[Mimouille]

http://youtu.be/OMOVFvcNfvE

The geek in me is jumping for joy

Is there something else than a geek in you?

 

[DigitalFreak]

Is there something else than a geek in you?

Nahhh, geekery and nerdery run rampant within me at all times. In other news, supposedly Calyx has two new products coming out b

 

[driver 8]

 

[driver 8]

 

 
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-11-23/tsutomu-nihei-blame-anime-previewed-with-english-subtitles/.81353
 
o_o!
 
I love Blame!.  It's my all time favorite manga and one of my favorite fictional universes.  The fact that this is just some little thing embedded in another anime is lame, but maybe, if people see that and express interest in it, a real anime could be made?   I know there are difficulties involved in successfully pitching and creating an anime about an asexual dude who almost never talks walking a few dozen AU, but I can still hope.
 
A collection of animated shorts were made years back to pitch some kind of series, but it never really took off:
 

 
I prefer these manga music videos some guy made to either of those videos, though:
 
 
 
also,
 

 

[Coq de Combat]

So... With a budget of maybe $200 (+-50?, the budget isn't "set"), what headphones would you go for?

I've been looking at the M50x and the COP. I could of course get the OG M50 AND the COP, but it kind of feels like it would missing the point. I think I'm getting tired of the giant quantity of headphones, so I'm kind of falling back to having only a few but well loved headphones. There's also the option of the Fidelio X1, which fits into my budget, however they're open and I want closed.

My gut feeling says that my safest, but also most boring bet would be the M fiddies. I had the OGs, and they were great. They still are the ones that gave me the most WOW out of all the ones I've owned and still own. Still, the COPs seem cool too. Then there's the more rare models out there, the NAD Viso, KEFs and so on.

Opinions?

Oh, and yeah, I probably will be giving away all of my other headphones except for the D2K, Klipsch X10, and maybe the XB or the UE for those nights in deep bass cravings...

When I feel like listening, I just really get paralysed because I can't pick one. I just want one for inhouse at home (D2k), one closed for commuting and one IEM for the same thing, and nothing beats the X10 in comfort.

 

[MuppetFace]

Personally this is what I'd get, no question....
 
 
 
--------------------------------
 
Open:
AKG K7XX (..???)
Sony MA900 (200 USD or less)
 
I love the sound of the Sony MA900: airy but just "right." Not too bright, but not too relaxed. The build is surprisingly robust even if it doesn't feel like it, and they basically disappear on your head. The AKG can be found as part of a group buy, and the price varies accordingly, but it's a crazy deal for what you can get it for.
 
--------------------------------
 
Semi-open:
Philips Fidelio L1 or L2 (from below 100 USD to 300 USD)
 
These are all over the place in terms of price, depending on which model you get (older L1?) and where. They have insane build quality and feel wonderful to use and wear. Sound has a bottom end emphasis but is still clear.
 
--------------------------------
 
Closed:
Focal Spirit Pro (350 USD or less)
Beyer DT1350 (300 USD or less
NAD Viso HP50 (250 USD or less)
 
The Spirit Pro (not to be confused with the Spirit One) has a really great neutralish signature that is not harsh or fatiguing. NAD is somewhat more elevated in frequency response, more of a fake but fun sound. DT1350 has a great sound but it's dependent on fit and whether you get a 'good' set; thus I'd recommend it the least of these. 
 
--------------------------------
 
In-ear monitors:
Aurisonics Rockets (250 USD)
TDK BA200 (230 USD)
Final Audio Design Heaven V (200 USD)
Fostex TE-05 (150 USD)
Vsonic GR07 Bass Edition (115 USD)
HiFiMan RE-400 (100 USD)
 
The Fostex TE-05 is my absolute favorite, but the rest are very good too. The Rockets are a better deal from Kickstarter. The Bass Edition of the GR07 is actually not that bassy, and I think it has a better overall balance than the original. The RE-400 is an easy recommendation at $100 even with some tonal issues. BA200 has an accurate but  very easy to listen to sound and is unfortunately a little hard to find in some places. The Final Audio Heaven V is a beautiful IEM with a truly luxurious feel, and it has a warmish and really pretty sound.

 

[barleyguy]

Among MuppetFace's recommendations, the Focal Spirit Pro is excellent IMO. Extremely neutral.
 
