[RVD]

I got bored one day and decided to try and do one awhile back, but I didn't get very far as I got bored with it after 10 minutes so it is incomplete, but anyways here is what I did start:


Head-Fi FAQ

Terms:

1.Burn-In/Break In- Burn/Break in is where the headphones ‘settle’ in and start to sound better as they are listened to. There is no need for any special way to break in headphones. Just listen to them. A general burn in time is around 100 hours before headphones start to sound their best.

2. Other terms you will see is things like bright, dark, etc. For a definition of terms like this please go here: http://www.stereophile.com/showarchives.cgi?50:1


Types of Headphones:

Open: Open headphones are defined as having an open back. These headphones generally leak sound and provide no isolation.

Closed: Have a closed back. These headphones usually do not leak sound and usually provide some form isolation.

Supraaural: These types of headphones are where the ear pads rest on the ear.

Circumaural: These headphones are where the ear pads rest around the ear.

Canal-Type- These headphones rest inside the ear canal.

Ear-Buds- These headphones rest on inside the ear, but not in the canal.

Clip-On- These headphones clip on to the ear and rest on the ear.

Traditional- These headphones have a headband and rest on the head.

Streetstyle/Behind the Neck- These headphones rest behind the neck.


Commonly Asked Questions:

1.What is a headphone amp?

A headphone amp is something that makes allows your headphones to sound better. A headphone amp is necessary for headphones to sound their best.




Beginner Amps:

1.Meta42: The Meta42 is a DIY amp. It can be made to be a portable or home amp and is a very good beginner amp. You can build this yourself or contact JMT or Tangent. They are members here and can be contacted using the pm function or through email. Price- Negotiable

For other amps please go here: http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...&threadid=7226

Commonly Used Headphones:

1.Sennheiser HD600- This headphone is a cirumaural open back headphone. It is generally considered one of the best headphones around and is best used for home use. The HD600 requires a fairly expensive amp to sounds its best. This headphone has a replaceable cable and aftermarket cables are available. These include: Stefan Equinox, Cards Smurf, Clou Red Jaspis, and Clou Blue Jaspis. For more info on any of these cables just do a search. Price: $200-280

2.Sennheiser HD580- These headphones were replaced by the HD600 and are said to sound very close to the HD580. The same info listed for the HD600 applies to the HD580. Price: $120-200.

3.Sony V6/7506- These are a closed back headphones. These headphones can be supraaural or circumaural depending on the size of your ears. These headphones are foldable and are a very good beginner headphone. The V6 and 7506 are the same headphone except for a gold plug on the 7506 and higher price. DO NOT CONFUSE THESE WITH THE NEWER V600 MODEL. Price: $60-120.

4.Koss KSC35/50/55/SportaPro/PortaPro- These headphones are generally claimed to be the best headphone under $50. They are in open back headphone. The 35 is said to sound the best of the bunch, but are discontinued. All of these headphones use the same driver and only differ in enclosure. The 35/50 are clip on type and the 55 is a behind the neck or streetstyle design. The Sporta/Porta Pro is traditional. Price: $15-$50.

5.Sennheiser MX500/400: These are an ear bud open type headphone. These are said to be the best ear bud around and are a very good portable headphone. The MX500 comes with a volume control and the MX400 does not. Price: $10-$20

For more info on any of these headphones just do a search.

For more commonly used headphones please go here: http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...sed+headphones

For more info please go here:
www.headphone.com or use the search function.

 

[Duncan]

Things are looking good here

Thanks everyone... with the posts so far, we can definetly get an FAQ off of the ground

After a week or two, there will be a big amount of collation, so if you want your name to be potentially mentioned in the acknowledgements... keep the hints and tips coming in

Thanks

 

[Rizumu]

Quote:

Originally posted by RacerX Wow. Great work so far guys! [Watches lazily from a distance]

ROFL!

Exactly what I'm doing. Not much for useless poster to contribute in this thread. Excellent post shivohum, that is the approach that every newbie should follow...

 

[NewSc2]

You know, if somebody (maybe AIM9x) can post some questions in which a lot of n00bs talk about and we yell "search!" then maybe we would have a better idea of what to write a FAQ for.

Duncan and others: you might want to use HomeTheaterForum's Beginner's FAQ as a guide - link

 

[NewSc2]

Where should I purchase headphones?

To answer this question, there are 3 types of places that you can purchase headphones.

