[Mr. Morden]

For headphones I started out with the Apple buds - after having gotten by on them and other cheap bud styled things I bought a cheap pair of Sony headphones to the tune of maybe $20. Sound quality definitely improved a little, but not much. But I always thought of headphones as secondary, I mean I have a stereo system for my high quality sound listening and what not so what do I need nice headphones for? Well when I started going to college I really saw the use for a better pair. So I came here, asking for a nice improvement under $100. That forray resulted with the Head Direct RE0's for $80. The improvement was amazing and ever since the Apple buds are in a drawer for when I sell the iPhone though I may just pitch them because they're falling apart (Typical Apple product).
 
The RE0's had great detail and a nice balanced sound. I'm not much to use technical words so I'll not venture much farther in such regards, but they're great sounding IEMs (Albeit the only pair I've ever heard, so that taken with a grain of salt). While the bass is balanced, it was still not enough for the hardstyle music I listen to which has heavy and exaggerated bass lines. I started looking for DJ headphones thinking that would do the trick. Sadly Skullcandys were on the list for a short time, but quickly ruled out after I saw how they were picked apart by audiophiles (Making me associate things like Skullcandy with the home audio equivalent of Cerwin Vegas - excessively boomy yet still loved by tons who aren't concerned with imaging). So the price went up slowly for $30 initially that I was going to spend on something like those old school Panasonic headphones that they still produce. I kept looking and finally I was steered towards the M50. I looked around and compared lots of headphones, looked at a lot of reviews and saw weaknesses and strengths in a lot of the choices.
 
When it was all said and finished, I felt the M50 was the best choice for me because the bass response was not excessive and horribly inaccurate like a Skullcandy or some other rubbish. It offered what they said to be good detail and a relatively balanced sound - neutrality is my preference in speakers and headphones too, though I didn't mind a little bass bias for these since I planned to listen to my hardstyle with them. I got my pair for $120 shipped, which was cheaper than the alternatives I considered. I've had them since last Fall and have been real happy with them. I'm far from being a snob yet, I haven't heard enough to really speak comparatively. I just picked up the other day a nice working vintage pair of AKG 340 electrostats so I'm getting a taste of a new sound signature, but the M50 is still comfortable and familiar to my ear as it is.
 
Lots of stuff is overrated, but that doesn't mean it isn't any good. People yammer on and on about how awesome Marantz is, and I hated them for it - but I recently bought a Marantz amp and preamp and love both of them. Same deal with McIntosh, people say it's overrated but I heard a MAC 4300 receiver that sounded wonderful. Consider why people consider something overrated before making a decision on it. It does get old when a pretty good deal for the price becomes the best deal for the price, but it happens when enough people experience the shock of a totally improved sound from something totally lacking to something far more capable. The M50s right now are still my favourite to listen to among the RE0's and the AKG's, but the latter I've not had long enough to really appreciate yet. I also never did any burn-in with the M50s and they still sound quite nice to me - I did a burn-in on the RE0's and also noticed no difference - heh, but I've always thought burn-in was silly only gave it a shot on the RE0's just to see if it did anything.

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

Thats the thing... I read, read, and read more... You get the general idea of the headphones, its sound signature, its performance, and what genres it favors as the threads about the headphones progress. Like for instance, I know some people have comfort issues with the 840's on the top of their head after 30 minutes - and hour of listening, and I'm sure most of us will agree. Even if I have never put on the 840's on,  I can say it because I have read about it numerous times.  So Don't get me wrong here
 
I don't make it all up and say 558's are perfect for Hard core Rock and Rap.. because they aren't and i know this because you read..
but rather, the 558's are quite nice for classical and it is airy and open with a good sound stage.
See what I mean? Tell me in my that I'm wrong and that they are good for rap, because i will argue you straight back just from reviews I read and common sense people throw out about the headphones on these forums. =P
Soo.. read read read.. and read a little more.. and then you can recommend the headphones based on general sense and what people want

 
Problem is that you are interpreting other people's statements, and then making your own statements which are then interpreted again when someone else reads your statements and then they are interpreting an interpreted interpretation.  And then they make their own statement based on that, and then the person who reads that is interpreting an interpreted interpretation of an interpretation. 
 
