[ZeNmAc]

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Carry an E17 with your headphones and source shouldn't a problem until you're spending 500+ dollars on headphones or dealing with particularly difficult ones. Of course, that's 150 dollars by itself.

Sry I haven't been keeping up with stuff like this.  Can it bypass the ipod's dac, or is it just for a computer, and if so is it plug&play? (I can't install anything on my computer at work)

 

[Posam]

If i have some grado rs-1is i just ordered would it be worth going from a fiio e10 to a fiio e17? Not looking to break the bank anymore after that

 

[dorino]

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If i have some grado rs-1is i just ordered would it be worth going from a fiio e10 to a fiio e17? Not looking to break the bank anymore after that

Probably. Every review I've read says the e17 is much better than the e10.

 

[dorino]

Quote:

Sry I haven't been keeping up with stuff like this.  Can it bypass the ipod's dac, or is it just for a computer, and if so is it plug&play? (I can't install anything on my computer at work)

It only works with your computer (possibly other devices that support USB audio devices...) and is plug'n'play.

 

[arch9443]

So I'm trying to find a pair of headphones in the $150-200 range that work well for portable use.  Meaning they are fairly durable, and will stand up to being thrown in a bag on a daily basis, and are also comfortable.
 
I do want full-sized headphones though.  just not huge ones like my AD900s.  My current portable headphones are ath m35s.  And their sound is okay, but the huge problem I have with them is comfort.  the headband is amazingly painful, and the pads are either to shallow, or not wide enough.  but they sit just partially on my ear it seems, and it just doesn't work all that well >.>  I thought about getting the m50s for a sound quality upgrade, but those look like they are built almost exactly the same way, so I don't expect they will be any more comfortable.
 
So something similar in size to the m35s, but with more comfortable pads and headband, and a bit higher end.  Not really looking for a specific sound signature, something that works decently with most genres would be preferable.  

 

[Magick Man]

 
Well for $200, I think you can do better than the LP2, unless you like the bass-heavy sound. Not totally sure about the LP2, but the original LP was pretty muddy as well...

They're still quite bassy but they cleaned up the mud.

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

 
Any suggestions for 'higher end'?  As you can imagine, im a little cautious of spending too much on hps ill be carrying around with me to work, especially since I have just ok sources most of the time.  Ipod and onboard at work.

Well, if you're concerned about losing them or something, and you're satisfied with how they sound, I just say stick with them. Maybe you could get a pair of HD25s that you can carry more portably and toss around a bit more? They're extremely durable, compact, and fairly nondescript.
 


Quote:

Sry I haven't been keeping up with stuff like this.  Can it bypass the ipod's dac, or is it just for a computer, and if so is it plug&play? (I can't install anything on my computer at work)

AFAIK it's plug and play for computers. For iPods I was under the impression it could bypass the DAC, but on second thought, perhaps not... It's probably not worth it if you're just keeping the M50s.
 


Quote:

If i have some grado rs-1is i just ordered would it be worth going from a fiio e10 to a fiio e17? Not looking to break the bank anymore after that

Well, what's your usage scenario? One's portable, and the other's only transportable (no built-in battery). I don't know about the E17 being much better, but it's supposed to be an improvement. Keep in mind the almost 2x price difference, though. Also, will you actually use the DAC? If not, maybe you could get a dedicated amp.
 


Quote:

So I'm trying to find a pair of headphones in the $150-200 range that work well for portable use.  Meaning they are fairly durable, and will stand up to being thrown in a bag on a daily basis, and are also comfortable.
 
I do want full-sized headphones though.  just not huge ones like my AD900s.  My current portable headphones are ath m35s.  And their sound is okay, but the huge problem I have with them is comfort.  the headband is amazingly painful, and the pads are either to shallow, or not wide enough.  but they sit just partially on my ear it seems, and it just doesn't work all that well >.>  I thought about getting the m50s for a sound quality upgrade, but those look like they are built almost exactly the same way, so I don't expect they will be any more comfortable.
 
So something similar in size to the m35s, but with more comfortable pads and headband, and a bit higher end.  Not really looking for a specific sound signature, something that works decently with most genres would be preferable.  

