[Big_Irish]

Just wanted to say hey to everyone as this is my first venture into the hi fi headphone world.

I just opened the box to my very first set of "higher end" headphones and have been listening to them for about 20 minutes now. I purchased a set of Sennheiser HD-201's and wow, what an unbelievable difference between cheap headphones and even speaker systems. I have been an audio enthusiast for years, from home theaters to car audio, pc audio, my first impression of headphones is absolutely amazing, the sound is nicely defined and detailed, you can hear every little thing, and there is a very balanced frequency response.

This new found audio addiction I'm sure will last a long time, so I'm sure you'll see me around here regularly as I try to learn more about the hobby and hopefully lend some knowledge as well.

Take care fellas, hope to see yas around

Bryan

 

[swt61]

Welcome to Head-Fi, sorry about your wallet! You think you've found nirvana, but you'll find you've just begun the journey. But what a journey it is. Happy listening.

 

[enjoi_rootbeer]

hey, welcome to the forum!

 

[hembergler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swt61 Welcome to Head-Fi, sorry about your wallet! You think you've found nirvana, but you'll find you've just begun the journey. But what a journey it is. Happy listening.

Indeed, soon you'll realize that you need to upgrade your source. But why have a high-end source with just the 201's? Then you'll get a new pair of headphones, and realize that they're too hard to drive straight from your source, so you'll buy an amp. Then once you realize that your amp and headphones trump your source, you'll realize you need new ones. Then, you get a new source, and then new headphones, and then a new amp. And then finally you're happy. Except, you have a buisness trip in one week and need a portable system. You get a portable source + fairly inexpensive headphones, and think you're okay. But wait, you have another trip coming up in a month, so you quickly rush out and buy some high end IEMs, but realize they're starving without a portable amp. But, that probably is quickly solved in a trip to Ray Samuel's website.Now you have your source/amp/IEMs, but you need something to hold them. So, you go out and buy a camera bag to hold them. Finally, the portable set up is done. Now once you reach the hotel and pull out your laptop, you see that it has digital output. Suddenly the urge to buy a DAC grips you and you order one and have it sent to your home. You go home, plug it in, and realize that now you've spent money on numerous upgrades for a home, computer, and portable set up... and suddenly it dawns on you. You need electrostatic headphones.

And so the journey continues

 

[jim580]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hembergler Indeed, soon you'll realize that you need to upgrade your source. But why have a high-end source with just the 201's? Then you'll get a new pair of headphones, and realize that they're too hard to drive straight from your source, so you'll buy an amp. Then once you realize that your amp and headphones trump your source, you'll realize you need new ones. Then, you get a new source, and then new headphones, and then a new amp. And then finally you're happy. Except, you have a buisness trip in one week and need a portable system. You get a portable source + fairly inexpensive headphones, and think you're okay. But wait, you have another trip coming up in a month, so you quickly rush out and buy some high end IEMs, but realize they're starving without a portable amp. But, that probably is quickly solved in a trip to Ray Samuel's website.Now you have your source/amp/IEMs, but you need something to hold them. So, you go out and buy a camera bag to hold them. Finally, the portable set up is done. Now once you reach the hotel and pull out your laptop, you see that it has digital output. Suddenly the urge to buy a DAC grips you and you order one and have it sent to your home. You go home, plug it in, and realize that now you've spent money on numerous upgrades for a home, computer, and portable set up... and suddenly it dawns on your. You need electrostatic headphones. And so the journey continues

Sorry about your wallet, your bank account, your credit cards, your marriage and the kids lunch money.

Welcome aboard!!
Jim

~

By the way, the 201's are a great starting point. I got my daughter some for college.
The last time she was home, I had her shut her eyes, I wanted her to listen to some new phones.
She listened to a couple songs and said wow, get me some of these.
I had just pluged her own 201's into my headroom amp.
See what we mean by sorry about your wallet?
Enjoy!!!!!

 

[Big_Irish]

LOL, thanks for the welcome guys. I kinda get the idea where this new headphone thing is going. They already got me in trouble, the girlfriend said they suck cause I couldnt' hear her calling me. And I've started looking into mods for the 201's and amps. This website may cost me more than cash

Wondering a little bit about set-up. The headphones will mainly be used at my PC for music and a bit of gaming. They feed through the mini plug on my Logitech Z-580 speaker controller. SB Audigy 1 soundcard. Just curious if the signal right now is amplified, or if I'd need to get an amplified sound card?

