Sardonyx
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2008
- Posts
- 80
- Likes
- 13
Hello, I hope you can help me. I've been using the -a35 as my main phones since I started using them to replace the stock Walkman phones in 1994. Over the years, I've experimented withe other stuff in the $15 -30 range, but kept going back.
Once I dropped about $50 on some Sony IME (can't remember the model #), that weren't as good IMO. That kind of scared me away from looking for higher end stuff. Well, I'm ready for some hi-fi goodness, and searching the 'net led me here.
The problem with mdr-a35 is that the bass is weak and muddy. It sounds kinda like "booomm", but at least that's not "tink". What I want is BOOM, or at least boom. But V-moda bass freq's are WAYYY to much. I don't have any thing to compare with, but I also have a sneaking feeling the lower mids are a bit recessed. The good thing about them is clarity of the midrange & treble. Hearing the 'shake' of a tambourine, 'twang' of a banjo, 'ting' of a triangle, and clean & pure vocals (especially female) is the reason I keep using them. There's a saying "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight", well if I took MDR-A35's to a headphone fight --and competing on the basis of mids and highs only-- I wouldn't be afraid to throw down on cans priced several times higher.
Now for what I want.
Price: I don't have an absolute max, but let's try to stay under $150. I would rather stave upgradeitis for a few years than worry about the budget now.
Style: I don't like isolation when on the street, also I have to wear earplugs at work, and I want to give my ear canals a rest, so not IME for my main 'phones. Earbuds or buds with ear clip (ATH-EC700 or similar) would work. Supra-aural -- every one I've tried has either been too loose to stay in place when active, or been uncomfortably tight; but I won't rule them out just yet if anyone has good suggestions. Behind-the-neck-band is a no go, it rubs on a coat collar and you can't lean back in a chair. Circumaural -- is there any with both low leakage and low isolation? I would say low leakage would be the more important. Do people find big cans too warm to wear outdoors in the summertime? Say ATH-ES7?
Amp: I have decided to get Nuforce mobile Icon for use with my laptop. However I would probably sometimes forget to take it (Icon) with me, or forget to charge the batteries. Therefore I would like to avoid headphones that NEED an amp, but if they would benefit from amp for better SQ, that's o.k. Neither Nokia N95 or Archos 604 hp out are a very powerful source.
I hope I provided enough information, because my brain is fried for now.
Once I dropped about $50 on some Sony IME (can't remember the model #), that weren't as good IMO. That kind of scared me away from looking for higher end stuff. Well, I'm ready for some hi-fi goodness, and searching the 'net led me here.
The problem with mdr-a35 is that the bass is weak and muddy. It sounds kinda like "booomm", but at least that's not "tink". What I want is BOOM, or at least boom. But V-moda bass freq's are WAYYY to much. I don't have any thing to compare with, but I also have a sneaking feeling the lower mids are a bit recessed. The good thing about them is clarity of the midrange & treble. Hearing the 'shake' of a tambourine, 'twang' of a banjo, 'ting' of a triangle, and clean & pure vocals (especially female) is the reason I keep using them. There's a saying "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight", well if I took MDR-A35's to a headphone fight --and competing on the basis of mids and highs only-- I wouldn't be afraid to throw down on cans priced several times higher.
Now for what I want.
Price: I don't have an absolute max, but let's try to stay under $150. I would rather stave upgradeitis for a few years than worry about the budget now.
Style: I don't like isolation when on the street, also I have to wear earplugs at work, and I want to give my ear canals a rest, so not IME for my main 'phones. Earbuds or buds with ear clip (ATH-EC700 or similar) would work. Supra-aural -- every one I've tried has either been too loose to stay in place when active, or been uncomfortably tight; but I won't rule them out just yet if anyone has good suggestions. Behind-the-neck-band is a no go, it rubs on a coat collar and you can't lean back in a chair. Circumaural -- is there any with both low leakage and low isolation? I would say low leakage would be the more important. Do people find big cans too warm to wear outdoors in the summertime? Say ATH-ES7?
Amp: I have decided to get Nuforce mobile Icon for use with my laptop. However I would probably sometimes forget to take it (Icon) with me, or forget to charge the batteries. Therefore I would like to avoid headphones that NEED an amp, but if they would benefit from amp for better SQ, that's o.k. Neither Nokia N95 or Archos 604 hp out are a very powerful source.
I hope I provided enough information, because my brain is fried for now.
