[bankerkid]

Hi HeadFi,
 
[size=small]I've been trying to get into audiophile quality music for quite a while now, but have never found the time until now. I have a little bit of time now that it's winter break, and am running into two problems. If anybody here has any recommendations, I'd greatly appreciate it![/size]
 
[size=small]The equipment:[/size][size=x-small] [/size]

[size=x-small]I purchased a Sennheiser HD600 from Amazon last semester, as well as a [/size][size=small]Fiio E7 USB DAC and Portable Headphone Amp[/size].[size=x-small] I also recently purchased a pair of Monster's Miles Davis Trumpets IEMs.[/size]

[size=small] My understanding is that the Sennheiser HD600s and Monster IEMs that I own are considered great gear on HeadFi. I've read reviews touting the E7 as a decent amp for the price. It's definitely not a fantastic amp, but I'm trying to get a feel for audiophile quality before I rush out to buy anything else.[/size]

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[size=small] The problems:[/size]

[size=small] 1) I have some flac files downloaded, and compare them using my setup to some 320kbps audio files playing through iTunes. I play the flac files through VLC or some other program. I notice absolutely no difference in sound quality.[/size]

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[size=small] 2) Additionally, I notice no discernable difference in sound between the Monster Miles Davis Trumpet IEMs that I own and a pair of cheap and old $40 Razer Moray Gaming earbuds.[/size]

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[size=small] Any recommendations on my two problems? I'm more concerned about problem 2, as I'm having trouble justifying purchasing more expensive IEMs when I can't really hear the difference.[/size]

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[size=small] I'm hoping that someone reading this might have a suggestion on a certain piece to listen to where I can really hear the difference between the two earbuds that I'm using.[/size]

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[size=small] Thanks for any thoughts, fellas! It's much appreciated.[/size]

 

[killerweed]

I don't have the Moray Gaming ear buds and I am not sure why you can't tell the difference between them and the Trumpets. If you read about the Trumpets here, there are some people who own them who think they sound fantastic, whether or not they are "audiophile" quality is really subjective. I own them and think they sound as good, if not better, than many other "top tier" in-ear phones among those I have heard. They are clean, clear and crisp to my ears, never harsh, with just the right amount of bass and best of all, they require no EQ when I use them with my iPhone 5 (which is when I actually use them, out on the go).
 
Not sure what your source is, but if it's the headphone out from your computer, I don't think that is the best situation for the Trumpets (or many other headphones for that matter). While quality headphones matter, source is just as critical in my view.
 
I will say this about the Trumpets, to get the best sound I did two things. One, I substituted a pair of black silicone single flange tips from an old pair of JVCs I had (FXC51s I think) and they work for me better than the all the options that came with the Trumpets (and there are many). Second, I wear the Trumpets over the ear, not down. I think they just feel more secure and comfortable that way, and when I compare the two styles of wear, the over the ear also sounds better to me (I prefer over the ear for all in-ear phones in fact, so I hardly ever buy the type that hang down).
 
While the Trumpets hardly are big favorites here (seems very few people own them or post about them), I'd say the majority, not all, of the people who own them really like them. At the recent sale price of $149.95 on ebay, again in my view, they were a steal. In fact, I bought an extra pair in case they stop making them some day (as they did with the MD Tributes).
 
I can't speak for the E7, never owned it. I now use the Aune T1 tube amp/DAC from my USB port and it sounds spectacular with the Senn 598s I bought recently for home use. Again, the majority of the people who have bought the T1 seem to love it. It's not portable like the E7, but it's a different animal. It also cost a lot more, $198. There is a thread on the T1 on Head-Fi.
 
On the flac vs. 320k thing, if you can't hear any difference, consider yourself lucky since you can get so much more music on a source if you don't need flac.
 
If the Trumpets don't suit you there are a lot of other alternatives. I am surprised with all the chatter here about other phones you chose them, to be honest, I think they are great but as is the case with every headphone, I don't expect everyone to feel that way. In the end, it's not about which piece of music will make them sound great because to me, they sound fantastic with every genre I throw at them.
 
Return them and do some more research is all I can say.

 

[Selenium]

320 vs. FLAC is going to be VERY difficult to tell the difference for most people, myself included. There's a site that will test you, I'll post a link if I can remember. Also Foobar has an ABX comparator component so you can test yourself. Don't worry about it is what I'm getting at.

As far as the Trumpets are concerned, experiment with the tips and make sure you have a good seal.

 

[Syld]

When I buyed my RE-ZERO I didn't hear any  difference between them and my $5 buds, but after some time the difference was so obvious I started wondering if I was deaf lol

 

[killerweed]

Quote:

320 vs. FLAC is going to be VERY difficult to tell the difference for most people, myself included. There's a site that will test you, I'll post a link if I can remember. Also Foobar has an ABX comparator component so you can test yourself. Don't worry about it is what I'm getting at.
As far as the Trumpets are concerned, experiment with the tips and make sure you have a good seal.

Yes, I forgot this very important point, seal is everything (and why I prefer the over the ear wearing style). So many times with IEMs, getting a proper seal is the culprit. You see it time and again on Amazon feedback, people love an IEM and one person says, "sound like crap, no bass" ... stuff like that. Most often, they have a poor seal and are not used to using in-ear phones (vs. buds for example).