1. B&M (Brick and mortar) Store
2. Internet Retailer (amazon.com, headphone.com, meier-audio.com)
3. eMarketplaces (eBay, head-fi's FS/FT)

The differences?

Brick and mortar stores tend to be more expensive than the other two, mainly because of overhead and also because of convenience. With B&M stores, most of the time you get to try out the headphone, or at least see the headphone and talk to (hopefully) somebody knowledgeable. With B&M Stores, you are also guaranteed receiving your merchandise, and if you have any problems, returns are for the most part fairly simple. Shipping costs are also gone (however tax might be an issue).

Internet Retailers are usually more cheaper, and carry a wider variety of headphones than brick and mortar stores. HeadRoom and Meier-Audio are two of Head-Fi's sponsors and carry a wide variety of headphones and headphone amps for you to choose from. These tend to be priced more competitively than B&M stores, because of the lower overhead and stiffer competition in the eTailer world. Negatives to buying online include the delayed arrival of your package (you pay today, receive in 3 days, instead of paying today receiving today with B&M stores), and also a little bit more complicated return policies involving shipping compared to B&M stores. Many headphones and headphone equipment, however, cannot be found in most B&M stores - thus forcing you to purchase online.

eMarketplaces (my personal favorite) offer a straight seller to buyer connection. A good percentage of sales made on the FS/FT boards are of used equipment, and obviously come at a huge discount, usually depending on demand of the equipment sold. The drawback to buying and selling through eBay or head-fi's FS/FT forums are two things: trust and condition. Most of these transactions involve the buyer sending money to the seller first, so there is always a chance that a shady seller/scammer disappears and doesn't ship the item (it's happened to me before). Head-fi, however, has a good referral system, and often internet etiquette for FS/FT call for references such as Heatware or eBay feedback so as to check on the legitimacy of the seller. If you are new to the audio world and aren't looking to spend too much, I encourage you to browse through head-fi's Gear for Sale boards to hopefully pick up good used headphones or headphone amps at very low prices.

Can I trust internet retailers and/or sellers through eBay or Head-Fi?
Yes. However, you might want to do a few checks before commiting to this route. First off, is the retailer well-known? Places like amazon.com or buy.com are very reputable retailers and I wouldn't hesitate to order from them, but with Joe-Shmoe Importers I might want to make sure they have a real telephone number and address that I can call or check up on and perhaps look up their Security Policies on their website. As a last resort, if the retailer accepts PayPal I usually will pay through PayPal. PayPal is a form of online payment that also includes excellent fradulent seller protection.

With sellers through eBay or Head-Fi, one thing to do is to check up their feedback and/or references. On Head-Fi, the general community is fairly close-knit, and we have a Buyer/Seller feedback forum specifically for the Gear For Sale forum. The reasoning is, if a seller has had multiple good transactions, he or she most likely won't try to scam anybody on these forums. eBay feedback works essentially the same way. Once again, I almost always use PayPal for these purchases, so as to have another level of protection against fraud.

The most important thing to realize when purchasing online is that the Internet carries a wide variety of headphones not found in B&M stores and it offers better prices and often more knowledgeable service. Buying used through eBay or Head-Fi is a great way to save money and to get the best value for those of us that are trying to squeeze every penny. Have fun with it all, but always remember to keep scammers in the back of your mind.

 

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Every headphone should be listed with:

-description of their sound (no strengths vs. weaknesses to avoid flame wars)
-m.r.s.p. and market price range in the u.s.
-how easy they are to drive
-whether they are closed or open
-whether they are ideal for portable use
-size
-comfort
-attractiveness
-any other special notes about the headphone that seperate it from the competition

So basically make a great summary about what the can is designed for, while avoiding a review. >_<;

Biggie.

 

[stereth]

A few comments on what people have posted so far:

--The Sony MDR-V6s have been discontinued, and their street price is closer to $75 than $60. Mention the 7506 as a $110 replacement.

--When talking about amps, put a link to the CMoy tutorial on Headwize. I've been into the DIY aspect of headphones for a few months and I'm just now getting started on my META. The CMoy is a great place to start, and you can get the parts for $20 or so. (Maybe this should be a link to a new sticky in the DIY forum...)

--Include a very brief description of each headphone in the FAQ. I'd just put the name and price of each. Group them by price range, up to $200 or $250. Include a notice at the end (or the beginning) to search for more info on particular sets.

