[Judge Crandall]

Been back at school for a couple of weeks now, and it's unbelievable the number of people who own iPods. It is Ivy League, so I guess it's not all that surprisingw with all the rich kids. After head-fi, I notice headphones and what not a lot more than I used to. What makes me laugh is the fact that almost all of them use the stock iPod buds. Not only do they use the stock buds, many don't even use the foamies, which just doesn't make sense. They don't sound as good and they're incredibly uncomfortable. I guess everything being white is more important than good sound.

A friend of mine at school is a big music lover and has a pair of Bose Triports. He tells me that my ER-4P's ("buds" as he calls them) are terrible and the Bose are great and a great deal for $150. I tell him about the lack of clarity and muddy bass, etc, etc, while he just laughs and mocks my "buds." I can only hope that once I get my MS-2s, I can make him see how terrible the Bose really are. He's heard some decent Sennheiser's too...I just don't understand. Very upsetting.

the Judge

 

[bangraman]

Shoot me if you like, but I have been known to use the stock iPod earphones occasionally when I don't need isolation and don't want to carry a headphone. I prefer them over the Sennheiser MX500 despite the lack of clarity. Fit is I think a personal issue... the iPod buds and my ears (without foamies) seem to be a match made in heaven.


Sometimes, tractability is more important. And besides, what would those ipod owners have in their machines? 128K MP3's/AAC's? The last thing you want to do in those situations is to make compression artifacts even more noticable...

 

[strohmie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judge Crandall I can only hope that once I get my MS-2s, I can make him see how terrible the Bose really are. He's heard some decent Sennheiser's too...I just don't understand. Very upsetting.

Then he'll mock you for the MS-2's being too damn uncomfortable. And if you gave him the CD3000s he'd say they're too damn ugly. And if you gave him Audio-Technica woodies he'd say they're too damn expensive.

Ya can't win, so don't try.

 

[Jasper994]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman Shoot me if you like

BANG!

There is a plus to people thinking your IEM's are cheap junk... People are less likely to try to steal them from you. I had a $600 PDA stolen from my backpack when I ran to the bathroom one day... Sadly I didn't realize it was gone until that evening and it was the last day of class. I wouldn't normally have left my bag unattended but I was sick as a dog. Some people are such bastards...

 

[dj_mocok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judge Crandall A friend of mine at school is a big music lover and has a pair of Bose Triports. He tells me that my ER-4P's ("buds" as he calls them) are terrible and the Bose are great and a great deal for $150. I tell him about the lack of clarity and muddy bass, etc, etc, while he just laughs and mocks my "buds." I can only hope that once I get my MS-2s, I can make him see how terrible the Bose really are. He's heard some decent Sennheiser's too...I just don't understand. Very upsetting. the Judge

shhh... just keep quiet and keep them to yourself... dont let that ignorant person who laughed at you to discover the joy of nice quality sound... let him laugh as much as he wants and enjoying his crappy bose and you just keep quiet and go home and find musical joy from your MS2 without him knowing what hes been missing.

 

[Jasper994]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_mocok shhh... just keep quiet and keep them to yourself... dont let that ignorant person who laughed at you to discover the joy of nice quality sound... let him laugh as much as he wants and enjoying his crappy bose and you just keep quiet and go home and find musical joy from your MS2 without him knowing what hes been missing.

Yeah, but you have to admit there would be a certain pleasure in watching the guy kick himself in the *ss if he ever realized his error.

 

[Jahn]

Team Alessandro is not for the ignorant. If he was innocent (never heard a good can before) I'd understand. But to have tried your Etys, and listened to Senns, and STILL say his Bose ruled - well, he'll be cut from the team the second he tried to join

 

[Judge Crandall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman Shoot me if you like, but I have been known to use the stock iPod earphones occasionally when I don't need isolation and don't want to carry a headphone. I prefer them over the Sennheiser MX500 despite the lack of clarity. Fit is I think a personal issue... the iPod buds and my ears (without foamies) seem to be a match made in heaven. Sometimes, tractability is more important. And besides, what would those ipod owners have in their machines? 128K MP3's/AAC's? The last thing you want to do in those situations is to make compression artifacts even more noticable...

Sorry if I offended, I realize that the stock buds can be useful. Personally, I find them horribly uncomfortable, with or without the foam. I was just upset that people have told me I'm an idiot for getting different headphones when the stock buds are so good. I mean, whatever sounds good to you, I just find it a bit much when people tell me their buds sound better than my Ety's. If they were just saying they can't understand how I can spend that much on phones, I can understand that. But when they tell me the stock sounds better, I get a little upset. I never expected to actually convince any of these people, thanks for the responses. Just needed to vent to people who would understand.

the Judge

 

[terrymx]

i think many times you just shouldn't and cant get people to all the sudden realize one headphone sound better than the other. first off, most younger people are bassheads, so it wont really sound good for them without a whole lot of bass. secondly, i think headphone listening is a development skill where you have to train your ears to hear differences and to even know what is good and what isn't.

 

[pspivak]

A friend of the family to started at Duke. They actually gave I-pods to all the new incoming freshmen. Think of it this way, if everybody has one nobody will want to steal it. I guess I will have to turn her on to a pair of ER6i’s to go with it.

 

[stevesurf]

It is really amazing to me as well how many use the stock ipod buds. At least spend $50 on a set of EX71s for a basic improvement. The ipod theft has gotten so bad here in NY that we're using black buds so not to be a target. In fact, when I don't get an upgrade on a flight I now have to take my gear with me even to the john!

 

[stuartr]

Dear Judge,
Not every intelligent person cares about the utmost fidelity in portable sound. That does not make them idiots. Perhaps they have other interests which demand their attention. For example, while one person may be into great sound and would not settle for less than Etys and an ipod with LAME or lossless compression, they may go to a party with a disposable camera and happily look at 4x6 inch prints. Another person might appreciate the convenience aspect of an ipod, but not care to get the utmost in sound, while they scoff at using anything less than a 6x7 medium format camera and enjoy making 16x20 inch enlargments. To each their own.

For the record, I use an ipod mini with any one of the following -- mx500, px100 or ER-4s. Unless I am sitting somewhere working, I will not bother with the etys. If I really need quality, I will listen at home.

 

[intlplby]

most people simply dont know what good sound is and since they dont know hey dont care


i think a lot of them when they get a small glimp say "ooh, ahhh, wow!" but if you let them listen to their own music on good equipment for 1-2 hours get spoilt and when they finally go home and listen to their stuff again on bad equipment they finally see the necessity of hi-fi

 

[Kirosia]

Ignorance is Bliss.

I too have tried to open people's eyes. Usually SQ is not really a priority for most people. My friends have horrid car systems (i.e. Bose), and don't believe me when I tell them they suck (I've heard them, I didn't realize s**t-bass could be so excruciatingly painful). In the end it doesn't matter, just let them be.

(BTW my cousin goes to Boston University, and people there tell him his er-4Ps look like $2 thrift store buds, fools I say)

 

[Jasper994]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirosia (BTW my cousin goes to Boston University, and people there tell him his er-4Ps look like $2 thrift store buds, fools I say)

Well, in their defense, that is what the Ety's "look like."