[koven]

Don't be a snob and think you're better than him just because he likes his Bose. If he likes it, then good for him.

 

[Antony6555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif You have a point, but as has been explained before, that point goes only so far. If we evangelise this hobby, we had better be prepared to be evangelised by others about other hobbies. Also, the problem with this one is that it is expensive. So, to make someone 'see the light' as it were is a waste of his/her money unless that person is in to it from the start. Making them see the light isn't fair, nor is it realistic. Be prepared to get into the next expensive hobby your mates tell you you have completely ass backward. I could point out a hell of a lot of things just reading headfi... as could all of us. It simply isn't fair to evangelise. If someone asks, go ahead; open doors are great.

I wouldn't describe what I'm advocating as "evangelism" really. I don't advocate, say accosting people on the street with Bose headphones on and warning them about Bose, or creating a "Bose sucks" thread. On the other hand, if someone asks for my opinion, I will give it to them. I won't say, "Well, it's just a matter a preference." Because while this statement may be true when comparing high-end phones, it isn't when comparing Triports to the HD600 or Lambdas.

Being an audiophile can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be, particularly if you buy used gear. You can put together a nice system (to me at least) for $500. Even if you only have $30 to spend, there are certainly better and worse options, in terms of both build and sound quality. But I think that the bigger problem is not that people don't spend enough, but that they spend in ways that don't make sense. The average consumer is willing to spend $300 on an Ipod and use stock earbuds, when they could get a sansa player and an er-4p for less.

 

[lnvisible]

Gr, everyone stop hating each other, especially me, haha.

I made this thread just to vent a little that my friend (he loves music, and plays guitar hours a day, he just doesn't actually listen to music, he just plays stuff) could have way better headphones and not spend over $60 or so bucks, but doesn't ever want to take my advice to adventure a little for other products. He uses these to jam with but I dont see how they would be helping him.

I see it from his POV now that he only uses them for one reason, and they are good enough for him. No more fussing

 

[barleyguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lnvisible /img/forum/go_quote.gif Gr, everyone stop hating each other, especially me, haha. I made this thread just to vent a little that my friend (he loves music, and plays guitar hours a day, he just doesn't actually listen to music, he just plays stuff) could have way better headphones and not spend over $60 or so bucks, but doesn't ever want to take my advice to adventure a little for other products. He uses these to jam with but I dont see how they would be helping him. I see it from his POV now that he only uses them for one reason, and they are good enough for him. No more fussing

I can see your point really. People seem to be fussing because eliteism is bad. But I also think it's our responsibility to try to give our friends good advice, and to try to save them from making bad decisions. In the context of 'phones, that means educating ourselves as to the best options, and passing that knowledge on to friends.

Whether they choose to listen, or even ask advice in the first place, is out of our hands though.

 

[Virgil]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif This same thread pops up every month. But I am glad that you are now looking down on your friend because of his headphones - job well done.

Why I once banished my own son to the streets when he smiled while listening to someone's 301s. He was not allowed to re-enter our home until he constructed a DIY pair of speakers using some proper drivers from Denmark, some funky crossover design thingy whatchamacallkit and an enclosure of freshly cut (not aged) solid marble imported from Italy.

He was 2 1/2 years old at the time, still standards must be maintained. For reasons that escape me, now an adult, he seems awfully put off by audio as a hobby.

Apparently you've missed the study that shows Bose ownership high amongst the criminally insane, high school drop-outs, used car salesman, Republican party members and Duke Blue Devils fans.

Let us remember that by becoming audio fans or "audiophiles" (pretend I'm using the quote gesture with my two hands) we set ourselves above the common man and earn the right to judge everyone with contempt solely on the basis of their amplifier's pedigree, if they can (or can't) name their speaker's designer, and of course, which IEMs they use.

This world has to have standards of some sort.

 

[iriverdude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lnvisible /img/forum/go_quote.gif My friend received his pair of In-Ears for his b-day a few days after they originally were released, and his opinion on them has been nothing but perfect ever since. I, myself, have a pair of Monster Turbines w/ T400s, and he just uses his stock In-Ears. He says my Turbines provide no bass (no forceful push to be exact), not that well isolation, and feel horrible and hurt his canals. Every time I listen to his in-ears, unwillingly, the music sounds like its played in mono. All the instruments seem as if they are on the low end, and the bass, if any, is muddy. There is also NO isolation. I can hear people talking right beside in a normal "inside voice". Now the only good thing about these in-ears for me are the comfort. They feel...I can't even describe it. It's like a pillow is in my ear. I still prefer the T400s cause of the way the Turbines are built, but the comfort for the Bose tips are phenomenal. But that's it. No bass since a true fit/seal isn't even close to being there. the music sounds like everything is deeper, and almost no isolation, I cant see how my friend loves his in-ears so much, and hates my Turbines the same amount. /vent

 

[lnvisible]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iriverdude /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Your avatar, and that pic just made my day River, haha.

 

[Antony6555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvw2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif A short/skewed experiential yardstick prevents the ability for unbiased evaluation. A person will prefer what is "normal" to them. It takes some self awareness, time, and the opportunity to experience a greater variety of of products to finally start realizing the variation and range of what is available and to properly place a given product and its properties on that yardstick of experience. Things like warm, bright, neutral, crisp, muddy, smooth, punchy, every characteristic of sound at their extremes and everything in between have to be understood, and this only comes through experience. Where does the Bose In-Ear sit within the broad spectrum of products? Where does the Turbines sit within that spectrum? Do you know? Does your friend know? Is your measuring stick developed enough to evaluate such things? This is the difficulty of reviews, comparisons, and evaluations of such things. The only people who are really capable of a relatively unbiased answer are the folks who do have a vast array of experiences across the entire spectrum that exists. For head-fi, it's the guy who's literally owned 100+ pairs of IEMs, buds, and headphones. 99.9% of us don't fall in that category. I myself try and review what I use to aid others on this forum, but my head-fi experience is limited. I pull experience from car and home fi to aid my perception of qualities and range of sound. Even then I know I'm still biased and skewed to some extent. Self awareness of this is an important factor as you can counter your own judgement and provide a more raw and neutral case.

Sure it helps to have experience with different phones. Hopefully, this experience will make us more objective. At the very least, it will give one an idea on one's preferences and biases. However, when comparing hi-fi to lo-fi, I don't think this level of experience is really necessary.

Quote:

Originally Posted by barleyguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can see your point really. People seem to be fussing because eliteism is bad. But I also think it's our responsibility to try to give our friends good advice, and to try to save them from making bad decisions. In the context of 'phones, that means educating ourselves as to the best options, and passing that knowledge on to friends. Whether they choose to listen, or even ask advice in the first place, is out of our hands though.

x2 I suspect many of those new to the hobby have experiences similar to the op's. When you realize that a much higher level of sound is available, it's natural to look at the people around you and go "what are they thinking?" Of course, it's not fair to look down on them either. They just haven't made that discovery yet.

 

[West726]

I agree with everyone.