Headphones you regretted buying the most
Sep 28, 2012 at 7:44 AM Post #1,142 of 1,852
Hmm. Bowers and Wilkins P5. I listened to a few jazz numbers at the store I bought them from and thought they sounded pretty good. Got them home and tried a few other genres and in direct comparison to my Beyerdynamic DT880s and was very disappointed (over emphasis in mid-bass frequencies, significant treble roll-off, claustrophobic sound stage, basically they sound muffled). Now, given that I had literally just purchased them, this would not have been a big deal in terms of "regret," however, the rinky-dink small-town "hi-end" audio shop in Gainesville, FL I bought from had a very consumer friendly (sarcasm) policy of not accepting any returns. So, now, I either toss them in the back of my closet never to see the light of day or I waste my time trying to sell them. I think, given that time is our most precious commodity, I may go with option A :)
 
Sep 28, 2012 at 7:58 AM Post #1,145 of 1,852
Quote:
I haven't had the pleasure of hearing them.. Yet. I plan on getting a pair eventually. What are your thoughts on them?

The hd800 are perhaps the best headphone I  heard yet, but if that's the sky, it's not enough high.
They are great for classical , but are not exciting for   electronic /bassy music.
Perhaps I should upgrade my source.
The hd800 are overpriced, but I  wanted them anyway.
 
Oct 3, 2012 at 1:07 AM Post #1,146 of 1,852
My HS1As have also broken.

I have attempted to repair them but cannot figure out how to disassemble them.
Could you please point me in the right direction (I have figured out how to remove the cups from the band).
 
Oct 3, 2012 at 1:50 AM Post #1,147 of 1,852
I'm gonna go at this from a different direction...
 
I regret buying the Grado SR60 because it turned out to be a gateway drug to this headphone addiction problem that I have.  I regret the Shure E2c, because it did the same for earphones (leading to the Shure E4c and good fortune to the UERM).
 
I regret the Sennheiser HD650 because I love it so much that I wanted to amp it well... most recently, I built a Bottlehead Crack+Speedball (also spending money on the gear needed to build it) and picked up the Burson Soloist for it (giving me decent tube and solid state options).
 
And this stuff is also causing me to spend more money on music... I just bought some more Mobile Fidelity and Audio Fidelity CDs.  They ain't cheap, but man they sound good.  Still fighting the urge to make big SACD / DVD-A / Vinyl investments.  Vinyl is the one that scares me the most.
 
So yeah... I regret them because of the amount of money they've caused me to spend.  That said, I'm sure having fun...
 
Oct 3, 2012 at 3:05 AM Post #1,148 of 1,852
I'm going to write this again, even if some people hate me for it:
 
Beyerdynamic DT 1350.
 
Really, really harsh/bright/grainy and no bass to speak of regardless of headband bending and endless twiddling with the placement. On my head. Regardless of amping. Regardless of source. YMMV, of course.
 
That was an expensive mistake (they cost A LOT here and I bought them at SRP).
 
Oct 3, 2012 at 3:44 PM Post #1,149 of 1,852
Quote:
I'm going to write this again, even if some people hate me for it:
 
Beyerdynamic DT 1350.
 
Really, really harsh/bright/grainy and no bass to speak of regardless of headband bending and endless twiddling with the placement. On my head. Regardless of amping. Regardless of source. YMMV, of course.
 
That was an expensive mistake (they cost A LOT here and I bought them at SRP).

Just curious, did you consider the Sennheiser HD25?
 
Oct 3, 2012 at 9:59 PM Post #1,150 of 1,852
Quote:
My HS1As have also broken.

I have attempted to repair them but cannot figure out how to disassemble them.
Could you please point me in the right direction (I have figured out how to remove the cups from the band).


I had the Corsair® HS-1A and found out about the undersize conductors (about 36 AWG) in its cable the hard way; no indication whether the same manufacturer's Vengeance series has larger and more robust cabling.
 
Each earcup has four screws retaining the transducer mounting plate; they are hidden behind a synthetic grille cloth.  The cable's conductors are soldered directly to the transducer contacts.
 
Oct 3, 2012 at 11:43 PM Post #1,152 of 1,852
None, really. It just keeps getting better and better, but I guess that's what a ****-ton of research will do. The only thing I regret is not having enough cash to go straight to the top.
 
Oct 3, 2012 at 11:58 PM Post #1,153 of 1,852
Quote:
None, really. It just keeps getting better and better, but I guess that's what a ****-ton of research will do. The only thing I regret is not having enough cash to go straight to the top.

 
I used to be that way. Research won't tell you everything though. Sometime you just have to hear it for yourself.
 
Although, thorough research can usually point you in the right direction (assuming you know what sound you're looking for).
 
Oct 4, 2012 at 12:07 AM Post #1,154 of 1,852
Yea, I generally know what sound I'm looking for in a new set. So I'll research the piss out of it until I come close enough to the description in my head. It definitely takes some time, but that's also why I've never regretted a purchase. The only downside is every step I take refines my taste to the point of wanting to take the next leap, which is a damn money-pit. And I haven't really dove into the expensive gear yet, haha.
 
Oct 4, 2012 at 12:46 AM Post #1,155 of 1,852
Quote:
None, really. It just keeps getting better and better, but I guess that's what a ****-ton of research will do. The only thing I regret is not having enough cash to go straight to the top.

 
I agree...I research the you know what out of nearly every purchase I make, and I've become pretty confident in my ability to narrow down choices that way. It's pretty rare that I make a decision that I regret. I've been able to find some really satisfying pieces of gear based on the amount of research I do, so I know exactly where you're coming from. 
 

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