It's like the telephone game.  Pretty soon you get all kinds of stuff that is overblown or overstated, etc.
 
I think once you get a lot of experience listening to a lot of headphones, and getting to know people's preferences, you can more accurately guess about a headphone's sound, but it's still just a guess.

 

[tyoung8]

Quote:

^ Why are you recommending headphones you've never heard? This sort of practice is what distills the quality of advice being given on these forums.

Eh?  Why is there a problem giving out recommendation on headphones you've never heard?  I have never heard beats, bose or skullcandy but I still tell people not to get them.  The 'quality' of my information might not be as good but second hand info is better than no info at all.  I have seen a lot of threads where people ask questions and don't get any answers.  If the people with 'quality' information always answers then yeah there isn't a need for second hand info.  But that isn't the case is it?

 

[eriktheg]

Lol!! rhythm made it sound hecka funny. But no, did you read the part where I said i take multiple interpretations? That gives a more accurate view on the headphones... and I don't add my own thing because then it would be lying.. so instead of saying an interpretation and adding my own interpretation to it, I look at the general interpretation and give out the info that way without changing it..   If a friend  tells me he will be getting the beats.... what should I say? I have never heared them personally... but really? I know that the clarity of the mids is overpowered by bass at times and that it can get messy... Its a general interpretation buddy and I can say it because... well.. I can lol..
 
Oh yeah, and regarding the telephone game you speak of, if it gets out of hand, there is always that one guy that comes in and corrects it.. So if you read read and read... u get that right interpretations and the correct general view.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I can't entirely disagree with you, rhythmdevils.

But I've met very few closed headphones I've enjoyed. My view is that closing headphones simply causes problems. They often add bass that doesn't exist on the recording. I also place a lot of value on detail and transparency - things that die when you have too much bass.

I do realize that a lot of buyers are looking for that in a pair of headphones, but I can't recommend a headphone I dislike, even if it is popular.

What really irritates me is when people start recommending the M50 (and other similar headphones) for music that is better served by open and more balanced headphones.

 

[tyoung8]

I have been told the earth is round.  I've never walked around the whole earth myself to find out.  umm.. maybe I can't tell people the earth is round since I'll be distilling the quality of information.  We have got to do it ourselves eriktheg!  

 

[TakashiMiike]

Reading is not a substitute for hearing, this is exactly the kind of misinformation that I hate to see propogated. You said ", they are the best headphones you can get for a price/performance ratio of $110" this is obviously an unqualified statement no matter how much you've read, unless you've heard the alternatives, you are just parroting someone elses opinion, which is useless.

 

[eriktheg]

Quote:

I have been told the earth is round.  I've never walked around the whole earth myself to find out.  umm.. maybe I can't tell people the earth is round since I'll be distilling the quality of information.  We have got to do it ourselves eriktheg!  

The earth is flat.. go argue your geography teacher wrong... Those general interpretations of geographers and scientists is all wrong.. the earth is the center of the universe and is flat..

 
 
Hmmm.. TakashiMiike did prove the flaw.. nice catch Takashi!! =]
People like you always come around and correct it, so let me go revise it.
But I would say if you want a headphone that can play almost every genre of music well enough, the M50's are one of the best in the $110 category in general yea?.. or no?

 

[TakashiMiike]

Edit: Hmm I think i misread,
 
Just don't want to see misinformation and opinion parrots all over the place is all, a blanket statement saying "M50 is better than all the alternatives, and I haven't even heard them" is not ok, no matter how much you've read, unless you are willing to talk purely empiracly with frequency graphs.
 
