darcangelo
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2003
- Posts
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Well now, I've already asked questions that were supposed to guide me to buy a proper set of cans but I always felt that somehow I didn't communicate my definition of proper cans.. well... properly. If I said it was for electronica then people immediately supposed I was a bass freak but IMO bass is important, but so are other qualities, then if I asked about soundstage I'd get posts recomending soundstage alone, well, anyway I think this little test will make things a LOT clearer. I put up 4 samples of songs I usually listen to, you're free to download them, listen to them through your gear and tell me which sounds best. For each sample, I'll put a few comments on what a good phone should give IMO. So if you have the time please take my test.
you should click on http://snusnu.tripod.com and there you'll find 4 files to download with the 4 samples (the file at top is sample 1, the file at bottom is 4). You can click on the files to play, but I advise you right-click and select "save as". If you don't have the time or patience to dload all 4, then at least try the first one please.
so now: In sample 1 I'd expect enough details as to properly hear those little voices around minute 1:19. What's absolutely CRUCIAL for me however is that the little background melody in 1:32 should sound very airy and smooth. A pair of cans that does that well would be my best pick.
Now if you still have time you can go over to my other 3 samples:
in sample 2 there should be a good representation of the melody that comes in around 0:50 and the way it gradually comes from background to the front. again, in my definition of proper phones, the melody should sound smooth and airy, although more harsh than in sample 1. Another caracteristic would be to feel those acid sounds that kick in 2:23, I mean they should be felt in the lows as well as heard, have a kind of agressive impact on the ear. A good detail on soundtage IMO would be to accurately reproduce the echoes "one million years" that comes in 3:15 and accurately portray the way it decays slightly to one side.
Still interested? then in sample 3 there are like a ton of sounds thrown in your face. What would interest me there is to represent accurately all those tiny different sounds as well as give the wanted harshness to the almost-guitar sounding synthline
And if you're still not bored and for some lower BPMs, in sample 4 I would like to hear with enough detail the water noises in the beginning (0:15), have a large airy soundstage and that the flute doesn't sound harsh, especially near the end of the sample.
Well, that's it. Thank you for everyone that's willing to take my test. I gave some guidelines on what would be essential to me in those samples but if it just feels right to you or you find anything else worth pointing out, then be my guest and say so.
And no, I couldn't just go with a sample CD to a headphone fanatic reunion cause there is no such thing where I live!!
oh and in case you were wondering what those samples are or if you already have them at your home and don't want to bother downloading them (although the minutes described won't fit since I cut down the tracks - don't want any trouble with the RIAA...): 1. is Domi Pastor - Fa Fret from the album Immortality, 2. is Astal Projection - One Million Years From Today from the album Amen, 3. is Domestic - Metal Sense from the compilation Psychedellic Vibes 5 and 4. is Entheogenic - Level One from the album Entheogenic
you should click on http://snusnu.tripod.com and there you'll find 4 files to download with the 4 samples (the file at top is sample 1, the file at bottom is 4). You can click on the files to play, but I advise you right-click and select "save as". If you don't have the time or patience to dload all 4, then at least try the first one please.
so now: In sample 1 I'd expect enough details as to properly hear those little voices around minute 1:19. What's absolutely CRUCIAL for me however is that the little background melody in 1:32 should sound very airy and smooth. A pair of cans that does that well would be my best pick.
Now if you still have time you can go over to my other 3 samples:
in sample 2 there should be a good representation of the melody that comes in around 0:50 and the way it gradually comes from background to the front. again, in my definition of proper phones, the melody should sound smooth and airy, although more harsh than in sample 1. Another caracteristic would be to feel those acid sounds that kick in 2:23, I mean they should be felt in the lows as well as heard, have a kind of agressive impact on the ear. A good detail on soundtage IMO would be to accurately reproduce the echoes "one million years" that comes in 3:15 and accurately portray the way it decays slightly to one side.
Still interested? then in sample 3 there are like a ton of sounds thrown in your face. What would interest me there is to represent accurately all those tiny different sounds as well as give the wanted harshness to the almost-guitar sounding synthline
And if you're still not bored and for some lower BPMs, in sample 4 I would like to hear with enough detail the water noises in the beginning (0:15), have a large airy soundstage and that the flute doesn't sound harsh, especially near the end of the sample.
Well, that's it. Thank you for everyone that's willing to take my test. I gave some guidelines on what would be essential to me in those samples but if it just feels right to you or you find anything else worth pointing out, then be my guest and say so.
And no, I couldn't just go with a sample CD to a headphone fanatic reunion cause there is no such thing where I live!!
oh and in case you were wondering what those samples are or if you already have them at your home and don't want to bother downloading them (although the minutes described won't fit since I cut down the tracks - don't want any trouble with the RIAA...): 1. is Domi Pastor - Fa Fret from the album Immortality, 2. is Astal Projection - One Million Years From Today from the album Amen, 3. is Domestic - Metal Sense from the compilation Psychedellic Vibes 5 and 4. is Entheogenic - Level One from the album Entheogenic
