Detecting fake high end headphones

[dsrjohn]

How carefull should people be about buying used high end headphones? On audio sites, ebay, etc? Just wondering if there are manufacturers making realistic looking fakes. I heard this happens for vintage speakers (LS3-5A) but no idea about headphones. Any thoughts?

 

[AsianBatman]

Most people tend to buy headphones from authorized dealers on audio sites. As rule of thumb, when a price is too good to be true on ebay, it probably is. If you ever question the authenticity of a headphone, just post up on here and people can help.  

 

[GeneraI]

  Most people tend to buy headphones from authorized dealers on audio sites. As rule of thumb, when a price is too good to be true on ebay, it probably is. If you ever question the authenticity of a headphone, just post up on here and people can help.  

This is more true than false. 
 
 
I usually buy things off headphones, and try to buy from positive users. Don't buy from negative reviewers or people with no reviews. Ebay is a russian roulette if you get the real thing or in good condition. You can find deals, but you will find yourself paying close to retail. 

 

[tinyman392]

How carefull should people be about buying used high end headphones? On audio sites, ebay, etc? Just wondering if there are manufacturers making realistic looking fakes. I heard this happens for vintage speakers (LS3-5A) but no idea about headphones. Any thoughts?

 
It would depend on the actual headphone in question, some headphones have a higher tendency of being faked.  I doubt we'll be seeing any fake Audeze or HiFiMan anytime soon.  Fake Klipsch and Senns have been well documented, and of course the super-popular ones (Beats would be the main example here). 
 
I would highly suggest buying from an authorized retailer for two reasons:

1. You'll get the real thing regardless
2. You'll get warranty

 
It's the second reason that I'd recommend you going with an authorized retailer.  With that said, there are a few authorized retailers that deal through eBay or Amazon, less likely, but they are out there.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

How carefull should people be about buying used high end headphones? On audio sites, ebay, etc? Just wondering if there are manufacturers making realistic looking fakes. I heard this happens for vintage speakers (LS3-5A) but no idea about headphones. Any thoughts?

 
I think for high-end headphones the most likely scam that will happen to you is that they have a photo of it on eBay or somewhere, then you don't receive the kind of item in the photo. It's too much effort for counterfeiters to even fabricate the chassis on high-end headphones to make them look like the real deal, plastic, bamboo, metal or whatever. Not to mention there won't be a lot of people interested in them as opposed to Beats.
 
As mentioned Sennheiser did have some fake IEx IEMs, but the plastic shells I imagine are easier to mold. Not to mention you can cram a large number of fakes in one box, and along with the Beats on-ears and IEMs, a bunch of them make their way to eBay sellers or markets here in Manila. I'm not kidding, even the dry goods section barely separate from the vegetables and fruits over here has some people selling fake Beats for around $8.

 

[dsrjohn]

Thank you everyone. I was looking at a pair of Beyerdynamic.

 

[dodongo]

Hey all, I'm a very new user here and I was shopping the for trade/sale forum and found a decent deal on some Audeze LCD-2 Rev 1s, listed here:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/710490/fs-audeze-lcd-2-with-custom-alo-cable
 
I sent the buyer a message, sent the money, and apparently they're sending it off very shortly.
Came home from school and did some thinking and looked up Audeze counterfeits and found
this link: http://www.headphonesfashion.com/audeze-headphones/audeze-headphones-lcd-2-with-wooden-box.html
 
The headphones on this website match up perfectly with the ones in the description of
the sellers and also the photos. Obviously this is very worrying to me as I gifted him 830$ on PayPal already.
 
I just got off the phone with PayPal and they said I could in fact dispute it if anything happens
even though it is a gift, I just wanted to make sure that claim is true and also see if the
headphones I purchased are indeed a counterfeit. Given the photos, it seems rather
plain to me that they are and that I should dispute it as soon as possible.
 
Once all of that is settled I'm skipping the BS and just buying directly from Audeze.

 

[Currawong]

  Hey all, I'm a very new user here and I was shopping the for trade/sale forum and found a decent deal on some Audeze LCD-2 Rev 1s, listed here:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/710490/fs-audeze-lcd-2-with-custom-alo-cable
 
I sent the buyer a message, sent the money, and apparently they're sending it off very shortly.
Came home from school and did some thinking and looked up Audeze counterfeits and found
this link: http://www.headphonesfashion.com/audeze-headphones/audeze-headphones-lcd-2-with-wooden-box.html
 
The headphones on this website match up perfectly with the ones in the description of
the sellers and also the photos. Obviously this is very worrying to me as I gifted him 830$ on PayPal already.
 
