HD650 in the new Apple Store

[Mercuttio]

Now here's an odd one. A week or two ago my girlfriend and I were out late in Manhattan. As anyone knows, it's impossible to find a place with a clean public restroom at 1 in the morning. It just so happened that we were within a few blocks of the new Apple Store in Midtown, and I figured they probably had one since the SoHo store does. Well, I was right, and while she was in there, I took a look at the headphone section (I'm like a moth to flame).

They are selling the HD650, and they have it directly connected to an iPod to test drive. Whoa. The thing is, it just doesn't sound that good directly out. I'm kind of wondering if they're selling any like this... I can see people coming in, trying it out and being underwhelmed because of the lack of dynamics. You have to REALLY crank that volume up to get sound!

Pretty weird, though. Something I never expected to see.

 

[elrod-tom]

It is wierd, but not surprising. As the iPod is supposed to be positioning itself as the sort of BMW of the DAP world, why not pair with better cans?

I wonder if they will offer some sort of external amp next?

 

[Mercuttio]

The HD650 is comfy beyond belief. I can see someone buying a pair there for the comfort factor alone.

Heh, how long until I see someone with an HD650 on the subway?

 

[lostbobby]

I guess HD650s are next to some Triports and those B&O clip on things that nobody can get to fit? Maybe plugged into a Macbook Pro that's too hot to touch? They're just marketing geniuses.

just saw this yesterday, a especially sad Apple hardware story

 

[mattigol]

Strictly from a design perspective, I would have expected Apple to adopt the K701 rather than the HD650.

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattigol Strictly from a design perspective, I would have expected Apple to adopt the K701 rather than the HD650.

It's possible they'd like to but can't because they can't get enough of them to stock. Are the K701 still in somewhat limited quantities?

 

[chia-pet]

I was in the seattle u-village apple store just days ago, and saw no HD650s! Actually I was trying out their headphone selection (including the Bose triports), and I came across the Bose Quiet Comfort. The things are really comfortable to wear, and they sound twice as good as the triports. Steeper price however.

 

[elrod-tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio Heh, how long until I see someone with an HD650 on the subway?

Or, for that matter, how long you will see them after that!!

 

[flamerz]

Wait, you're talking about that new glass building? That building looks awesome. I hope the bathroom walls aren't made of glass though

.

 

[Jahn]

i wonder if i'll get the thumbs down again if i tell them about Grado over at the midtown store. hey, at least grados partner better with ipods without extra ampage!

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn i wonder if i'll get the thumbs down again if i tell them about Grado over at the midtown store. hey, at least grados partner better with ipods without extra ampage!

Actually, wasn't it that the Apple stores wanted to carry SR60s, but Grado can't produce them in large enough numbers for that? Was that in Zanth's faq, or did I hear that somewhere else?

 

[RedLeader]

at the futureshop near my place they now have HD555 plugged into their range of HDD daps. Pretty cool!

 

[The_Duke_Of_Eli]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedLeader at the futureshop near my place they now have HD555 plugged into their range of HDD daps. Pretty cool!

I saw an HD280 hooked up once at the one near me.

Well, apple doesn't really sell any amps so it doesn't suprise me. If it doesn't start with the letter i then you might as well be talking in gibberish to the Apple Store employees. iAmp anyone?

 

[granodemostasa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Duke_Of_Eli I saw an HD280 hooked up once at the one near me. Well, apple doesn't really sell any amps so it doesn't suprise me. If it doesn't start with the letter i then you might as well be talking in gibberish to the Apple Store employees. iAmp anyone?

wow, i'm now gonna go an do that to the Pasadena, Emeryville and San Francisco Apple stores...

but i dont' have a portable amp

 

[VR6ofpain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio Actually, wasn't it that the Apple stores wanted to carry SR60s, but Grado can't produce them in large enough numbers for that? Was that in Zanth's faq, or did I hear that somewhere else?

[assuming this is true]
It is sad when you cannot produce enough headphones for the possible demand. Though I guess that is John's choice. Wants to keep things simple and small. Though I find Grado's too bright straight out of the box (well the lower models, w/ bowls), I still respect the companies setup. You gotta give it to them for keeping with it, even as the world changes...most companies either change or disappear. Grado has done neither!

I still thank John for offering us the HF-1. I don't think I will ever find a can that can do blues as well as that headphone can [IMO]. For me it would be a cool site to see a bunch of Grado's hung up at an Apple store, but ehh who really cares. The one 'retail store' that I have seen like that was Cambridge Soundworks (though they are a smaller chain I guess). I went in there and they have the SR-60 through the SR-225 covering a whole wall. I don't recall seeing an RS-2 and I know they didn't have any RS-1 out on the floor (though who would with the box design).

A local place has the SR-60, 80, and 125 to demo and buy. Though the store sucks my @$$, so I would never give them any business. Apparenlty they are good enough to sell Grado's though. I asked if they carried any Senn's (I wanted the HD-201 at the time) and the guy tried to sell me on Grado's, since "they were very good". He also had a Sony V6. I wanted to tell him about my HF-1, but I figured he would be totally confused, since he obviously knew nothing about headphones. I was impressed they had them all hanging from a wall, so you could demo them. That seems rare. Well...