Another favorite of mine in the $200 range is the Sennheiser HD598. They sound great, look great (IMO), and they go for around $170 brand new. I don't know of another $170 open headphone that I like more.
 
The RE-400s are excellent for the price. Those are the IEMs I carry in my backpack. The RE-600s are brighter and more detailed, and possibly even better, though they are a little more expensive and need to be amped. The RE-400s will work fine out of a DAP or a decent cell phone.
 
My standby headphones at home are the HifiMan HE-5 orthos. If you are wanting to go to a smaller better collection of headphones, an orthodynamic and a good amp is a great choice for home use IMO. The HE-560 is just rad.
 
EDIT: Also, if you are interested in a closed ortho, the Alpha Dog is very good IMO. Well, I've only heard them at RMAF, and they were hooked to a $4000 Cavalli amp with NOS tubes. So let's say based on a 30 minute test with high end signal path, I think they are very good.
 
$.02.

 

[mutabor]

 
 

 

 

 

[mutabor]

 

 

 

[Coq de Combat]

Thanks guys, I will have to reconsider my headphones a bit here.
 
My keepers for the time being:
 

1. Denon D2000
2. Nuforce HP-800
3. Klipsch X10i (I had some sort of ear infection a few years ago, if you remember, and weirdly enough the only IEMs that really fit me well after it are the X10s)
4. Logitech UE-6000

 
Unless you consider the UE's portable I only really lack a set of portable closed headphones for commuting. Spirit Pros look so damned good, design wise, that I feel like buying them for the looks alone. The NAD Visos also look good, but also look weird with that square headband.. How dumb does one look with them considering I already look like a full on retard, just a very round one instead of a square one.

 

[barleyguy]

  Thanks guys, I will have to reconsider my headphones a bit here.
 
My keepers for the time being:
 

1. Denon D2000
2. Nuforce HP-800
3. Klipsch X10i (I had some sort of ear infection a few years ago, if you remember, and weirdly enough the only IEMs that really fit me well after it are the X10s)
4. Logitech UE-6000

 
Unless you consider the UE's portable I only really lack a set of portable closed headphones for commuting. Spirit Pros look so damned good, design wise, that I feel like buying them for the looks alone. The NAD Visos also look good, but also look weird with that square headband.. How dumb does one look with them considering I already look like a full on retard, just a very round one instead of a square one.

 
Ahh. For closed portables, the V-Moda M100 would be another suggestion. They are foldable and sound really good. They are slightly bass boosted but still detailed. They aren't as neutral as the Spirit Pros, but they are more portable. And I like the looks. The hexagonal cups are flashy IMO.

 

[MuppetFace]

Personally not a fan of the Vmoda M100, but I'm incredibly picky when it comes to bass articulation these days since I listen to a lot of electronica.
 
As for being seen with the NAD Viso HP50 in public, well....
 

 
Found that courtesy of a Google search.
 
It's a bit more expensive than the other recommendations, but I also think pretty highly of the Shure SRH1540. Got them for a friend, and she loves them.
It's bass performance is quite good, and I think it looks a lot better than the NAD and Vmoda (IMHO, of course).
 

 
 
 
The Focal Spirit Pro is really great, but it doesn't feel quite as well built as the NAD, Vmoda, or Shures. It feels more fragile. The plastic of the Spirit Pro is really cool however because it has this "wet look" with beads of plastic all over it, a textured effect that is hard to capture in pictures. Kinda like a stucco wall.

 

[Mimouille]

Have any of you tried the Aedle? Heard good things and they look scoop pretty.

 

[MuppetFace]

Have any of you tried the Aedle? Heard good things and they look scoop pretty.

 
 
I've seen a ton of these for sale on various forums (including head-fi). Most of the people saying really nice things about them are the ones selling, too. Kind of makes me weary.
 
Though for all I know they could sound awesome. The limited edition carbon version looks really cool especially.

 

[Mimouille]

I've seen a ton of these for sale on various forums (including head-fi). Most of the people saying really nice things about them are the ones selling, too. Kind of makes me weary.

Though for all I know they could sound awesome. The limited edition carbon version looks really cool especially.

Someone I trust tells me they sound great...he is selling them because they are too pretty for on the go.