I just got off the phone with PayPal and they said I could in fact dispute it if anything happens
even though it is a gift, I just wanted to make sure that claim is true and also see if the
headphones I purchased are indeed a counterfeit. Given the photos, it seems rather
plain to me that they are and that I should dispute it as soon as possible.
 
Once all of that is settled I'm skipping the BS and just buying directly from Audeze.

 
The site you found is a fake shopping site, going by the impossible price and has obviously taken random photos from around the web of the headphones. However, while I think you'll be ok with buying in the classifieds, I did put a HUGE RED WARNING saying not to use Paypal gift payments at the top.

 

[dodongo]

   
The site you found is a fake shopping site, going by the impossible price and has obviously taken random photos from around the web of the headphones. However, while I think you'll be ok with buying in the classifieds, I did put a HUGE RED WARNING saying not to use Paypal gift payments at the top.

I understand, and I am quite naive when it comes to online shopping from eBay and classifieds. I feel comfortable using the classifieds but I will be sure to pay the fees in the future. Luckily, PayPal is going to help me out and I learned a very valuable, and almost pricey, lesson. Thanks Curra.

 

[fiascogarcia]

  Hey all, I'm a very new user here and I was shopping the for trade/sale forum and found a decent deal on some Audeze LCD-2 Rev 1s, listed here:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/710490/fs-audeze-lcd-2-with-custom-alo-cable
 
I sent the buyer a message, sent the money, and apparently they're sending it off very shortly.
Came home from school and did some thinking and looked up Audeze counterfeits and found
this link: http://www.headphonesfashion.com/audeze-headphones/audeze-headphones-lcd-2-with-wooden-box.html
 
The headphones on this website match up perfectly with the ones in the description of
the sellers and also the photos. Obviously this is very worrying to me as I gifted him 830$ on PayPal already.
 
I just got off the phone with PayPal and they said I could in fact dispute it if anything happens
even though it is a gift, I just wanted to make sure that claim is true and also see if the
headphones I purchased are indeed a counterfeit. Given the photos, it seems rather
plain to me that they are and that I should dispute it as soon as possible.
 
Once all of that is settled I'm skipping the BS and just buying directly from Audeze.

 
Obviously, you want to wait until you get the phones, but probably no need to panic.  Seller probably just chose to use stock photos, just as the fraudulent web site did.  Good luck, and hope you're happy with the purchase.

 

[musicalGobber]

um..... I just won a bid on ebay for AUDIO TECHNICA AD1000X for ONLY £175 when they actually cost £250 or something along those lines.
 
So..what if the seller/ or his manufacturer changed the INSIDE of the headphone like the driver for a ****ty one, and sells the product cheeply but actually...its a fake.
 
So the headphones look like the real deal, but sound like garbage...
 
HOW THE HELL CAN YOU PROVE TO EBAY THAT ITS FAKE???

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  um..... I just won a bid on ebay for AUDIO TECHNICA AD1000X for ONLY £175 when they actually cost £250 or something along those lines.
 
So..what if the seller/ or his manufacturer changed the INSIDE of the headphone like the driver for a ****ty one, and sells the product cheeply but actually...its a fake.
 
So the headphones look like the real deal, but sound like garbage...
 
HOW THE HELL CAN YOU PROVE TO EBAY THAT ITS FAKE???

 
Document everything about the transaction, take photos, etc, then send it off to AT. They'll authenticate the drivers. Of course, they can raise the possibility that you replaced the drivers before shipping them off to AT, but I can't think of any other way to do that.

 

[musicalGobber]

Hi.

i just paid only £180 for Ad1000X
and for some reason...after only 2 weeks,,,one of the earcups is LESS bassier,,louder than the Right earcup...

can anyone help me what to do,

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Hi.

i just paid only £180 for Ad1000X
and for some reason...after only 2 weeks,,,one of the earcups is LESS bassier,,louder than the Right earcup...

can anyone help me what to do,

 
Contact the seller and ask for a refund? What were the warranty terms, ie is it applicable only if it's DOA or was there a certain period specified? If it's relatively new you can have AT repair it, but at minimum you'll pay for shipping.