[andrzejpw]

is this out yet? I remember seeing a TINY box a while ago. Don't know if it was a month or a year ago.

It was with a pcdp report. It was a box that had like 5 headphones in it. . . is there more coverage?

 

[tangent]

I've got my September issue now, and the headphone thing is half a page of material in the middle of their PCDP reviews. Their criteria are $10-30 units, and they're testing them with portable players. It's sad that their price ceiling is so low, but even at that they ignore the Koss KSC and Porta Pro series.

In a word, this review is worthless.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by tangent I've got my September issue now, and the headphone thing is half a page of material in the middle of their PCDP reviews. Their criteria are $10-30 units, and they're testing them with portable players. It's sad that their price ceiling is so low, but even at that they ignore the Koss KSC and Porta Pro series. In a word, this review is worthless.

And the big problem is the average consumer himself (or herself). Those people will NEVER spend more than $30 on any pair of headphones - regardless of sound quality. I used to be that type of consumer years and years ago, until I bought a pair of Sony MDR-V6's.

BTW, in that review (of PCDPs), what did CR rate highest among non-MP3 models? Or did CR rate only the MP3-capable ones?

 

[andrzejpw]

you know, I used to really respect CR. Then I got smart.

I trust car mags/websites to tell me about cars. I don't care if the stereo controls are confusing. Same thing goes for audio gear, etc.

Maybe if I was buying a washing machine. . .

Gah. I thought this review would be helpful. You know, I used to think stock headphones were all you needed. I NEVER bought headphones. I always thought of them as a free item. Then I saw mx500s on anandtech. . .

 

[a1leyez0nm3]

I have almost always been in search of good phones... it all started when I was about 8 years old.. my mother bought a pair of cheap ear buds for me for my tape player way back when i was a young little whipper-shnapper... I thought, this sounds like i am almost there compared to my other headphones... then I heard my brother's headphones and thought. "these are better" I immediately went to the store, returned mine and got the better pair for $15 pair of sony cheapos, that were barely better then the common ones today, but i hadnt heard any better at the time, besides i was 8.... a few years later, and many cheap headphones, I had bought myself a pair of $20 sony earbuds. then, later i had bought myself a pair of V300 sonys for $50. they were the best headphones i had heard (not many), but i still (obviously with v300s) wasnt satisfied, so i auditioned and bought SOny CD-380 headphones, which were a bit better. then I heard the sennheiser HD500 and bought those. then i stumbled across this site... the rest is history

-- and the whole time money was not a issue for headphones, i simply wanted the best headphones that i had money for, usually over $30, even when i was pre-teen. people are so cheap, people i know think its ridiculous to spend more then $20 on headphones, yet spend $40 in a snap on a hair perm or nail job or $400 dollar car cdp, or spend loads of money on other things that they dont even use as much. nonsense, huh?

but on the other hand.. CR is pretty bad at doing reports... they are like the Average Joe with a pessimistic attitude...

 

[BenG]

The moral of the story is: you have to sacrifice some time and effort(and expense) to find the best you personally can get in headphones, among other more "important" things in life.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

The Consumer Reports half-page spread on headphones had concentrated on small-sized sub-$30 headphones, but that report also mentioned that a report on full-sized home headphones is coming within the next few months.

Anyway, that Consumer Reports "mini-headphone report" accompanied a report on low-priced non-MP3 PCDPs and a cross section of MP3-CD players. Two Panasonics - the SL-CT490 and the SL-CT390 - top the non-MP3 PCDP ratings (the *cough*gag*gasp*choke* Sony D-E350 is among the top five non-MP3 models in the Ratings). The Sony D-CJ01 is at the top the MP3-CD model ratings.

As for the mini-phones recommended by that mag ("Good overall"):

(note that my rememberance is only among the models that are sold at or near where I'm at)
On-the-ear, regular headband: Koss KTX-Pro
On-the-ear, earclip: *coughSonycough* MDR-Q33LP
In-the-ear, earclip: *cough*Vertigo-1*cough* Sony MDR-J10
In-the-ear, no clip or band: *cough,gag,choke* Sony MDR-E828LP

[Please note that the Sennheiser MX500 earbuds that we talk about the most - and both of the other Sennheiser earbuds, as well - are among five earbuds rated only fair (or is that mediocre?) overall.]

 

[jona]

CR must have fired the reviewer who praised the MDR-V6 over a decade ago. To dis' the Senn's in that test group makes one question just WHERE they were inserting the buds for evaluation!!! Oh well, at least they seem to like the D-CJ01. Someone must write them to open their minds to Ety's.

Jon

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by jona To dis' the Senn's in that test group makes one question just WHERE they were inserting the buds for evaluation!!!

I think they tried the Senns in every which way they possibly could do into the "ears" of the acoustic mannequin, but they couldn't get the Senns to fit properly in those mannequin ears. And that's partly because they're too thick and a bit too large. So the acoustic mannequin (with microphones inserted into what the mannequin's "eardrums" would be) thought the Senns were all bassless and shrill. No wonder why CR had rated them "mediocre."

 

[lucien]

Quote:

Originally posted by JML ...Loudspeakers are harder to evaluate than are steam irons or toasters.

I wonder if there is a www.steamiron-fi.com or www.toast-fi.com with a bunch of nutcases (like us) who spend outrageous amounts on their toasters...

They'd probably flame a newbie who came in and said he likes his toast done in a cheapo appliance, and be told that true afficionados only toast the bread on one side at a time.

Also, you should really have an amp with that toaster.

Oh, and careful what brand of water you're putting in that steam iron...

 

[andrzejpw]

LOL! You know, you're on the RIGHT track when you say that. That's what people must think of us. . .

 

[a1leyez0nm3]

Quote:

Originally posted by lucien I wonder if there is a www.steamiron-fi.com or www.toast-fi.com with a bunch of nutcases (like us) who spend outrageous amounts on their toasters... They'd probably flame a newbie who came in and said he likes his toast done in a cheapo appliance, and be told that true afficionados only toast the bread on one side at a time. Also, you should really have an amp with that toaster. Oh, and careful what brand of water you're putting in that steam iron...

i think thats how everyone else views us... a little obsessed.
when the truth is is that most people are obsessed with something, rather toasters, headphones, cars, or whatnot..

 

[Audio Redneck]

What would be great is if there was a www.consumerreportssucks.com that could offer info on why Consumber Reports gets it wrong.

Not that the average CR subscriber would ever look at it.

Oh, and I found this today: Consumer Reports Guide to Selecting a Girlfriend

 

[purk]

Quote:

Oh, and I found this today: Consumer Reports Guide to Selecting a Girlfriend

LOL

 

[Eagle_Driver]

I think I know why Consumer Reports had rated the Sony 828 over the Sennheiser MX500 in that mag's earbud ratings in the September issue: They've tested the earbuds with NO foam pads at all on them whatsoever! (In fact, some of the earbuds that they tested didn't come with foamies at all.) And that only brings out the shrillness in the highs of ANY earbuds. The ratings might have turned topsy-turnvy had they tested all of the earbuds with foamies on.