[wolfetan44]

Quote:

Beats and blah and blah are just too commonly known as the brand to get, and not many are aware of hifi names.  That doesn't bother me at all.  But it also feels nice when once in a while, someone makes me feel I'm not alone.
 
A lot of things played in my mind while I was eating at McDonalds, there were two dudes staring at me for uncomfortably long periods.  I thought:

1. Maybe I look familiar or remind them of someone else.
2. Maybe I look weird.
3. Maybe I'm eating the burger wrong.
4. Booger on my face?

But when I was done and hurriedly went for the exit (it really was uncomfortable), one of them muttered "Beyerdynamic... that's Beyerdynamic" while the other stood up, called out, and asked if my headphones are good.  If the brand is trusted.  Where I bought it and how much.  I felt so relieved.
I then asked what music genre they like and both of them like rock ballad.  Got a local singer on my player and they nearly scoffed at my J3, but then got curious with my Fiio E17.  I just smiled and let one of them wear my DT770 playing 박완규 (Park Wan Kyu).  And this is a picture of his face:
 
O.O
 
Anyway, after about half an hour letting them listen to my gear, we parted with me feeling glad some people (in my community) appreciate non-blah brands.  I am not alone.

Thats great!

 

[214324]

@beats
 
I will only complement them for their marketing. It's also made other people out there able to justify the higher prices of audio equipment (whether that equipment's good or not, that will vary). I'm really surprised how people tolerate these headphones. I went to a fellow Head-Fi member's house (happens to go to the same school as me) and listened to a pair of Q701's powered by an O2 and a Audio-GD NFB 12.1 as a DAC (some other headphones at first though; SRH440 being the first). They were amazing. The only other proper piece of equipment I've heard before was a set of Bower and Wilkins 600 series speakers (the amplifier I don't remember) that my piano teacher owned. The first song I heard on those speakers was Holst's "The Planets" (I liked Mars the best). The volume my teacher had the speakers/amplifier at was a bit loud for my tastes (I listen at ridiculously low volumes) but I got the idea of what good equipment sounded like from then on (and then most of the other things I heard afterwards made me cringe a lot). Anyways, back on track. After hearing some of this equipment, I heard a pair of Beats again at Best Buy (Black Friday morning) and they sounded terrible (they've always sounded terrible to me because I dislike excessive bass. In this case, even worse than before).
 
Well, I still don't own much. I was sent a pair of headphones by another fellow Head-Fi member and borrowed the Sony MH1C and AKG K422 (along with an E5) which I'm using right now. My parents don't understand my love of audio and are skeptical about spending so much for equipment so I'm stuck borrowing for now, but here's my life's story of how I became to appreciate audiophile equipment.
 
TL;DR: I cringe at most of the things I hear now that aren't coming through a nice setup.

 

[kotk]

The best reaction that I got was from my mom, go figure. Well she and my dad go to allot of classical concerts, she enjoys music, but only listens to it from her laptop speakers. So when I gave her a listen she was amased and said: "It's like I'm right there, sitting in front of an orchestra." BTW she was listening to my hd598 hooked up to a xonar stx.



 

 

[FlobHobNob]

I've actually noticed that non-audiophiles are actually really interested in headphones. With music becoming more popular than ever more people are starting to want to listen to higher end headphones. I can't bring my headphones to school (dt770's) without someone saying something about them. Maybe it's the small Ipod nano looking thing strapped to my phone, or the sheer size of the headphones, but I've noticed that everyone likes headphones they just don't want to take the leap into audiophilism.

 

[streetdragon]

Quote:

I've actually noticed that non-audiophiles are actually really interested in headphones. With music becoming more popular than ever more people are starting to want to listen to higher end headphones. I can't bring my headphones to school (dt770's) without someone saying something about them. Maybe it's the small Ipod nano looking thing strapped to my phone, or the sheer size of the headphones, but I've noticed that everyone likes headphones they just don't want to take the leap into audiophilism.

the cost of audiophilism is rather huge, it turns people off quite easily, or stops them from advancing any higher than a $30 headphone

 

[Tangster]

Quote:

I've actually noticed that non-audiophiles are actually really interested in headphones. With music becoming more popular than ever more people are starting to want to listen to higher end headphones. I can't bring my headphones to school (dt770's) without someone saying something about them. Maybe it's the small Ipod nano looking thing strapped to my phone, or the sheer size of the headphones, but I've noticed that everyone likes headphones they just don't want to take the leap into audiophilism.