In response to your edit, I find my modded sr60i far more versatile from everything from trance, to female vocals, to jazz, rock, classical. I found the m50 severely lacking in midrange and HF detail as well as presense. So no, in my opinion based on what I have heard (with my own ears), I find that the modded sr60i are a better (and cheaper) heapdhone, all you need to do is vent however many holes suit your bass preference.

 

[Brooko]

Quote:

Reading is not a substitute for hearing, this is exactly the kind of misinformation that I hate to see propogated. You said ", they are the best headphones you can get for a price/performance ratio of $110" this is obviously an unqualified statement no matter how much you've read, unless you've heard the alternatives, you are just parroting someone elses opinion, which is useless.

+1 - yep, hit the nail on the head.
 
It's like the comment eriktheg just made about the comfort of the SRH840 (headband).
 
Quote:

Like for instance, I know some people have comfort issues with the 840's on the top of their head after 30 minutes - and hour of listening, and I'm sure most of us will agree. Even if I have never put on the 840's on,  I can say it because I have read about it numerous times.

 
For me, the SRH840 is very comfortable.  It is a little heavier than I expected - but I can wear it for hours.  The problem being that if a lot of people simply echo what they've read - the can be propogating a myth.  EG - 4-5 people find them uncomfortable and comment on it.  Then 20 people repeat that without actually trying them - then the 840's get a name for questionable comfort.
 
There is simply no substitute for trying things for yourself.  THEN you are qualified to give an opinion.  Anything else is heresay.

 

[crayonhead]

Wasn't there something about not looking at the post number, but rather at the quality of the person's post to weigh their opinion? Because apparently some people don't have that many posts but have the most balanced reviews, and others may have many posts but a rather skewed view. Just throwing this out there.

 

[eriktheg]

 
I never said the 840s are uncomfortable.. infact they are my next headphones on the list..I said "some".. not the majority.. not all.. but some people have comfort issues.. Also, If I ever recommend the M50's, I don't have the sweaty ears problem myself, but i always warn people if I recommend the cans because I have "read" about such problems. I do this because I actually see everyone recommending the headphones they like.. but knowing that there may be a flaw, I feel everyone needs to know it.
 
Yep Agree with crayonhead. Read a few of those really really good balanced reviews including the ones that compare headphones to eachother, and you have a general idea gathered from people that actually used the cans. But you should also look at those small reviews and see what a general member thinks of the cans after trying em, and what they didn't like about em.

 

[Brooko]

Quote:

 
I never said the 840s are uncomfortable.. infact they are my next headphones on the list..I said "some".. not the majority.. not all.. but some people have comfort issues..
 
Yep Agree with crayonhead. Read a few of those really really good balanced reviews including the ones that compare headphones to eachother, and you have a general idea gathered from people that actually used the cans.

 
I'll highlight it for you ....
 
 
Quote:

Like for instance, I know some people have comfort issues with the 840's on the top of their head after 30 minutes - and hour of listening, and I'm sure most of us will agree. Even if I have never put on the 840's on,  I can say it because I have read about it numerous times.

 
Look - I'm not ragging on you - I'm just saying that if enough people perpetuate it - you can create a myth.

 

[sysfail]

Quote:

I can't entirely disagree with you, rhythmdevils.

But I've met very few closed headphones I've enjoyed. My view is that closing headphones simply causes problems. They often add bass that doesn't exist on the recording. I also place a lot of value on detail and transparency - things that die when you have too much bass.

I do realize that a lot of buyers are looking for that in a pair of headphones, but I can't recommend a headphone I dislike, even if it is popular.

What really irritates me is when people start recommending the M50 (and other similar headphones) for music that is better served by open and more balanced headphones.

I agree, closed headphones just don't have the detail and transparency of open headphones. Which is why I sold my M50 for a AD900 and I am very happy with the AD900.

 

 

[eriktheg]

Most of us will agree about the statement that "some people have comfort issues" is what I meant if you haven't caught it.. So I see your point Brooko..