pro
8. ATH-W100
9. DT150
10. 7506
11. K1000
12. Eggo D66SL
13. K501

I wonder if I've missed anything! That's just headphones, LOL! I guess I had alot of advice & help from people here.

 

[00940]

who hasn't done it ??

I bought only the HD580 on audition (actually I heard the HD600). Check for my profile : I've got : AKG K340, Sennheiser PX200, Sennheiser HD540 mkII, Koss KSC-50, Beyerdynamic DT331TV; I've had : Sennheiser HD580, AKG K501, AKG K401, Ultrasone HIFI-650, grado sr60, Sony MDR-V6, Porta Pro, Senn HD497, Audio technica ATH-M30

All were bought used or on a good deal and resold at cost.

Finally, I bought a pair of K340 and my quest is over. It costs me quite a lot on shipping though.

"Ideally" I woudn't recommand it but this blind approach was part of the fun.

 

[Hiker]

All of my headphones as well as my headphone amp and cd player were bought unheard. I got all my headphones from either HeadRoom or Todd the Vinyl and Headphone Junkie, both of which have good return policies. The CD player I purchased used so if I didn't like it, I would most likely be able to recover all my costs. I have however, auditioned integrated amps and speakers recently before buying.

 

[jasonhanjk]

Err, I have to confess.

I bought the HD600 purely for couter strike. Sorry for my wallet I got addicted to it with good music.

 

[andrzejpw]

I bought my mx500s, ksc-35s and hd580s with little/no audition. The 580s I heard unamped out of my minidisc player so I had no real idea on how they'd sound. I'm considering the purchase of stax, but no return policy =

 

[markl]

I bought a Sony R10 sound unheard back when there was almost no info at all!

Although I had fallen in love with the CD3000 which was descended from the R10 (but actually doesn't sound much like it anyway).

 

[Hirsch]

Yep. I'm another one who bought an R10 sound unheard. Also, CD3K. ATH-W2002. MS-Pro. HD-600. HD-650. HP-1. Come to think of it, I've bought very few headphones that I've heard first

 

[DigDub]

i bought the er6 without hearing it first. but hey, its an ety.

also got the mx400 and didn't like it much. luckily it wasn't too expensive.

 

[warubozu]

I bought a pair of CD3000 without an audition and based on other Head-fier's reviews and recommendations. There is no audio shop here where I live that are willing to carry headphones that cost more than $280 because they don't want to get stuck with it if they can't sell it. Despite not being able to audition the CD3000 before buying, I'm not the least disappointed with my decision.

 

[Music Fanatic]

I think it is a common practice. But it is nice if there is a good return policy -- just in case.

 

[vwap]

I've bought all my headphones without first hearing them...

In the order that I acquired them:

Grado SR-60
Sennheiser HD580
Sennheiser HD600 (Cardas)
Sony MDR-CD3000
Grado HP-2
Grado SR-200
Grado RS-1
Grado HP-1
Grado SR-100

A few of them were either too unlistenable on my system (with a DACT and not having enough clicks to adjust the volume to an acceptable level (ie: RS-1)), or I just wasn't using them at all (ie: SR-200)... But other than that, I've had really good luck with my headphone purchases thus far, blind and all.

 

[CrawlingEye]

I'm buying my Trackmasters based on reviews and about (when was it that I joined?) 6 months of lurking, occasionally posting and lurking some more.

I'm pretty confident.
I don't think there was much of a way to audition them though. Ultrasone isn't sold in the U.S. and it seems like quite a problem even to audition them. I'm using a portable and intend to pickup an amp, so using someone else's source isn't really going to get me as accurate of results as I'd need anyhow.