BadhairCut
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2012
- Posts
- 9
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TLDR Version:
I'm enjoying my Creative Fatal1ty MKII gaming headphones more than my CAL's and I'm surprised I wasn't happy with them. Is it that I am more picky than I expected, that I got the wrong headphones for me, or did I possibly get a bad pair?
Should I get another pair in the same price range or do you think I need to go higher in my price range?
Long Version:
I have some cheap Yamaha earbuds at work and my Creative Fatal1ty MKII gaming headphones at home. I noticed I really enjoyed my MKII's more than my earbuds, so in my quest to find "good headphones", I learned that there are many preferences when it comes to headphones and one pair doesn't work for everyone in each price range.
I needed over the ear headphones under $100 with minimal leakage with a decent low end for listening enjoyment, and from everything I read, the CAL's fit that description. Head-Fi, Innerfidelity, and other sources highly recommended these headphones so it seemed like a no-brainer.
Right from the start I was underwhelmed. I don't know what I was expecting, this was my first nice audio purchase, but I expected to be somewhat wowed right from the beginning. When I compared them to my gaming headphones they sounded a little clearer, probably a little less colored, the highs were more prominent, but the mids were a little more recessed.
I usually stream music from my phone like pandora, or grooveshark, but I have also tried to test these new headphones with a player where I can adjust the equalizer to get the sound right, and it's still hard for me to definitely say, "yea, these sound much better than my gaming headphones". The bass is especially disappointing. They bass may be more accurate in the CAL's, but they almost feel more bloated and soft and don't sustain as well as my gaming headphones. I am always straining to hear the mids in the CALS as well, no matter how I equalize it. The highs were also a little irritating.
So when I return these, do I live with my gaming headphones, or get another pair?
I'm interested in the ATH-M50's, but are these just going to be another FOTM, but twice as expensive, and will I ALSO have to buy an amp to power them?
I was disappointed with the low end of the CAL's, but I also don't want some basshead xb500's that won't deliver mids and highs. I also need headphones that don't leak sound.
I don't think I'm a picky person, but maybe my expectations are too high for a pair of sub $100 headphones. I have listened to them for probably 4 hours now, and I have had them burning in for probably 10 hours, but I think I have given up on the CAL's.
I'm enjoying my Creative Fatal1ty MKII gaming headphones more than my CAL's and I'm surprised I wasn't happy with them. Is it that I am more picky than I expected, that I got the wrong headphones for me, or did I possibly get a bad pair?
Should I get another pair in the same price range or do you think I need to go higher in my price range?
Long Version:
I have some cheap Yamaha earbuds at work and my Creative Fatal1ty MKII gaming headphones at home. I noticed I really enjoyed my MKII's more than my earbuds, so in my quest to find "good headphones", I learned that there are many preferences when it comes to headphones and one pair doesn't work for everyone in each price range.
I needed over the ear headphones under $100 with minimal leakage with a decent low end for listening enjoyment, and from everything I read, the CAL's fit that description. Head-Fi, Innerfidelity, and other sources highly recommended these headphones so it seemed like a no-brainer.
Right from the start I was underwhelmed. I don't know what I was expecting, this was my first nice audio purchase, but I expected to be somewhat wowed right from the beginning. When I compared them to my gaming headphones they sounded a little clearer, probably a little less colored, the highs were more prominent, but the mids were a little more recessed.
I usually stream music from my phone like pandora, or grooveshark, but I have also tried to test these new headphones with a player where I can adjust the equalizer to get the sound right, and it's still hard for me to definitely say, "yea, these sound much better than my gaming headphones". The bass is especially disappointing. They bass may be more accurate in the CAL's, but they almost feel more bloated and soft and don't sustain as well as my gaming headphones. I am always straining to hear the mids in the CALS as well, no matter how I equalize it. The highs were also a little irritating.
So when I return these, do I live with my gaming headphones, or get another pair?
I'm interested in the ATH-M50's, but are these just going to be another FOTM, but twice as expensive, and will I ALSO have to buy an amp to power them?
I was disappointed with the low end of the CAL's, but I also don't want some basshead xb500's that won't deliver mids and highs. I also need headphones that don't leak sound.
I don't think I'm a picky person, but maybe my expectations are too high for a pair of sub $100 headphones. I have listened to them for probably 4 hours now, and I have had them burning in for probably 10 hours, but I think I have given up on the CAL's.