[i_love_hina]

Reading Beats/Bose/Skullcandy hate is just (if not more) as boring as reading newb questions about them.

 

[disastermouse]

I don't want a 'bash 'em' thread - 
 
But don't those threads all sort of turn out like that?

 

[Argyris]

Quote:

I don't want a 'bash 'em' thread - 
 
But don't those threads all sort of turn out like that?

They usually get closed, and it's usually not the fault of the OP. It's kind of like how religion and politics are hot-button issues and aren't allowed here on Head-Fi--crappy boutique "image" brands garner the same kind of flaming (though usually it's an overwhelming consensus of "they r teh suxx0rz") and usually result in a thread closure. That's why I said it's better to have a positive recommendation sticky and to add an advisory that the likes of Skullcandy/Beats/Bose are not highly regarded here on Head-Fi and to explain briefly why (value/sound/durability/alignment of the planets).
 
I also wouldn't mind a separate recommendations forum, and to make it so only Head-Fi'ers with a specific post count (something like 50 or so) could post in the other equipment forums. It would be so that newcomers can go somewhere where all the other recommendations are and could receive specialized attention, and also so that "I'm new and I want headphones" threads don't clutter up the equipment discussions. This is by no means meant to be disrespectful to newbies; I just think a separate forum and a light restriction on full posting rights would keep everything straight and would help separate out recommendation seekers from aspiring long-term members. IIRC, you need 50 posts before you can post in the FS forum, so I know this kind of thing is at least technically possible.

 

[rhythmdevils]

I would suggest finding a bunch of threads that are calm, and have lots of good alternative/better headphone recommendations and post a list of links to those threads.  I've been doing that with cheap studio headphone recommendation threads and it works great.  Most knowledgeable people stop posting in those studio headphone threads because there are so many of them.