Off the top of my head, the M80s, HD-25s, MS400s, HFI780, maybe the ZX700. There's probably more on ljokerl's portable review thread, but those are some of the better ones I think.
 


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They're still quite bassy but they cleaned up the mud.

Ok, good to know. Now if only the price would fall to $110...
 

 

[LimeANite]

Quote:

Sry I haven't been keeping up with stuff like this.  Can it bypass the ipod's dac, or is it just for a computer, and if so is it plug&play? (I can't install anything on my computer at work)

The E17 can't bypass the iPod's DAC, but it can bypass the amp if you use a line-out cable (Fiio L3, for example).  And it should be plug-and-play.  My E10 is, at least.
 
Quote:

If i have some grado rs-1is i just ordered would it be worth going from a fiio e10 to a fiio e17? Not looking to break the bank anymore after that

No, unless you need the portability.  The E17 has the same DAC and amp as the E10, though they're wired slightly differently.  You won't hear any change in the sound between them.
 
Quote:

Probably. Every review I've read says the e17 is much better than the e10.

It is better in some respects (it doesn't cut off the first few milliseconds of the first song in your stream and has a battery), but it's not worth paying an extra $140 for if you already have the E10 and don't need the portability.  As I said above, they use the exact same DAC and amp chips.

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It only works with your computer (possibly other devices that support USB audio devices...) and is plug'n'play.

That would be the E10, not the E17.  The E17 is functionally identical to the E7, but with a better DAC and amp.

Quote:

So I'm trying to find a pair of headphones in the $150-200 range that work well for portable use.  Meaning they are fairly durable, and will stand up to being thrown in a bag on a daily basis, and are also comfortable.
 
I do want full-sized headphones though.  just not huge ones like my AD900s.  My current portable headphones are ath m35s.  And their sound is okay, but the huge problem I have with them is comfort.  the headband is amazingly painful, and the pads are either to shallow, or not wide enough.  but they sit just partially on my ear it seems, and it just doesn't work all that well >.>  I thought about getting the m50s for a sound quality upgrade, but those look like they are built almost exactly the same way, so I don't expect they will be any more comfortable.
 
So something similar in size to the m35s, but with more comfortable pads and headband, and a bit higher end.  Not really looking for a specific sound signature, something that works decently with most genres would be preferable.  

Possibly Ultrasones (HFI-580/780) or Denon D1100, though they're a tad bass-heavy.  I don't really know much about the M50s, but I haven't seen too many complaints about comfort, so maybe their cups are a little bigger and the pads are a tad thicker.  There aren't many options for closed semi-portables in your price range.  There are a couple under $100 that work pretty well - Koss Pro DJ100 and Creative Aurvana Live.  Both should give you a noticeable improvement over the M35s.  The Pro DJ100 pads are a bit shallow, but I solved that by shoving a strand of CAT5 cable under the pads - I can wear them all day now without any discomfort.
 

 

[re-animator]

hey all, new head-fier here.
 
i'm a musician/self-producer just starting to getting my feet wet with serious audio.  i'm looking to take a step up from the akg k240 (600 ohm) cans i've been rocking for the past 2+ years.  My main issues with them is that they are quite difficult to drive (even with my external interface, a roland vs100 that has a decent headphone amp), and they aren't the most comfortable headphones out there for me since my ears protrude a bit.  i'm already looking into a pair of IEMs for tracking and on-the-go listening where portability and isolation is important, but i'd also like a trade up from the k240s for home use and critical listening.  Budget is around $200 used.
 
i'm looking at the akg k142hd, k701/702, and sennhesier hd598.  want to stay open back with large velour pads for comfort, and also want something that has a detailed, and neutral sound, with a wide soundstage and no hype in a particular set of frequencies.  i listen mostly to pop, alternative, and hip hop, with some metal and electronic as well.  accurate bass is more important to me than thump and impact.
 
any head-fiers with experience/advice on the above headphones, or any recommendations for stuff i should check out?

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LimeANite /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Possibly Ultrasones (HFI-580/780) or Denon D1100, though they're a tad bass-heavy.  I don't really know much about the M50s, but I haven't seen too many complaints about comfort, so maybe their cups are a little bigger and the pads are a tad thicker.  There aren't many options for closed semi-portables in your price range.  There are a couple under $100 that work pretty well - Koss Pro DJ100 and Creative Aurvana Live.  Both should give you a noticeable improvement over the M35s.  The Pro DJ100 pads are a bit shallow, but I solved that by shoving a strand of CAT5 cable under the pads - I can wear them all day now without any discomfort.
 

