Aero-R
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2009
- Posts
- 8
- Likes
- 0
Hello everybody. 1st post in this forum, knowing the site just from a few days ago. I'm here to ask for opinions about a situation I've found with the ones that may be my first headphones.
I do live in Canary Islands, a few islands from Spain. Here the equipment isn't easy to find, so most of the time I do have to order from the mainland of Spain or even import from other countries (with the import taxes that this implies). But today, one of the shops where I usually order computer hardware have on its stock the Sennheisers HD 650 at 221€, and the AKG K-601 at 178€ (both prices with shipments & taxes included). At first I was surprised of headphones like those being sold on a computer shop focused on gaming, but then I was more surprised when doing a few searchs on the net I saw that the HD 650 were at a good price comparison with other online shops.
I'm at a situation where the Hi-Fi equipment is more a passion that a fact, since as a student I don't have now the room and money, so I can't afford the gems I would like to have (as McIntosh amplifiers for example), but I was seriusly thinking about buying the Sennheiser (since I've readed they're better than the K-601) as one of my first Hi-Fi gear. I don't wanna buy something in relation with the quality of the equipment I've at the moment because my intention is to be upgrading everything I can with the years, as soon as my weekend job allows it.
At the moment, I'm moving the audio from the computer with a very very basic setup:
X-Fi Platinum Fatal1ty Champion Series -> Kenwood KA-33 Stereo Integrated Amplifier
Sometimes I use Sennheiser CX-300 as earphones, and other times I do use loudspeakers. I use the I/O module of the soundcard as a DAC for TOSLINK sources (as Playstation 3 / Blu-Ray) and also as a earphones / headphones amp connected to the phone connector (http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3964/45533501uj2.jpg). The other headphones amp I do have is the Kenwood KA-33 phono connector. I've readed about the need to amp that HD650 but I don't think it'll be a problem with those two connections I've now, of course I'll buy a better set of amplification in the near years.
At the moment, I'm in a point where I can't discern clearly the differences between MP3 and FLAC, so you can imagine the quality of the audio gear of this student. Most part of my music database is on MP3 but I've started in the FLAC movement time ago, so I'm improving it. The main source of my audio will be my turntable, and the music collection in my computer (downloads are perfectly legal in Spain if they're not to make profit, so we'll skip this part).
I've reading a few threads here to get more info, and I would like to ask about few of these things too. For example, about one of the help threads sticked:
Quote:
That's right, of course. But in this situation for example, even not having a beautiful amplifier it'll give me better quality than my pair of CX-300 or my basic AIWA speakers, I think. So, it'll be a nice choice and will be better as soon as I upgrade the rest of the bottlenecks on my system. Am I right?
Quote:
I disagreed partially with this opinion. Of course that you won't listen anything better than the source of the worse bottleneck you have in your system, but when talking about the "forgiving" thing..: when I've upgraded my soundcards in the past, or when I bought the CX-300 or OFC plugs, I started always to listen the differences. With that equipment, the differences between worse and better recordings were more clear, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't use them because they were showing the bad part of it. I mean... of course that with Hi-Fi headphones I guess I'll start to listen at many more differences (and with those HD 650 more, since they're at a far point in quality from my system) but they won't make sound the MP3 worse, isn't it?, they will only reveal the big difference between MP3 and FLAC for example, and when comparing them of course I'll love more FLAC since I'll feel MP3 poor in comparison. But that quote talks like I'll start to listen the bad codifications worse than what I'm doing now. And at the end of the day, I do even listen to 8-bit audio files (original source, my old videogames music), so... what I care is about the best fidelity to the original signal. What I'm trying to say is that if I'm not wrong, they will improve the quality of my system isn't it?, and that's a start.
- What do you think about the price?, do you see it as a bargain so I must approach it or they aren't so cheap as I though and I might think it twice / wait? (I've took a look at many sites on internet, and it seems to be in some cases but I don't know if those prices are fresh, this gear have a few years I think)
- Apart from the K-601 I've seen at the online shop and the HD 600, can you think on other alternatives around those prices better than the HD 650? (I think that the K-701 are more expensive and I've readed the HD650s are superior..). I've heard so many good things about some from Grado but I'm a bit lost into their models, and don't know at which point Sennheiser is a good choice in sound or if Grado or AKG is better.
- Are they a good bought?. (I'm not into Headphones.. I've had only two different models of Sennheisers earphones, but months ago I tested a 20$ Sennheiser headphones in a Macintosh computer 3.5 jack and they sounded fine, so I was thinking this set would sound great on the system I've even if my soundcard/DAC is a basic one yet)
Excuse this huge post, I just wanted to explain it the best possible. Where I live I'm a bit blind with this gear since I do not have shops (so that, the oportunity) to test the gear I would like to buy. Other than that, I would like to thank everybody who reached this point in my post.Apologyzes for my english grammar. I want to thank all of the community too for this huge source of knowledge I've founded, I've been reading some usefull suggestions for a future DAC too, which I'll have to study since my collection is much PC based.
I do live in Canary Islands, a few islands from Spain. Here the equipment isn't easy to find, so most of the time I do have to order from the mainland of Spain or even import from other countries (with the import taxes that this implies). But today, one of the shops where I usually order computer hardware have on its stock the Sennheisers HD 650 at 221€, and the AKG K-601 at 178€ (both prices with shipments & taxes included). At first I was surprised of headphones like those being sold on a computer shop focused on gaming, but then I was more surprised when doing a few searchs on the net I saw that the HD 650 were at a good price comparison with other online shops.