Increase in music consumption and prevalence of higher priced gear. Sadly popular music production quality is dropping off a cliff.

 

[collie1967]

I think we are in an exciting time for music as companies are releasing music available as high def downloads quality isn't an issue , generally people are just not aware that music reproduction can sound so good , an iPod is as good as it gets most of the time , I've spent many thousands on my passion and I get emence enjoyment , I don't go on exotic foreign holidays like many of my friends spend thousands on , who's to say who's right , as for beats my wife bought a pair 2years ago and loves them , they probably suit the type of music she listens too , I compared them side by side to my headphones at the time sennheiser hd280 pros and Sony md nc500d and there wasn't that much in it ,beats where very bass heavy , but some people like that , I know what I like but I'd never force my opinion on someone , I don't like rhubarb either , mark

 

[ucrime]

Quote:

- . So she decided on ATH-M50's, and loved them. Sometime in the future she passed by a store with the Beats on demo and did an A/B test. She said she couldn't believe that she ever thought that the Beats sounded good because now there was no way she'd ever put them on again. And she only spent 1/3 of their price.
 
 

I have the 50s, I had a friend compare them as I did on an iPad... Beats were better without an amp, and I am far from a Beats fanboy.  50s can't get the volume up enough to show how good they are.  I wanted to be the one who said, look, Beats cannot compare, but they were better on ipad without amp.

 

[ssrock64]

Quote:

I have the 50s, I had a friend compare them as I did on an iPad... Beats were better without an amp, and I am far from a Beats fanboy.  50s can't get the volume up enough to show how good they are.  I wanted to be the one who said, look, Beats cannot compare, but they were better on ipad without amp.

Be more specific. I'd agree with you if you're talking about the Pro or the Executive, but I've heard every model in the Beats range and there's honestly nothing besides those two that I'd prefer.

 

[LarryKingsShoes]

I must be too cynical for this thread. I can't believe that people would react as described by a bunch of us from hearing a decent rig for a few moments. Maybe it's just the people that I deal with but they seem to be stubborn and uninterested in new hobbies. I wish I had a good, true story to share but my best experiences are usually limited to the usual, "that sounds good" bit that is usually just said to get me to shut up about headphones.

 

[jk6661]

Quote:

the cost of audiophilism is rather huge, it turns people off quite easily, or stops them from advancing any higher than a $30 headphone

Define "huge." Is spending $20,000 on car excessive for someone with a decent middle-class income? Most people would say no. Then how about $10,000 on a car and $10,000 on a nice headphone rig? It's all about priorities.

 

[streetdragon]

Quote:

Define "huge." Is spending $20,000 on car excessive for someone with a decent middle-class income? Most people would say no. Then how about $10,000 on a car and $10,000 on a nice headphone rig? It's all about priorities.

huge compared to what they expect to pay for one of these. seeing that the regulary price they expect to pay is about $10 or so for these kind of stuff, $300 would be rather steep. again we have high priorities in audio that's why we invest it here, but not many people put their priority here although in reality it is not that expensive compared to some other hobbies like cameras and especially cars. (especially when that said person may be spending $15 every night in the drink or smoke, who knows)

 

[FatmanSize48]

Here in LA, some people get cheapo houses in Santa Monica but have multiple cars in the six figure range...priorities...

 

[wlvca]

Here in LA, some people get cheapo houses in Santa Monica but have multiple cars in the six figure range...priorities...

Where are there cheap houses in Santa Monica? Well, maybe you live in Beverly Hills...its all relative.

 

[FatmanSize48]

Cheap is a relative term...hell-look what forum we're on 

 
On a more relevant note, my Beats Conversion Kit (a la Senn Amperiors) has arrived. Let the NARs begin!