To clarify on the M50s, they are very definitely around-the-ear, and the top of the headband is nicely padded, so you shouldn't have those same comfort issues. It does clam a bit hard during prolonged uses, but that can be remedied by stretching it over a tissue box overnight. 
 


Quote:

hey all, new head-fier here.
 
i'm a musician/self-producer just starting to getting my feet wet with serious audio.  i'm looking to take a step up from the akg k240 (600 ohm) cans i've been rocking for the past 2+ years.  My main issues with them is that they are quite difficult to drive (even with my external interface, a roland vs100 that has a decent headphone amp), and they aren't the most comfortable headphones out there for me since my ears protrude a bit.  i'm already looking into a pair of IEMs for tracking and on-the-go listening where portability and isolation is important, but i'd also like a trade up from the k240s for home use and critical listening.  Budget is around $200 used.
 
i'm looking at the akg k142hd, k701/702, and sennhesier hd598.  want to stay open back with large velour pads for comfort, and also want something that has a detailed, and neutral sound, with a wide soundstage and no hype in a particular set of frequencies.  i listen mostly to pop, alternative, and hip hop, with some metal and electronic as well.  accurate bass is more important to me than thump and impact.
 
any head-fiers with experience/advice on the above headphones, or any recommendations for stuff i should check out?

The Q701 is supposed to be a slightly improved version of the K701/702, but with slightly more bass response, so it might fit you better. It retains the wide soundstage, and costs exactly the same amount of money in the U.S. (~$250 new). The HD598 seems like it would fit as well. 

 

[re-animator]

cool, thanks.  i'm going to try to head to b&h or j&r in the next few days and check them out.  might even want to consider akg k242hd or k240mkii and swap the pads for larger velour pads? that would deal with the comfort and drivability concerns, but i'm guessing its not a big tradeup in terms of SQ over the k240s.

 

[UnarmedLad]

So, firstly my apologies for starting a new thread on this. Somehow I managed to miss this huge thread...
 
I hope you guys can help me. I'm kind of an audiophile myself, but I usually find myself limited by my budget. I'm looking for new, high-end headphones (or as close to high-end as my budget will get me). My budget is about 100 euros. I'd like them to be closed-ear, preferably with good isolation. I mostly listen to genres like progressive metal, but I have a wide taste in music. Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance!

 

[Illmatar]

 

The E17 can't bypass the iPod's DAC, but it can bypass the amp if you use a line-out cable (Fiio L3, for example).  And it should be plug-and-play.  My E10 is, at least.

Since a line out cable is used for an Ipod would something be needed to plug the e17 into a phone (Samsung Galaxy s2)? Do you think I would be able to just grab a USB to micro USB and have it work with the e17?


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The D2000 is a very versatile headphone.  As I told someone else, it doesn't do anything phenomenally, except maybe bass reproduction, but it does everything well.  And the E17 will be great - I use mine with the E10, which is nearly identical to the E17.

Okay thanks for the information it sounds like I am going to have a great time with these.
 

 

[LimeANite]

Quote:

 

Since a line out cable is used for an Ipod would something be needed to plug the e17 into a phone (Samsung Galaxy s2)? Do you think I would be able to just grab a USB to micro USB and have it work with the e17?
 

It will come with all the cables you need unless you use an ipod and want a line-out cable.  For your phone, you have to just use the headphone jack into the E17's 3.5mm jack.  There are a few phones (Nokias mostly, I think) that claim to support audio over USB, but I'm not sure if anyone's confirmed that they work with any of the Fiio products.

 

[scociu]

 
Hi, i am looking to buy a set of headphones. What i want from them :
 
- closed 
- can be driven properly by my sansa clip+
- usage equally distributed between games and music
- comfortable as i will spend 4-6 hours a day with them on
- price range close to the ones in the thread title
 
From the research i've made so far i think will choose one of these options:
- ATH-A500
- DT 770 PRO 80 ohm
- Denon AH-D1100