I'm at a situation where the Hi-Fi equipment is more a passion that a fact, since as a student I don't have now the room and money, so I can't afford the gems I would like to have (as McIntosh amplifiers for example), but I was seriusly thinking about buying the Sennheiser (since I've readed they're better than the K-601) as one of my first Hi-Fi gear. I don't wanna buy something in relation with the quality of the equipment I've at the moment because my intention is to be upgrading everything I can with the years, as soon as my weekend job allows it.
At the moment, I'm moving the audio from the computer with a very very basic setup:
X-Fi Platinum Fatal1ty Champion Series -> Kenwood KA-33 Stereo Integrated Amplifier
Sometimes I use Sennheiser CX-300 as earphones, and other times I do use loudspeakers. I use the I/O module of the soundcard as a DAC for TOSLINK sources (as Playstation 3 / Blu-Ray) and also as a earphones / headphones amp connected to the phone connector (http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3964/45533501uj2.jpg). The other headphones amp I do have is the Kenwood KA-33 phono connector. I've readed about the need to amp that HD650 but I don't think it'll be a problem with those two connections I've now, of course I'll buy a better set of amplification in the near years.
At the moment, I'm in a point where I can't discern clearly the differences between MP3 and FLAC, so you can imagine the quality of the audio gear of this student. Most part of my music database is on MP3 but I've started in the FLAC movement time ago, so I'm improving it. The main source of my audio will be my turntable, and the music collection in my computer (downloads are perfectly legal in Spain if they're not to make profit, so we'll skip this part).
I've reading a few threads here to get more info, and I would like to ask about few of these things too. For example, about one of the help threads sticked:
Quote:
| Many will be revealing of poor quality recordings and low bit rate downloads if you’re using your computer. If, for example, you're interested in the HD650 because you’ve read it’s good, just know that you might be disappointed if you don’t amp it properly, and if you amp it properly, you might be disappointed in the sound you’re getting if your source and/or recordings don’t cut it. |
That's right, of course. But in this situation for example, even not having a beautiful amplifier it'll give me better quality than my pair of CX-300 or my basic AIWA speakers, I think. So, it'll be a nice choice and will be better as soon as I upgrade the rest of the bottlenecks on my system. Am I right?
Quote:
| High quality headphones reveal your source. That’s their job. Garbage in, garbage out. I love my ipod, but when I’m using it, I choose headphones that sound good, but are more forgiving of my source’s flaws when listening. If I were to use one of my more revealing headphones, I wouldn’t be enjoying the music nearly as much. Whether you consider getting a good dac, a dedicated cdp, or lod for an ipod, there are a lot of different ways to go. For portable, I like choosing forgiving headphones and not worrying about amp or source; for home, I prefer the best cdp I can afford, and one day, I'd like a good turntable. |
I disagreed partially with this opinion. Of course that you won't listen anything better than the source of the worse bottleneck you have in your system, but when talking about the "forgiving" thing..: when I've upgraded my soundcards in the past, or when I bought the CX-300 or OFC plugs, I started always to listen the differences. With that equipment, the differences between worse and better recordings were more clear, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't use them because they were showing the bad part of it. I mean... of course that with Hi-Fi headphones I guess I'll start to listen at many more differences (and with those HD 650 more, since they're at a far point in quality from my system) but they won't make sound the MP3 worse, isn't it?, they will only reveal the big difference between MP3 and FLAC for example, and when comparing them of course I'll love more FLAC since I'll feel MP3 poor in comparison. But that quote talks like I'll start to listen the bad codifications worse than what I'm doing now. And at the end of the day, I do even listen to 8-bit audio files (original source, my old videogames music), so... what I care is about the best fidelity to the original signal. What I'm trying to say is that if I'm not wrong, they will improve the quality of my system isn't it?, and that's a start.
- What do you think about the price?, do you see it as a bargain so I must approach it or they aren't so cheap as I though and I might think it twice / wait? (I've took a look at many sites on internet, and it seems to be in some cases but I don't know if those prices are fresh, this gear have a few years I think)
- Apart from the K-601 I've seen at the online shop and the HD 600, can you think on other alternatives around those prices better than the HD 650? (I think that the K-701 are more expensive and I've readed the HD650s are superior..). I've heard so many good things about some from Grado but I'm a bit lost into their models, and don't know at which point Sennheiser is a good choice in sound or if Grado or AKG is better.
- Are they a good bought?. (I'm not into Headphones.. I've had only two different models of Sennheisers earphones, but months ago I tested a 20$ Sennheiser headphones in a Macintosh computer 3.5 jack and they sounded fine, so I was thinking this set would sound great on the system I've even if my soundcard/DAC is a basic one yet)
Excuse this huge post, I just wanted to explain it the best possible. Where I live I'm a bit blind with this gear since I do not have shops (so that, the oportunity) to test the gear I would like to buy. Other than that, I would like to thank everybody who reached this point in my post.Apologyzes for my english grammar. I want to thank all of the community too for this huge source of knowledge I've founded, I've been reading some usefull suggestions for a future DAC too, which I'll have to study since my collection is much PC based.
