[mkshm]

  Next thing you know, they'd be asking for your own setup instead 

 

 I need to be careful what I wish for...

 

[PhiQuanTu]

I let me co-worker tested my new Shure se846 IEM to see if she likes it (since she got gigabytes of songs on her iPod and a big roller in spending money on gadgets too). After listening to the se846 deeply for 5 minutes and (looks like) she's really concentrating on the sq of the IEM, she declared that it's an awesome headphone that has a great sq like her $100 Bose in-ear!!!  I took the se846 back and say nothing more.....

 

[lty239]

  I let me co-worker tested my new Shure se846 IEM to see if she likes it (since she got gigabytes of songs on her iPod and a big roller in spending money on gadgets too). After listening to the se846 deeply for 5 minutes and (looks like) she's really concentrating on the sq of the IEM, she declared that it's an awesome headphone that has a great sq like her $100 Bose in-ear!!!  I took the se846 back and say nothing more.....

Lol. I remembered that when I got my k3003, my roommate listened to them and said they were even worse than his earpod... I haven't and will never let him touch my gears again

 

[aznever]

I recently purchased an Audeze EL-8, and coming from an Audio Technica ATH-A55, they both sounded the same, lol.  I think I have wasted $700 for nothing.

 

[Pirakaphile]

  I recently purchased an Audeze EL-8, and coming from an Audio Technica ATH-A55, they both sounded the same, lol.  I think I have wasted $700 for nothing.

Take some time with the EL-8, and make sure you've got it playing out a good source. You need some time for your brain to break in.

 

[kapanak]

I recently purchased an Audeze EL-8, and coming from an Audio Technica ATH-A55, they both sounded the same, lol.  I think I have wasted $700 for nothing.

Return them if you don't like them. A lot of people had your impressions in the EL-8 thread. Not worth $700 for the sound quality (but build quality is superb, except the highly glued on earpads that prevent any sort of modding.)

 

[genclaymore]

I don't know why they would glue on the earpads to the headphones unless it done to take corners but at that price point, they should at-least do it right and design them to be removed without having to do any kind of work around. That would be the one thing to stop me from buying headphones, if they gorilla glue the earpads on, No matter how good it sounds.
 
I sure it doesn't stop people who really want to remove those earpads with a bit of force or a knife and double sided tape.
 
Those EL-8 look interesting to me but not $700 interesting that's way past my limit but i bet they must be some great headphones.

 

[159650]

I have a friend who would only buy mainstream headphones, he bought a pair of Bose IE2, Beats Solo and the original Beats. I tried his stuff and couldn't believe the crap Beats were selling to their customers. Absolute garbage. The IE2s are usable, though the music has no passion. So I let him in my room and had him listen to my Sennheiser HD595s and he couldn't believe how good the music was but couldn't admit that his beats were crap. In the end he was blown away by a pair of... wait for it.... Koss Porta Pros. I let him keep them. lol
 
Beats = Garbage. If I ever get one as a present, I'd sell them off quick (a scourge on mankind, I know... should burn them instead but hey, money is money)

 

[159650]

Honestly, I think many stories go like this. I wasn't trying to write something new. I guess my experience with non-audiophiles is like anyone else's. Back when I just started my foray into this hobby (too poor to go all into high end, not sure if there is anyone who started this hobby by buying a pair of 1000 dollar headphones) I had a pair of Sennheiser CX500 to start. Today they don't sound as good as I remember, but there was a time when I considered them to be the best IEMs in the world (for daily use and abuse). I had a classmate who was listening to Apple buds take a listen and she insisted that they sounded exactly the same. I was in disbelief. Bottom line, it's an acquired hobby, people have to get comfortable paying for SOUND and not some sort of fashion statement. I've seen other guys in the same room listening to Skull Candy and Beats so I know that they're comfortable with spending but won't spend on a proper pair of headphones. And they're definitely unwilling to admit that what they're using is sheer garbage cause in the case of Beats, they paid what they believed to be a justifiable price for one pair of headphones that they thought were cool. 
 
The only person I've seen who've made the transition from Beats to the stuff even resembling HIFI is my cousin. I got him into it when I let him hear my Sennheiser IE7 and immediately he wanted a pair. Since then he's bought the UE 900 and one of the Sony XBAs. 

 

[CaveManta]

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

. . .they paid what they believed to be a justifiable price for one pair of headphones that they thought were cool.