Actually, the name of each headphone could be a direct link to a forum search for that headphone. That would make things short and tidy while keeping the information up to date.

--Suggested retailers. Tell people to shop around, between amazon.com (give them our sponsor link), headphone.com, our sale forum, ebay, and the manufacturer directly, as well as any sellers I've forgotten.

--Above all, keep it short. We don't want to overwhelm newbies with pages of text. Give them the info they need, and tell them where to look for the rest.

I'm still relatively new, so those are my contributions as an editor and former n00b.

 

[Lisa]

Maybe I missed it, I've just looked over the posts in this thread (Looks very good!).
But it seems to me that there needs to be a good explaination on the search.
I mean something like this:
This

is the search button. You can find it on top of the page.
If you fill in your query you'll see that your questions might have been answered before. If you cannot find a satisfying answer, please feel free to open your own thread.

 

[wallijonn]

how about a headphone manufacturer phone number and address faq?

 

[MERTON]

when i get my ms-2 versions of the sr-325's adn my protable meta 42 with the burrbrown opa637ap op amp and 4x buffers and everything else top notch in a few weeks i can reveiw them if needed.. i am a noob myself.. and these will be my first high end phones... i JUST CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

 

[Peddler]

Etymotic ER Series - Getting It Right

Rubber Tips

Note that these tips apply to all the Etymotic models.

Firstly, one thing that should be noted about the Ety's is that they do NOT have to be inserted deeply to get a good sound. The important thing is the seal and equalisation.

The following is the method I typically use when using my ER4's:

1/ Insert the ER4's into your ears - don't be tempted to push them as far as you can go but just get them in.

2/ Plug into your player and switch on/boot up. (Note, this gives your ears a few seconds to adjust to the Ety's and is worth doing).

3/ Turn the sound down. I am no longer worried about hearing loss (too much anyway) thanks to the Ety's. Start low and work your way up - much better for your ears. Don't look at the volume scale, use your ears to decide. Select Track/Album and press PLAY.

4/ As the music start to play, pull the top of your ears with your mouth open - this will help equalise the pressure in your ears. Note that when they are fitted right, you should hear the right amount of bass and not feel at all bunged up.

5/ Keep repeating every 30 seconds or so until the sound is balanced and full. Typically I only have to do this once.

IMPORTANT NOTE.

The real secret with the Ety's is to keep the rubber tips clean. This helps with the seal and stops your ears from becoming itchy.

Foam Tips

1/ The foam tips should have the smooth side facing outward (towards to ear).

2/ Gently roll the foam backwards and forwards between your thumb and fingers to reduce the diameter of the tips to about a third of their original size.

3/ Gently insert the tips deeply into the ear. The reason why you want to do this gently is because the plastic inner tube can sometimes scratch your ears going in.

4/ Wait a few seconds for the foam to expand before moving your head.

5/ Adjust volume (downwards) and hit play.

You may well find that you don't need to equalise your ears the same when using the foam tips due to them slowing expanding to fit your ears.

Keep them clean - again, dirty tips = itchy ears!

Custom Made Earmoulds

My advice is don't. Whilst I do use them with my ER6's - I honestly don't feel that the sound is significantly better. Great care must be taken to ensure there's no stress on the stems. Do not 'customise' the Ety's in order to fit in the moulds. If you must (perhaps due to fit problems) then keep them clean and replace every 5 years or so (or if your weight changes).

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

Regardless of what others may think price, brand, or type does not correlate to best. There are advantages, and disadvantages to every headphone you will hear, and it is up to you to decide which is the best.

 

[xcalibur]

Maybe we could also have some kinda help for overseas head-fiers...for example in the UK Grados are way overpriced and Koss are quite hard to find..That kind of thing for different countries? A good starting point for newbies on a look out in various countries...

 

[Ruahrc]

A suggestion:

Include the popular nicknames when giving short blurbs about phones. It can be very confusing for new people unfamiliar to the hobby to try and read archive posts about "eggos", "35's", "etys" and the like. I am new too and although I have made great strides in pairing headphones to nicknames I still get confused too.

Ruahrc

 

[Duncan]

Thank you for the continued input guys...

I'm going to sift through everything that i've received in the sticky threads, PMs, and emails... and hopefully start getting the show on the road this weekend...

...keep the suggestions coming though