Happy listening

 

[socrates63]

If you connected your headphone to the speaker controller's headphone jack, then you are receiving an amped signal.

Welcome to Head-Fi! It's a great place to be.

As you've found out, closed headphones are bad for your health when a significant other is involved. You'll find that when you use headphones, it gives the impression to others, warranted or not, that you should be left alone.

 

[Duggeh]

Surely the solution to that problem is an amp with 2 sockets

 

[Asr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hembergler Indeed, soon you'll realize that you need to upgrade your source. But why have a high-end source with just the 201's? Then you'll get a new pair of headphones, and realize that they're too hard to drive straight from your source, so you'll buy an amp. Then once you realize that your amp and headphones trump your source, you'll realize you need new ones. Then, you get a new source, and then new headphones, and then a new amp. And then finally you're happy. Except, you have a buisness trip in one week and need a portable system. You get a portable source + fairly inexpensive headphones, and think you're okay. But wait, you have another trip coming up in a month, so you quickly rush out and buy some high end IEMs, but realize they're starving without a portable amp. But, that probably is quickly solved in a trip to Ray Samuel's website.Now you have your source/amp/IEMs, but you need something to hold them. So, you go out and buy a camera bag to hold them. Finally, the portable set up is done. Now once you reach the hotel and pull out your laptop, you see that it has digital output. Suddenly the urge to buy a DAC grips you and you order one and have it sent to your home. You go home, plug it in, and realize that now you've spent money on numerous upgrades for a home, computer, and portable set up... and suddenly it dawns on your. You need electrostatic headphones. And so the journey continues

You forgot the cable part!!!!

There's also that moment when you realize to yourself you've spent all this money on equipment, and are still using stock and cheap Radio Shack cables! So you gotta upgrade that too!!!

 

[hembergler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr You forgot the cable part!!!! There's also that moment when you realize to yourself you've spent all this money on equipment, and are still using stock and cheap Radio Shack cables! So you gotta upgrade that too!!!

Well, that's a different story. You realize you need to upgrade yours cables, but you don't want to spend $500 on a 1 ft. interconnect. Solution? Do it yourself! So you order the supplies and happily make a few cables, when you notice the Post Pictures of Your Builds topic in the DIY Forum. Suddenly you realize that you could be making your own amplifiers, cables, and other fun stuff. You quickly order a $500 meter as well as several hundred feet of various spools of cable. Then you hop over to Digi-Key and order boxes upon boxes of parts. Then, you finish building your latest amp, when you realize you need an enclosure! And what's the fun of buying an enclosure... so you buy a drill press and various tools and build your own. Before you know it... you realize you need a power conditioner.

 

[milkpowder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hembergler Well, that's a different story. You realize you need to upgrade yours cables, but you don't want to spend $500 on a 1 ft. interconnect. Solution? Do it yourself! So you order the supplies and happily make a few cables, when you notice the Post Pictures of Your Builds topic in the DIY Forum. Suddenly you realize that you could be making your own amplifiers, cables, and other fun stuff. You quickly order a $500 meter as well as several hundred feet of various spools of cable. Then you hop over to Digi-Key and order boxes upon boxes of parts. Then, you finish building your latest amp, when you realize you need an enclosure! And what's the fun of buying an enclosure... so you buy a drill press and various tools and build your own. Before you know it... you realize you need a power conditioner.

Oh my! I'll do all that when I retire. Oh dammit, I'm still in college. I got ages to wait. I don't know if my wallet will last that long though!

 

[Chri5peed]

Hi, welcome to head-fi. Run away now, run for your own well-being!

$1.30 per post.

 

[sgrossklass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big_Irish Wondering a little bit about set-up. The headphones will mainly be used at my PC for music and a bit of gaming. They feed through the mini plug on my Logitech Z-580 speaker controller. SB Audigy 1 soundcard. Just curious if the signal right now is amplified, or if I'd need to get an amplified sound card?

The headphone outs on Logitech speaker systems are generally reputed to suck badly, so you'll probably obtain better results when running directly off the sound card. The old Audigy isn't great but should do a decent job driving the cans. If you know someone who's decent in soldering, the opamp on the headphone out will probably greatly appreciate an upgrade in supply buffering when driving these low-impedance cans.

 

[mektarus]

It's too late for us! Save yourself while you still can! Of course, there's always room for one more soul.

 

[tattoou2]

Leave here now! Shave your head, go into the desert, and find Nirvana elsewhere. Save yourself!

Welcome to Head-Fi.