   Yeah, there's no way to change someone's opinion on something they personally like, because they like it as an end rather than a means. Nutnfancy(random Youtuber) calls it second kind of cool, as opposed to first kind of cool, which is for sheer functionality. But there are people, looking for first kind of cool, who get tricked into buying a can that is overhyped by others. They should be easily convinced to try other cans. They must want to see what's out there.
 
I've given up on trying to convert non-audiophiles, or getting them to listen.
   Even if a person likes ibuds, I don't want to sway their opinion. It's too much work getting them to try an alternative, even just for fun. I feel like I have to become a pitchman to make them consider different headphones. I couldn't make them try something better to protect their hearing. It makes me sad, watching them get blasted by mids...with no isolation from their noisy environments.
ibuds are a disease I cannot cure. If I can't free ibud listeners, how much more can I free the others?

 

[159650]

CaveManta I think the reason why it's harder to convince ibud users to convert is because they're the sort who really don't care to spend on a pair of headphones. The ones who own Beats at least have the disposable income to spend on 300 dollar pairs of headphones. So they're generally open to improving their listening experience since they have the income and the interest (albeit misdirected). The ibud users are those who don't care at all about the earphones that they're using, and only care that what they're using is an apple product. They're the sort who'd buy an iPod because they love the device but have less consideration for the earphones that they're getting. These are the people who also believe that earphones should not cost more than 10 dollars, 20 max and feel cheated if they have to shell out more than 20 for a pair because they compare value from a more extrinsic point of view; no appreciation for the engineering or the amount spent on R&D of the headphones but rather simply as an intermediary between them and the device. It's not what is most important to them: it's simply something that allows them to listen to music. The DAP to them is a lot more critical - and they're also the sort who'd tell you that you're crazy for spending 500 dollars on your DAP when it doesn't have a touch screen, no wifi, no games, and no video playback. They'll look at you as if you're crazy because you entire setup is worth 1000 dollars and he'd shake his head because you spent 300 dollars on those measly looking pair of earphones. To them words like DAC, amplifiers, balanced armature and dynamic drivers are a complete miss. 
 
So what I'm saying is that they're simply the least interested people in audio. They just care about having music; to them 128kbps mp3 files sound the same as FLAC. In fact, they have no idea what FLAC is (I know because although my first iPod - 6th Gen Classic. I know. I was a fool - had a library full of ALAC files, no one listening to ibuds every noticed the difference. They care about having the most battery life, that their device starts with an "i" but not iBasso (I own iPod Videos and honestly, I got nothing against Apple personally. But it does seem that the "average" iPod owners are the most guilty), has wifi and can play their games. We'll never get them to convert easily because to them everything is the same. The only difference is that you were "dumb" enough to spend 300 on a pair of earphones and his/hers were free and sound "just as good".

 

[cs098]

Hmm I wonder what would happen if you replace a movie theater's sound system with a ibud level quality one. Would only audiophiles get inraged?

 

[159650]

I have an unopened brand new ibud. Maybe I'll try watching something with it and see if I can make it through the entire film without switching. lol

 

[penmarker]

IPod earphones aren't that bad, they do the job and fairly neutral with no bass or treble boosts. You can't really fault them for the asking price and the functionality which is for 'on-the-go' usage. I remember back then I had the first gen nano with the first gen earphones. They're domes attached to cylindrical rods, sounded horrid, but I didn't knew better so I liked it anyway.

It's ok to educate but day by day I red through this thread and the tones of a lot of the posts are very condescending. And that makes me sad inside.

 

[CaveManta]

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

-CaveManta I think the reason why it's harder to convince ibud users to convert is because they're the sort who really don't care to spend on a pair of headphones.

-I have an unopened brand new ibud. Maybe I'll try watching something with it and see if I can make it through the entire film without switching. lol

-I guess it all boils down to they just don't give a uhh..dollar. Yeah, dollar. Dang it, I wanna wake them up from their trance.
-No need to torture yourself. We know how bad they are.
 
Originally Posted by cs098 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Hmm I wonder what would happen if you replace a movie theater's sound system with a ibud level quality one. Would only audiophiles get inraged?

Non-audiophile: "Ooh, upgrade!"
 
Originally Posted by penmarker /img/forum/go_quote.gif

It's ok to educate but day by day I red through this thread and the tones of a lot of the posts are very condescending. And that makes me sad inside.

Yeahh, I simply try to make non-audiophiles consider other options, or try my cans for fun. I don't want to convey, "My cans are bettar!" Or, "Your cans suck!" However, maybe aggression could wake up SOME non-audiophiles.